Admiral
| Admiral |
|---|
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| Department: Sol Defense Corps |
| Rooms: External |
| Guides: Guide to Starship Command |
| Ranks: Commodore (O-7), Rear Admiral (O-8), Vice Admiral (O-9), Admiral (O-10), Fleet Admiral (O-11, wartime only) |
For a list of active-duty flag officers, see: List of Admirals.
Regarded as the highest position group one can earn in the Sol Defense Corps, an Admiral, also known as a flag officer, is any one of five senior Admiral paygrades that, together, form the most senior (and often most experienced) commissioned officers in the fleet. They have moved on from commanding individual ships, and now instead command multi-ship battalions ranging from strike groups to entire fleets. Due to their seniority, they often do not hold any place in individual ships; instead, they're acting as a visiting supervisor to inspect and supervise the Captain and their crew.
OOC Note: Playing as an Admiral without the Admiral role is strictly prohibited and will result in a ban from the game.
Admiral on Deck
In the rare event of an Admiral on deck, they will usually enter through the shuttle bay. Expect the Captain to greet them first, and for the captain to ask for their intentions. More often than not the Admiral is there to conduct an inspection of the ship and its crew for the purposes of reporting back to the Sol Defense Corps for a report on the situation.
Admirals are not on the ship for long, and time is precious to them. Make sure they don't get held up, and make sure they get to where they need to go correctly.
Usually, an Admiral won't actually do much of commanding the crew--they'll dedicate their Captain and their own command department to handle the situations instead. They're there to inspect, note, and advise.
Chain of Command
The Admiral, although an unconventional sight and not officially a member of the crew, outranks everyone on board, regardless of position or authority, including the Captain. However, they do not fall within the line of succession nor do they exhibit executive power in the ship's decisions over the captain. Rather, they are capable of enacting such powers only if either the captain is deemed unfit for duty by the Admiral themselves, the Admiral assumes captainship of the vessel, or otherwise in an emergency where the Captain would see the Admiral fit for command.
The Captain and the Admiral
The Admiral's relationship with the Captain is a special one. While the Admiral is senior to the Captain, all flag officers are still required to salute and treat the captain as an equal, as they remain the Commanding Officer of the ship.
The Admiral has the authority and power to forcefully remove the Captain from power if they deem the captain unfit for duty or dangerous to the crew.
Bridge
The Admiral might visit the bridge to check up on how the ship is doing. However, as they do not command it, the Admiral will often leave bridge command up to the Commanding Officer, be it the Captain or First Officer.
Position
Flag officer positions in the SDC bear moderate resemblance to their national counterparts; however, flag officers in the SDC play additional positions to the "desk jobs" commonly found used by flag officers.
Admirals of the Odysseus Fleet play deviant roles in the administration, particularly the Final Frontier Project, as a flag officer is assigned to each prominent vessel to inspect and monitor the staffing of each crew.
The SDCN has five four-star Admirals (O-10), three serving in fleet command positions (2nd, 3rd, and 6th) and two as the Chief of Naval Operations and the Vice Chief of Naval Operations.
Playing Admiral
So, by some miracle, you've managed to get a promotion to a Flag Officer position and are now visiting the Emissary or other ship to perform advisory duties. Well done. A few things to keep in mind:
- As an Admiral onboard the Emissary you are likely assigned to the Sixth Fleet.
- You're not the Captain. Don't order crew around like they belong to you, and don't force them to follow everything you say.
- The Captain remains the center point of the ship--supervise them and act as their manager.
- Your job is to inspect the ship, not take command (unless in emergency circumstances).
- Feel free to encourage people to be of appropriate rank, title, and obey a sensible dress code.
- Act as an experienced veteran; you've likely had your fair share of conflict and/or command, and know much more than most Captains on battle experience and fleet command.
- You report directly to the Sol Defense Corps, not anyone onboard. You can't be removed from your position as long as you don't violate any laws.
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