Paperwork

By the time Roy walked into the staff room almost half an hour later, he was in a foul mood. Storch had connections and was incredibly good at ferreting out information. They were going to have to do something.

He looked towards Ed. Thanks to the kid's tantrum, he had calls to make and strings to pull, but naturally Falman would have gotten Ed through all the forms already. Which had been the plan before.

Let's not keep him hanging around too long - and make sure he signs those papers so I get him before Bradley can.

"Warrant Officer, the papers, please," said Roy.

Falman straightened the pile of papers, which were already straight, and walked so crisply to Mustang's table to hand them to him that Ed was almost startled when the man didn't snap to attention and salute. After Falman was back at his table, Mustang held the papers out in the direction of Hawkeye's desk and without looking at her said, "First Lieutenant, review these papers and make sure Warrant Officer Falman hasn't made any mistakes. I want to make sure these are all in order." She came up to his desk and took the papers from his hand without saying a word.

Since he'd entered entered the staff room, Ed had been kept busy with a steady string of questions. By now, though, he was calm again and had begun to think that maybe he shouldn't have reacted quite so - strongly - to that other officer in the hall. He'd even been considering an apology. But something about the way Mustang was talking to his officers rubbed him the wrong way.

"What do you mean?" Ed said. "I bet that guy corrects your paperwork."

"Indeed," said Roy, with a cool voice and a smile that didn't reach his eyes. He sauntered over to the door to the small conference room and paused, a smirk on his face. "I'm going to be making some calls. Please keep the young man occupied until I'm finished," he said, addressing the room, then disappeared behind the door.

Ed stood up. "Who does he think he is?"

"I dunno," said Havoc with a grin. "The Colonel, maybe?"

"But those forms are right!"

"Of course they are," said Hawkeye without lifting her head, and turned to the next form.

"Hey kid," said Havoc, "you smoke?" and he reached his cigarette towards Ed.

"Don't do it," said Breda. "He knows you don't. He just wants to see you gag."

"Wait a minute, how do you know ... ?"

"Gee thanks Manny, I owe you one." Despite the sarcasm, Havoc was still grinning.

Just then, Mustang's voice came through from the other room. "Janette, it's been ages since I've heard your lovely voice."

"So what station do you guys want?" asked Fuery. "First Lieutenant?"

Hawkeye turned to the next form. "Nothing in particular, Sergeant."

Falman looked up from the report he was reading. "Can you get something Drachman? I like their symphonies."

"Sure thing, sir," said Fuery, turning some knobs.

Jean would have preferred pop music, but at the moment he was too preoccupied to voice an opinion. He was practicing his backward-over-the-head bank shots into the waste basket across the room.

"Madeline, how are you? I do hope you're free this Friday," came Mustang's ingratiating voice from the next room.

Breda had waved Ed over to his table to share some food from his stash. "Madeline?" said Ed. "I thought he was talking to Janette?"

"Prob'ly just working his way through the alphabet," said Breda. "You gonna eat that or look at it?"

Hawkeye got up from her table, cast a glance over the room frowning, then left the staff room.

"What happened? Is someone in trouble?" asked Ed.

"Eat up," said Breda, pushing more food on him. Ed stuffed some more in his mouth. "How about you tell us?" he asked. "What happened?"

By the time Ed finished describing the altercation in the hallway, Mustang seemed to have finished calling women. His voice had gone from flirty to bored. "Yes, Maes, I know ... " "No, I'm sure I would never believe ..."

"Does he ever do any actual work?" asked Ed.

"'Bout as often as we do," said Havoc. "Yesss!" he said as three wads of paper rang rapid-fire against the side of the wastebasket and went in.

When Mustang came back into the room, he went to Hawkeye's table and picked up the forms. Falman met him there with a pen. "There, sir, and there ..." Falman turned pages and Mustang signed.

"Hawkeye?" Mustang asked.

"Waiting for you, sir," said Havoc.

Roy put a piece of paper with some scribbling on Breda's table. "Take care of that, will you?"

"Sir," said Breda casually, picking up the paper. "Um-hmm, um-hmm." Then he got up, stashed the paper in a pocket and left the room.

"Havoc, you're in charge until we get back."

"Yes, sir."

Roy strode to the door of the staff room and then paused. "Well, Elric, are you coming?" Roy paused just long enough to see Ed pick up his suitcase, then swept out the door. Ed managed to reach the door just in time to exit right behind him.