And here I thought only Ari was meant to be Marcus' b!tch...
I'll probably post later.
I feel I owe an explanation for why the course of events has irked me, in a more eloquent manner than I did before.
In short, it renders Oda's rank irrelevant. So far, nothing about it has affected in-game events; the first act of this game would have been the same regardless, as everybody was hunting thieves, and Oda still gets a disciplinary meeting like everybody else for her actions. Now, she's called to work under Marcus as though she were a Sergeant*.
This wouldn't be a problem if Adept, as my concept, meant "command over Apprentices", but it was specifically made with Oda in mind. For her to be accountable for her actions, and not Sword as a whole, so if she screws up, she's the one who has to apologize to the citizens. The goal of which is to make her take responsibility for her duty on the whole; as somebody who has personal immortality, a key factor of her development is to realize how to properly deal with feelings of guilt, and when to do what for who.
The end goal of which is to fit with the archetype of an immortal observer. The Doctor, from Doctor Who. Zasalamel, from Soul Calibur. The direct inspiration for the rank was
SpecTRes from Mass Effect; the idea of talented soldiers who are allowed to be responsible for their own actions, while working for the interests of the greater authority. Yes, there are detractors and flaws with it, but there are also great benefits, especially in a time when swift mobile communication is impossible. If a squad is in an emergency situation, and can't contact their commander, they're in big trouble. With an Adept as I intended them, that wouldn't be a problem, because they're a talented solo agent.
I hope this helps to clarify why I was irked by the situation presented. It doesn't excuse my rudeness, though, which I apologize for.
*Oda doesn't like being in a Commander's position, mostly due to the incompatibility of her powers with any kind of group. If she goes intangible, everyone with her doesn't. If she uses it to move around, everyone with her doesn't.