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Chapter 40

Subject: Admiral Hawk

Species: Human

Description: Mammalian humanoid, no tail. 6'2" (1.87 m) avg height. 185 lbs (84 kg) avg weight. 170 year life expectancy.

Ship: USSS Nidhogg

Location: Alpha Centauri

***

Recipient: Admiral Hawk

Intelligence has been gathered. Further incursion impossible. Enemy strength exceeds predictions.

By the order of the United Systems Senate and The Directorate you are to proceed with Operation Ragnarok. Review and formally acknowledge the following documents and proceed with the mission.

|attachment: senateapproval.sec |

|attachment: directorateapproval.sec |

|attachment: firemission.sec |

Sender: United Systems Artificial Intelligence Omega

***

I smirked as I opened the three attachments and read their contents. It all checked out, so I applied my biomark to acknowledge my orders and filed the documents accordingly. Some of my crew were hoping that we wouldn't see any action, but the Nidhogg doesn't move without a purpose. I knew that I would be blowing up a star the moment we were ordered to enter Alpha Centauri.

My bridge crew were all looking at me. They had heard the notification, a rarity from my console, and they knew what it meant. All of them were assigned here because they passed several psychological and merit tests, but none of them volunteered. Pretty sure volunteering to serve aboard the Nidhogg is an immediate disqualification on one of the many screeners that you have to pass to be considered for service.

"Commander Smith, get us to these coordinates," I said after a few moments of silence.

"Aye aye, Admiral," Smith replied.

I sent her the coordinates and sat back as the rest of the crew busied themselves. The rank structure aboard the Nidhogg is a bit different from other ships. It's always an admiral that is in command, the position that a captain would fill on other vessels. Every other position was usually a rank or two above the norm as well.

Even my XO is a vice admiral. It's rare to see an officer under the rank of Lieutenant Commander aboard. The primary reason for this is because of the aforementioned testing procedures. Most people under the rank of LCDR are too green or unsure of their future to pass the tests.

The same applies to the enlisted aboard as well. They are usually at least the rank of Petty Officer Third Class. This is usually a pretty startling discovery for those rare few of the lower ranks who make it aboard. Having the same billet as someone who would normally be your commanding officer's CO must be quite the experience.

"Ready to warp, sir," Smith informed me.

"Excellent, make it so," I ordered with a wave of my hand.