jtg452 wrote:You're forgetting that all assignments in a Navy aren't to ships!
Ship posting are often the exception rather than the rule in peacetime navies for some MOS.
You have dockyards, depots, logistic bases, training schools, stations, planet bound bases, staff and headquarters commands, etc... that all need bodies.
Engineers become yard dogs for a while or end up assigned to a ship builiding facility, junior tactical or weapons officers on a command track find themselves in command of a company at basic training or overseeing advanced training as cadre. The same could be said for any junior officer.
Let's not forget staff college, tours in R&D to give a shooter's perspective, advanced tactical schools, too.
Naval officers can spend a whole lot of time on the beach when they aren't actively shooting at folks.
Indeed, that's exactly why I said, "in some capacity." There are also meaningful and fulfilling civilian positions in the navy. And some Steadholder's wives have been known to be well educated.
A big factor may depend on how Alison's breakthrough in the deficit of male births may come to affect their traditional marriages in the long run, when the time comes that there is pretty much parity in the sexes. At that point, several wives may go the way of the dinosaur. At the risk of setting Grayson back decades and starting a battle of the sexes, and erroneously being charged a chauvinist again, a Steadholder's wife may be needed at home if she is the only one. I suppose a maid would be in order at that point.
But still, nobody is going to be able to talk me out of the notion that a badass crew of Grayson women who are feared by the enemy won't simply be like, like...well like ice cream man! With the cake!
Uh oh, peering under the skin again. That Demon Murphy might try to arrange for a Steadholder's daughter to be giving orders to a Steadholder's wife. I don't imagine the GSN would allow Abigail to Captain a ship with one of her mother's as part of the crew.
I told y'all the possibilities the notion would make for storyline are titillating.