again,” Scott murmured, watching the group advance their way.
“What!” Kat asked, looking around, yawning.
“Paybacks are a bitch.”
“I don’t know, he looks happy, so why do you think he’s going to get you?”
“Gunny Brock only wears that smile when he’s about to get someone. This time it’s me!”
“Sublieutenant Scott Drake, front and center!” Brock snapped, walking up to the podium. Scott straightened up, jerking his uniform tunic down, and marched as best he could to the front of the podium, stopped, came to attention, and saluted.
“Sublieutenant Scott Drake reporting, sir!” Beside Brock stood three men he didn’t recognize, all with more gold stripes around their jacket cuffs than he’d seen in many a year. One of them stepped forward.
“My name is Hardwood, Commodore Hardwood, this is Admiral Kennings, and this is the First Sea Lord Sir Anthony Graves,” Hardwood said, introducing the others. Scott shook hands with each of them, wondering if he should salute as well. Each smiled and shook hands and congratulated him, and he had the sneaking suspicion they were in on Gunny Brock’s payback.
“This is a somewhat unusual occurrence,” Commodore Hardwood continued after the round of introductions, “as in there is no precedent for it. So, let’s get on with it, shall we?” It was a question Scott didn’t know the answer to, or even if it was directed at him, so he remained silent.
“Sublieutenant Drake,” the First Sea Lord said, walking up to stand facing him. “By the power invested in me by His Majesty the King, the Government of the United Kingdom, the Emperor of Japan and the President of the World Council, I hereby appoint you to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet.” Scott blinked in surprise, but remained silent.
“By the power invested in me by his Majesty the King, the Government of the United Kingdom, the Emperor of Japan and the President of the World Council, I hereby appoint you to the rank of Admiral. You are hereby requested and required by the Articles of War to take up the said duties and responsibility of the position of Admiral of the fleet effective immediately and prosecute the war against any and all enemies that threaten the safety and well-being of the people of this planet. Congratulations Admiral.” The First Sea Lord’s grin got bigger seeing the stunned expression on Scott’s face. He held his hand out, and Scott shook it. In turn, they each shook his limp hand, including Kat, who was grinning from ear to ear. Brock was the last.
“Got you!” Brock whispered.
“Son of a …”
“Now, now, Admiral, is that any way to talk to your subordinates?” Brock said.
“We have one more duty to perform,” Brock continued. “Sublieutenant Katharina Moore, front and center!”
Kat jumped in surprise, wishing she hadn’t, and remembered to come to attention before saluting. “Sublieutenant Moore reporting as ordered, sir!” she squeaked, hearing Scott chuckle behind her.
“By the power invested in me by his Majesty the King, the Government of the United Kingdom, the Emperor of Japan and the President of the World Council, I hereby appoint you to the rank of Group Captain. You are hereby requested and required by the Articles of War to take up the said duties and responsibility of the position of Group Captain effective immediately and prosecute the war against any and all enemies that threaten the safety and well-being of the people of this planet. Congratulations Group Captain,” he said, extending his hand. Kat recovered quicker than Scott and shook hands all round, smiling and accepting gracefully, finally getting her voice back.
“We’ll talk about shorts later,” she whispered to Scott as they shook hands.
The First Sea Lord said, looking around, “Right! That’s got over with, where is the mess, I’m hungry. The in-flight service was horrible.” He
“What!” Kat asked, looking around, yawning.
“Paybacks are a bitch.”
“I don’t know, he looks happy, so why do you think he’s going to get you?”
“Gunny Brock only wears that smile when he’s about to get someone. This time it’s me!”
“Sublieutenant Scott Drake, front and center!” Brock snapped, walking up to the podium. Scott straightened up, jerking his uniform tunic down, and marched as best he could to the front of the podium, stopped, came to attention, and saluted.
“Sublieutenant Scott Drake reporting, sir!” Beside Brock stood three men he didn’t recognize, all with more gold stripes around their jacket cuffs than he’d seen in many a year. One of them stepped forward.
“My name is Hardwood, Commodore Hardwood, this is Admiral Kennings, and this is the First Sea Lord Sir Anthony Graves,” Hardwood said, introducing the others. Scott shook hands with each of them, wondering if he should salute as well. Each smiled and shook hands and congratulated him, and he had the sneaking suspicion they were in on Gunny Brock’s payback.
“This is a somewhat unusual occurrence,” Commodore Hardwood continued after the round of introductions, “as in there is no precedent for it. So, let’s get on with it, shall we?” It was a question Scott didn’t know the answer to, or even if it was directed at him, so he remained silent.
“Sublieutenant Drake,” the First Sea Lord said, walking up to stand facing him. “By the power invested in me by His Majesty the King, the Government of the United Kingdom, the Emperor of Japan and the President of the World Council, I hereby appoint you to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet.” Scott blinked in surprise, but remained silent.
“By the power invested in me by his Majesty the King, the Government of the United Kingdom, the Emperor of Japan and the President of the World Council, I hereby appoint you to the rank of Admiral. You are hereby requested and required by the Articles of War to take up the said duties and responsibility of the position of Admiral of the fleet effective immediately and prosecute the war against any and all enemies that threaten the safety and well-being of the people of this planet. Congratulations Admiral.” The First Sea Lord’s grin got bigger seeing the stunned expression on Scott’s face. He held his hand out, and Scott shook it. In turn, they each shook his limp hand, including Kat, who was grinning from ear to ear. Brock was the last.
“Got you!” Brock whispered.
“Son of a …”
“Now, now, Admiral, is that any way to talk to your subordinates?” Brock said.
“We have one more duty to perform,” Brock continued. “Sublieutenant Katharina Moore, front and center!”
Kat jumped in surprise, wishing she hadn’t, and remembered to come to attention before saluting. “Sublieutenant Moore reporting as ordered, sir!” she squeaked, hearing Scott chuckle behind her.
“By the power invested in me by his Majesty the King, the Government of the United Kingdom, the Emperor of Japan and the President of the World Council, I hereby appoint you to the rank of Group Captain. You are hereby requested and required by the Articles of War to take up the said duties and responsibility of the position of Group Captain effective immediately and prosecute the war against any and all enemies that threaten the safety and well-being of the people of this planet. Congratulations Group Captain,” he said, extending his hand. Kat recovered quicker than Scott and shook hands all round, smiling and accepting gracefully, finally getting her voice back.
“We’ll talk about shorts later,” she whispered to Scott as they shook hands.
The First Sea Lord said, looking around, “Right! That’s got over with, where is the mess, I’m hungry. The in-flight service was horrible.” He
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