The Right Thing Now

"The Red Lotus Alchemist once told me that when I chose to wear this uniform, I accepted the fact that I might be called on to do what I did in Ishval," Roy said to Falman.

"That is true," Vato responded. "The military oath is to the Fuhrer, not to Amestris herself. This contrasts with Drachma, where the oath is to uphold Mother Drachma, or Creta, where the nobles swear to support the hereditary royal family or Aerugo where -"

"I get the picture," interrupted Roy. "Different countries, different oaths."

"Besides the actual content of the oaths," Vato continued, "there is also the underlying social contract of each country - sometimes called common law. For example, in Creta it is understood that not even the King has the right to call the last living son of a family into battle. Interestingly, this doesn't apply only to the king with regard to the nobles, but to the nobles with regard to their serfs and so on."

"The King of Creta isn't an absolute monarch," said Roy. "I know that."

"Exactly, sir," said Vato. "And that's my point. It's not just the oath that determines what a soldier might be obliged to do, it's the power of the person or persons who command that oath."

"Yes, yes, of course. And since Amestris is a military dictatorship, with absolute power vested in the Fuhrer, Kimblee was absolutely right. I accepted the possibility of genocide when I swore the oath and put on the uniform."

"That's true, sir. Once you put on the uniform, your options when the Fuhrer ordered genocide were to obey or be foresworn."

"So participate in genocide or break my oath? That makes the choice look so obvious," said Roy, wryly. "Why weren't you there to advise me then?"

Vato shrugged his shoulders. "A soldier expects to have to kill. We don't expect to have to disobey orders. Quite the contrary - we're supposed to obey no matter what. And the ones who do disobey don't last long in the military. Especially in the military of Amestris."

"Major Alex Armstrong lasted."

"First of all, it could be argued that he didn't disobey so much as break down," answered Vato. "And secondly, the Armstrong family is an old, honored and rich family in Amestris. The Fuhrer, quite rightly, didn't want to antagonize them or their connections unless it was absolutely necessary. I doubt you would have received the same careful treatment, sir."

"So you think my actions were justified, Warrant Officer?"

"Justified?" repeated Falman. "Understandable, yes. Justified, of course not."

"What do you think I should have done?"

"Not what you did, sir. Other than that, I don't have the foggiest. All I know is that you're doing the right thing now."

"What would you have done?"

Falman chuckled. "Me, sir? That's easy. I've read about the Ishvalan campaign, especially when it turned to genocide. I'm not a combat soldier. If they'd put me into combat, I wouldn't have lasted a single day."

Roy wasn't completely convinced of that, but he let the matter drop there.

Author's Note:

I made up all the stuff about who the oaths are to in Amestris, Drachma and Creta, although I don't think any of it is contradicted by the manga.