I made it out of Ingeborg Alpha, just before the nukes I'd ordered hit. I knew I'd likely been exposed to the nanovirus when it breached the final firewall. I'd dragged myself and my people off station onto the last small craft just seconds before. We were caught in the blast. The last thing I remember before blacking out was the brightness of the blast, before waking up in the medbay on Manticore. They had managed to save me, although I lost my left eye and arm, and ended up being burned from the radiation. I was awarded the PMV, and medically 'retired' to half pay. A few months later, I was made Countess D'Orville. - Ellen D'Orville's memoirs


"You have to be an active duty military officer to enter, ma'am. I'm going to have to request that you leave." says the officer guarding the doorway, as Ellen tries to pass him to get in.

"Do you know who I am? Do you?" she says firmly. He shakes his head in confusion. I'm literally wearing my uniform with the PMV. The disrespect these days…

"I'm Countess and Admiral of the Fleet Ellen D'Orville . My Star Kingdom looks like they need me again. I was never officially retired. And I'm back."

"May I see your ID, milady?" Ellen pulls it out of her uniform pocket. He gasps.

"We don't use that ID format any longer. If you are who you say you are, you should head to BuPers first, milady." I mentored some of the leaders of BuPers as midshipmen. I don't need to head there.

"You realize I mentored some of the leading officers at BuPers and wrote the curriculum for ATC. It's also ma'am unless I have to impress people." she says firmly.

"Fine, I'll let you in, ma'am."

Ellen takes the lift up to the offices for Admirals, by looking like she belongs there. She knocks on the door and the male voice inside calls, "Come in." She opens the door and walks in. The male figure inside at his desk looks shocked, then confused.

"Hello there, Admiral Big Sky. It's me. I'm back, and I need an office. I'm borrowing yours, until I can get someone to help me get access to my real one. After all, I got promoted to Admiral of the Fleet via half-pay promotions. BuPers thought I would never come back, after how badly I got hurt, but they neglected to make it a true honorary promotion, so I guess I'm in charge now. After all, they recalled all half pay officers that weren't put there due to command skills failing…"

He gasps. "Why did the media say you were dead?" From the stories I've heard, this is classic Ellen. No tact or diplomacy at all , but great at tactics and not someone who you want to be in the way of.

"It appears that some newsies," she says the word like a curse, "decided to fail to confirm legends. I mean, I did retreat to a more private life. I'm Admiral of the Fleet D'Orville and I'm very much alive, and more senior than you. And I'm back." she states.

"Um…" he mumbles

"Admiral Big Sky. You will help me convince BuPers that I belong back here, then either move out of this office, or help me move into my new office, and help me locate a staff." Ellen says, firmly, using her notorious lack of things like diplomacy and tact, to convince him that she means it.

"Um…" he mumbles.

"Bad response. Try again." Ellen states.

"Yes, ma'am." he replies crisply.

"Much better. Step One: Contact the head of BuPers, Admiral Sir Lucien Cortez, and inform him that there is no way that I'm going to fully retire until I'm dead. If that fails, inform him that I've got more time in grade, outrank him, and that I'm back and not dead. That should be enough to get me back. Step Two: You need to either move out of this office, and play musical offices to find a new one, and end up making a bunch of people swap, or help me move into my new office, which is upstairs, if the plans I studied are correct, and update my login credentials. Step Three: You will help me locate a competent staff. Did I make myself clear?" Ellen states, using her 'Do precisely what I tell you, or else something awful will happen .' voice.

"Yes, ma'am."

Author's Notes:

Description of this AU

Ellen survived Ingeborg, though by the skin of her teeth, and was in even worse shape than Honor's been in, losing an eye and arm, and having massive injuries. She faced a medical retirement, that she didn't even try to get out of, and was created Countess D'Orville, and retired to Manticore, where she faded out of view, and legends spread that she was dead every decade. When the Royal Navy League was trying to find the money for saving Unconquered from the scrappers, she donated some money, which brought her back into the spotlight again for a bit before fading. After that, years later (1860s PD), she was brought back for shoreside duty, as she convinced people by sheer force of will, having made it to (a presumed honorary by BuPers) Admiral of the Fleet, via half-pay promotions, and just walking in, and using sheer seniority to get the office back, and gave the Last View speech to Honor's class, like she had years ago.