The recruitment officer looked up at the sound of his office door opening and a rhythmic clicking approaching his desk. As his vision fixed on a casual, yet tidily dressed man, he flinched as sharp clack of metal on metal briefly startled him. The man in front of him stood at easy attention before the desk...not the sort of overly rigid attention of some blow-in new recruit, trying to seem all spit and polish in an effort to impress, but that of someone who had done it thousands of times before...someone that could relax into it and stand for hours while maintaining the proper dress and bearing.
As the recruiter was about to speak and ask the man his name, a faint whirring and clicking drew his attention. Looking down he noticed the mans left hand bore the unmistakable shine of a synthetic replacement limb. He abruptly looked up, realising that the rhythmic clicking he had heard on his approach also meant at least one of his legs was a "synthrep" as well.
"I'm sorry..." he began, intending to inform the man that he couldn't take his application, as he had civilian-grade synthetic limbs and would not pass the standard entrance physical. The man produced an e-pad and handed it to the recruiter.
"Let me stop you there Sub-Lieutenant," the man said, in a steel-edged tone that indicated he would suffer no foolishness, "I have special dispensation to apply to re-enlist, due to previous service. You'll see the MED-117-A is correctly filled and filed and has been endorsed by a serving officer".
The recruiter stopped and looked down at the e-pad, seeing that the correct forms had indeed been filled, filed and cross-signed. He looked back up at the man, somewhat stunned.
"Uh, these all seem in order," he stammered, "but your hand and..." he trailed off looking down.
"Courtesy of the BAF" the man replied, tapping his artificial left knuckles against his left thigh, with a faint metallic thud, "Class 6 Mil-spec".
The Sub-Lieutenant took a brief breath and stood up from behind his desk. He looked the man over; casual but neat dress, generally well kept even though he'd obviously not seen a razor in a couple of days. Everything looked ok...until he met the man's eyes. This chap had seen some action in his time...And there was something more...a steely look of determination.
"Ok," the Sub-Lieutenant said, "May I have your name and ask why you wish to re-enlist?"
"Certainly," the man said, "Lieutenant Commander James Morris, formally of No 617Sqn" he stated. "Simply put, I want back in to help crush those Gallic thugs and send them scampering back behind the minefield barriers they crawled out from. That, and I wouldn't mind a chance to give the Molly's a good kicking, just for good measure, in the process."
Feeling momentarily panicked, the Sub-Lieutenant snapped to attention himself and rendered a smart salute and a crisp "SAH!".
"Relax Subbie," Jim replied, feeling a little amused and smiling at the eager young officer, "No need to go straining yourself and popping a vac-seal. There's no need to be so formal, just yet. Call me Jim."
"Uh, Yes Sir...I mean, No Sir...Uh, oh dear me", the young officer stammered
"Ok, so, everything in order?" Jim asked, indicating the e-pad
"Uh, Yes Sir." the Sub-Lieutenant replied, looking the forms over again, "I'll just forward it to the review board and they'll be in touch."
"Thanks," Jim replied, "I guess I'll go find myself some coffee and wait for their reply then," he said, spinning smartly on his heel.
"But you might be waiting for days!" the young officer replied, in concern, after him.
"Well then," Jim said, looking back over his shoulder and winking, as he went through the door, "I'd better make sure it's good coffee and in plentiful supply!"
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Bretonia Armed Forces Application Form
I. Personal Information
Your name and surname: James "Jim" Morris
Age: 43
Region, House or Location of Origin: Caernarfon Station, Poole, Bretonia
Are you are Bretonian Citizen? Yes
Any useful experience and qualifications: Plenty of trading and mining experience. Previous military service (BAF): long-range patrol, search and destroy, convoy escort etc. Briefly commanded No.617 Squadron (Special Projects) evaluating a series of modified Havok II advanced medium bombers for use in long-range, deep penetration operations against Kusari and Gallic forces and infrastructure.
Motivation for joining the Bretonia Armed Forces: I was previously enlisted with the BAF back over a decade ago. (RL change of career stopped a lot of playing time dead in its tracks. Would like to pick up where I left off all those years ago and enjoy what time I have to myself these days.)
Short biography:
Jim had had his fill of war and killing. He'd done his time fighting the Kusari; he'd helped secure the realm against the Molly pirates and other threats to Bretonia. With the Gallic advance on Bretonia, he'd briefly been called back to help hold the line against the Gallic forces. After being severely injured in the defence of New London, he had retired and gone to work for his maternal family's mining business (Rees Mining Co - a sub-contractor to BMM) along with his father, John.
Deciding to settle down, he got married and started a family (wife and child on Caernarfon Station in Poole system). Life seemed to be going ok for the retired pilot. He was reasonably well off, still got to fly (running escort on company convoys or freight back and forth to Rheinland) but also be around to support his growing family. Then, during what was supposed to be a routine gold mining run, in the Dublin goldfields, things changed.
A recent incursion by Gallic backed "pirates" in the Dublin system, ended with the death of his Father. Having lost his brother and family (listed as missing) earlier in the conflict with Gallia (during the invasion of Leeds) he finally decided he had no other choice than to reenlist and help stop further losses at the hands of the Gallian nation and roving bands of pirates. He would broker no more threat to his family, home or nation.
After contacting some old friends in the Bretonia Armed Forces, he has gained special dispensation to apply to reenlist; he has just one final hurdle to cross before he would have a chance to take aim at the forces of Gallia once again...The BAF admiralty board.
Knowledge Questions
Quote the Bretonia Armed Forces motto? Carina, Regina, Imperatrix
Who is the current fleet admiral of Queen Carina the First's Armed Forces? Fleet Admiral Zhukov Redmond
What is the name of the Bretonia Armed Forces flagship? The HMS Pendragon
Enumerate the primary factions Her Majesty's Armed Forces are currently at war with: Alien entities, Auxesia, Bundschuh, Coalition, Corsairs, Gallic Royalists, Farmers Alliance, Gaians, Gallic Brigands, Hogosha, Lane Hackers, Gallic National Intelligence, Liberty Rogues, Liberty Insurgency, Mollys, Order, Outcasts, Marinenachrichtendienst, Pirates, Red Hessians, Unione Corse, Unioners, Xenos, Kusari Office of Intelligence
If you painted something on your ship, what would it be? A winged skull with 3 blood drops beneath it and a rampant lion and dragon facing each other above
// ooRP section
How would you rate your RP skills from 1 to 10? Been away a long time, so I would say 4ish.
How would you rate your PvP skills from 1 to 10? Not sure. Been a long time since I have tried.
What is your Discord address? ACEwoK666#9160
Have you ever been sanctioned? If you have, what for? No.
Do you agree to always be fair, considerate of other players and not to take inRP hostilities with characters to an ooRP level? Yes.
What is your ooRP reason for joining the Bretonia Armed Forces? I am originally Welsh, though have spent most of my life in Australia. I'm ex-military as well so BAF seemed an obvious choice for my main character.
Can you fund your ship and equipment? The BAF| can provide you with limited credits or equipment if you can not. Yes, I already have a good thing going with my BMM characters (Miner and Trader). I'm also considering getting into a capital ship but it very much depends on the time-sink factor versus requirements.
Are you are aware that your character must be a Bretonian Citizen in order to be accepted? Yes
