chapter 2 - new Cosca story

[Quantum Mechanic]

Uploaded chapter 2 rtf to Dropbox. You can download it here.

QM

[Quantum Mechanic]

Addendum: I should probably have mentioned it on submission, but these events would have occurred almost 8 years, and probably 3 of Sandy's pregnancies, after Lordship Mayhem's Chosen Frozen Part 2.

On Sun, Jan 4, 2026 at 7:47 PM Quantum Mechanic <whipf...@gmail.com> wrote:

Uploaded chapter 2 rtf to Dropbox. You can download it here.

QM

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[z...@tampaad.net]

I apparently no longer have a valid login to that dropbox account.  That's fine, since MO is taking care of it, but it means I can't help proofread it.  Can you send it as an attachment?

On 2026-01-04 19:47, Quantum Mechanic wrote:

Uploaded chapter 2 rtf to Dropbox. You can download it here.

 

QM

[Quantum Mechanic]

Another addendum: Given that it has been that long, isn't it about time Sam got another promotion? Maybe to Centurion? Later in the story, Ray Thompson will be explaining his reduction in rank, saying that the "food chain" in the Civil Service was too small for a full lateral, and he has to wait for promotions - no real room at the top! It's not necessary to the story, but in the absence of Lordship Mayhem, if most of you agree, Ray could deliver the promotion when he comes to visit.

[Mike Omelanuk]

I can't remember if I responded, but all seems reasonable to me. Mike

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[z...@tampaad.net]

   I've got a bad cold and my mind is off.  Dunno if it's the cold itself or the drugs I'm on, but my head feels like it's been stuffed with cotton.  Certainly, I have no balance.  So, everything I've said or done for the last several days should be questioned.  "But, ZM said that..." is not trustworthy right now.  (if ever, I know.)

   The below discussion made me think that we don't have anything that actually sets out what rank does what for the Civil Service.  As usual, my BS-slinging skills can fix the problem.  I've added a new section to https://tampaad.net/index.php?title=Civil_Service which states what the expected area of authority should be for each rank.  I have it written as what the CS _wants_ to happen, not what _does_ happen.  As a practical matter, there are never enough CSOs so everyone works higher than their pay grade and experience level.

   Please look at it and tell me what's wrong before some nitwit goes "But ZM said..."  It's just my first stab.  Does it make sense?  Does it help QM's question?  Does it meet Canon?

-ZM

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[Quantum Mechanic]

Can't say as I can see anything "wrong" with it, but given that Thule is it's own military district (per https://tampaad.net/index.php?title=Districts) and Decurion Redford is the sole, and thus the senior CSO in the district, These guidelines would suggest that she could eventually advance in rank as high as Dux. I feel I have detected a large amount of fluidity in the standards for assigning rank in this service, and given that it seems the Confederacy would really rather not even have a Civil Service, that might be a good thing. Maybe the ranking CSO in any area of responsibility needs to be high enough to equate to the number 2 military rank in that area. That would seem to give them a better chance to sell their plans to the top dog, when they're competing for his/her attention with the "real" military. This might not be practical in every case, but it could provide a target structure.

I guess where I'm at right now is that I'd rather see the conditions for advancement in rank in Civil Service depend more on individual accomplishments, rather than rigid adherence to a TOE. Maybe the rule should be something like "get the rank, and we'll try to get you the people - maybe", rather than "we're giving you this rank because you have so many people."  I'm halfway convinced that the only valid reason to assign any actual rank to a CSO, is so that certain obstructionist REMFs can't "pull rank on them", anyway. 

[Mike Omelanuk]

I like it. Another way of looking at ranks is (my army experience) at a battalion level, most S-functions S-1 personnel, S-3 operations, S-4 supply, etc would be headed by an O-3 captain. Same for company commanders. When you get to a brigade you start to see a higher rank, and for Divisions, staff functions would be at least an O-4 or higher.  I guess the reason I'm looking at it this way, the Frozen Chosen will become a Division, and Samantah also supports the Navy... She should be slotted as at least an O-4. Maybe not promoted there yet, but she has other recognition.

In Korea, neither organization I was in was ever up to TOE (they were all in Vietnam.) I was the only captain in the entire battalion, all our line company commanders were 1st lieutenants with less than a year in grade. 

Think I would change the primary mission some: Its primary mission is the continuation of the human race away from the planet Earth by conserving all human resources to produce more sponsors to fight.

Get rid of that cold!

Mike

[Mike Omelanuk]

 I'm halfway convinced that the only valid reason to assign any actual rank to a CSO, is so that certain obstructionist REMFs can't "pull rank on them", anyway. - I think that there is at least one story that states that.

The military has frequently promoted members based on performance, then given the assignments to match. I'm not sure that Sam should be the same rank as the #2, but at least slot and her rank based on competency should be the same as the Staff officers. I think I'm saying the same thing as you.  George Armstrong Custer was breveted to major general and commanded a division during the Civil War but he was really a Lt Colonel..

Mike

[fred daddio]

Is there any way to direct a message to one, or a handful of people instead of sending a response to everybody?  I'd rather not bother folks who are not interested.

Anyway, this is for QM - I, for one, and glad to see you adding to the Cosca story line.   I've been wondering about the questions you have Sandy digging into.  After reading the first two chapters, I am keen to read the rest of the story.  Please do keep working on it.  Now I have to go back and re-read the first three episodes.

Fred