Hello y'all!

This new chapter has been written like every others of this compilation in one hour. Only one character could fit with the theme of this hour, and you'll understand quickly. I gave the name "Degman" to the chief engineer of Briggs (you know, the guy who brings the tanks when they fight against Sloth), it's the name of a Croatian tank (M-95 Degman).

Theme: "Glaciaire" = icy

Characters: Miles, Olivier Mira Armstrong, Buccaneer

Rating: K

Genres: General

Enjoy!

Freezing first day

The first time young Captain Miles arrived at Fort Briggs, he'd been impressed by the height of the wall. At that time, he was done with several years as the assistant of a pedant Lieutenant-Colonel, who'd wanted to put him aside when the first warnings of a war in Ishval were known in the military. "Ishvals aren't trustworthy. Miles looks innocent, but I'm sure he's up to something to threaten the military." He'd parted from him, and Miles had accepted his mutation with relief. He was hurt by his commanding officer's behavior, but at least he would get less suspicious glances from his colleagues, conversations wouldn't stop when he arrived or even soldiers who refused to give him the documents he was asking for.

However, Briggs was… entirely something else. Miles knew the reputation of the frontier fort, the harshness of the weather, and above all, he'd known about the ice character of Brigadier General Armstrong. Those who'd spent a few hours or days with Armstrong kept an undying memory. All of them talked about a fearsome, unyielding woman, who criticized easily but always fairly, and who didn't stand boasting and flirting attempts. Some forked tongues pretended she wasn't married because no man could bear with her firm and determined character, and because she could freeze even the most seducing man's ardors.

When he'd heard the rumors, Miles had decided to build his own image of her character. He knew how gossip (whether true or false) could impact somebody. However, he still apprehended his first meeting with his new commanding officer. In the anteroom of her office, he was waiting, standing at rest, ready to salute as soon as she would enter the room.

The first meeting was completely different from what he expected. The General entered in a hurry, followed by two officers. One of them was a giant with a long and thin mustache, wearing an automail on his right arm, and the other was a small man with grey hair and a smart look on his face. Miles saluted, straight as an "i".

"To be honest, that's the third time this month. These guys are hitting my nerves," Armstrong said in a harsh tone. "We catch their accomplices one after the other, but there's always another who gets out of the woods to show they are still there. Buccaneer, did the last one let something out?"

The giant man shook his head. "He's pretending he's told us everything. But I'm preparing something to make him speak up, I'm sure of it. I'll get you useful intel, sir."

Miles felt like he was invisible. Buccaneer and General Armstrong bent over the table in the middle of the room and unfold a map of the region. At last, the last officer met his eyes.

"General, I think our last recruit is here."

Armstrong raised her head and saw Miles, still standing at attention. "Why didn't Henschel tell me about him? At rest, Captain."

Miles obeyed. The name she'd spoken was familiar. It was the name of the Second Lieutenant who'd brought him there before telling he would warn the General. "He told me he would tell you," he said. "But he didn't cross your path."

Armstrong gazed at him from head to toes, before asking him one question. "Captain Miles, do you know anything about poachers' usual methods?"

Miles stayed mute, taken aback. He was expecting the usual questions about his skin color, his sunglasses – that were part of him since he'd entered the military – or any other thing that could recall his ishvalan origins. He certainly didn't expect to be involved immediately in the current case.

"Well yes, I've got some knowledge…"

"Very well! You'll team up with Second Lieutenant Degman and look for systems that can counter their traps and catch them red-handed."

The small man nodded at him. Armstrong anchored her icy-blue eyes into Miles'. "What do you say?"

Miles saluted again, serious. He did his best to hide his hesitation. "At your service, sir!"

The next few days, he worked endlessly with Degman, the head of the engineering workshop, charged to develop new weapons. He settled in the fort, and got acquainted with his new colleagues, who taught him the basics of life in Briggs.

Soon after, Miles answered as one man with the other soldiers. He trained on a regular basis with Buccaneer and relaxed a bit as he worked more with General Armstrong.

When the purges began, when the military decided to get rid of Ishvals serving in its ranks, Miles was surprised and relieved by Armstrong's decision to keep him under her command. The reason was clear: he was Ishvalan only by his grandfather, and his skin and eyes color didn't matter to her. He was part of the fortress along with the others and maintained peace in the North as well as any other man from Briggs. Thanks to his mixed blood, he could bring another point of view on the events happening in the country.

When he realized how determined his commanding officer was, Miles couldn't do anything else than concede before her. At Briggs, he'd found a place where skills and strength primed over relatives, origin, or sex. And he'd found in General Olivier Mira Armstrong the leader he would follow without any doubt. Because despite her character as cold as the mountains she defended, he knew she cared for each one of her soldiers as much as they cared for her. They were all ready to follow her wherever she would go.