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Idle Questions From Reading the Honorverse | |
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CaptainPerseus
Posts: 21
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I've read the Honorverse novels,anthologies, and the House of Steel companion and while doing that my curiosity has been raised about certain topics. So, I wanted to ask some of the questions that have come to mind about those topics and see what everyone might think about them.
First, the topic of Havenite ex-patriots. The two most prominent Havenite ex-patriots in the novels are Alfredo Yu and Warner Caslet, both of whom are essentially living in exile on Grayson and unable to return to Haven because of their actions. Now, Yu defected following the failed attempt by the People's Republic to use Masada as a proxy to conquer Grayson. Caslet defected following Harrington's escape from Cerebrus. I'm assuming both are viewed as traitors to the Republic, but what I'm curious about is: does Eloise Pritchart, as President of the Republic of Haven, have the authority to grant pardons or commute sentences? Could she pardon both of them so they could at least return to Haven to visit their homeland? Or are their factors within the Republic's politics that prevent her from clearing them? And where would Thomas Theisman fall in situation? I kind of think Theisman would be on the side of allowing these two men to return home as Yu was his mentor and Caslet served with him at Barnett. Both men broke with their star nation because of previous regimes (Yu because of the Legislaturalists and Caslet because of the Committe). Second, we know that Queen Elizabeth II amended the Manticoran Constitution to allow her to use her deceased husband's sperm to impregnate herself with an heir to the throne. But what if we were to fast forward four centuries and it was Honor in that position? What if before he was murdered by Denver Summervale, Paul Tankserley had set aside sperm for whatever reason and for whatever reason it came into Honor's possession? Would she use it to have the child that she and Paul were never able to because he was murdered? How would Hamish and/or the Manticoran public react? How would the Graysons view it if she chose to have a child that way because he was the first love of her life? Third, the Manticoran Wormhole Junction has seven mapped and explored termini, but of all the termini we've learned the least about is Matapan and the associated Asgard and Midgard Federation regions near it. What lies out there in that area of the galaxy? Is it sparsely settled and populated or are there fully developed worlds with minor navies? We know from On Basilisk Station that Emperor Gustav XI was more concerned with Midgard than Haven in 1900 PD. Can we infer from his concern that Midgard possessed a military that could threaten the Andermani Empire? Asgard was supposedly a military protectorate of Midgard, so maybe it did. But yeah those are the random idle questions I've had recently about the Honorverse. |
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Re: Idle Questions From Reading the Honorverse | |
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cthia
Posts: 14951
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Very good questions. I know we fielded the first one in some form or another lurking somewhere in normal space. Essentially, I think we'd all like them pardoned, but seem to think it would be next to impossible, or rather inadvisable, to do so. It could set a precedent for those who defect to expect a pardon down the road. Or it could become the deciding factor for those on the cusp of defecting. Then there's the question of whether either would want to reenter a society where, even though they have been orficially pardoned, they may not be wholly accepted, and even scorned by their peers.
Number two I've touched on myself. I even brought up the scenario of Honor using sperm from Paul to have a baby, but that sperm was switched by the machinations of, at the time, Albrecht Detweiler. Setting up a Star Wars like moment. . . "Luke, I am your father!" Dunno how Hamish would react. Jealousy is a rather personal thing. I'd simply say that it should be easier since Paul is dead. (Sorry) As far as the Manticoran society, quite frankly, screw 'em if they don't like it. Now Grayson is a thornier rose to pick. Honor is a Steadholder and we all remember the problems caused on Grayson for her threatening to have a child out of wedlock. Heck, consider the problems caused to Honor by simply sleeping with a man out of wedlock. A bastard child possibly inheriting a steading? How about a series of deaths from one of those domino effects caused by a sudden string of apoplectic fits! Son, your mother says I have to hang you. Personally I don't think this is a capital offense. But if I don't hang you, she's gonna hang me and frankly, I'm not the one in trouble. —cthia's father. Incident in ? Axiom of Common Sense |
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Re: Idle Questions From Reading the Honorverse | |
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Theemile
Posts: 5082
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First, welcome to the Forum - the first virtual beverage of your choice is on us. Second - The is a great repository for all types of questions (and David's answers to them) known as the "Pearls of Weber" http://infodump.thefifthimperium.com/ From the Pearl known as "Reinforcements for the Battle of Manticore" we find this:
And that is about all we know about Matapan. It's way out in the middle of nowhere, sparcely populated, all of the few colonies in the region are young and not very developed, and the RMN is the primary source of stability and defense for the region. If you were look for a new place to colonize, far from known society, Matapan is probably the place I'd start my journey from civilization. ******
RFC said "refitting a Beowulfan SD to Manticoran standards would be just as difficult as refitting a standard SLN SD to those standards. In other words, it would be cheaper and faster to build new ships." |
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Re: Idle Questions From Reading the Honorverse | |
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cthia
Posts: 14951
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Yes! Welcome to the forums!
![]() BTW, I don't recall our defectors interacting anywhere in storyline with their old navy, but they must have. Anyone else recall? Son, your mother says I have to hang you. Personally I don't think this is a capital offense. But if I don't hang you, she's gonna hang me and frankly, I'm not the one in trouble. —cthia's father. Incident in ? Axiom of Common Sense |
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Fox2!
Posts: 922
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Any interaction with the RHN would probably take place in the context of the Protector's Own and the GSN task force in the Grand Fleet. Considering that the PO is a Fleet in all but name, I would expect that Alfredo, at least, has had some interaction with Theisman. Probably very quietly, and very unofficially. |
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Re: Idle Questions From Reading the Honorverse | |
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justdave
Posts: 120
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An interesting short story possibility for a future anthology. |
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Jonathan_S
Posts: 8326
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David Weber weighed in on this tangentially about 5 years back in a thread called "Caslet". (BTW, if you weren't aware David's username here is runsforcelery, often abbreviated by other posters as RFC).
But that doesn't touch on the possible domestic political fallout she might cause by issuing such a pardon. As for Honor using Paul's sperm or DNA - I think the Beowulf Code would likely have something to say about that unless Paul left clear instructions that his sperm could be used for such a purpose. So even if Honor wanted to have his posthumous child that might be prohibited. |
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Re: Idle Questions From Reading the Honorverse | |
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Fox2!
Posts: 922
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Need to add that, technically, the PO is NOT part of the GSN. They operate in cooperation with the GSN, their ships are the same as the GSN's. But they belong to the Protector in his own right. |
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Re: Idle Questions From Reading the Honorverse | |
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Relax
Posts: 3106
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1) welcome 2) Gustav is worried because as is said in UH, "Andies gotta expand" and between regions of Matapan, Asgerd, Silesia, Talbot, and Manticore itself, the Andies are in effect, completely surrounded by the Manticore friends and family plan. This means either Andy foreign policy must change(when does humanity ever do that unless proven with a GIANT stick upside the head???), or they must ensorcle one or more of these groups to change sides and join ... or there is war. History shows, ensorcle and war as the #1, and #2 option and not in that order..... _________
Tally Ho! Relax |
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Re: Idle Questions From Reading the Honorverse | |
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Theemile
Posts: 5082
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The Andies COULD grow northward from Silesia (Manticore has the ExSE half), But what tasty treats are out there? none so far mentioned... However with just digesting 33 systems from Silesia, they may have their hands busy for awhile. And CaptainP - if you didn't notice from my earlier post (which I forgot to expound on) Midgerd is the new protectorate of Asgerd, NOT the other way around. We know very little of Asgerd and Midgerd, other than what has already been mentioned. We can infer that Asgerd has some wallers (they are a decent sized polity, and they are actively annoying the Andermani, so they should have a decent fleet, if only to keep the Andermani from borrowing their territory. We can also infer that the Asgerd navy is smaller than the RMN was in 1900, as the RMN was listed as the 3rd largest navy behind the RHN and SLN. ******
RFC said "refitting a Beowulfan SD to Manticoran standards would be just as difficult as refitting a standard SLN SD to those standards. In other words, it would be cheaper and faster to build new ships." |
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