*Ponc dispatched the following handwritten orders to Admiral Nadia in the traditional way. They were stamped "secret"* Admiral,
You are hereby placed in command of the Fifth Fleet, designated for expeditionary duties by a recent Senate motion. You are ordered to take up command of the fleet posthaste and dispatch ships in order to widen our understanding and knowledge of the galaxy.
The Science and Technology Department will dispatch you a list of worlds of particular note, and otherwise a general cartographic survey is to be mounted.
Also, I would like you to personally choose half a dozen ships or so in order to form a rapid reaction force to be deployed to worlds in the event of humanitarian tragedy or other emergency, I would like these vessels stationed in a suitable port near the outer rim.
How are spirits with the men?
Regards,
