Chapter 1: Review
Sila got notice of her review in her mail. She opened the letter getting a paper cut in the process. Her eyes scanned the bond paper that told her she was scheduled for a one on one with her senior officer: Lieutenant Colonel Frank Archer.
Sila clutched the letter to her chest and looked at the ceiling with a goofy smile. 'Lt Col Archer!' She thought back to her last tour of duty with him.
He had not noticed her; she was one of many soldiers, but she noticed him. She noticed his striking features and sleepy blue eyes. She adored how calm and collected he was and how he gave orders during battle. "One on one" she said out loud. She bit her bottom lip and thought 'This is a big chance for me! Not just to catch his eyes, but for my career!'
Sila stumbled as she turned to go to her closet. She opened it up and began to dress for her day. 'The review is two days from now. I need to get my mind in the right place. She imagined the one time she made eye contact with the Lieutenant Colonel. He was standing on a sand dune, his foot resting up on a rock. The desert air rippled his dark brown hair. Sila was not quite a captain yet and awed at the power he wielded.
With one gesture of his hand a thousand men would put their lives on the line. She had thought at the time 'He must be amazing man to be given all that responsibility.' Later on she had heard Archer was not as magnanimous as that image portrayed, but when he turned and looked straight into Sila's eyes her world went topsy turvey.
He held the look, intense and inscrutable, then was distracted by a subordinate who climbed up on the dune to give him a message. The few days between receiving the letter and her actual day passed quickly and uneventfully enough. Sila was sure to be extra careful to temper her usual klutziness. 'I hope I don't fall on my face when I am officially introduced to him!'
Captain Sila Wellbrick sat in a chair outside Archer's office waiting to see him. This was her annual review and she was looking to get ahead. 'Hopefully my recent tour on duty was worth something.' Sila remembered seeing Archer after a battle. He was standing in his uniform with his hands behind his back. She sighed thinking about how handsome he looked in the setting sun of the desert.
The secretary told Sila that she could enter the office and have a seat inside. Sila entered Colonel Archer's office and took a seat in front of his desk. He wasn't there yet and Sila wondered what kind of secret information lie in the file cabinets around her and the books behind her. 'I know he must have his fingers in everything. You can't rise as fast as him without being exposed to something top secret. Maybe I could learn from him. I wouldn't mind any extra time with him.'
Sila heard the doorknob turning and stood up out of her chair. When the Lieutenant Colonel came in she stood and saluted him. He barely acknowledged her as he took his seat. He opened up her file and looked over her papers. "Mmm. Captain Sila Wellbrick. Mm hm."
"Sir?" she asked, unsure if the sounds he was making were good or bad.
"Please, sit" he said, leaning back in his chair.
Sila smoothed out her uniform and sat.
Archer flicked his eyes up to her then down to her papers. "Everything looks like it is in order. I had some time earlier this afternoon to go over this file. You have been doing a satisfactory job, Captain." Sila's posture slumped and Archer noted the dissatisfaction on her face. "A thank you, sir' might be in order" he said with a bit of aggravation.
"It isn't that I'm not grateful for the time you have taken sir, but…" 'Even when he's annoyed he's smooth…'
"But what Captain, I have work to do" he said taking a few last notes for her file.
"Merely satisfactory soldiers don't get ribbons sir. They certainly haven't distinguished themselves on the field" she said looking at the ground with a furrowed brow.
The young woman's comment surprised Archer and he looked up at her. She felt a bit of a thrill when those ghost like eyes looked into her. Then she noticed his eyes began to roam ever so slightly. His eyes snapped back to his paper work when he realized she noticed him looking at her. "It's admirable to want to set your sights high Captain, but there is no way to avoid the normal system of advancement." He began to write again "At least during peacetime."
"I guess I'm impatient."
"No" he smirked ever so slightly "Just enthusiastic."
"Is there any special project that I can help you with, sir?"
Archer realized the pen he was using was out of ink. He frowned and shook the little instrument. His sleepy eyes followed the pen as he tossed it into the garbage and pulled a new one out of the desk. "I'm sorry Captain, not at this time." He looked up at her then back at the file. "I have all the help I currently need on my work. If something should open I will let you know."
'I'm not normally in his line of sight. I need to get there.' "Regardless of your military projects, I wouldn't mind taking on extra responsibilities while I was…" Sila crossed her legs while stroking her own thigh. She was aware of the rumors about her legs and how nice they were under the bulky uniform. She was hoping that he may have heard them too, but doubted it. … "off duty, sir." ''Maybe THIS will get his attention!...Then again he's my superior officer and getting with him is highly illegal! What am I doing? Why am I taking this risk? Even if he was interested in me we couldn't date! He's my superior officer and that…'
"I'm sorry, Captain, what was that? I was writing" said the Colonel as he shook another pen that didn't seem to have any ink in it.
'Either I do this or not. Exude confidence' thought Sila "I said that regardless of your military work, that I wouldn't mind taking on extra responsibilities while I was off duty, sir."
He stopped writing, but kept his eyes on the paper. He was writing 'Captain Wellbrick has performed with' His pen froze on the paper causing a small pool of ink to soak the spot on the paper, his face not betraying the slightest anxiety. 'Is she making a pass at me?' thought Frank. 'No no no. Of course not. She might be useful. Having someone to take care of things that I can't trust with my secretary, Galit, but still can have control over would be good.'
The two of them sat in an awkward silence for almost a minute. Frank sat back in his chair and rested his mouth on his hands clasped in front of his face. Franks mind wandered a bit. 'Whatever her reason it has been a while since I've even considered a personal life.' He broke the silence with "Any interaction we would have off duty Captain could be considered illegal fraternization. It may appear as favoring."
"Yes, sir. I understand." 'Oh my lord! Is he seriously considering this?! No, he hasn't I'm not—he's just explaining why it can't happen—or is he? He's looking at me!'
"Mmm" 'She's aggressive and willing to take risks to get ahead.' "Then we'll have to keep any off duty activities quiet."
"Yes sir!" she said smiling. 'I wonder what we're keeping quiet. Work or pleasure? How do I figure it out?!'
"Take this file to Major Armstrong. When he has finished looking over it bring it back to me. Do not let anyone see it. That is all Captain. I will be in touch" he said writing away in her file.
Captain Wellbrick stood up, saluted, and walked out. As she walked the halls of Central alone with the confidential file in her arms Sila wondered what just happened. 'What kind of off duty activities is he planning? I'll admit I have a crush, but I don't want to get thrown out of the military over it. Oh, well, I'm sure it will sort itself out in time. This is going to be fun!'
Sila grinned to herself all the way down the hall then heard "Captain Wellbrick? What are you smiling at?" She looked up and saw Lieutenant Jean Havoc. "How are you? It's been a while since I've seen you."
'Crap. Havoc.' "Yes it has Havoc. Still smoking?" she asked, not hiding her aggravation.
"Of course" he winked with an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth.
"Well, don't do it around me. I think it's gross" said Sila and she quickened her pace to get away from him.
Lieutenant Heymans Breda and Master Sergeant Kain Fury came up on either side of him and said "Who was that?"
Havoc said "I met her when we were in academy. That's Sila Wellbrick" Havoc sighed "just another girl Mustang can steal away from me."
Breda laughed and Fury tried to be more comforting. Fury said "Don't be so down about that. Listen, maybe she wouldn't be interested in the Colonel." Both Havoc and Breda looked at him with crooked grimaces. Fury said "Well…uh…there's always that chance! Just don't give up so easily Havoc! We're here to help!"
Breda and Fury agreed to encourage and help Havoc finally find a girlfriend and they were convinced it was going to be Sila Wellbrick. They thought the only competition in the neighborhood was going to be Colonel Roy Mustang.
Lt. Colonel Archer continued his day as planned. He reviewed a couple of open and shut cases and then had lunch with some high ranking officials. He thought another promotion for himself was in the works and Sila was an afterthought for most of the day.
