On Tuesday, January 19, 2258, the enlargement of the Inspector General Branch was publicly announced, and I was promoted to Admiral (11) and reassigned as Commander Inspector General Branch in a Headquarters ceremony complete with a cocktail party and a ballroom dinner party in the building’s massive party facility. Sparks and Roh were promoted and assigned in the same event. The day after the promotion I received a memo.
Operational Action Order
Office of the C&C
From:Office of the OFSA C&C, Office of the Secretary of Defense
To:Admiral K Brubacher Commander OFSA Inspector General Branch
C.C.All Quadrant Commanders, Fifth Mobile RAC
Re:OFSA Executive Planning Committee
Date:January 20, 2258
Admiral,
Over one hundred years ago, paragraphs creating the OFSA Executive Planning Committee (formerly the OESA) were embedded into our Rules and Regulations and secured by statute law. The OFSA Executive Planning Committee consists of all Level 11 and Level 12 Flag and General Officers, in the service of our organization.
Its purpose is to evaluate the current condition and status of the OFSA and develop plans that will be used in forecasting and budgeting the year to come. This Committee is required to meet monthly, at a minimum. Though we call other extraordinary meetings, the regular ones are scheduled on the 28th day of every month at sixteen hundred hours.
You are ordered and required to appear, in person, at the office of Fleet Admiral William Stephenson on the 28th day of every month, from here on. You are asked to bring your Chief of Staff with abbreviated records, from your command, so any and all questions or planning involving your Command may be dealt with logically and thoroughly. Dinner will be served on these occasions.
Fleet Admiral W. Stephenson
Fleet Admiral O. Blackman
It was two weeks after that before we started to receive our new warships. They had all been available but were delayed because it was agreed they would be tested and proofed before delivery, if possible. Wonder of wonders, there were almost enough vessels in all necessary classes to fill the order. The major exception was the Interrogator. There was a Super Carrier in the shipyard, but it was unfinished and required extensive modification for the duty it would do, in IGB. Adding the Theatre operation increased personnel in all departments by a total of nineteen thousand nine hundred seventy-five, and adding the other Super Carrier and her flotilla crew members totaling over ten thousand brought our strength to forty-one thousand two hundred seventy-six. First, I offered Helena the Theatre command. She hesitated until, I told her it was the Deputy Inspector General Position with a promotion to four stars, and that the entire Command was slated to grow rapidly.
Once she agreed to take on the position, we began the hunt for personnel. We have acquired about two-thirds of the Officers and ninety percent of the crew we need for Theatre operations, so we expect to stay operational on a four shift basis for a while. Little by little, we will grow into the conventional five shift structure. The problem with the entire service is that things have been changing so fast, over the past five years, the OFSA hasn't been able to keep up with Academy graduates. IGB is in a state where we can execute fairly benign investigations by shuttlecraft, or support more dangerous ones with Group or Task level power. On the intelligence side, we have paid informants on twenty-one planets, including Rho Corona Borealis and agents on five. We have agents imbedded in nearly every OFSA command already. When the new Examiner returns from trials, Helena will move to it with me. She is here most of the time, already, but has a temporary Command set up on the Carrier Travis Donnelly - named after a fictional detective created by author Reginald Dawson. Most of my Theatre Command personnel came from warships, but a percentage who were doing duty as officers and crew on hospital and supply vessels are in positions that needed filling. So, at my insistence, Helena has been running war game exercises and drills continuously.
We all got one hell of a shock with an incoming communique.
MEMO
From:Fleet Admiral W. Stephenson
To:All Quadrant Commanders, Mobile Fifth RAC Commander,
Commander Inspector General Branch, All Theatre Commanders
Re:Nomination of Fleet Admiral O. Blackman - Disposition of C&C
Date:January 22, 2258
All,
A few days ago Fleet Admiral Blackman asked to see the Secretary of Defense, in my presence. When we convened, he advised us that he did not wish to permanently fill the position of C&C instead, wanting to return to his command in Quadrant Two. Needless to say, there was a great deal of discussion with the two of us trying to convince Admiral Blackman to accept the post. He felt he could not, for personal reasons.
We did not need any approval to restore him to Quadrant Two Command since he had been approved for that position and had taken only a temporary assignment as C&C. So, we agreed to return him to the post. There was a flurry of communications activities, offering the position to another Admiral, nominating that Officer, and recommending Officers, to fill the positions vacated as a result of that move, and subsequent vacancies created by it, throughout the senior ranks.
Though we have several qualified applicants, the job was offered to Admiral George Bryant, who promptly refused it on the grounds that he would like to remain in charge of a Tactical Field Command. So, we chose the next person in line.
We are pleased to announce that Admiral Grace Tonaka, currently Commander of Quadrant Three will be elevated to Fleet Admiral and will assume the post of C&C on Saturday, January 23, 2258.
We would like to inform everyone involved that Admiral O. Blackman will resume command of Quadrant Two, effective today.
We are happy to reveal that Admiral (10) Stephen Nichols, currently, Commander of Fifth Mobile RAC Theater 9, will be elevated to Admiral (11) and will be posted as Commander Quadrant Three, as of Saturday, January 23, 2258.
We are excited to publish that Commodore Olivia Hurst will be elevated to Rear Admiral (8) and assigned as COS Quadrant Three Command.
We are delighted to declare that, Admiral (11) Tsoh Shah's temporary promotion has been made permanent and he has been reassigned as the Commander of Quadrant Four.
Two senior Flag positions opened due to the recent rebellion will remain unfilled, for a short period of time.
Fleet Admiral W. Stephenson
On Saturday, January 23, 2258, most senior Admirals and many officers and personnel from Fifth Mobile and Quadrant Three Commands gathered at HQ, for the elevations. It was the usual all day grand event.
On January 29, 2258, the Inspector General Branch (IGB) formally closed its investigations into the rebellion. Though our report to superiors included a summary of evidence and the naming of all criminal participants, we presented JAG with only the eleven felonious files they would need. This included Williamson's records, though he is now deceased because he was under indictment when he put a gun to his temple. Possessing his record with all the evidence will give JAG the means to respond if ever accused of badgering him to his death. JAG now has all the proof needed indicating they were acting within the bounds of their charter when Williamson took his own life.
Friday, January 29, 2258, was also a watershed day for the new Federation. It was the day that Gray delegation presented a formal request to the President to open negotiations for expanded trade, mutual defense, and expanded representation and interaction between our two sovereignties. As they made the presentation, they included mention of the fear they'd always felt in living next door to an expanding dictatorship, but the respect they now have for King Edward, who actually led the move to democracy. That statement silenced the final remaining detractors speaking out against the constitutional change to representative government.
On January 30, Admiral Naabaahii pled guilty on all counts. As the next senior Commander to Williamson, all the prosecutorial force JAG could muster was focused on him. Over the next several months, the other nine re
maining charged participants would plead guilty to all indictments.
Things kind of moved to a routine, after that. Grace Tonaka settled into Headquarters, and the Nichols settled into the Quadrant Three Section of HQ. Helena and I settled into our existence within our hybrid Headquarters Command, and IGB began to do regular investigative audits at an average rate of eight a month, while continually suffering the pains of growth.
On February 5, Brigadier Sparks came to me with a great plan. He wanted to embed three full teams and three shuttles aboard each of the two Group Commands, leaving two on the Examiner. Those teams would not be responsible to the Carriers' Regimental Commanders but would take orders from him. The advantages appeared to be that each Battalion could run Company-level investigations from the shuttles, or full strength ones with Group support. It also meant that the Groups could be used to place shuttles near Fleets before deploying the shuttles. The other two teams and shuttles on the Examiner would be handled the same way. Examiner would get them close or support them with its own firepower and that of the flotilla. I approved the plan, and we notified the team. I made a major decision right then. It will be the policy of IGB to embed a mixed investigation company into each squad, from now on.
It took about a week to implement the Brigadier's plan. By the twelfth, we were starting Group level operations directed by Helena, at the Brigadiers request. In the first round, Examiner stayed close to Rigil. There was still a major event coming, and we were waiting for the new Examiner.
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I was awarded the King Edward Cross, yesterday Monday, February 15, 2258, for my part in putting down the rebellion. Now, I'm sitting in my office waiting for the new Super Carrier and Major General Svesion, for whom we have a ceremony scheduled at seventeen hundred to promote him to Lieutenant General and assign him as Corps Commander of IGB Marine Corps.
It’s eleven hundred when a big flap starts outside my office. I go out to see. Everyone is staring out the view window at the hulk pulled up beside us. The SCC2258-27, which will be the new Examiner, has arrived, and, it's a monster when this close. The Examiner's pilot will come aboard to officially deliver it, so I head to the docking port on the starboard side, to sign for it.
"Captain Hecuba with your new vessel, Admiral." The Venation, from a system in Virgo we know as HD126053 says as he offers a brisk salute.
"Thank you, Captain, the proofing crew will be moving in over the next few hours. Then they'll give you a ride back to the yard. It'll be one of the proofing trips." I say with a smile as I sign the delivery receipt, after returning his salute.
"She's a beauty, sir. Would you like to see her?" Hecuba asked.
"I would love to take a tour but I can't. Regulations don't allow a senior Flag Officer to even board a new ship, until after it's been tested and proofed." I said as I shook my head feigning sadness.
"Oh, that's a shame Admiral... It must just kill you to see this beauty and not even be able to step aboard." The Venation says sympathetically.
"Yes it is, isn't it?' I reply softly and turn to walk out of the docking bay. Most of our crew is just outside the doorway. 'Hop to it!' I say with a smile to Commodore Elasima. 'I want her back as soon as possible and in one piece - and, don't scratch the paint!" I add with a laugh.
I can hear him calling orders, even when I'm at the end of the corridor on my way up to my office.
I look up when there's a rap on the doorframe.
"Major General Svesion reporting, as ordered, sir." Says the man at attention, in my doorway.
I stand and return his salute. "Come in and have a seat, General. Would you like a drink?' I offer, extending a hand to the bar. 'I have everything you could want." I add with a smile.
"Yes, sir. I'll have a Bourbon if you don't mind? Two fingers with equal water, please." He responds with a smile.
"No, no... don't get me wrong. I'm not your bartender. Help yourself." I said with a laugh.
"Of course, sir. Sorry." He blushes as he rises to get the drink.
I follow pouring a couple of fingers of J&B over ice. "Let's sit over there," I suggest, pointing to the conversation pit. He grabs an armchair. I take a seat near him on the sectional.
"General we have your promotion and assignment planned for seventeen hundred. You will be elevated to Lieutenant General and assigned as IGB Marine Corps Commander.
IGB is the Inspector General Branch. I run it, and Admiral Helena Brubacher is the Deputy Commander and Theatre Commander. We are the only people in the Branch who outrank you. This is an odd configuration, from your point of view. The primary functions of the Branch are:
First, - investigative audits. We are tasked with examining every other Command in the OFSA. We also do similar type reviews of Federation member systems, looking for exactly the same things we seek out in the small checks.
Second - enforcement of statutes, the constitution and OFSA Rules and Regulation. - We are the leading police force within the Federation, tasked with arresting suspected offenders when a crime is detected by us, or a complaint is filed by others.
Third - intelligence gathering. - Twenty-four hours a day, we are gathering hard information from within all OFSA commands, on all Federation member planets, and on a lot of non-member worlds in our space. Some is collected electronically. Some is gathered by sensors, observation posts and satellites and the rest is compiled by the hard work of on-site covert agents.
The actual agents for all three types of operations are all Marines within the I.S.I.E. Division. In terms of Divisions, it is a small one with a total of twenty-eight hundred agents. At the moment, there are four hundred Investigators, six hundred Intelligence Agents, and eighteen hundred Enforcement Officers. Enforcement is broken into two classes. There are six hundred officers who actually make arrests and twelve hundred troops for show-of-force and tactical situations. All I.S.I.E. Brigade members and the Forensic Staff members carry badges and warrant cards issued by IGB under the authority of the OFSA and the Federation. They've been granted the clout required to perform these tasks along with, the highest security clearance in the Federation. You will also be an Authorized Agent carrying a badge and warrant card and will be granted the same level of clearance. The badges only give a quick visible indication that the bearer is an official enforcement agent of the government. It is the warrant card that actually indicates the authority and clearance that has been granted. You will be fitted with a sub-dermal electronic device that mates with one in your badge and one in your warrant card. If the three pieces get separated, they give off warnings that can be received by all OFSA communication systems. The I.S.I.E. Division is broken into sub-commands at the Regimental or Battalion level. It is Division level because it is slated to grow considerably. The Division is Commanded by Major General Christopher Sparks. He has been in Investigative, and Intelligence Commands most of his career. So, in terms of actual I.S.I.E operations, I would give him his head, until you get to know procedures and protocol - if I was you.
Again designed for future growth, the Theatre Command is essentially two Carrier Groups with a Regiment on each Group Carrier and a Brigade on the new ESS Examiner. But, it too is slated to grow to Theatre strength. An I.S.I.E. Company and three thirty-five-person long range shuttles are attached to each Group. Right now, we are at a point where we could run ten Fleet examinations simultaneously. When we reach full size, we'll have thirty-two I.S.I.E. companies attached to Carrier Groups.
Right now, investigative audits and criminal investigations are conducted in two manners. The first method is to send a small team in a shuttle or group of shuttles. The second is to send a Group or both Groups to support the operation. Basically, the Carrier Groups support I.S.I.E. actions. We try to schedule examinations in three or four closely deployed Fleets at the same time, so a Group takes the shuttles to a central point. That way, teams don't spend weeks in a shuttle.
Because we
are a relatively new Command, we have no idea how big we will have to be. Are you still in for the assignment?" I query, with a smile.
"What did you mean by dangerous investigations, Admiral?" The general questions.
"During the rebellion, we sent an investigative team to a Fleet that refused to allow us to board. We won out by guile, in the end. We were also in the middle of the Rigil battle. But, we did not have offensive weapons, so we risked a lot to aid the Shenzhen and the Theatre Five Fleets in the fight. So, there are tactical situations. And, we have not done a planetary examination, yet. Without force, this could be a problem. And, there could be tactical ground operations involved, in some cases." I explain.
"Yes, sir. I would like the assignment. I would like to grow with the Inspector General Branch." He says.
I conduct the ceremony at seventeen hundred. The warrant had been preapproved.
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I really love my office, on the new Examiner. It's even nicer than the C&C have. It's more modern and not as ornate but has a lot more built-in technology and comforts. It is very spacious. The new Examiner is a beauty as the Venation Captain Hecuba had observed. I officially placed her into service today, after taking the weekend to go over the testing and shakedown reports.
MEMO
From:Adm. K. Brubacher Commander OFSA Inspector General Branch
To:IGB - All Commands
C.C.OFSA C&C
Date:March 15, 2258
All,
I have received, examined, and inspected the report of the proofing team, on the testing and shakedown of the new ESS Examiner.
Righteous Reign The Series: E-version Boxed Set Edition Page 57