Transit

Setting a Bearing
Before casting off, the ship must set its bearing to an agreed destination. This requires a meeting of the Bearing Council, which consists of the captain and their officers.

The Bearing Council acts as a microcosm of a Captain’s authority on their ship. Yes, the Captain has the power to assign, dismiss, reward, and reprimand their officers, but the ship’s destination is always subject to a vote. Even the Captain is just one vote, with ties broken by the Commander-at-the-Helm.

Captains technically have a veto, but using it is a surefire way to incur a mutiny.

Not every officer really cares where the ship is headed, so they’ll throw their support behind another in return for a promised favour.

Duties
There’s nothing worse than idle crew, so every Officers begin a transit meeting with their Heads and assigning duties, most being self-sufficient enough to continue their ongoing responsibilities. The Heads then delegate to their Hands accordingly.

Reprimands
Whether for a dereliction of duty, misbehaviour at port, or general insubordination, punishments are usually administered during transit. The most common are:

1. Night Labour - You’re given sleep suppressants and forced to work through the nights.
2. Beating - Good old fashioned violence.
3. Public Rebuke - A stern talking down in front of, and involving, your peers.
4. The Grey Cell - A sensory void, where even a few days can feel like a life sentence.
5. Demotion - There’s always a lower rank you can be bumped down to.
6. Debugging - Your mind is at the mercy of the Peoples Executive and their corrective methods.

Traditions

• Any brand new crew members are welcomed to the bridge for casting off from port.
• Officers have the first meal of a transit with their Heads.
• Stowaways are not punished the first time, but punished harshly if caught a second time.
• The Ship’s Song is sung before the first meal past the midpoint of transit.
• Those who die in transit are cast to the void.
• The Captain has the final meal of a transit with their Officers.

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