Rule number one- RESPECT YOUR ELDERS
There are two commanding officers on a ship, an OIC and an XO.
OIC - An OIC or, officer in charge, is the battle navigator on a ship.
XO - An XO or, executive officer, is the pirate in charge of jobbing and keeping order on a ship.



Brigs and Higher

Dealing with an OIC
OICs are not much to worry about. Their jobs are quite simple. Most of the time it is, bnav in battles, and work when they're not in battles. Most of the time, an OIC doesn't give commands although it may give orders to the XO in officer chat. Although you should do what he says, your attention should be directed to the XO.
How to spot them
It's very simple. Most of the time, whoever is bnaving is the OIC. If you're not sure who's bnaving, don't hesitate to ask. But if nobody replies, try not to ask again more than two times, otherwise it normally is considered to be spam.


XOs- You won't like them when they're angry
XOs run things on a ship. If they don't aprove of a jobber's stats, they don't hire them. If the OIC needs a sailer to move to carp, he orders them around. But most importantly, if a jobber (or a crew member in general) isn't behaving, they're the ones to get plank them off.
How to spot them
Now how do you find out who the XO is, you may ask. It's very simple. Whoever is shouting is usually the XO.
How not to get on their bad side
Do as they say. It helps to have sound turned on at this point, just in case you get an order. If you're in sailing and about to get a bingo and the XO orders you to move to bilge do you:
a. Stay
b. Ask if you can stay
c. Move
d. Say, "hang on"
e. Begin to dance with a flying green paper shredder
f. All of the above?
Now there could be many reasons why you could have picked what you picked. Except mabye 'f'. But anyway, heres what the results would be:
a. Never, ever, EVER, stay. That is a short trip to Plankinville.
b. You shouldn't ask to stay. What you can do is, let's say you stink at carp but rock at sailing. You were just ordered from sailing to carp. Get off the station. Walk to carp. While walking type the message "Alright, but I stink at carp and rock at sailing." Then press enter and begin to carp. The XO will decide the rest.
c. YES! You've just won 1 MILLION PoE!!! Valid only until July 1st, 1987.
d. Not so good. Only pick this if you are REALLY, REALLY close to finishing the board. You could also blame it on the lag, and move a few seconds later.
e. The leprecon told me to put that. He got jelous when I was seduced by that pitcher of five month old socks.
f. NO. I say no more. Other than that... And this...
Lazers, the drink of the devil
Ahh lazers. How I loathe them so. Never ever EVER laze! EVER!!! There is only one condition where you can laze, and that's if you're the XO, or he/she tells you to. That, or if there are no stations left.

Captains, how we love them so
Ahhh the captains. How could we forget them. First thing you should know about captains- THEY OUTRANK EVERYONE. No exceptions. Do what they say, even if it means not doing what XOs say. The captains own a rule over the XOs and the OICs. If they want to bnav, they can. They can even plank the XOs and OICs. All you have to do is, agree with what they say and don't get on their bad side. Which they DO have.



Cutters and Lower

The only thing different about the smaller ships is that most of the time, there is no XO. Sometimes, there is no OIC. Smaller ships are run by all officers, and all officers have power over you. All you have to know that's different is- do what they say.



Power and Ranks

It doesn't matter if your a SO and the XO is an officer. Do what they say! The fact that you outrank them doesn't give you the power to command them on their pillage. Just stick to the rest of this post and you should do just nicely. But the captain still outranks the commanding officers.

Disclamer: This is how I learned to run a ship. Anything different or that you don't agree with may be submitted in writing below this post. And if you write it in sheeps blood, it may be added here faster.