Ranks and Hierarchy
See also: List of Demi-Precentors
Formalized as part of
Doctrinal Edict of 2861, for most of its existence ComStar used a three tier structure of Precentors, Adepts and Acolytes led by the Primus since the days of Blake. During the secularization of the Order, Primus Mori official sanctioning the previously unofficial position of Demi-Precentor, while the Word of Blake retained the original three tiers.
ComStar's chief rank is its
Primus, who serves as the political and spiritual leader of the Order. The position of Primus was set up during the immediate post-Star League era by Jerome Blake, who intended for the Primus to serve as a protector of humanity in the fractured era that he predicted would come following the breakup of the Star League.
The Primus selected by his or her predecessor and confirmed by the
First Circuit which serves as the ruling council of the Order. The First Circuit handles and approves all financial policy, a break against the Primus's control over ROM and the Com Guards, though the body can veto use of those branches by majority vote. Members of the First Circuit are appointed by the Primus. The First Circuit originally mirrored the HPG network's First Circuit and was composed of the
Precentors who commanded the HPG stations on
New Earth,
Barnard,
Alpha C,
Bryant,
Procyon, and
Dieron, later increased to ten in
2857 with the addition of
Arcturus,
Oriente,
Altair, and
Capella with the expansion of the HPG network. However in
2988, believing that the existing First Circuit members had become more politicians than technocrats, then Primus
Yin Takami reduced their number to one representive for each of the Great Houses, Precentor
Tharkad for the Lyran Commonwealth, Precentor
Sian for the
Capellan Confederation, Precentor
Atreus for the
Free Worlds League, and Precentor
New Avalon for the
Federated Suns. Precentor Dieron was made the advocate of the
Draconis Combine.
The highest ranking Precentors outside of the First Circuit are those in command of the Com Guards and ROM, the
Precentor Martial and
Precentor ROM respectively, both positions hand picked by the Primus. Below the ruling triumvirate, the majority of Precentors serve as middle managers or division heads. The largest volume of Precentors serve as the commander of a single HPG station and the crew that mans it, and normally the highest ranking ComStar official most people will encounter.
Prior to the Schism and Reformation of the Order, the rank
Demi-Precentor was an unofficial term for senior Adept with more than 10 years of service, or a junior Precentor with less than 5. But as part of the changes instituted by Primus Mori, the rank became formally recognized to allow a more gradual and noted progression through the Order. Five or more Demi-Precentors report to each Precentor to receive rotating assignments.
Below the Precentor ranks is that of the
Adept or working technicians, though the creation of the Demi-Precentor rank has reduced the large portion of high-ranking Adept. Adepts perform the majority of actual ongoing work in the Order. In earlier times, unlike HPG station Precentors who are transferred only by promotion or demotion, HPG ComTech Adepts served only one year in an given HPG station before being automatically transferred to increase the difficulty of familiarity and subversion.
The lowest rank is that of
Acolyte, effectively equivalent to laborer, which form the bulk of the Order and is the held by all members with less than two years of service. During earlier times, Acolytes underwent a 10 week apprenticeship on the "outer mysteries" of the Order, where upon those who showed promise and willingness to dedicate themselves to lifelong service were initiated into the Order or had been weeded out by ROM as possible infiltrators and "rejected".
Each rank supports numerous sub-rankings and functions. Sub-rankings, or grades, are designated by Roman numerals, with I representing the first-year members of each rank. Each year of an Acolyte's tenure within ComStar raises his or her sub-ranking by one; therefore, an Adept III represents an Adept who has spent three years at that rank within the Order. Promotion to the next rank is granted upon recommendation of a superior, or else occurs automatically upon achieving 25 years - Grade XXV - in a given rank, where their seniority indicator is reset to I.
The rank and grade classifications are further broken down by Greek letters used to specify each individual's function. For example, Adept XI-Alpha designates an Adept HPG ComTech with eleven years of service while Precentor VIII-Tau designates a Precentor in involved in ComStar's Archives Branch who has served at that level for eight years.
Function designations in the civilian branch of the Order are:
- Alpha - Hyperpulse Generator Operation
- Beta - Scientific Analysis
- Kappa - Medical/Doctor
- Delta - Intelligence (Non-ROM)
- Gamma - Diplomacy
- Sigma - Public Relations
- Omega - Research
- Eta - Education/Instructional
- Nu - Recruitment
- Tau - Historian/Archivist
- Chi - Terran Affairs
- Phi - Financial/Monetary Control Offices
- Rho - ROM