(Citizen Edgar Nief, age 107, occupation retired officer. A tall, stooped man with cane, icy blue eyes undimmed by age.)
"A little louder, please. What was that question again?"
"About the armed forces. Specifically I asked—"
"I remember now. Yes, young man, I was a colonel in the Twenty-first North American Spaceborne Commando, which was a regular unit of the Earth Defense Corps."
"And did you retire from the service?"
"No, the service retired from me."
"I beg pardon, sir?"
"You heard me correctly, young man. It happened just sixty-three years ago. The Earth Armed Forces were demobilized, except for the police whom I cannot count. But all regular units were demobilized."
"Why was that done, sir?"