In the CFA, an ensign held very little status. Looked down upon by the senior ratings as kids fresh off the naval academies, they still required lots of on-the-job training before they measured up as capable leaders.
Now that Ves reached reached the rank of lieutenant, he finally became a 'proper' officer in the eyes of the Common Fleet Alliance. This was when the CFA started to invest in those who proved their mettle through years of dedicated service.
Lieutenants received several new perks over ensigns besides increased authority. First and foremost, the CFA granted them the opportunity to receive lieutenant-grade gene optimization treatment. This was a little more expensive and in Ves' case also required individual tailoring from a trained geneticist and an exobiologist.
