Bretonian Armed Forces

[Dieter Schprokets]

The elderly.. Ensign.. stood to before the Fleet Admiral.

"Ensign Richard Bucket", began the Fleet Admiral.

"Sir!", exclaimed the Ensign.

The Nelles rubbed his eyes, then began to speak, in a tone indicating that he was struggling with the comprehension of something utterly and completely, well, ******ed, as Aiden Kelley used to say.

"Your records show you to be 25 years old..."

"Do they sir?"

"And yet your commanding officer indicates you just celebrated your 95th birthday.."

"Yes we did sir! Right good party sir! Proper drunk, the boys got me! And a woman too sir!.."

Percy cut him off, a little disturbed. "Now, do you know how this obviously grievous error in your file happened?"

The man frowned, "Don't rightly know sir. They've always been bad with my records. Back in '58 was the first time they lost 'em, and I dare say they managed a few times since. Guess I keep falling through the cracks, sir."

Percy just stared. "Back in 758, as in, 59 years ago?!?"

Bucket frowned again. "That seems about right, yes sir. I never liked to complain too much about it sir. Not much for making a fuss. As long as I have a ship to fly, and I always did. Sir."

Percy shook his head in disbelief, then stood up.

"Well Bucket, I am promoting you to Lieutenant. I daresay its about time. And a Veteran's Badge, for 25 years of service. I calculate we owe you about 3 of those.."

Bucket beamed. "Thank you sir! Glad to have been of service all these years, sir! Its not a bad life, you know."

Percy dismissed the proud, new (old?) Lieutenant, then sat.

If we win this war, he thought, it'll because of tough blighters like him. If we lose it, it will be because of our abomination of a bureaucracy.

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