No Honor in Death and command of a crippled battleship

In No Honor in Death, executive officer Siobhan Dunmore regains consciousness aboard the badly damaged Victoria Regina. The captain and combat information center are gone, leaving frightened junior personnel waiting for her to take command. Failed shields have exposed the hull and crew to destructive energy, while the lower forward battery and starboard guns are out of action. The battleship has destroyed the attacking cruiser's escorts but can no longer stop another conventional attack. Dunmore has to assess the remaining weapons and propulsion while injured, then give the inexperienced bridge crew enough direction to act.