The Game of Three Generals
by Lady Norbert
A/N: Sorry for the delay - it's been a crazy week at work and I've been coming home exhausted every day. I didn't mean to torture you, as one reviewer put it! ;)
So you're all expressing your opinions about Piper. Can he be trusted, what's he really after, where did he come from...I think it's time to tell you. In all honesty, I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. It was difficult to write and I'm not convinced I managed to pull it off as well as I wanted. I hope you deem it plausible.
Chapter Twelve: The Silver General
The Silver General: The General able to move diagonally or straight forward. In the Chess Motif set, it is represented by the alchemical symbol for silver.
Every few days, Andrew Piper pays a visit to Roy Mustang in prison.
The famous Flame Alchemist enters the visitation room looking wary, and exhausted. He sleeps badly in his solitary cell. (They don't dare release him into the general population, claiming it's for his own safety. The truth is that the charismatic Major General could very easily find allies among his fellow prisoners, and that could lead to some uncomfortable results.) He's also tired of having his hands shackled in such a way that they can't make contact with each other, to prevent him from using his alchemy to escape. It makes it impossible for him to read a book, or do much of anything else to distract himself during the hours he isn't in court.
The first time Piper visits him, he brings a small gift. He had been to the Fuhrer's mansion the previous evening to see the fair Colonel, to assure himself of her well-being (an assurance he's thus able to pass on to her concerned husband), and to bring her news of the situations in Ishval and Briggs.
"I told her I would be coming to see you today," he says. "She asked me to bring you something. I told her you're not allowed much, but I think you'd be allowed this at least." He slides the photograph across the table.
"Ah." Mustang doesn't allow his expression to change; he doesn't trust Piper enough for that. But there's a flicker of softness in the black eyes as he looks at the image of his wife and their dog. "Thank you."
"I do what I can to help. It's not much, but it's something."
He visits as often as he's able - her as well as him.
Piper is sorry for the Colonel, held hostage by her hormones as well as by the state. She tries so hard not to cry. He treats her gently, carefully, like a friend. He shares her concerns, expresses his hope that her scattered friends are safe, inquires after her health and professes a keen interest in the welfare of the growing child she carries. Most of all he tries valiantly to persuade her of his integrity.
How convinced she is, he can't quite tell. She's too practiced at hiding her emotions, to the extent that even in her fragile state she's still able to keep more under wraps than he'd like. But he knows that her friend the former alchemist does not trust him at all. Since Edward Elric is technically now a private citizen, and the mansion is private property, Piper doesn't really have the authority to order him to leave. On the other hand, there's not much he can do on his own, especially since he gave up his ability to perform alchemy. The worst damage he can inflict is to keep Colonel Mustang from believing in Piper's honesty, and in the long run, that will matter very little. Her cooperation is not really required.
He would like it, of course. It could make things easier if he can ultimately win her over. She has the respect of the Amestrian people; one of the heroes of the Promised Day, an upstanding and loyal soldier, courageous and kindly and decorated. She also has their sympathy - the only surviving family of the slaughtered Fuhrer, pregnant with the child of the man accused of the crime. Opinions are mixed as to the husband's guilt, but the wife has a nearly universal approval rating just at the moment. (Mustang's assertion of his love for her at the trial made its way into the papers, and the tragedy of their marriage has practically become the stuff of legend. It's kind of funny, in a way.) She will be a valuable ally if he can persuade her that he is trustworthy.
But ultimately, she is not needed. She's only a small cog in the works, and the plan can proceed just as well with or without her.
"Piper," says Mustang as he sits at the little table. "What brings you this time?"
"I came to see how you are." It's the same answer he gives every time. This time, however, he continues, "And I brought someone else who's come to visit you too."
"...Riza?" His voice is ragged with wary hope.
"I'm sorry, no. You know that no one with a rank below General can visit you," Piper reminds him in a kindly tone.
"Right. I didn't really think so. Well, who is it?"
"Wait here." As if he can do anything else. Piper gets up and opens the door. A white-haired man steps slowly into the room.
"We meet again, Roy Mustang," he says.
"Acheron." Mustang pales slightly. "Piper! Arrest him!"
"On what charges, General?"
"This is the man who arranged the abduction of my wife earlier this year!"
"We already have Sergeant Sikorsky in custody for that crime, sir," Piper reminds him. "He confessed, remember?"
"But this is the man who was directing his movements!"
Acheron, meanwhile, takes the seat opposite Mustang. "You are so excitable, Roy Mustang," he says. "I thought you would be more worn down by your ordeal by now."
Mustang turns to glare at Piper, who holds his gaze without flinching. "How could you let this -" He breaks off suddenly, understanding dawning in his eyes. "Oh, damn it all. You're working with him, aren't you?"
"Very astute, sir."
"And your testimony about the explosion?"
"Mostly true," he replies.
"Mostly?"
"I testified that the investigation team found no traces of external stimuli which could have caused the explosion, and that was true," Piper explains. "I also testified that this led them to the conclusion that the fire was alchemical in origin, which was also true. I merely left out the fact that the reason they found no external stimuli was because I removed all traces of it before they were permitted to examine the scene."
"You were the one who blew up the office. Can anybody hear me?" Mustang shouts. "Guard! Is there a guard?"
"Do not be ridiculous, Roy Mustang," says Acheron. "We are in a soundproof room where no one can hear anything that is being said. There are no guards outside the door. No one will ever believe you. It will be your word versus General Piper's. Who do you think is more trustworthy, in the eyes of the court?"
Mustang glowers, evidently lost for words.
"Imagine my astonishment when I discovered that both you and the valiant Lady Mustang survived the blast in the desert," Acheron continues. "A veritable pair of cockroaches, able to escape from most anything. I applaud your tenacity. This of course required me to mastermind a different plan. Fortunately, I long ago made the acquaintance of young Piper here, and knew that with his meteoric rise through the ranks, he would be a valuable asset to me."
"Go on. If you're so certain no one's going to believe me, you might as well tell me everything."
"It took a while to figure out the best way to proceed. Piper's endorsement by that Hakuro gentleman was a point in our favor; I knew he would recommend my young friend for any high position that came available."
"So Hakuro's in on this too?"
"Not at all. He and I have never met; he has no idea that I exist. I arranged the accident which killed the father of the Fuhrer's secretary, so that the man would be called away on an extensive leave, and it was easy enough for Piper to persuade Hakuro to suggest him to the Fuhrer for the post. Once he was serving the Fuhrer in this capacity, he had access to the old man's schedule and knew when you would next be in Central."
"Let me guess," says Mustang, dryly. "You're figuring that once I'm out of the way, Piper will be the next Fuhrer, and you can pull his strings. You do realize there are an awful lot of people ahead of him in line?"
"Of course. I am not stupid; perhaps you have noticed. We are fully expecting General Hakuro to be made Fuhrer. He has grown fond of Piper, almost like a father, and will doubtless name him his successor. We will take what steps we must to ensure that he does."
"And then what will you do? Run Amestris into the ground?"
"Actually, I owe a favor to a friend, which Amestris will help me to achieve." Acheron nods to Piper, who opens the door again. A thick-set Xingese man enters the room, his eyes glowing coldly. "I believe you once had occasion to make the acquaintance of His Imperial Highness, Dong Bao."
Mustang can only stare. "Are you kidding me?"
"Oh, you do remember me," says Bao. "You remember helping my brother the usurper defeat me, getting me banished from my homeland and erased from the royal family records."
"This isn't really happening, right?"
"Once I am in control of Amestris," Acheron continues, "I will be using the military to aid His Imperial Highness in an attack on Xing, and defeat the usurper's forces. Dong Bao will claim his rightful place as the Emperor."
"And until that happens," Bao interjects, "the members of my clan will support Acheron's efforts to take over this country."
"Let me guess," says Mustang, dryly. "The prosecutor is one of your allies too."
"Of course." Acheron looks at his watch. "We have kept Roy Mustang from his cell for too long, I think. He will want to be rested. His sentence is to be handed down tomorrow. His last days will already be unquiet as he thinks about all that we have said; we should allow him to rest while he can."
"The game isn't over," says Mustang. "I'm not in checkmate."
"Yet." Acheron smiles. "Do you really think I would take chances? The judge is one of mine as well."
Piper has watched the entire exchange in silence. When Acheron says this, he looks into Mustang's eyes, sees the light of horrible comprehension. He knows, now, that he will die, and Piper has to wonder how a man ever processes such a devastating truth. "For what it's worth, General Mustang, I am sorry it came to this," he says.
"Go to hell."
"Your wife is doing very well, all things considered; that should comfort you."
"Stay away from her," he says. He looks at Acheron. "In the desert, you called me a man of principle. Show me that you're the same. Give me that reassurance. Tell me that you'll leave my wife and child alone."
Acheron contemplates him, and nods slowly. "I will give you that, Roy Mustang. You have my word. Lady Mustang - and your little 'spark' - shall come to no harm by my orders."
"Thank you."
Once Acheron and Dong Bao have left the room, the two Generals look at each other.
"You may as well tell me the rest," says Mustang. "What's the going price for a soldier's loyalty these days? For what amount of money did you sell your soul to that fiend?"
"There wasn't money involved. It's about something much greater than that," Piper explains. "It's about justice."
"Justice?"
"Acheron is a Thesian."
"Thesian...wait, from Thesus? Near Milos?"
"Right. We assimilated the land more than forty years ago, when Acheron was just a child. His family was among those slaughtered when Thesus was destroyed and made part of Amestris."
"So it's about vengeance."
"You call it vengeance, he sees it as justice. I'm kind of on his side." Piper shrugs. "Then again, I'm of Thesian descent myself, so I'm probably biased."
"I see. How did he manage to hook up with the exiled prince?"
"I don't know the details about that," Piper admits. "I overheard something about Dong Bao having saved Acheron's life once, but I couldn't tell you any specifics. After he and his clan were exiled from Xing, Acheron got in touch with him and offered to help him reclaim the throne and be revenged on the Amestrian militants who thwarted his plans."
"Who blew up the glass factory in Ishval?"
"That would be members of Bao's clan, acting on Acheron's orders. The Briggs invasion wasn't actually our doing, though, if that was your next question. That was sheer dumb luck. The whole idea was to get your supporters out of Central and unable to help you, preferably in a situation that would get them killed too. But you're the one Bao really hates," Piper clarifies. "He sees you as the real reason his coup failed, because the Flame Alchemist was strong enough to scare his paid army into surrendering. So Acheron decided to use your flame alchemy against you."
"Is all this the real reason he had my wife kidnapped?" Mustang wants to know.
"No, not really. At that point, he was still negotiating the arrangement with Bao. He was trying to frame the Ishvalans so that you or her grandfather would restart the war of extermination, which would have created a nice diversion while he launched the next phase of operation. He needed to get Grumman out of power, of course."
He senses that Mustang wants to make some declaration of bravado. Phrases like You'll never get away with this or My men will stop you seem to hover in the air around them. But Mustang doesn't speak. He's very aware, Piper guesses, that he is at last checkmated, and nothing can save him now.
Piper stands. "I meant what I said," he tells the shackled man. "I really am sorry. You seem like someone I could honestly respect and maybe even like. I wish it could have been different."
He leaves the room, expecting no response from the defeated Mustang, and passes the guards who have been positioned out of earshot. "He's ready to go back to his cell," he says over his shoulder. "Judgment Day has arrived for the Flame Alchemist."