D.U.C.K.
The Department of Unknown and Covert Knowledge

Membership: Ambassador, Sam Pritchard

Purpose:
Researching, discovering, and hiding of information.
Making sure others don't learn what they shouldn't.

Affiliations: Captain Kerosene, Jack Smithers;
They're not so good at getting along with others or making friends

Enemies: Dr. Oonagh Mullarkey, Mys-Tech,
the British Sleepers;
Black Knight (Dane Whitman), Captain America (Steve Rogers), Captain Britain, Captain Kerosene, Plasmer, Jack Smithers (more of an antagonist than enemy to these guys)

Base of Operations: The Closed University (DUCK Headquarters), London, England

First Appearance: Plasmer#1 (Marvel UK) (November, 1993)

History: DUCK was formed as a British Intelligence agency from the ashes of STRIKE. It was significantly reorganized as a result of certain political and economic changes. It was based in the Closed University (STRIKE's old HQ), where it did its best to stay secret and hidden from the affairs of others.

(Plasmer#1-4) - Captain Kerosene, wishing to learn the fate of Jack Smithers, and wondering if he had passed on information on the British Sleepers, approached the Closed University. Despite his previous connections to STRIKE, he was dismissed by a robot sentry, which told him "Everything you want to tell us about doesn't matter, sir. Everything you care about is over, sir. Everything you know has been changed. Goodbye, sir. And thank you for forgetting!" Kerosene broke into the University, where he encountered Pritchard, who told them that they already knew, and would have the Ambassador take care of things.

The Ambassador did not take care of things, but mostly just got in the way of the heroes who opposed the rampages of the Sleepers. The Ambassador was even willing to slay Smithers to prevent the information he held form being learned by others. Pritchard eventually agreed that the Ambassador lacked the power to deal with the Sleepers, and so "allowed" the heroes to defeat the first Sleeper. He then publicly and prematurely credited the Ambassador for the victory. As the danger escalated with each successive Sleeper, Pritchard either refused or was unable to supply information on the third Sleepers resting place (due to...uhh...streamlining of their secret services).
The heroes located and defeated the third Sleeper, Aftermath, in spite of DUCK's assistance/resistance, and the Ambassador was dismantled early in the struggle. Pritchard chided the Ambassador for his helplessness.

COMMENTS: Created by Glenn Dakin and Pascual Ferry.

DUCK was a British Intelligence Agency. It was the successor of STRIKE (Special Tactical Reserve for International Key Emergencies), which was infiltrated, corrupted, and subsequently disbanded as a result of actions of the Vixen and Mad Jim Jaspers. It was a contemporary of STORM and WHO (Weird Happenings Organization--which succeeded RCX (Resources Control eXecutive)). It preceded organization such as Black Air, the Department, and others.
What the specific jurisdictions of the various organizations is anyone's guess.

CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connections to:

• Howard the Duck, the Duckworlder trapped in a world he never made, @ Adventure into Fear#19
• Alexis the Duck, the would-be wife of Howard, created by Dr. Dwight Clive, @ Howard the Duck I#33
• Duckworld, the world of Howard the Duck and his race, @ Howard the Duck II#6
  described as an alternate Earth or other dimensional realm usually, although some apparent Duckworlders were seen in the Intergalactic Council, @ Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet
• The Duck Deity, summoned by the third Black Talon, @ Howard the Duck magazine#9
• any other ducks, or anyone who ever yelled "Duck!" or people who erroneously use the term "Duck Tape"

Sam Pritchard

The apparent acting head of DUCK.