Horatio, still in his crisp uniform despite an all-nighter, stepped into the private elevator, his gaze fixed straight ahead.
Inside, the exquisite gilded decor was simple and solemn, and the Roman numerals displayed on the ceramic steel dial scrolled upward as the floors ascended.
With a 'ding,' he exited the elevator and looked around with a hint of curiosity.
As a vital area of the fleet, after the high-level alert order was issued, the number of patrol teams here increased dramatically; fixed sentry posts were literally set up every ten steps.
Just on the wide, kilometer-long corridor directly opposite Horatio, hundreds of Imperial Navy Guard Soldiers in red uniforms stood guard with their rifles.
They wore uniforms almost identical to those of the British Royal Navy Marines from the Napoleonic era.
On their heads were tall, top hats with upward-curving brims, underneath which was a carapace helmet.
Their uniforms consisted of red swallow-tail military jackets, pristine white trousers, and shiny black leather shoes.
From ankle to calf, and then to the knee, they were wrapped in long, black velvet gaiters, making it seem as if they were wearing black boots at first glance.
Golden tasseled sashes hung across their chests, and golden epaulets with short fringes on both shoulders made them appear exceptionally imposing.
Upon seeing Horatio, dressed in a void-blue Naval Officer's uniform, approach, they all saluted with rifles at their shoulders.
Horatio quickly scanned this austere office area.
This was the floor where the Fleet Security Committee was located.
If the Military Intelligence Command was the 'MI6' of the Imperial Navy, then this place was the'Security Service' of the Imperial Navy.
The principal officers of both departments possessed very high autonomous investigative and operational authority, being the only two departments that could mobilize Imperial Navy armed forces without the approval of the Imperial Navy Gothic Fleet Commander-in-Chief.
However, unlike the Imperial Navy Military Intelligence Command, the Fleet Security Committee was actually a temporary agency with dual leadership.
It was affiliated with the Sector Fleet on one hand, and with the Sector Fleet Security Sub-Fleet on the other.
The Department of military supervision of Abyss Port was one of its theoretically administratively subordinate agencies.
Unlike the Military Intelligence Command, the Fleet Security Committee also had the authority to call upon another large number of armed forces.
This included the conscription of Imperial Navy Infantry Battalions and Imperial Navy Artillery Batteries under the Naval Commissar.
The Naval Infantry Battalions and Naval Artillery Batteries were 'Port Defence Forces' that the Imperial Navy was authorized to establish and recruit on anchor planets.
Although also abbreviated as PDF, their equipment and training levels were comparable to the Otalara Mortal Auxiliaries.
Their duties included guarding Naval Supervisory Districts, the Navy Department Fortress, and serving as guards for high-ranking Naval Officer.
They were recruited from those with 'citizenship' on that planet and trained by Imperial Guard officers according to Cadian Shock Troopers standards.
These elite 'Imperial Navy Guard' standing guard in the corridor were also elites selected from the Naval Infantry.
They were directly mobilized by the Naval Security Committee.
They had high standards for training, discipline, height, and appearance.
It needs to be explained here that in the society of the Imperium of Man in the 41st millennium, there were many vast and insurmountable class divides.
At first glance, it seemed very similar to the late Roman Republic, but in essence, it was even worse, with greater contradictions.
Imperial Citizens referred to those who had Imperial Citizen status registered with the planetary Ministry of Internal Affairs.
They were widely distributed, from the spire to the Middle Hive.
To become a citizen, one first needed at least one registered property on the planet, and some planets also had other property requirements.
Only by meeting these requirements did one possess standard Imperial Citizen political rights.
Below citizens were 'freemen,' who might be refugees fleeing from fallen planets or workers from other planets who came to work and earn money.
Their backgrounds were mixed and basic, and they were generally not protected by most local laws of the various planets.
These 'drifters' only had the obligation to work like beasts of burden for the planetary government and the Imperium, but almost no corresponding rights.
Before obtaining citizenship, they were deprived of necessities for a decent life, such as compulsory education for their children, standard citizen social security, and political rights.
Further down in the Lower Hive, those people were 'worthless' outcasts. The Imperium did not care about their lives or deaths.
Regular personnel of the Imperial Navy were only recruited from those with citizenship.
All these red-clad Soldiers had received basic compulsory education, and as citizens, they were beneficiaries within the Imperium's system, hence extremely loyal.
Their cultural literacy, professional skills, and combat will even surpassed some Imperial Guard units from obscure planets submitted to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
However, constrained by the guiliman codex, Naval Infantry and Navy Guard were, in principle, not allowed to leave their local planets for external combat.
At most, they could board ships in battalions and companies to protect high-ranking Naval Officer, but they did not participate in battles.
Just like Vice Admiral Alexander Hood's general guard.
These two departments, holding military power over armed forces, had significant influence.
Therefore, those who could serve as their principal officers must be trusted confidantes of the fleet, and must be exceptionally capable, adept at deliberation and analysis.
Those obsessed Captains were eliminated at this stage first.
But as for why Vice Admiral Alexander Hood had such a tyrannical reputation externally, yet still assumed the position of principal officer of the Military Intelligence Command.
It was probably not only because he put a lot of effort into establishing connections, but also because of his outstanding ability and the fact that his actual conduct was not as insane and arrogant as external rumors suggested.
From Horatio's understanding of him, this was indeed the case.
Now, Commodore Peru had taken over Vice Admiral Hood's position, and his position was filled by Vice Admiral Hood's former aide, the former second-in-command of the Military Intelligence Command, Lieutenant Commander Elphinstone.
Horatio did not know this high-ranking Naval Officer very well and was currently trying to recall his relevant file information.
In the photo, he looked very young, in his thirties, with a slightly receding hairline, wearing a white curly wig common in the 18th century.
Like Vice Admiral Hood, he was always impeccably dressed, maintaining a consistent meticulousness, exuding the quintessential aura of a British Naval Officer from the Age of Sail.
This reminded Horatio of Commodore Norrington, the British Royal Navy officer from Pirates of the Caribbean.
Additionally, Farida's personal maid, Lina, was his daughter, and she was currently serving as his aide in the Security Committee.
"Military Prison Camerline, no matter what, our Fleet Security Committee and your Abyss Port Department of military supervision are nominally subordinate departments of the 'Gothic Discipline Sub-Fleet' at the same level. The First Bureau is even under our guidance in its administrative structure.
How could you poach our people without a word?"
Through the thick wooden door, an argument could be heard from within the room. Lieutenant Commander Elphinstone's voice, accompanied by the sound of a table being slapped, sounded very displeased.
"I apologize, Lieutenant Commander, this matter involves top-secret information, and we were also compelled to do so."
Horatio paused at the door, listening to the faint conversation coming from inside.
"How do you intend to resolve this matter? Our Imperial Navy Gothic Fleet will not stand idly by.
If we do not get a satisfactory resolution, we will submit an accountability arbitration request to the Segmentum Obscurus Security Department. Then you can explain your violations in the arbitration court!"
Commodore Peru said impolitely:
"An Inquisitor's power is great, but our Imperial Navy is not to be trifled with! Moreover, as the heroic fleet that thwarted the evil traitor's twelfth Black Crusade, monuments bearing the names of our ancestors are still kept in the Terra Imperial Palace, we must get a fair explanation for this matter!"
"Admiral Venuska Katalia visited our bureau this morning and has already conducted administrative consultations on this matter.
The solution we have offered is that after the incident concludes, Farida Hood Military Prison herself will decide whether to remain in the Imperial Navy or stay with the Department of military supervision.
If she chooses to remain with the Department of military supervision, we will dispatch her to the Gothic Discipline Sub-Fleet, and from the Sub-Fleet, she will be reassigned to the Fleet Security Committee.
This way, she will return here.
What do you think of this solution? We will let her make the choice again, whether to stay or leave is up to her."
The Military Monitor's voice sounded very sincere.
The ending is the administrative relationship between the Imperial Navy and the Military Supervisory Department. For the convenience of readers, a table has been made by the civil servants of the Documentary Court.
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