The Waters of Lethe
Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, I just like to play around in it's world and torture Ed for awhile
Author's note: post series. Some movie events will happen, but differently
Warning: bad language, violence, death, and maybe sex
Beta: Jedimasterwithapen
56. Something Wicked (Etwas gemein)
Munich, the same day
Dietlinde Eckart was feeling quite happy that day. The Shambalan was finally captured and under control. Plus she'd just received positive reports on the training of the Thule army, as well as the acquisition of adequate weapons for Operation Longinus. Now she was awaiting to hear a progress report from the head of the rocket ship project.
She barked, "Come in!" in answer to the sound of rapping on her office door. It swung open silently to reveal a tall, thin blond man with blue eyes who carried an untidy briefcase under one arm.
"Ah! Herr Heidreich! Please, come in and make yourself comfortable. Would you like a cup of coffee?"
"Danke, Fraulein Eckart, some coffee would be very nice. The factory is rather chilly in the winte. All that stonework is so cold. I can't remember the last time I was truly warm."
Dietlinde served the rocketeer herself and close up she noted how pale and drawn his face was. His hair stuck up in all directions from a hand always running through it. His jaw was covered with a fine blond fur as if Alfons Heidreich hadn't shaved in at least a week. Those lovely blue eyes of his were bloodshot and dark bags drooped underneath. Grease and oil hid underneath his fingernails and ink was ground into the skin of his hands.
Heidreich looked as if he hadn't changed clothes for at least a week as well. They were wrinkled and also dirtied with grease and oil. The shirt cuffs were downright disgraceful, almost black with dirt and badly frayed.
"You haven't been eating properly, Herr Heidreich, that shirt just hangs on you."
The rocketeer ducked his head and a faint blush colored his sunken cheeks. He'd been so busy, so consumed by work the thought of regular meals, or even food at all was pushed completely out of his mind. Alfons clutched the china mug with both hands and enjoyed the warmth seeping out and thawing his frozen digits before he tipped it back and sipped. The coffee was hot, and rich with a full bodied flavor that felt so good sliding down his throat.
The chair was very comfortable and if he could just close his tired eyes for only a moment, it would be very easy for him to fall asleep.
Which he nearly did, but he came to in time to see Fraulein Eckart almost nose-to-nose with him.
"Are you all right, Herr Heidreich? I think after this job is done you should go someplace nice and warm, the south of France maybe, for a long rest." She waved off his protests. "You and your helpers shall be richly rewarded, and you have worked so hard you deserve every bit of it."
She gave Alfons time to finish his coffee before he picked up his briefcase and opened it. The bulging leather case could barely hold all the papers he'd jammed into it and a flurry of foolscap shot in every direction after he undid the clasp. The mortified rocketeer could only watch his research notes fly.
He caught Frauldein Eckart's eye once and flushed red from chest to hairline, but she just grinned and helped him re-capture the papers. He helplessly shuffled them around before he abruptly gave up, took a deep breath and made his report.
"All the engines you requested have been assembled and they have been mounted on ships one through five, but we've only tested ships one and two so far. The four one-seat rocket scout ships are completely tested and I've developed a special launching system for them. But it will take another week to assemble the two-seat scouts, and they must be fully tested as well. All in all, we will require another month to finish the job, a month and a half to complete it to my satisfaction."
"My my, Herr Heidreich," Dietlinde sat on the edge of desk, a sardonic smile curving her lips and Alfons flushed again. He wouldn't ever say it to her face, but she reminded him of a crocodile waiting patiently for its prey at the water hole to get just a little closer before she struck. "You are certainly - thorough."
"I - I, must - I mean, it's - vital, Fraulein, um -" he stammered, this woman was his benefacteress, but she made him very nervous. "All variants and load tolerances must be tested to make sure they are safe. My reputation rides upon those rockets because human lives depend upon them functioning perfectly."
"Very good, Herr Heiderich," she purred like a cat who had both cream, and the canary. "Is that all you have to report?"
At his nod, she continued. "Very well then, you shall have all the time you need. Meanwhile, you and your team have worked very hard today. Put your rockets to bed for now. I have arranged supper for all of you at a nice restaurant nearby. It's Friday night, so eat, drink and be merry for a few hours. Get plenty of rest this weekend, and you can go back to work on Monday, all right?"
"Al -all right, Fraulein, danke." Alfons began stuffing papers haphazardly back into his briefcase. His work was fascinating, but he rather liked the idea of a break.
All work and no play makes Alfons a dull boy.
The papers still weren't in neatly, but he forced the clasp to shut, crammed the briefcase under his arm and stood up so quickly he felt dizzy. "Danke, Fraulein, danke. Good eve - evening!"
He hurried to the door and tried to push it open, rattling the knob until he remembered to turn the knob and pull. The door crashed shut a bit hard when he pulled it shut after him and he nervously called out, "Sorry!"
As he hurried away down the corridor, Alfons imagined he heard Dietlinde Eckart's laughter echoing off the stone walls. He shivered with a combination of both cold and fear because he'd never heard such maniacal tones before.
That woman is something wicked, he thought. I must be on my guard at all times from now on.
Author's note #2: I hope you all enjoyed the re-introduction of two familiar movie characters.