Drake Mallard's peaceful relaxing day was once again interrupted, this time by the ringing of the telephone. "God damn it," he muttered. "What now?" He picks up the phone. "Hello?"
"Hello, may I please speak to Launchpad McQuack?" asks a Scottish-accented voice on the other end.
"And who may I ask is speaking?" asks Drake.
"It's Scrooge McDuck," McDuck said.
"Launchpad's old boss?" Mallard asked, puzzled. "What do you want?"
"Please, just let me speak with Launchpad," Scrooge said, slightly annoyed.
"OK," said Drake. "It's for you." He then hands the phone to Launchpad.
"Hello," said the pilot.
"Launchpad?" inquired the familiar voice on the other end.
"Mr. McD?" the puzzled Launchpad asked.
"Aye, lad," said McDuck. "I've got some important business I wish to discuss with ya."
"Business?" Launchpad asked. "B-but I thought that you never wanted to so much as hear the sound of my voice again."
"All that's in the past, lad," McDuck said. "Now, I would really like to- Refresh me memory, laddy. Why did I fire ye?"
"Uh, you don't remember?" asked an astonished Launchpad.
"I am gettin' up there in age, ya know," said Scrooge.
"Ah well," Launchpad said. "I'm not sure if it's a good idea to remind you of that ugly little incident, but what the hell? It's not like you can fire me again." Launchpad chuckles.
"Yes well," said McDuck. "Do get on with your story. Time is money, you know."
Launchpad McQuack now begins to tell the story of the day that would change his life forever.
The story starts some fifteen years earlier. Scrooge McDuck is working busily in his office on a huge stack of paperwork when the phone rings. "Bah!" McDuck exclaims. He then picks up the phone and answers it. "McDuck here. This had better be bloody important."
Chatter his heard on the other end. "What?" said Scrooge excitedly. "It's in? That's great! I'll send someone right up to get it." Scrooge then hangs up the phone.
"Ooh, happy day!" he exclaims. "This is going to save so much time and make me so much more money!" He then takes out his luck dime and strokes it happily.
"I just hope that idiot Launchpad doesn't manage to screw this one up," Scrooge mutters as he dials the phone.
It is now several hours later. Launchpad McQuack arrives in McDuck's office.
"What took ya so long?" Scrooge asks his pilot.
"Sorry I'm so late, Mr. McD," he responds. "I crashed my car five times on the way over."
Scrooge sighs and shakes his head. "I have a very important job for ya today, laddy."
"Important jobs are my favorite kind," said Launchpad.
"Good," said McDuck. "I need you ta fly out to Seattle and pick up me brand new plane for me."
"Sounds like a breeze," Launchpad said.
"This is no ordinary plane, Launchpad," said Scrooge, handing launchpad a photograph.
"This is the Lighting-Duck 10000B, the fastest commercial airliner ever built."
"Wow," said Launchpad as he looked at the picture of the silver, futuristic-looking jet.
"Yes," said Scrooge. "Now, Launchpad me boy, if you crash this one, I'm afraid that I will have to fire ya."
"You can count on me, sir," Launchpad tries to salute and ends up punching himself in the head instead, knocking himself out and falling to the floor.
"What am I getting meself inta?" Scrooge places his head in his hands.
Launchpad regained conciousness and stood up. "Where was I? Oh yes. Your new plane is in good hands with me, Mr. McD."
"Now remember, lad," McDuck said. "I'm countin' on this jet to make me even richer than I already am, so if ya wreck it, I never want to see you again!"
"Yeah, yeah," Launchpad said as he headed for the door. "I heard ya the first time. The pilot now exits McDuck's office. "Wait a minute.... Where am I going?"
"The Lightning-Duck is being housed at an airfield just outside of Seattle," said McDuck. "You canna miss it."
"OK," said Launchpad. "See ya, Mr. McD." Launchpad trips and falls over on his way out. Scrooge groans as he watches the pilot leave.
Launchpad heads to the airport and boards his familiar biplane. He takes off, just missing a telephone pole, and heads for Seattle to (hopefully) pick up Scrooge McDuck's prize aircraft and return home with it.
"Ah yes," Scrooge said over the cell phone. "It's startin' to come back to me. The Lightning Duck 10000B was the finest plane ever built. I shoulda killed ye for what ya did to it!"
"Yes, well," Launchpad laughs nervously.
"Do continue the story, lad," McDuck said.
"But-" said Launchpad.
"I must hear the rest of this," said Scrooge. "Those who don'a know their past are doomed to repeat it."
"This is quite interesting. Why didn't you tell me about all this earlier, LP?" said Drake, who was listening intently.
"OK, OK," Launchpad says. "Now, where was I?...."