To Be Loved or Feared

by LaMontagnarde

RoyOlivier. The rating has been adjusted downward from M. Ch 18 - Jean attempts lunch with Riza, to find that the worst day of his life is about to unfold. Next chapter, we will see Riza's same experience on that awful day.

2. That Crisp Pragmatic Way

Day One – Olivier Armstrong

"That Crisp, Pragmatic Way"

"Major Miles, send a telegram to Central, please." Olivier curtly recited the message in that crisp, pragmatic way of hers, and sat down, dismissing Miles and her secretary. Would Central allow a known traitor to join her at Briggs? Of course, she herself was still considered an ally, at least until they knew about Raven's true fate. A few hours later, a response came, and Miles delivered it back to her.

General Olivier Armstrong,

We are currently running a covert investigation on Colonel Mustang, and cannot allow his departure from Central at this time.

"Act naturally, Olivier, act naturally… got it!" She quickly responded –

Central Command,

Understand our dire need here at the border. If Colonel Mustang is a suspicious character, our patriotism and efficiency will be more than enough to prompt our own investigation, but we need his army, and he is the best man to lead it. We are more than capable of fishing out insurgency, as we face it constantly from foreign enemies. We will be sure to impress upon the Colonel the danger that we will all face, even a traitor, if the enemy encroaches upon us. He will doubtless understand.

The response, this time, was favorable, and another message was sent to Kimbley, which Armstrong read – the letter stated that Kimbley was to essentially babysit Colonel Mustang until General Raven was found, when Raven was to take over said responsibility. Now all that was left was to wait for the Colonel to arrive. Unfortunately, like Fullmetal, he would probably be recalcitrant at first – probably even more so, since he was protecting four hostages, not just one, and they were spread out over the nation. Olivier sighed at the realization that this would be difficult, even though she would be dealing with an ally. Politics was so unnatural to her – laws of man were not her highest guiding lights. Rather, it was the brutal law of nature, of the deeper and more intense higher goals, that led her through her life. Colonel Mustang was better at politics, she would concede this. And getting a politician to deal with her honestly would be rather annoying.