"Already done," says Shephard. "I got made captain when I asked Ms. Vance who the ship's CO was, seein' how we didn't seem to have nobody on our hands of a naval persuasion. I dunno if they have the same sort of thing on Barsoom, but Ms. Vance was of the opinion that the position ought to go to the one who cared enough to ask about it, which is how I wound up in the captain's spot."