It was precisely because of the Navy Department's bounty hunting system that Naval Officers were motivated by an extremely high sense of responsibility and fighting enthusiasm.
They regarded their warships as their homes, and some Captains even saw them as their partners.
The substantial dividend ratio also allowed many Naval Officers to live a life of luxury comparable to Imperial Guard Colonels, or even Generals, during their Lieutenant careers.
This was also the reason why Horatio, upon first arriving in this world and finding himself in the Gothic Fleet anchorage, immediately headed for the Imperial Navy.
[Sorry, the Imperial Navy just gives too much!]
Farida, who originally had no concept of money, used to estimate value by how many sets of ultra-high-end dresses or how many top-tier handmade exotic beast leather bags it could buy.
But after working in the Adeptus Arbites and receiving a salary, she now knew that just one bonus was a colossal sum that a Middle Hive citizen of the Empire couldn't earn in a dozen lifetimes of struggle.
Previously, her salary in the Adeptus Arbites was 30,000 credits per month, and with performance bonuses and various awards, it averaged out to just over 40,000 per month.
She completely disdained this amount; it wasn't even enough to cover the portion her Father paid Father Lati monthly for the maintenance of her Hunter's equipment.
Let alone buying a handbag that befitted her status.
However, for grassroots arbitrators in the Adeptus Arbites, this was already a salary level that allowed them to buy a 100-square-meter three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment in the Middle Hive with a 20-year mortgage and live a respectable life with their families.
Meanwhile, an average Middle Hive citizen's monthly salary was only about 5,000, which theoretically existed.
And they were suffocated by the ever-increasing cost of living necessities.
But Naval Officers didn't have to pay a single credit to the Guild Alliance and could still enjoy the infrastructure benefits they provided.
She had only served as a Midshipman for one day, participated in one naval battle with Horatio, and already earned such an exaggeratedly large sum of money.
Thinking of this, Farida's heart cheered with joy.
It turned out that earning big money with her own hands was such a satisfying thing!
[When Father comes back, I must show off to him properly, hehe.] The girl's lips curved into a smile.
"What is that prestige?" Farida hid her smile and asked curiously, blinking her large, emerald eyes.
"Navy Department prestige is a sort of points-based token. Captains and Officers can accumulate prestige points by fighting or completing tasks assigned by the Navy Department, but generally, it's only useful after becoming a Captain…
Overall, the Imperial Navy lacks high-end materials, such as better warships, new models of Macro cannons, Lance weapons, and advanced shipboard equipment, and even better armed forces, armory provisions, more and higher-quality supplies, and so on.
And this system just so happens to allow the Navy Department to use its resources where they are most needed.
Because a Captain with many prestige points must be an excellent Captain.
In the future, they can use these points to exchange with the Navy Department for their desired warships, higher-level shipboard armaments, more material supplies, and better armed forces, or new elite fighters and outstanding air wings, etc.
Through exchange, Captains can effectively customize the warships they command according to their own ideas.
This helps them better complete missions, win naval battles, and thus gain more prestige and material rewards.
Many people have been desperately accumulating these since their junior Lieutenant days.
Of course, if one is rich enough or has complex personal connections, most of these things can also be done with money. It's just that… without the Navy Department's help, it might be a tiny bit expensive.
"Mr. Kirkland." Captain Peru's voice interrupted his whispering with Farida.
"Yes, Your Excellency." Horatio immediately straightened his chest and looked at Captain Peru.
"Your performance in this operation has greatly satisfied Lieutenant Stirling and me, and the other Captains have also given you continuous praise."
"Thank you for your compliments, Your Excellency."
"I need to appoint an Acting Lieutenant to assist with the bridge duties. And for this vacant position, I would like to appoint you." Saying this, Commodore Peru cut a small piece of steak and put it into his mouth.
"Me?" Horatio felt flattered, afraid he had misheard.
"Yes, you, Mr. Horatio Cochrane.
It's not just because of your outstanding performance, but also because you have received professional naval academy education and are a command-track talent from the Fleet Maritime Department. You are the most senior among this batch of Midshipmen. I wonder if you are willing?" Commodore Peru asked, wiping the corner of his lips with a napkin.
Horatio blinked.
Upon closer thought, he indeed seemed to be the only Midshipman on the Unyielding from this batch who had received formal academy education at a naval school.
The others were all scions of generals and colonels who had either received Midshipman appointment letters or letters of recommendation from prestigious families.
These young men and women were all fledgling eagles who had only recently boarded the ship.
And the "Acting Lieutenant" mentioned by Captain Peru was an ancient and traditional position prepared for Midshipmen.
Naval commissioned officers were few, and situations often arose where they were overwhelmed, absent due to illness or accident, or suffered combat casualties.
Therefore, the Imperial Navy stipulated to all fleets that:
On each rated ship, one Acting Lieutenant position was allowed.
This position was to be appointed by the Captain herself, from among the most senior, reliable, and capable Midshipmen on the entire ship.
It was equivalent to selecting a key training candidate on a warship, allowing him to accumulate comprehensive command experience in advance.
In the Imperial Navy, where commissioned officer positions were so scarce, having one Acting Lieutenant per ship was already an unprecedented concession made by the Navy Department based on the Imperial Navy's actual situation.
Under no circumstances could this red line of only one be crossed.
This was to prevent a large number of incompetent connected individuals from serving as Acting Lieutenants, giving arbitrary commands, and destroying the precious assets of the Imperial Navy.
Because, once appointed as an Acting Lieutenant, it meant possessing the authority of a Lieutenant on the assigned ship.
Its nature was similar to a time-limited trial card for a junior Naval Lieutenant.
Normally, they would primarily perform duties on the bridge, serving as the Captain's assistant, helping the Captain and Lieutenant handle some clerical work.
They would follow the Captain and Lord Captain, learning countless valuable experiences accumulated in practice.
They would also frequently serve as special envoys to inspect the Midshipmen's execution of tasks and report to the Captain, thereby achieving both observation and learning.
It was equivalent to being the big brother of all Midshipmen on the warship.
At the same time, they could receive two-thirds of a Naval Captain's bonus, just like a junior Lieutenant, which was a significantly larger portion than the Midshipman's one-third.
For a Midshipman like Horatio, who had just boarded the ship, this appointment came incredibly fast.
It was even more rapid than his ascent via boarding torpedo.
Many Midshipmen who failed the Lieutenant exam would only be appointed as an Acting Lieutenant by the Captain when they reached their thirties, to experience what it felt like to be a commissioned officer, as an incentive.
Horatio's eyes darted around, and he instantly understood Commodore Peru's deeper considerations in assigning him to the Macro cannon array.
If he were directly promoted, the favoritism would be too obvious, not only making it difficult to gain popular support but also offending his naval colleagues.
After all, the other Midshipmen on the Unyielding also came from prominent backgrounds; their parents were either Navy Colonel Captains or Generals like the Hood Family.
As Captain, he had to some extent consider the reputation of the other Midshipmen.
Horatio also knew.
Even if he were truly promoted to the position of Acting Lieutenant out of thin air, his subsequent work would be very difficult to carry out smoothly.
The Imperial Navy, which values actual shipboard seniority, detests nepotism, especially from those with no real ability.
They would unceremoniously mock such connected individuals as 'like the Astra Militarum, if you have money, you can get an appointment letter' to 'politely' express their disdain.
Because, apart from a few exemplary regiments such as Krieg, the Firstborn Regiment, Modian Iron Guard, Cadia, and the Steel Legion, which are considered benchmarks.
Many Astra Militarum officers' appointment letters are bought with money.
This phenomenon is very common in the Imperial Guard.
A prime example is the Scintilla Fusiliers, contributed by their Calixis Fleet colleagues on the same Segmentum Obscurus fleet anchorage planet.
These colleagues brought their jokes about the Scintilla Fusiliers to various fleets during social gatherings.
Even the Syntilla Naval Officers within the Calixis Fleet themselves looked down on these connected fellow countrymen.
Even if the other party had a revered father or ancestor, it was the same.
To earn the respect of these outstanding individuals, one must first demonstrate their own strength and gain the recognition of the commissioned officers.
Captain Peru also knew that at least one void battle was bound to occur today.
And the Macro cannon array was not only relatively safe, but the effectiveness of its command would also be evident to everyone.
Unlike the engine or weapons departments, which worked behind the scenes.
When a massive Macro cannon hit, it hit, and the explosion effect was clear, visible to all officers on the bridge.
Moreover, Macro cannon trajectory calculation was a complex technical task involving mathematics, physics, and other specialized knowledge, making it more technologically advanced than commanding 100% accurate Lance cannons.
Going to the Macro cannon array was equivalent to giving Horatio a perfect stage to showcase the knowledge he had learned from the naval academy.
Captain Peru was confident that Horatio, as the son of Thomas and a descendant of Spire, after rigorous training at the Childer of Loyalty Naval Academy, would be perfectly capable of performing his assigned duties.
And the results were exactly as the Commodore had hoped, even more surprising.
Horatio not only perfectly fulfilled his duties and commanded the gun emplacements well.
He also led the armed forces to eliminate the boarding enemies, saving the crisis of the blown-up ammunition chamber.
Furthermore, he seized an important opportunity, firing a super-charged shot that crippled the dreadnought-class's three engines, forcing the enemy ship's crew to cut off promethium supply to the engines and slow down.
Ultimately, he presented all the officers on the ship with a light cruiser with disabled engines as a boarding gift.
His professional level and strength were evident to all; the other Midshipmen had no choice but to accept it.
Seeing the situation, Commodore Peru also took this opportunity to present the position of Acting Lieutenant to him without any opposition.
But Horatio also understood that this was the longest path Lord Peru could pave for him within the rules before he received his Navy Department commission.
Subsequent opportunities would only arise once he obtained a commissioned position.
Regarding the Navy Department's commissioned appointments, one either had to pass an entrance exam, or go through an extremely complex and cumbersome process of evidence and recommendation.
But no matter which path, ultimately, it still relied on his own hard work and strength.
"I will conscientiously fulfill my duties, Commodore. Please rest assured, you and all ladies and gentlemen."
Horatio raised his glass, stood up straight, his new void-blue officer uniform swaying with his movements, looking dashing and spirited.
The officers looked at this professional officer, who came from a naval academy, possessed strong abilities, had a powerful background, and enjoyed an excellent reputation, and nodded in approval, raising their glasses in unison for him.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let us toast to the bright future and good health of Acting Lieutenant Horatio Cochrane!"