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Chain of Command

Introduction

During day to day operations, the average crew member on a NanoTrasen vessel is not likely to experience much cause for alarm. Hazards in NanoTrasen owned space are few and far between, and often mundane. However, the decentralized nature of the company, and the sensitive nature of its day to day operations has lead to the necessary formation of a clearly defined structure. Issues encountered during earlier iterations of the current Central Command model - namely consistent jurisdictional and authority disputes between assigned Heads of Staff - have lead to the formation of the current system. Although these guidelines may not concern the average logistical technician or line cook on board a NanoTrasen vessel, it is important that all crew have at least a working understanding of who their direct supervisor is, and what that means for them.

NanoTrasen has carefully cultivated a culture of flexible obedience, wherein failure to obey orders is not typically penalized harshly. This position has often been misinterpreted as a permissive or disinterested stance. This is not the case. Orders given by immediate superiors are to always be obeyed to the utmost extent of any NanoTrasen employee's capabilities. Failure to follow lawful orders may lead to the termination of your contract. Keep in mind that it is not your job to determine whether an order is lawful or not, except for in the most dire and clear cases of malfeasance. Therefore, it is generally advised that you follow any orders provided to you, and file formal complaints when you are able to do so.

The following list outlines the direct hierarchy of authority for nearly every NanoTrasen owned area of operation. Unless you were explicitly told otherwise during your orientation briefing, this is the structure you operate beneath. This list has been arranged in order of importance, from Highest to Lowest. When two or more positions carry equivalent authority, the specifics and nuances of this situation will be outlined for you.

Central Command [CentCom]

Due to its size as the largest corporation in the Milky Way galaxy, NanoTrasen's main office has long since conceded that direct management of all of its operations is an impossible task. Therefore, after many years of intense study and experimentation, Corporate has established the 'Central Command' structure. Individual corporate operations have been divided and assigned their own microcosm of the larger NT structure. CentCom, as it is commonly known, is the highest level authority the average worker will ever encounter. The average iteration of Central Command is tasked with monitoring roughly three to twelve operations within a specific galactic zone. They commonly communicate with these operations via quantum entanglement relays (colloquially referred to as 'faxes'), Command reports, and direct intercom communications.

Central Command prefers to maintain a 'hands off' approach to management, largely due to the sheer number of sites one location is handling at any one time. The common misconception that Central Command operators are lazy or otherwise bored executives without duties of their own to fulfill is little more than the disgruntled murmuring of menial laborers. In spite of this desire to remain largely detached, Central Command typically respond promptly to faxes from their assigned areas of operation, and will communicate openly when it is possible to do so. On top of the multiple fax machines scattered throughout your assigned place of work, your Facility Director may contact CentCom directly via the communications console, should the situation be particularly dire.

Central Command passively monitors all comms traffic on board the station, and they are fully capable of watching the crew's shift habits through area cameras. This includes the cameras mounted on cyborgs and other mechanized devices, such as properly equipped hardsuits. When encountering Central Command in any capacity, they should be treated as the utmost authority, superceding any local command staff.

Emergency Response Team [ERT]

During some of the most deadly, incredibly rare, disasters an employee may encounter, even NanoTrasen's highly trained Security forces may come up short. From catastrophic meteor impacts to incursions by "blob" spores, even a well equipped crew may fall upon insurmountable odds. In such cases where the crew send out a request for assistance, Central Command may dispatch an Emergency Response Team. Central Command recruits only the best and brightest to work on their ERT teams, and many of these figures have their identities protected due to the high-risk nature of their profession. An ERT retains its own hierarchy, although the ultimate authority on the ground is the ERT Leader. Due to Central Command's Operational Autonomy policy, an Emergency Response Team Leader is the ultimate authority a crew member will encounter during an emergency. Until the situation they were dispatched to address is handled, a Team Leader's orders carry equal weight to a Central Command Officer's.

Central Command Officer [CCO]

In some rare circumstances, CentCom will dispatch direct representatives to a site. Typically this will happen when the highest authority is required to resolve an incident, to perform a departmental audit, or for the purposes of raising morale. Although Central Command Officers appear to adhere to some obscure hierarchy of their own, the nuances of such are beyond the concern of the standard operational crew. CCOs carry the full weight and authority of NanoTrasen, and speak for the company whenever they are present. Although CCOs possess this authority, they are generally discouraged to engage in direct interventionism, and will more often passively observe the station's operations.

Heads of Staff

Also known as Command (not to be confused with Central Command), or simply "Heads", members of the operational area's Staff team are some of the most qualified members of the crew. All Heads of Staff have full access to the departments they head, as well as the Bridge. Some Heads possess even more access to extremely sensitive areas related to their duties. Vetted and trusted by CentCom, Heads of Staff have attained their position by virtue of age, experience, or education, and should be treated with the utmost respect.

Facility Director

Alternatively referred to as the Captain - typically aboard naval vessels or stations - the Facility Director is the Head responsible for the entire station, with the authority to match. The Facility Director is the final link in the chain before Central Command itself, with the power to overrule any other Head of Staff's orders or decisions. The Facility Director may fire or recruit any crew member to any department, and is the only member of the crew that may sentence a criminal to Death, or otherwise authorize any form of execution. In spite of these broad permissions, the Facility Director is not above the law, and can (and should) be prosecuted if found to be breaking the law. As the Head of Security enforces Corporate Regulations, the Facility Director is expected to generally enforce Standard Operating Procedure. They are granted access to every part of the station, and are provided with state of the art gear to assist in their mandate.

Head of Personnel [HoP]

The Head of Personnel is often thought of as the "Second in Command" to the Facility Director. This is not the case, and is a common misinterpretation of the Head of Personnel's position in the Line of Succession. The Head of Personnel bears an equal ranking to every other Head when it comes to Command concerns. However, the Head of Personnel is the penultimate authority for the Service and Supply Departments (ie; Janitors, Bartenders, Cooks, the entirety of Cargo to include the Quartermaster, and all unassigned civilians). Like the Facility Director, they are expected to oversee the enforcement of SOP.

There are many nuances to the Head of Personnel's duties and powers, namely when it comes to the questions of hiring and firing crew. Corporate Regulations may recommend demotion as a penalty, but the Head of Security does not have the power to enforce this punishment unless the offending party is a member of the Security team. It is the Head of Personnel's duty to ensure all dismissals are executed lawfully, by the requisite Head. The Chief Engineer cannot have a Scientist fired, et cetera. However, in lieu of a Research Director, the responsibility of investigating the hypothetical Chief Engineer's request and determining whether the offending Scientist may be dismissed falls upon the Head of Personnel.

The Head of Personnel's position on the Line of Succession also means they are the member of Command most prone to accepting the role of 'Acting Captain'. Any Head of Personnel claiming this responsibility without a proper grasp of the restrictions and obligations assigned to the title should be reported to CentCom immediately.

Research Director [RD]

The Research Director is equal to every other member of Command, barring the Facility director. The Research Director's duty is to oversee all fields of scientific study aboard the station. To this end, they have authority over all Scientists, Roboticists, the three fields of Xeno study, and any relative jobs which have been classified as falling under the purview of the Research Department. The RD has the authority to authorize or ban experiments or specific fields of study, with proper justification. The Research Director has some limited degree of authority over the Pathfinder as well. This topic is discussed in Exploration and the Chain of Command.

Chief Medical Officer [CMO]

Equal with the other Heads of Staff. The Chief Medical Officer bears the unique ability to suspend other members of the Command team and treat them if they exhibit signs of mental or physical unwellness. Due to the potential for abuse, Chief Medical Officers must have clear and apparent cause before exercising such a right, and any abuses of this ability must be reported to CentCom. Beyond this ability, the Chief Medical Officer's duty is to oversee the maintenance and readiness of the Medbay. Their authority extends to Medical Doctors, Paramedics, Chemists, the Psychiatry department, and Virology. The CMO also has limited authority over Search and Rescue. This topic is discussed in Exploration and the Chain of Command.

Chief Engineer [CE]

Equal with other Heads of Staff. The Chief Engineer oversees the management of the station's power network and ensures the overall structural integrity of the entire operational area. The most basic facet of this duty is the initialization and maintenance of the engine. They also sign off on any major on-site construction projects, both those undertaken by their team and those proposed by any hobbyists amongst the general populace. Chief Engineers oversee the work of Station Engineers and Atmospheric Technicians.

Head of Security [HoS]

Equal with other Heads of Staff. The Head of Security, much like the Head of Personnel, is often mistaken as being Second or Third in Command behind the Captain. Again, this is not the case. The Head of Security is, in fact, the last formal Head of Staff on the Line of Succession, for reasons explained in that section. The Head of Security possesses a wide range of access and gear second only to the Captain's, for the purpose of performing their duty. However, other Heads of Staff may demand warrants, or otherwise deny the Head of Security access to their departments, barring instances of clear and present danger. The Head of Security is able to arrest, or authorize the arrest, of other Heads of Staff should they be found to be in violation of Corporate Regulations. Misapplication of this power must be immediately reported to CentCom.

The Head of Security is not obligated to enforce SOP, as this obligation falls on the shoulders of the HoP and Facility Director. The Head of Security is granted some limited ability to interpret the application of Corporate Regulations. Any disputes over the a Head of Security's interpretation of the law should be reported as needed to IA, the Facility Director, and Central Command, in that order. The Head of Security exercises their authority over the Security Department, including Officers, Detectives, and the Warden.

Lower Management Roles

Much like with NanoTrasen itself, proper delegation is vital to the health and efficiency of any operational site. To that end, certain Departments enjoy lower management roles that function, essentially, as minor Heads of Staff. In spite of this perception, none of the jobs listed below are legally Heads of Staff. These positions are not necessarily fully equipped to run their departments in the absence of the relevant Head of Staff and may not attempt to assume the title. They may, however, exercise some degree of provisional authority on a case by case basis, as outlined below.

Quartermaster

The Quartermaster operates underneath the Head of Personnel. The Supply Department's complexity and logistical importance is too much for the Head of Personnel to satisfactorily manage in tandem with their primary duties. Therefore, the Quartermaster has full authority over Cargo Technicians and Shaft Miners. In the absence of the Head of Personnel, the Quartermaster's duties do not change in any way. However, the Quartermaster is one of the last in line on the Line of Succession, an oddity that many crew like to pass around as bar trivia.

Warden

The Warden is tasked with guarding the Brig writ large, with their primary focus being the management and protection of both the Armory and prison facilities. The Warden handles the distribution of weaponry, and has full authority over all operations within the Brig itself. Although the Head of Security outranks the Warden, a healthy working balance between the two roles is best established when the Head of Security manages Officer activity and the Warden manages interior operations. When the Head of Security is not present, direction and management of standard Security Officers falls to the Warden. This is not equivalent to being the Acting Head of Security, and the primary duties of the Warden remain the same, but with the added responsibility of departmental coordination.

Pathfinder

Officially, the Pathfinder is always subordinate to the Facility Director. However, due to the nature of their role aboard the station, the Head of Staff the Pathfinder reports to changes based on the situation. This is a complex and nuanced web of departmental interplay that is outlined below in Exploration and the Chain of Command.

Command Secretary

Command Secretaries are exactly what the name implies. They bear no official powers or privileges. However, as a adjutant to their Head of Staff, a Command Secretary may be granted provisional authority by that Head of Staff. They may not be granted authorities the Head of Staff does not possess themselves, and they may not become an Acting Captain, or any equivalent title.

Line of Succession

Central Command has ensured that almost every facility may operate without a Facility Director due to the institutional focus on decentralization. However, in times of severe crisis, a concrete Line of Succession has been created with the aim of providing a clear cut guideline for any present Heads of Staff, regarding who may claim the title of Acting Facility Director. Should the station lack a Facility Director, due to simple absence, death, or any other manner of incapacitation, the Heads of Staff must adhere to the following hierarchy:

Facility Director -> Head of Personnel -> Research Director -> Chief Medical Officer -> Chief Engineer -> Head of Security -> Quartermaster -> Pathfinder

The general absence of a Facility Director does require that the slot be filled. In an emergency, an Acting Captain may be designated according to the Line of Succession. This is covered in detail below. The Head of Personnel (as Acting Captain) may assign interested crew members to an empty Head's position in the interests of maintaining the Line of Succession, although any such provisional hires are expected to resign should a Head of Staff arrive on site.

The Line of Succession has been structured specifically to avoid negatively impacting the overall operational integrity of the site during a crisis. Recognizing that the duties of the Facility Director in a crisis are mentally and physically strenuous, and override the obligated Head's former duties, Central Command has provided this mandate based on the following logic: The Head of Personnel is the first in line to succeed the Captain due to the low priority nature of their primary duty and the Quartermaster's general autonomy. It is not expected that the negative impact of losing a Head of Personnel will outweigh the benefits of replacing the Facility Director. Following this logic, the ratio of cost to benefit is clearly evident in the structure.

The Research Director is next in line due to the likely suspension of any scientific activities until any crisis has been resolved.
The Chief Medical Officer's absence from the Medical Bay may have a negative impact on triage and crew health.
Maintaining the structural integrity of the operational site is vital, and the Chief Engineer's ability to act freely is critical.
Lastly, the Head of Security must remain free from distraction for as long as possible, with the goal of terminating the crisis.
The Quartermaster's penultimate assignment to the Line of Succession exists mostly as a formality. Any crisis which has resulted in the loss of all other authorities on the station will most likely be irreversible by this stage. As the primary remaining authority with access to transit shuttles and logistics, the Quartermaster's ability to coordinate evacuations or mount a defense/resistance makes them the second to last remaining authority in dire circumstances.
Similarly, the Pathfinder's placement on the Line of Succession follows an identical rationalization as the Quartermaster's. However, due to the expectation that the Pathfinder will not be on the vessel for extended periods of time, they are considered less reliable than the Quartermaster for the purposes of coordinating an effective defense or evacuation.

Acting Facility Director or Acting Captain

Adhering to the Line of Succession during an emergency may result in a Head of Staff taking the title of "Acting Facility Director", hereafter referred to as "Acting Captain". The purposes of such a position should be clear to all parties. Since all Heads of Staff are equals, the need to have a deciding voice overseeing all operations may prove prudent. To this end, the title of Acting Captain may be assumed by the present Head of Staff who appears first on the Line of Succession. Acting Captains are expected to function primarily in an executive capacity. Acting Captains are expected to make decisions on sensitive topics, such as remanding prisoners to the permabrig. The Acting Captain may not dictate to other Heads of Staff how to run their departments. In spite of the Line of Succession, an Acting Captain found to be unfit by the other Heads of Staff may be removed from the position, with the status shifting to the next in Line. Central Command reserves the right to remove an Acting Captain's authority at any time.

For the purposes of this policy, an "emergency" is considered to be any situation which would require, or has resulted in, the elevation of the station's Security Level to a position higher than Blue. If no Captain is available at the start of an emergency - or if they become incapacitated - the status of Acting Captain, as dictated by the Line of Succession, becomes active. Once the emergency has been managed to such a degree that the Security Level may be reduced to Blue or Green - or the Captain is fit to return to duty, the status of Acting Captain no longer applies.

Attempting to retain Acting Captain status without a present emergency is considered an unlawful act, pursuant to Corporate Regulation §214.
Furthermore, unlawfully claiming the status of Acting Captain and securing the Captain's spare ID is considered a violation of Rule 5, regarding that rule's policies on unnecessarily securing important items and the general stance on powergaming by unjust augmentation of access.

Non-Heads of Staff, including recognized "Lower Management Roles" such as the Warden, may not be promoted to Acting Captain. The only exceptions to this are the Quartermaster and Pathfinder - in that order - and then only when all other Heads of Staff are dead or otherwise incapacitated, for the purposes of coordinating a defense and/or evacuation.

The Acting Captain inherits all of the Captain's responsibilities, without inheriting their gear or rank. The Acting Captain may retrieve the Captain's spare headset - not the Bowman - to ease communication with all other departments. It is the duty of the Acting Captain to secure the Captain's spare ID, and any other sensitive material, such as nuclear authentication disks or pinpointers. Do not wear the Captain's gear, and do not change your job title. "Acting Captain" is not a recognized alternate title, and may lead to logistical snarls.

The Acting Captain speaks with the authority of the Captain (Facility Director), and not their actual job title, during the extent of the emergency they were selected to address. They gain the authority to change the AI's laws, or call for emergency transfer, and may not be overruled. However, the Acting Captain does not, again, have the same powers as an actual Facility Director. The following actions may not be performed by an Acting Captain:

Authorizing Executions
Distributing Weapon Permits
Issuing Death Warrants
Promoting another Head of Staff to Facility Director (The Acting Captain may resign and pass the position down to the next in the Line.)
Acting Captains may not give themselves all-access without justifiable reason. Access should be assigned and removed only as required. An Acting Captain who enters the armory will still be arrested if they do not have a valid reason for being there.

Heads of Staff and Criminal Offense

A Head of Staff proven to have committed a crime can be arrested, but not demoted without going through the proper procedure of demoting a Head of Staff. Arresting the Facility Director based on suspicion alone is illegal. You must have solid evidence. A Head of Staff may not be arrested simply because you disagree with their actions or orders.

General Etiquette Regarding the Chain of Command

Many times throughout this guide, mentions of 'reporting to CentCom' or 'reporting up the Chain of Command' are made, or alluded to. There is a general sense of etiquette regarding a standard crew member's approach to reporting perceived misconduct amongst their superiors. The rule of thumb is to always try and resolve the dispute at the lowest level. This will be explained with the following example:

A Warden orders an Officer to illegally search a crew member that is not currently engaging in any unlawful activity. The Security Officer tells the Warden this would be breaking the law, but the Warden reaffirms the order. The Security Officer, aware this order is unlawful, complies. This results in the arrest of the crew member, who was found to be in possession of contraband.
The Officer then approaches the Warden's direct supervisor - the Head of Security - regarding the issue. The Head of Security acknowledges that the Warden's order was illegal, but that sometimes the law should be ignored.
The Officer then reports to Internal Affairs regarding the case. The IA agent begins an investigation, but is generally stonewalled by the Head of Security and Warden.
The Officer and IAA report to the Facility Director regarding the illegality of the arrest. The Facility Director, upon finding out that illegal items were obtained, decides that even if the arrest was initially illegal, it was justified.
The Officer and IAA then fax CentCom to report the issue.

As you can see in this example, the Security Officer attempts to resolve the issue at the lowest possible level. You may instinctively wish to go right to the Facility Director to report this concern, but similar issues may be occurring all across the station, and the Facility Director is only one person. By doing your due diligence and attempting to resolve the conflict via the most immediate authority, you can ensure fast and consistent results. If, at any point along this process the response was different, ie; the Head of Security took the illegal nature of the search seriously and reprimanded the Warden/freed the prisoner, the issue could be counted as resolved right there.

Therefore, it is good for everyone to have a solid grasp of the Chain of Command, whether your job is mentioned in it or not. Understanding who you report to, and who may legally order you to perform a task, is vital to the smooth and just operation of the station.

Operational Autonomy

A centuries old aphorism dictates that "a Sergeant at the Front outranks a General at the Rear". CentCom understands that sometimes the shifting face of a crisis may cause orders to become untenable, or outright harmful to the well-being of the operation. Therefore, corporate has seen fit to formalize a policy known as 'Operational Autonomy', quoted below:

Recognizing that situations are apt to change in the course of duty, the integrity of the operation being the foremost priority, a NanoTrasen employee may ignore any order - be it lawful or unlawful - if they believe that the execution of such order may immediately result in irreparable damage to essential property or personnel. Recognizing that the failure to execute an order may result in penalties, this policy may be cited following the refusal to execute an order for the purpose of record, but does not prevent the employee from facing legal consequences pending a full investigation.

In more common terms, a NanoTrasen employee may directly disobey an order given to them by any superior if they believe there is evidence that the execution of this order will result in immediate and demonstrable harm to themselves, their place of work, or others. For example, an Engineer ordered to turn on a Singularity Engine may refuse the command if they observe that the engine's containment field is malfunctioning. Importantly, this provision is not in and of itself a legal defense, and does not prevent charges from being pressed against any employee who refuses to follow an order. An employee may request a hearing or formal Tribunal to ascertain whether Operational Autonomy was rightfully claimed, and may expect to have all charges dropped should they be found to have cited the policy lawfully. Improperly claiming Operational Autonomy for the purposes of avoiding assigned duties, or simply because you disagree with an order you are given, will most likely result in heavier penalties being applied, up to and including termination of your contract. Note also that Operational Autonomy may only rightfully be claimed when an immediate threat is anticipated. Being ordered to pilot a shuttle without proper communications equipment may result in potential hazards, but this order is not recognized as a clear and unavoidable threat to operational integrity.

Exploration and the Chain of Command

Exploration is structured as a microcosm of the larger logistical system aboard NanoTrasen vessels. As such, Exploration may appear hard to classify in terms of its position in the Chain of Command. Functionally, the Pathfinder is immediately subordinate to the Facility Director or Captain. Under normal circumstances this would make the Pathfinder a full Head of Staff. However, NanoTrasen employees possessing Pathfinder status are formally recognized as separate from the formal Staff structure for the express purpose of allowing them full autonomy to conduct long range reconnaissance missions and mount scientific expeditions. As such, Pathfinders are considered a "Lower Management Role" even though they lack a direct supervisor.

Exploration frequently works in conjunction with the Research and Development department, due to the nature of their field revolving around the study of unexplored planets and xenofauna. However, Exploration is expected to operate autonomously and without immediate logistical support for long periods of time. Due to this concern, Exploration departments are usually heavily armed and provided with otherwise restricted gear, for the express purpose of aiding in the longevity of the expedition and the integrity of its components. This means that Exploration's arms and armor are typically second only to Security on board NanoTrasen vessels, and reports of Exploration augmenting Security's defense in the face of boarding parties and zoological threats are not uncommon. Therefore, the Pathfinder maintains a special hierarchical relationship with both the Research Director and Head of Security, as outlined below.

Two Heads of Staff may form a consensus to stop an Expedition from leaving the ship. Although these Heads of Staff may prevent an Expedition from leaving, they may not order a Pathfinder to stop preparing for an expedition (ie; order them to stop gathering medical supplies, or material which they may be expected to use should the travel ban be lifted), and may not seize materials or items brought back by the Exploration team that are meant for other Departments. Should the Heads of Staff be found to have ordered the grounding of an Expedition without justifiable cause, they may be punished according to Policy/Corporate Regulations ;sig214.

The Pathfinder and the Research Director

When preparing for or returning from an Expedition, the Pathfinder is expected to coordinate with the Research Director regarding any objects or creatures of note the RD may wish to have recovered. The RD is also the ultimate authority regarding what experimental gear the Pathfinder may requisition from the Science team, but this does not prevent the Pathfinder from requisitioning gear from other sources, such as Cargo or Security, that Research declined to distribute. The Pathfinder does not require the Research Director's permission to organize an expedition.

The Pathfinder and the Head of Security

Due to the heavy armament carried by the standard Explorer, they represent a unique security risk whilst still on board the station. At the same time, they are equally in a unique position of being able to provide aid and augment an understaffed Security force in the face of an emergency. The Head of Security's authority does not override the Pathfinder's unless there is a clear and present threat which requires Security's attention. During such times, the Head of Security may lawfully order the Pathfinder to stop disembarking, to begin patrols, or to otherwise augment Security's efforts in ending the threat. This authority ends when the emergency does.

Search and Rescue and the Chief Medical Officer

The Chief Medical Officer may not restrict or otherwise dissuade SAR members from departing on expeditions, regardless of the current situation or emergency status, as SAR crew are considered members of the Exploration department. However, while SAR are operating on board the station during a medical emergency, they must obey the CMO's lawful orders and coordinate with station-bound crew.

The Pathfinder and Heads of Staff on Expeditions

After leaving the point of origin, in the process of executing their normal duties, Pathfinders do not adhere to the Line of Succession until their return. For the duration of the expedition, until the excursion shuttle returns to its point of origin, the Pathfinder is the sole authority, equivalent to the Facility Director. Should any Heads of Staff have come along on the expedition, they become subordinate to the Pathfinder, with all that that entails.

Pilots and the Chain of Command

Pilots on NanoTrasen vessels exist in a strange state of situational limbo. All Pilots on board a NanoTrasen vessel belong first and foremost to the Service Department. This makes their primary supervisor the Head of Personnel. However, due to the exacting nature of SOP and the general nature of space travel, Pilots will almost always find themselves subordinate to a secondary supervisor. Pilots do not classify as a "Lower Management Role", as the Pathfinder does. In fact, Pilots will most commonly find that the Pathfinder is their secondary supervisor. To this end, lawful commands given to a Pilot by a Pathfinder are second only to the Head of Personnel's (lawful orders from the Facility Director overriding both). Unless directly engaged in piloting their assigned shuttle, a Pilot is expected to obey the commands of the supervisor of their assigned department shuttle. A Pilot flying for the Security Department would coordinate with the Warden or HoS, et cetera. In the course of flying, Pilots may cite Operational Autonomy, but otherwise may not deviate from charted flight plans or established itineraries.

Should a Pilot find their secondary supervisor to be disagreeable, they may choose to decline to fly their assigned vessel so long as another Pilot is available to fly. Should the Pilot's secondary supervisor find them not suited for the mission, the secondary supervisor may not fire the Pilot, as this is the purview of the Pilot's primary supervisor - the Head of Personnel - alone. However, the secondary supervisor may dismiss the Pilot, and bar them from flying the shuttle of the Department they have been assigned to. This effectively ejects the Pilot from that departmental assignment, but leaves them open to fly shuttles belonging to any other available Department.

Summary

NanoTrasen has absolute authority. CentCom has higher authority than anyone on the station. The Facility has higher authority than everyone else on the station. No Head of Staff (excluding the Facility Director) can overrule another, except in extreme cases (e.g. criminal activity, mental instability). In the event of missing ranks, authority follows the Chain of Command, and the Line of Succession; the Chain that Binds.