Soldier Keep On Marching On

Maes Hughes

Death doesn't discriminate
Between the sinners
And the saints
It takes
And it takes
And it takes

**********

Hours later and sitting in her office, Aiden was staring down Katy. Aiden could never figure her out; there were inconsistencies in every report regarding Katy. One would say that she interviewed a criminal at three in the afternoon while another said she rescued a kitten out of a tree roughly at the same time, across the city. When more and more of the inconsistencies kept popping up Aiden did her best to cover them up and research as far and wide as possible to see how far back it went.

Everything started just after the Ishvalan War ended and Katy was assigned her first superior officer. As one could guess, Katy being in two places at once was never looked at, as there would have been a file for Aiden to look through. So she was the first. The only explanation Aiden could come up with was that Katy was a homunculus. The chances of Katy being with Father and the rest of the Seven Deadly Sins was rather low, but she didn't want to take any chances. There was no telling just who made her, and with Katy being in two places at once it was obvious that Katy could duplicate herself. Aiden refused to believe that Katy could time travel.

So with a new homunculus around with an unknown agenda, Aiden wanted her gone until the thing with Maes came and went. There was no chance of her taking 'no' for an answer. Katy was a wild card in her plans.

"I have to stay!" Katy argued, glaring at her superior.

They'd been going at it for a while, the rest of her subordinates were sitting at their desks and doing their best to ignore them. Aiden asked Katy to go with the Elric's but Katy kept on refusing. She wouldn't answer why and then the argument escalated into a shouting match that had Jack thankful for the thick walls.

"For what?" Aiden shouted back. "What could you possibly need to stay for?"

Katy gave a frustrated sigh and paced the area in front of Aiden's desk. "I said I can't tell you."

"Well until you can I expect you to be on that train."

"Why can't I-"

"Major Katy Erwin I am formally ordering you, as your commanding officer, to board the train headed for Rush Valley. You will serve as protection for the Fullmetal Alchemist, his brother, and their friend. Do I make myself clear?" Aiden growled.

Out of their field of vision, Aiden's subordinates tensed and stared in shock. Aiden had never once given a formal order to any of them. She would only ever ask them to do their jobs and take care of themselves so they didn't work their minds and bodies to death. They knew she hated pulling rank even on new recruits with attitude. For Aiden to do so with one of her friends... it was unthinkable!

Katy pursed her lips and glared furiously at her commanding officer. "Yes. Ma'am," she said through clenched teeth. Then Katy turned and stormed out the door.

Aiden sighed and ran a tired hand through her hair as she dropped into her seat. She glanced at the rest of her team, who stared right back at her, and sighed again. "You guys can go home. We're done for the day and I need time to think."

They nodded and gathered their things, each giving Aiden a look that she didn't bother figuring out. When the door closed Aiden leaned forward and rested her head against the cool wood of her desk. Katy - the homunculus, Aiden reminded herself - was gone and her team was sent home early. It was more than likely stupid to send Katy with the brothers, but assuming she did work with Father then it would only be a way for him to keep track of them. Which wasn't so bad, Aiden reasoned.