Several rules questions

[Ruland]

I might be on the wrong board with these - but on the errata board there is not TOO much interaction! So: I helped a gamer to develop a Professional/Merchant character who visited university and made an OTC for the Merchant fleet. But as the Merchant Fleet has no commissioned ranks, at what rank ist an OTC graduate employed aboard a trading vessel? I tentatively ruled: as O3 Petty Officer. Any comments?
And is Psionics feats use a standard or free action?

 

[chondu]

p126, first sentence: "Merchants entering the profession after completing OTC begin at a rank of O2 rather than rank O1 as normal."