Aether, the material which fills the region of the universe above the terrestrial sphere, is of the character that it is "subtler than light."

From what we cannot hold the stars are made. – W.S.M.

When Father opens Hell's Gate in an attempt to turn Ishbal into a Philosopher's Stone, the country is consumed, and gives way to the emergence of the Gate into the world. Though the area has since been contained, the event led to the spontaneous appearance of contractors and allowed for the creation of Dolls. Contractors are identified by law as criminals, and no effort is spared in attempting to capture, imprison and study every one.

The night was a cold one in early winter. Flurries drifted down, were illuminated briefly in the glow from the streetlamps, and then mixed with the trampled slush in the street. In a disused alley in Central, the hush of dusk was broken by the sound of loud, drunken voices:

"Evening, girls. Where you headed? Need a lift?"

"Want someplace to spend the night?"

"My door is always open, ladies." This accompanied by a rude gesture and scattered cackles. One demurred, not entirely serious:

"What's the matter with you? The little ones are just kids."

"They're cute kids…" the first leered in mock-defense.

"I wouldn't mind a taste of the bigger one, either."

"Mmm. What's your name, sweetheart?"

Having been forced to slow down, the tallest of the three gathered her arms protectively about the two shorter ones, but said nothing in response, gazing at the ground. All wore long coats with the hoods up, partially obscuring their faces, but the long silver hair of the tallest glinted where it gathered to frame each side of her face inside of the hood. A couple of moments passed, and finally one of the children lifted her head and spat, "Leave us alone."

This seemed to provoke the lead tough, his mouth screwing into a nasty snarl. "Hey, bitch! We're talking to you!"

He came closer, shooting out a grimy hand to catch hold of her cape, and suddenly the alley exploded with light.

The knock on the door came after eleven. The Fullmetal brothers were sprawled on separate couches, working over their notes from the day. Al half-rose to answer it, but Ed gestured for him to sit and went over on his own. As he opened the door, Lieutenant Maria Ross pulled herself together into a neat salute.

"You asked to be informed if there were contractor sightings of any kind."

Ed tensed, and Al sat up, reaching for a pencil. "When? Where?"

"A disturbance occurred in one of the northwestern boroughs earlier this evening. A group of young men out for a night on the town were severely injured, and the surrounding area destroyed. The party who inflicted the damage fled."

"The witnesses observed no transmutation reactions of any kind?"

"Nothing. The reports confirmed it. It's a contractor."

Ed swore in excitement. "Who's going after him?"

"The Colonel is putting a team together. He appears to have a nest in the borough." Ross hesitated for a moment. "I presume you'll want to be involved."

Startled, Al looked up from his diagrams. "Nii-san…"

"Tell the Colonel I'm on my way."

Ross saluted briefly and left, and Ed slammed the door, gritting his teeth, and started to get dressed.

"Nii-san, you can't be serious about getting involved in this." Al's tone was pleading. "If he's a contractor and he's still free, it's too dangerous. You heard Lieutenant Ross – there are probably more of them. We should let the Colonel handle it, as he ordered. Nii-san!" His voice rose in volume as he realized how little heed Ed was giving to his words, and finally Ed paused before shrugging his cape on. "It's too soon. Going after them won't bring her back."

Only a slight grimace indicated that Ed had been listening to his brother's entreaties. When he saw that Ed still intended to leave, Al closed the notebook he had been working on and stood up as well.

"If you won't listen, I'm going with you."

The Colonel's office was a hive of noise and motion, and barely anyone noticed as they squeezed their way inside. Al found Hawkeye and Kirihara poring over a series of transcribed reports, and joined them. Hawkeye looked up and nodded briefly in greeting. "Sir. Is your brother here as well?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Al craned his neck over Kirhara's shoulder, but it was difficult to locate his shorter sibling in the confusion. "I couldn't convince him to stay out of it."

"I doubt the colonel will allow him to have anything to do with it," Kirihara said, not lifting her eyes from the data. "Lieutenant Colonel Hughes is still on ordered leave. You two are fortunate that you were not suspended."

"I know." Al hesitated before asking, "Is there anything at all you can tell me?"

Hawkeye shrugged. "You're welcome to take a look for yourself, but the Colonel will absolutely not permit accompaniment to the site of the incident. He's already selected a team based on what was observed."

"How many were there?" Al skimmed over the reports. Rogue contractors rarely traveled alone or in large groups – both configurations increased the probability of capture.

"At least three, and they had a Doll with them, which will make them difficult to track. But two were children." Al's eyebrows rose at this bit of information. "They'll make valuable research subjects, if we're able to take them alive. It's disturbing, however…" Kirihara shook her head. "Rogue contractors in Central for the second time this year. The military's presence isn't as intimidating to them as we'd like to think. I had my misgivings, but it seems the Colonel's initiative is a timely one."

Al glanced at her, wondering what she meant, but was interrupted by Hawkeye.

"This time, we must ensure that no lives are lost." Hawkeye's brow furrowed. "We will take every precaution necessary."

Al shivered at the thought. "They're not the ones who…?"

"Doubtful. The pattern of destruction indicates abilities related to some kind of large gun, and another type of matter manipulation – fire, possibly. No traces of explosive power." The three of them fell silent for a moment in remembrance, but were soon interrupted by the Colonel himself.

"We're heading out. Yo, Alphonse." Mustang seemed undisturbed by the short alchemist who followed him, attempting to bully him into letting him join them, and cursing colorfully at the top of his lungs. "Will you do me a favor and restrain your brother?"

Al colored and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "I'll do my best. Nii-san," he raised his voice in order to be heard. "We can't go along with them."

"Who says we can't? In case you haven't noticed, Colonel, it's wet outside! You'll be useless! You need me along!"

"I have selected my own reinforcements for the time being," the Colonel ground out. "We'll keep you informed, of course."

"Who?" Ed demanded to know.

"The Crimson and Strong Arm Alchemists will be in accompaniment, along with a team of enlisted soldiers." Mustang slipped on his gloves, and motioned to Hawkeye to follow him. "Good night, Fullmetal brothers."

"Kimblee? Are you kidding me?" Had it not been for the gentle restraining hand Al placed on his older brother's collar, Ed would have followed the Colonel and the others straight to their transport, yelling all the way. However, when he reached back to detach himself, the sight of his younger brother's quietly disapproving face seemed to trip him up. Awkwardly, Al let his arm drop, and Ed cleared his throat.

"Let's go home and finish up our work for the night, so we can be prepared when they come in," the younger brother suggested, seeking, as he usually did, to bridge the tension between them.

Ed seemed to deflate. "We may as well. Something tells me that it's going to be one hell of a long night."

Several hours passed in strained silence at the Elrics' apartment before they had any news.

A knock at the door, followed by: "Officer Falman, reporting!"

"At ease, come in." Al beckoned Falman over to the desk where they had been working. "What can you tell us?"

Falman's face was grim. "The operation is over. The contractors and one Doll were flushed out of the nest where they were hiding. As for the children, we received a report on them from Northern Headquarters a year ago, when they first awakened. Shion and Suou Pavlichenko, now aged twelve."

Al frowned, flipping through a stack of his notes. "Oh, I remember. The 'Twin Guns'?"

"Those are the ones. One of them was slain in the skirmish; we've taken the other and the Doll into custody." Al's face reflected his horror, and Falman inclined his head to demonstrate that he understood. "It was unavoidable."

"Unavoidable, hell!" Edward fumed. "The Colonel should have known better than to take Kimblee along."

Falman let his outburst pass without comment, and continued, "We have yet to confirm the identity of the captured twin."

Now Al was scribbling furiously. He handed a few pages to Ed, who examined them without comment. "And the others?"

"At least one escaped. The last…" Falman hesitated. "…from what I understand, he was extremely difficult to bring down. The Colonel himself had engaged him, but it was difficult to tell who would emerge the victor. Then he suddenly surrendered himself. It was after the twin had been captured, so it's not too difficult to surmise why."

"Still, that's an illogical move, for a contractor." Ed appeared lost deep in thought. "Do we have any information on him?"

"None readily available, but his description has been sent out to the other headquarters. When we hear something, we'll let you know." Falman made a gesture as if to move for the door. "You two may come to examine the twin and Doll, if you like, before they go through processing. The other contractor is in interrogation."

"We'll go now," Ed confirmed, and, gathering a few notes, the brothers set out. It looked as if it was to be a very long night indeed.

"Here they are." Breda looked to Kirihara questioningly, and she nodded. "Go ahead and open it. We're relocating them now."

The Lieutenant obeyed, and when the door of the holding cell swung open and their eyes adjusted to the light, Ed and Al were dismayed by what they saw.

The girl and the Doll were huddled in one corner of the dank cell, and the former started at the sudden light. Up until this point, all of the contractors they had captured and studied had been their age or older. Child contractors were rare, and little was known about them. Al would have had trouble believing that the petite redhead was a dangerous killing machine if the reports hadn't proved otherwise. Now she tensed, curling more tightly into the Doll's arms, as Al came closer.

"Don't worry," he said gently. "Suou, right? We're not going to hurt you. We're only going to move you to some place more comfortable."

She glared back at him with a mixture of fear and defiance. "Why should I believe you?"

Both Ed and Al were startled by the clear display of emotion. Al cast a glance over his shoulder at his brother, who shrugged. "She's young, so maybe the transmutation of the soul hasn't yet occurred."

Al turned back, squatting down so that their faces were at the same height. "We want to help you," he explained. "My brother and I are researchers. We won't harm you, we promise."

"My brother is dead because of your military," Suou ground out bitterly, her wide, childish eyes accusing. "Don't tell me lies!"

Flinching as if he had been slapped, Al fell silent. Ed made as if to intervene, fuming wordlessly at his younger brother's distress, but Kirihara waved her hand to stop him.

"This is pointless. Breda, escort the Doll to the second research laboratory. The Elrics and I will take the girl to her quarters."

Suddenly the child's expression changed from anger to pure fear. "No! Please, no!"

Kirihara paused, taken aback.

Suou only gripped the impassive Doll more tightly, tucking her forehead under its chin. "Please don't make us separate."

Several seconds of silence passed. Both brothers could feel the Lieutenant's impending refusal.

"She's a child," Al argued. "She shouldn't be alone."

"She's dangerous, and the Doll would only make her more so." Kirihara nevertheless hesitated. "What do you think, Fullmetal?"

Ed had remained silent up until that point. He now went and knelt beside his brother, examining the girl and the Doll more closely. Under the scrutiny of his gaze, Suou closed her eyes tightly, whether in restrained anger or fear he could not tell.

"Doll. What is your name?"

There was the standard delay. The Doll finally opened its mouth to speak, but the girl said first, "She's Yin."

"Her medium?"

Now the girl seemed reticent, but the Doll, at length, answered. "Water."

"Yin." Ed seemed thoughtful. "Do you want to go with her?"

Even Breda coughed to hide a grin while Kirihara openly scoffed at the shorter alchemist. "There's no point in asking a Doll a thing like that."

"Dolls are still human, you know," Al reminded her mildly.

"Your definition is pretty – "

"Yes."

" – lax," Kirihara finished, and then gaped.

Ed stood up, stretching his arms. "Will you clear it, Lieutenant, or shall I?"

"Impossible…" Kirihara said, staring at the odd pair. She shook her head. "I'll clear it. But you'd better figure out what is up with these ones, and be sure to keep us updated. The Colonel wants to keep abreast of these things."

Already Al had scribbled a full page of notes in the journal he kept in his coat. He paused to offer a hand helping Suou to her feet, which she declined.

After they had relocated Suou and Yin to their new lodgings upstairs in the research laboratory, they were informed by way of Kirihara that the Colonel wanted them to return to their quarters. Expecting to be reprimanded for the special privilege they had recommended for Suou, Ed groaned.

"It's too late – too early, whatever – for this nonsense. If he expects us to work, we have to get some sleep. He can scream at us in the morning."

Al remained silent, but he, too, was tired. In the past month, neither of them had slept well, and it was beginning to wear on their nerves. Whereas Ed became more irritated, his temper shorter as time went by, frustrated by his own helplessness, Al found himself withdrawing, become more and more exhausted, emotionally and physically. He was by nature the more open, reasonable, and gentle of the two, but recent events had threatened their toll on him.

When they reached their quarters, they found Mustang waiting for them, idly flipping through some of the work they'd left sprawled out on the desk. Ed strode over and snatched the pages from him, grumbling under his breath about violation of his privacy. Al, meanwhile, noticed the figure sitting on the couch opposite of the colonel.

"Sir?"

The Colonel glanced up from his minor quarrel with the elder brother. "Ah, yes. Edward, Alphonse. You have a visitor."

"A visitor?" Ed turned, scowling.

"This is the other contractor we captured earlier tonight."

The man was a good head taller than Mustang, Al noted, even sitting down. Black hair, fair-skinned, dark blue or black – difficult to tell – eyes. Medium build. His hands were cuffed behind him, and his shirt had been cut away to reveal a shoddy dressing on his right shoulder. He bowed politely in spite of his restraints to both Ed and Al. "Li Shengshun. A pleasure."

Ed's scowl did not waver, but Al bowed in response and introduced himself anyway.

"Obviously his name is fake," Mustang said coolly, speaking about the man as if he was not present. "We don't have any available information on him yet, and he won't say a word about the children or Doll he had with him. When I mentioned that the girl and Doll had been entrusted to your care, he requested to see you."

Thoughtfully Al studied the contractor's face, which seemed knit up in genuine worry. He was well aware that contractors could fake emotion if need be, but something seemed different about this one. Perhaps it was only his imagination, in connection to the outburst of the girl, and the expressed desire (heretofore unimaginable) of the Doll to remain with her. In any case, Al felt obliged to talk with him. He took a seat next to Mustang and asked, "What is it you wanted to see us about?"

"This is ridiculous!" Ed burst out. "Why can't it wait until morning?"

"I apologize for the inconvenience," the contractor – Li – said, and Al noted that his tone was indeed regretful. "I just wanted to ensure their safety."

"Colonel Mustang was perfectly capable in that regard." Ed waved one gloved hand dismissively. "Now, if there's nothing else…"

"Please, if you'll allow me to explain." Li tried to meet the gaze of the elder Elric, but Ed refused to look at him, instead scowling at the ceiling. "They were entrusted into my care."

Ed scoffed. "For what price? Unless you're willing to give your employer up, that sort of information is useless."

"I received no recompense. I cared for them because their parents did not wish to see them in prison, subjected to experiments." Though Li's tone was even, Al winced at his words, and even Ed looked momentarily uncomfortable. Then he recovered and shook his head in disbelief.

"You had nothing to gain by sheltering them. And because you chose to fight instead of surrendering yourselves, one of them is now dead."

Mustang cleared his throat, and Li bowed his head and closed his eyes, briefly.

"I did not know."

"We're very sorry for your loss," Al said, after a moment of silence. "I'm sure everything possible was done to prevent – "

"I refuse to acknowledge the crocodile tears of a soulless being." Ed rose and saluted the Colonel shortly, then headed for the bedroom. "I'll deal with him tomorrow."

Shocked, Al watched the door close behind his brother. He knew that Ed was disturbed by the fact that the male Twin Gun had been killed, and he himself knew, through his research, that contractors were not completely without souls. The man sitting in front of them was expressing grief, and whether genuine or partially feigned, Al could not help but respond in empathy towards him. Ed, it seemed, felt no such corresponding obligation. He had trouble wrapping his mind around the seeming inhumanity of his elder brother, and it shook him.

"It's all right," said the contractor, as if reading his mind. "I didn't expect an apology." He gave a wan smile. "I'm just glad Suou and Yin are safe."

Before Al could formulate a reply, Mustang rose. "I'll have to get him down to processing before Kimblee goes on duty," he said. When he saw Al's face, he shook his head. "I don't like it any more than you do, but he didn't do anything illegal tonight. I just want to avoid any unnecessary conflict."

"Colonel, why not let him stay here?" Al felt the words spill out of him. "It's only a few hours until morning. I'll handle his transfer personally."

Contrary to the negative reaction he expected, Mustang seemed thoughtful. "We would have to ensure your and Ed's safety, of course. But I trust him in your hands more than I do in Kimblee's, particularly after tonight."

Al nodded. "It's simple enough." To Li, he asked, "What is your remuneration?"

Without hesitation, Li replied, "I don't have one."

Mustang and Al exchanged an alarmed glance before the latter continued, "But that's not possible…it completely disregards the law of equivalent exchange…"

"Is it really so far-fetched? You and your brother, the renown Fullmetal Alchemists, can transmute without arrays." Li shifted a little, the first indication Al had seen that the restraints were irritating his wounded shoulder. "I can show you, if you like."

Another glance between Mustang and Al. Li hunched over and looked up at the both of them. "I have surrendered. I have nothing to gain by betraying your trust."

Nevertheless, Mustang slipped on his gloves while he indicated for Al to transmute the contractor out of his handcuffs. Li obediently rose and turned as Al gestured to him, and when his hands were free, slowly brought them around in front of him, rubbing at his wrists. Mustang appeared relaxed, but Al noted the tense muscles in his lower body, ready to spring if the contractor made a false move.

"This won't affect anything directly, but don't touch me while I'm working," Li warned Al, and the young man nodded and took a step back.

Taking a breath, Li lifted his hands. His eyes glowed red, and briefly sparks seemed to dance around his palms. Then his eyes returned to normal, and he relaxed, offering both wrists back to Al, who cuffed them once again, this time in front of him, so that he could rest his shoulder. Mustang nodded his approval.

Several minutes passed. Al took more hurried notes, attempting to synthesize them with the information from earlier in the night. Li, meanwhile, was leaning back against the couch, but kept his eyes open, just in case either of them might suspect his remuneration was sleeping.

After five minutes, Mustang slipped off his gloves and shrugged. "I guess he's telling the truth."

"Amazing," Al marveled, not yet looking up from his notes. "What do you think, Colonel?"

"I think I'm taking him down to processing," Mustang replied. "If he has no remuneration, we can't possibly guarantee your safety."

Not ready to accept defeat, Al ventured, "Nii-san and I have been working on the array which inhibits a contractor's access to his ability, remember? We could try that. If," with a slightly embarrassed nod in Li's direction, "you're willing, of course."

Mustang's sour face seemed to disapprove of Al's asking the contractor's permission, but Li nodded back, even offering him the ghost of a smile. "Sounds better than my other option."

"Alright." Al gathered his notes, then went to Li's side. "Stand up and face away from me." When the contractor complied, he lifted the hem of his shirt with one hand and probed the contractor's back gently with the other, noting various scars and burns as he did so. It seemed as if Li had been involved in combat before he had become a contractor. Mustang stood behind him, watching with frank curiosity.

Finally Al found the spot, midway down the spine. Setting his notes aside, he took up a pen and etched the array carefully, stopping from time to time to refer to the diagrams. He finished by sealing it so that the ink would not fade, and stepped back.

"I'll activate it now," he told Li, who nodded. "When I ask you to, try to access your ability."

With his fore and middle fingers Al touched the array, which glowed briefly red. Li stiffened. "Pain?" Al asked, with concern.

"No, just felt strange."

Al stepped back. "Try now."

Li turned to face them as he did so. Briefly his eyes seemed to glow, but this time he went rigid in the midst of it, his mouth dropping open slightly. Shuddering with what seemed to be pain, his knees gave out just as Al came to his side and gripped his good shoulder to support him, lowering him to the couch.

"Are you alright? Did it hurt? I'm sorry…we haven't tested it very well," Al kept his hand on the contractor's shoulder, feeling the tension in his body slowly relax.

Gradually Li opened his eyes, took a deep breath, and looked at him. "I'm fine. It did hurt, but it looks as if it worked as well."

Mustang seemed equally pleased and astonished. "Alphonse, this is great work."

But Al had seen the look in Li's eyes as he sunk from the pain; his former mild manner given way to an expression of the bitterest contempt and helpless rage, his eyes gone flat and blank as if they were painted on. Shaking himself inwardly, Al reminded himself that he was tired, and managed a wan smile for the colonel. "Thank you. But I can't take all of the credit; Nii-san and I developed it together."

"It looks like I'll be leaving this one in your capable hands, then." Mustang beckoned Al over as he made his way toward the door. "If I could have a word with you – "

Al nodded, excusing himself with a faint smile from Li and following Mustang to the door. The colonel's face was contorted with a strange excitement, and he gripped Al's shoulder in a way that was not exactly friendly.

"See that you watch over him well," Mustang said, with a smile which bordered on feral. "This is a valuable one – exactly what I've been looking for."

Uncertain of how to respond, Al inclined his head in assent.

"Good night."

After the colonel had gone, a stiff silence held for a few moments in the room. Finally Al began to tidy up. "Can I get you anything? Drink or food?"

"I'm fine for the moment, thank you." Li seemed curious about what Al was doing, his previous (imagined?) hostility gone. The young alchemist made quick work of organizing their strewn papers and books into a few neat piles, then stretched. Noticing Li's eyes on him, he colored a bit.

"I'll go get some blankets and pillows, and we can each take a couch," Al suggested.

"That's fine. I'm exhausted." Li stretched himself out on the couch he was sitting on.

"You must be." Al went to the linen closet and pulled out bedclothes. "How's your wound? I could take a look at it – " he trailed off as he approached the couches with his arms full, noting that Li had already fallen into a light sleep. As gently as possible, he covered the contractor with a blanket and gave him a pillow, then arranged the other couch into a pallet for himself. Shutting the lights, he said softly, "Good night."

In spite of himself, he fell asleep quickly, dreaming of nothing.