The ranks in the series can be divided into three main categories: Federation military, Federation civilian, and other. Before proceeding, the distinction between rank and authority should be emphasised; because those of equal rank can be in different positions of authority. Travis, for example, held the rank of Space Commander, but was given the exclusive and absolute authority to destroy Blake, Servalan requesting that all personnel give the former 'maximum co-operation'.
1. Federation military: The most frequently mentioned ranks in the series, due to the frequency of the encounters the crews of Liberator and Scorpio had with the Federation military. The following suggested system of ranks is based on the military ranks of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (hereinafter called the United Kingdom or UK) at the time of the series' appearance; because the ranks in the series seem to be mostly based on ones existing in the Army and Royal Marines, with contributions from the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. This contrasts with the system of UFP Starfleet ranks in Star Trek, which appear to be based on those in the United States Navy. The ranks are (in ascending order):
In 'The Harvest of Kairos', it is clear that Captain Jarvik outranked the then Lieutenant Tarrant. Also in that episode, Acting Major Jarvik outranked Captain Shad. From 'Moloch', we know that Section Leader Grose was junior to two pilot captains and a brigade commander. Another named Federation captain is Deral in 'Children of Auron'.
In 'The Harvest of Kairos', Jarvik is made Acting Major, commanding the ships hunting the Liberator. The last is Major Grenlee in 'Rumours of Death', of a senior enough rank to be in charge of Residence 1's security.
(The 'Space' prefix: An explanation for this may be that those who graduated from the Federation Space Academy were awarded the prefix as part of whatever rank they would hold, as a tribute to the skills needed to graduate. (Servalan, in 'Moloch', said that it took a clever man 5 years in the Academy before he even began to 'acquire the basic skills and experience necessary to pilot an advanced star cruiser'.) This was suggested by the fact that senior RAF officers holding ranks equivalent to Army generals, have 'Air' as part of their rank, e.g. Air Marshal.
While those with such a prefix may not have outranked those of equal rank without, the examples of Travis, Provine, and Tarrant suggesting that it was socially acceptable not to use the prefix, except on formal occasions, the former may have looked down on the latter.)
Tynus, in 'Killer', may be a military Commander, although he said that he was a Commander Technician, subordinate to Security. An unnamed Space Commander leads the Federation ships at the beginning of 'Hostage'; and there is a Commander Mori in 'Volcano'. The Battle Fleet Commander in the latter episode may hold the rank of Commander.
Samor, in 'Trial', is Fleet Warden General, which may be either a rank or a position of authority. In 'Rumours of Death', Tarrant said that one of Servalan's presidential titles was 'Lord General of the Six Armies'.
Positions of authority: There are a number of what appear to be positions of authority held by personnel of varying rank. They include: Assault Leader, Base Commander, Battle Commander, Battle Fleet Commander, Brigade Commander, Deputy Commander, FLeet Warden General, Guard Commander, Intelligence Commander, and Security Commander.
Examples of the holders of such positions are many: Base Commander Escon in Seek-Locate-Destroy, who is clearly outranked by Travis, calling him 'sir'; the Security Commander in Project Avalon is a sergeant-major; Major Grenlee in 'Rumours of Death' threatens to put the Guard Commander on a charge; and Intelligence Commander Borr in 'Animals' defers to Servalan, something he would be more unlikely to do if he had the rank of Commander. It is possible that some of the above positions could have been held by civilians.
The confusion that has arisen between ranks and positions of authority is due to the forms of address to the holders of such positions. In direct contrast to the UK military, the latter tend to be addressed by the full or abreviated title of the relevant position, rather than by their rank. For example, Travis calls Base Commander Escon by his title, in the same way as Grenlee calls the Guard Commander.
Tynus may have been a civilian Base Commander, as he describes himself as a Commander Technician, subordinate to Security, which controlled 'all sensitive stores'. Civilian law enforcement bodies were rarely alluded to, but Commissioner and Investigator appear to be ranks within such a body. As a bounty hunter on Gauda Prime, Blake was temporarily appointed as a law enforcement officer, rank unknown.
3. Other: Hunda, in command of the 4th column of freedom fighters on Helotrix in 'Traitor', holds the rank of Star Major; and his second-in-command is a Sergeant Hask. As with the Rebel Alliance in the 'Star Wars' films, such groups presumably gave their members such ranks in order to confer legitimacy upon themselves.
| Referred to by herself as a "bond-slave", she was taken by Coser from the Federation's Weapons Development Base to the unnamed planet on which he hid. She annoyed Coser by continually addressing him as "sir", despite his insisting she didn't. She later seized IMIPAK and marked Servalan with it, allowing Blake to escape. She remained behind on UP-Weapon with Blake's clone. | |
Dev Tarrant mentioned ration cuts when he outlined plans to disrupt food production in the dome city on Earth. No further mention was made of food or other rationing, or any indication as to whether or not it was confined to certain planets like Earth or widespread throughout the Federation.
Rashel told Coser that she had overheard a freighter pilot saying that rats were to be found on all the colonised worlds. Rats were seen on the planet, and one was killed in the night by a large predatory creature. Rats were also seen in the dungeon cells on Goth.
In Shadow Vila said that he thought of Orac as "a rat in a box".
| Dissident living in the domed city on Earth who persuaded Blake to venture outside to Foster's meeting by telling him Foster had news of Blake's family. She may or may not have deliberately cultivated her acquaintance with Blake for this purpose. She was seen working with Dal Richie, but what her relationship with him might have been was unspecified. She was one of the dissidents seen to be killed by Federation troopers at the meeting. |  |
One of the features of Dr Plaxton's photonic drive was its ability to propel a vessel at previously unimaginable speeds in "real time". Referred to by Vila and Atlan. No proper explanation given.
A facility of the visual sensors on Scorpio, allowing playback facility at 10,000 frames per second. The space chopper which destroyed three Federation ships was visible on just three of these frames.
Present on the Liberator, and mentioned by Tarrant with a view to putting Orac through it.
Immediately ordered by Servalan once she heard of the alien battle fleet waiting beyond Star One.
|
Aide to Servalan on the planet Terminal. Like Toron and at least two others
there, she appeared to be of a race of tall, slender, blonde humanoids.
Together with Toron she monitored Avon's progress to the underground complex
where Servalan was waiting, and like him was killed by attacking links.
|  Reeval with Toron |