"Richard Allen Stotts - Empire 1 - Midshipman" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stotts Richard Allen)

poor lads occasionally perished in the unforgiving weeding
out process. Those who survived the screening entered the
academies, things eased up a bit there but about half would
eventually wash out in that year long ordeal. Those who
remained after academy were granted the rank of junior




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midshipman and went on to active service with the fleet.
Full commissioning to ensign depended upon oneтАЩs
progress during shipboard duty, it was an apprentice
program, you learned the job by working alongside those
who knew the job. Some were commissioned as early as
sixteen, a few as late as twenty. A very few were never
commissioned at all and were persuaded to look elsewhere
for employment. Commissioned naval officers were
regarded with a certain awe and respect by both military
and civilians alike, they were the EmperorтАЩs hand, the
EmperorтАЩs fist and sword.




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Chapter Two
Free Traders



There existed within the New Empire a small
subculture of non-citizens, those who went there own way.
The Free Traders swore no allegiance to the Emperor,
likewise they were also scrupulous in obeying the empireтАЩs
few laws and regulations and were in turn respected for
their useful roll in the outer reaches of the empire.


Outlying colonies depended on the Free Traders
cargo vessels for an inexpensive commerce link with the
rest of the empire, new colonies were an iffy thing at best,
being off the major trade routes left them isolated and
alone. The New Empire didnтАЩt nurture and coddle new
colonies, if they failed it was because they werenтАЩt viable to
begin with, if they succeeded then they were worthy of a
seat at the table.


The enormous cargo vessels of the Free Traders that