All the Headquarters Commands will essentially be autonomous. I run Zeta on my own; but, within the guidelines of the OFSA's Rules and Regulations. It's that document that binds us together to operate in similar fashion. The Rigil C&C will be delegated as Chiefs of Staff. If the commission makes a decision by majority vote that affects the other Headquarters, the COS are empowered to write orders directing us to carry out the decision. Though they are at an equal level to the other Commanders, they are authorized to act on behalf of the Commission. The other binding factor is money. Funding for our budgets originates with the Federation. It travels through Rigil. Conversely, our purchases are directed back to OFSA Headquarters, and money for payment is transmitted via them. So we are basically five separate operations under the umbrella of one coordinating authority.
It has all been structured this way because the service grew so unwieldy and became so far-reaching that no centralized headquarters could manage it. All the remote units are like franchises of the parent administration on Rigil.
Fourth on the priority list is planetary OFSA facilities. These require massive expansions; if we are to reach our goals in any reasonable time. The existing Academy Campuses will all be expanded. The Grays agreed to place an immense one on their primary planet at Lambda Boötis. We need over two hundred thousand graduate officers and nearly three million "Crewmen" over the next three years. They also agreed to two orbiting assembly docks and several manufacturing plants. Construction on all these necessities started as soon as we accepted the Grays into the council. Each of the other military supply worlds is upgrading and increasing their production capacities. The object is to provide each Tier One Command with two new Fleets every six months. This necessitates manufacture of thirty-two warships, eight supply vessels, eight subs, one supercarrier and one hospital ship each and every month for the next three years, while still maintaining the Lifetime Replacement Program. The educational institutions have switched to a continuous intake system to handle the need for sixty-seven hundred new officers, and eighty-three thousand regulars monthly without diluting their training standards. The C&C also developed a plan for the service to "stretch" its resources to cover the Federations' entire volume from December 1. We will fill in the gaps later, as our Commands are brought to full capacity. And, Epsilon and Zeta Commands will be used to reinforce protection in thinned-out areas."
November 30, was an incredibly long and tedious day for everyone involved - until the dinner and party in the evening. Eighteen elevations followed by assignments were done one at a time in a single ceremony that spanned nearly four hours. The entire group was joined on stage by Epsilon Commands Three level eleven Admirals, and all twenty-four officers were introduced as the OFSA Operations and Planning Committee for all to applaud. The dinner boasted a head table of all twenty-four, the King, the Secretary of Defense, the twenty-four Vice Admirals who were COS to those at the top and all their significant others. It was a glittering collection of rank insignia, ceremonial sabers, gilded aiguillettes and lanyards, and service medals and ribbons. The entire function was held aboard the FSS Asgard and Midgard, orbiting Rigil, for the event. They are the only two facilities capable of accommodating the twenty-five thousand participants that were expected to attend over an eight-hour period. Vice Admiral Tahu Moahu, the Epsilon Chief of Staff, marshaled the entire event following a protocol he established when George Bryant assumed command of Boots Fleet so long ago. He is known as Moe to those he works with. Throughout the evening, I joined Admiral Brubacher for several turns on the dance floor. It hasn't even been nine months since his wife Helena passed away; but, I sensed we could develop a closer relationship. We seem strangely attracted to each other.
The Grays and CauDo were present for the events. Both were happy, but the CauDo expressed relief that they were now under the protective umbrella of the OFSA. But, the Federation was not engaging them like the Grays. It would take changes in government and attitude followed by a few years of observation to know if they were fit to house government or military operations.
Admiral Brubacher says we are now watching the "Inscrutables" carefully. We were not even aware of them before the war. But, we are now. And, with their collective sense of development, they are capable of reproducing the conditions that led them to attack, before. For the most part, all we see now are lone vessels moving between systems outside our new border. They appear to be engaging in trade with those worlds.
As far as the expansion goes, Admiral Brubacher explained the complexity of the effort, from his point of view.
"We will receive two new Fleets of sixteen warships every six months. We will also get four new Covert vessels to be shared within Fleets at the same time. Once every year and a half, we will receive a new Supercarrier and Mobile Hospital along with their security flotillas. Seventy-eight thousand new personnel will accompany the vessels except for when we receive the larger shipments. Then over one hundred thousand will man all the crafts. Every couple of months we'll receive between ten and twelve covert vessels being redeployed from their Fleets to SOCC. They will come fully staffed. We must integrate them all into existing Commands and train everyone to work together; without disrupting any ongoing operations.
And in preparation for all this, we have to identify officers, NCOs, and Crewpersons who can be elevated to more responsible roles within new assets and promote them. As the ships arrive, we must redistribute personnel, so every vessel has a competent management and crew.
And our Staff office must get it all right. Everyone has to be paid the correct amount, on time. Everyone needs quarters. Everyone needs meals, clothing and medical care. Admirals Sielu and Elasima shoulder a lot of the responsibility. I don't know what I'd do without them.
But, it's a daunting task. And, not just for Zeta Command. All the other Tier 1 operations are going through the same growing pains." He finished.
I asked the Admiral how all this is affecting his personal life.
"I still miss Helena. She is in my thoughts many times a day. But, Bryant Edward has helped me through this. We still play together daily. And, I feed him dinner and bath him each night. So, we have grown very close. And, then there's increased workload. It takes my mind off things for a while, every day."
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I couldn't help thinking of how attractive Fleet Admiral Brubacher is to me. He is tall, fair, extremely handsome, and maintains an athletic physique. But, it's his intelligence and genuine concern for others that is most appealing. He seems to be able to take any required action to defend us all, without losing his respect for anyone, including our enemies.
Fredricka Whitehead
Chapter 3 On and On
Thursday, December 31, 2263
"War does not determine who is right - only who is left." Bertrand Russell
The system stopped at the end of her first chapter. It seemed a little strange to me, at first. Until, I realized I had just completed all the interviews. Individual viewers would be observing the presentation as if the interviews had been conducted during the expansion. Once I accepted that point of view, I found it strangely compelling, so I clicked on the icon for the second one.
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Byline - Fredricka Whitehead OFSA Zeta HQ Associated Press Pool Reporter
Recently, the OFSA fought and won a devastating war on behalf of the Orion Federation. As a result, two worlds outside the Federation petitioned for membership. The Federation has extended its borders to meet the obligation. The following reports are a compilation of information available to the public, and interviews kindly granted by Fleet Admiral Kurt Brubacher the Zeta Headquarters Commander. Those encounters took place long after the events referred to.
"It's December 31, 2263, and it's been one hell of a year. We've received four fleets
and over one hundred twenty-thousand people, and we've worked exceptionally hard to keep everything under control. But all Tier level Commands have faced the same situation. I have been amazed at the quality of both the vessels and personnel coming to us.' Fleet Admiral Brubacher responded to my query. Then he elaborated.
'In Zeta Command, we inaugurated our third Tier 3 operation. It has only those new four fleets; but, the R&R defines our outfit as being composed of four Theatre level Commands of eight Fleets; so, I did not want to temporarily place them under other commands. Besides, it gave us a chance to promote a person to begin management of the unit. She can grow into as it swells to its capacity."
I interrupted the Admiral. "You said she. Is it common for women to occupy such senior positions in the OFSA?" I asked.
"Your question kind of surprises me. Females have played important governmental and management roles throughout the Federation for several centuries now. Women have been major contributors to the service since its founding. The OFSA has never discriminated by gender, race or species. The only individuals we do not enlist are particular classes of aliens that would not do well in our environment. They may breath other gasses or live in a gravity field too different. There are hundreds of female Captains, and they are proportionately represented at all levels above and below that. In fact, one of the Chiefs of Staff is Fleet Admiral Grace Tonaka."
"You were speaking of the last additions Zeta Command received when I interrupted. Can you elaborate on that?"
"The re-organization of SOCC has been the toughest. It is now officially designated Zeta SF One. Covert ships were yanked from everyone's operations. We all had to re-jig our Groups / Task Forces / Fleet Commands and retrain them to run with only two subs per Corps level command. But SOCC is currently at two hundred ten units divided into three Fleets of seventy vessels. Savign is the level ten Admiral at its head and moved David Simmons into an HQ position as her Deputy at the rank of Vice Admiral. By assignment, he is senior to the ones commanding her Fleets. To maintain a controllable structure, she decided, over a year ago, to break each Fleet into two Task Forces headed by a Rear Admiral. Aside from any exceptional orders I may issue, she runs the entire operation autonomously within the guidelines we established together. When I visit an SOCC unit, it is usually just a show of support for her.
For the most part, we have been conducting planetary, Tier 1, Tier2 and Fleet level examinations and audits. As a secondary priority, we have attended the synchronizing of both of the original new Federation entrants; along with two additional ones who petitioned for membership early in the year.
Our regular pace is to execute twenty planetary, two Tier 1, four Tier 2, and thirty-two Fleet level audits each year. At the same time, we still enforce Federation law. We also handle all the intelligence operations for it and provide the security for the senior leadership. And, we step in where needed to manage a tactical threat." He finished.
"How's your son doing Admiral?" I asked him as I turned to the personal.
"Bryant is doing very well. I'm not sure but, I don't believe he misses his mother as much. He still loves to play and really loves a bathtub full of water. I enjoy him very much. And, we still spend time together each and every evening. He will be two in March. I am shocked at how fast they change. He has grown considerably. And, I see changes in his mental and emotional development regularly. It amazes me."
"And how're you handling the loss of Helena, now?"
"Much better. She is still a very significant loss to me. But, Bryant and this amazingly full workload have helped to ease the pain. And Admiral Savage has been amazing. I still compartmentalize Helena's death; so, I can conduct daily business like managing Zeta Command and being with my son."
"What's the near future look like for you?"
"Oh... you know. About the same as this past year. There are four new Fleets to come; and all the people that go with them. So, we'll all be as busy as this past year."
"What about the CauDo?"
"It's funny. They've fit in better than anyone expected. They conducted the transition to democracy without a hitch. I guess the general elections at the expiration of this first term will be the real test. And, we started accepting some applicants to the OFSA from their world. Somehow, I thought it would all take a lot longer. We may soon feel secure enough to place Federation installations on their home planet."
"How are the Grays doing, Admiral?"
"What can I say. The Grays are the Grays. They are a genuinely considerate species. They've already done a lot of great things to contribute to our overall wellbeing. I worry about them. They love peace over all else. We all make a great effort to provide security to them. We prefer they do not face another war."
"How are your subordinates in the Command holding up to all the pressure?"
"I have a great team with a tremendous capacity for work and problem-solving. I am very lucky. But, I try not to take advantage of it. I believe I know their limits. So, I try not to push too hard. It's different in wartime, though. You can't always be that considerate.
Rohkea Sielu and Admiral Elasima are the keys. They are good leaders and great advisors."
"This might sound strange but, I wanted to ask you if you still love working in the OFSA as much as you did before?
"More. Each change or promotion have brought new challenges. I love challenges. It alters just enough each and every day to keep me fully engaged. It tests me daily."
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Around the time this interview referred to, Admiral Brubacher asked me out for an evening. We enjoyed a movie followed by a pub meal, all in the mall on Deck Four of the Examiner. He is a delightful combination of humor and melancholy. He can be both thoughtful and spontaneous. The Admiral also has a complicated mix of fact-based views. But, through it all is his positive outlook on the future.
Fredricka Whitehead
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I paused the video to make a pot of coffee and pour a cup before continuing on with the journalistic presentation. Fredricka knew how to write and present a great visual presentation. She added just enough of her personal insights and experiences to give the entire production some meaning.
I checked on Bryant, then settled back down to watch, again.
Chapter 4 And Still More
Tuesday, November 1, 2264
"You can no more win a war than you can win an earthquake." Jeannette Rankin
When I clicked on the icon for the next episode and Fredricka appeared on the screen, I realized she had changed clothes. We had done all the interviews in two three-hour sessions which she had broken down into separate sections, by year. I am usually more observant, so it surprised me that I had not noticed she was dressed differently for each individual chapter. For this one, her usual Cleopatra hairstyle even sported a slight flip. It all served to add to the feeling that each discussion represented a different time period.
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Byline - Fredricka Whitehead OFSA Zeta HQ Associated Press Pool Reporter
This is the third article in a series about the expansion of our Federation and the OFSA. As a result of a long war, two worlds outside the Federation petitioned for membership. The Federation has expanded its borders to meet the obligation. The following reports are a compilation of information available to the public and interviews kindly granted by Fleet Admiral Kurt Brubacher the Zeta Headquarters Commander. These discussions took place after the events referred to and are viewed in hindsight.
"Admiral Brubacher, another year has passed. In a few hours, it will be 2265. What can you report to us about 2264?"
"We received another four fleets since the end of last year. That finished off one new
Tier 3 Command and allowed us to start the next. We promoted an officer from Fleet Commander to Theatre Commander, and now Zeta 2-2 has begun operations - albeit in a limited fashion. We also received another SuperCarrier. So, he even had a place to hang his hat.
Six months from now, we will receive our last shipment of warships. Another mobile hospital will arrive then. I know I've told you this before; but for those readers who don't know, our mobile hospitals are as big, advanced and medically capable as a large hospital in a major city on Earth. And, Zeta Command will have four. That's one for each Theatre operation. Plus, we have some of the finest facilities aboard the big carriers.
There will be over one million four hundred thousand in Zeta at that time. So, that level of care is not excessive."
"Have you heard if it's' all going as smoothly in the other five HQs?"
"Yes, for the most part, things have progressed efficiently. But, it's been really hectic at the Rigil Campus. We have been managing our own growth; but they have to coordinate it all with the SOD and CIC, too. They are the liaison between the OFSA and government."
"How's Bryant Edward doing?"
"Bryant has reached the "terrible twos," and things can get a bit ugly, at times. He's still the beautiful, amazing, and intelligent child he was. But, my boy loves to show his independence. He says 'no' a lot. Aside from that, his curiosity astonishes me. He wants to learn about everything. And, he's moved from nannies to daycare for most of each working day. The nanny only has him a couple of hours between that and when I get home."
"What about Helena?"
"She's still always on my mind. But, I can think of her more often without breaking down. It hurts a bit less now. I have to credit Bryant and my work for that. Without those influences, I would still be a blathering idiot, I think."
Righteous Reign The Series: E-version Boxed Set Edition Page 93