Ellen takes the lift to the top floor, where the Admiral of the Fleet's office is traditionally located. She finds it there, and sees the nameplate of the First Space Lord, Abner Laidlaw. Normally, the First Space Lord and Admiral of the Fleet are two separate jobs. And by a few legal loopholes, and sheer seniority, I outrank in a military capacity everyone except the Queen. I also need an office. He claimed the traditional Admiral of the Fleet office, and I'm taking it back. After all, lack of opposition when you move in doesn't mean that you'll never have opposition…

She knocks on the door, and a voice calls, "Who is it?", but doesn't open the door.

Ellen replies through the door, "I'm the Admiral of the Fleet. I'm back and this, according to the official office charts, is my office, or at least the one I'm supposed to be assigned. I need an office, and I'd like to move in soon. Please vacate your office promptly."

"You have to be crazy. The Admiral of the Fleet took a medical retirement, then died around a decade after she donated to the restoration of HMS Unconquered. I'm First Space Lord and an Admiral, so I'm keeping my office." calls the voice.

"She's not dead, and I'm perfectly sane." Ellen replies. You really don't know who you're talking to.

"How do you know?" the voice asks, curious.

"Open the door." Ellen orders. The door opens and Ellen walks in with a look of disapproval over her face.

"I'm the Admiral of the Fleet, and a Countess. I'm very much alive, and I need an office. I suggest you reconsider your decision, before I order people to turn this into my office. Your call. Either you move out with your staff, or I order people to make you and your people move."

"I'll move, but as you weren't using the office, I've been using it as an appropriate office for someone of my rank, milady."

"I need it back, so move out quickly. And it's ma'am, unless I need to be formal. I'll be back to check on your progress later today, so goodbye."

"Goodbye, ma'am." Ellen walks out before taking the lift to BuPers. Time to get some credentials fixed…

Author's Notes: A Commander Sonja Hemphill appears next chapter, as an IT (tech support) person with BuPers. She's so junior, because of this being well before even OBS. If Shannon Foraker can go from Lieutenant to Vice Admiral over the series, Sonja can jump to Admiral by OBS.

As for why Ellen's still around, I'm making her having gotten 1st gen prolong. I know I'm making it available too early, but it makes for a great story.

Also, don't expect another double post ever again, due to my lack of free time.