Sonja Hemphill

ThinksMarkedly wrote:

Shannon_Foraker wrote:I say it's a retcon, in my opinion.

1. Prolong doesn't mess things up that much.

2. Sonja is unlikely to be cthia's niece in the Honorverse (to gain the rank while being 20 years younger, even with the Hemphill's political connections). She's smart, but I feel very stupid compared to cthia's niece.

Not trying to brag, just explaining my perspective below (skip italics in this post if you don't want to read it).

I only have the experience of being 1 year ahead in two classes and doing kindergarten part-time in preschool, as well as knowing how to read things like Juneie B Jones books in preschool or kindergarten (somewhere around there). She (the niece) is light-years beyond even me.

I'm unsure. I think she had the opportunity to advance faster than Hamish. She was related to Janacek and thus had the clique of patronage available to her. It's possible it was used to advance her even without her knowledge, as a way of currying favour with Janacek.

But her personality was most likely holding her back. She (and Hamish) had a history of temper and butting heads, and most likely not only against each other. So her file probably had quite a few remarks from other officers who thought she was a hot-head. Nowhere near strong enough to stall her career, but it might have sufficed to stop the promotions board from giving her promotions too quickly. And her adherence to and leadership of the jeune école might not have helped her in the eyes of the more traditional officers.

Plus, her actual accomplishments inside Project Gram and under Vice Admiral Adcock were classified. It's very hard to get promotions when you can't show anything for your record.

Shannon_Foraker wrote:When did Adcock become a Vice Admiral? He made a big deal in the Google Preview of House of Steel that I looked at about promotion, and ended up becoming Commodore Adcock, because Gram was an acting Commodore's slot.

Also didn't the Alexanders have connections as well? I haven't checked I Will Build My House of Steel again, and only read it once (and only the Google preview part, which wasn't all of it).

Shannon_Foraker wrote:When did Adcock become a Vice Admiral? He made a big deal in the Google Preview of House of Steel that I looked at about promotion, and ended up becoming Commodore Adcock, because Gram was an acting Commodore's slot.

Also didn't the Alexanders have connections as well? I haven't checked I Will Build My House of Steel again, and only read it once (and only the Google preview part, which wasn't all of it).

ThinksMarkedly wrote:

Shannon_Foraker wrote:When did Adcock become a Vice Admiral? He made a big deal in the Google Preview of House of Steel that I looked at about promotion, and ended up becoming Commodore Adcock, because Gram was an acting Commodore's slot.

In HoS, but we don't know when exactly. The book jumps from the mid-19th century to Operation Buttercup, when he's Vice Admiral. The post in the "need to know" thread with the dialogue between Sonja and Michelle Henke mentions him by name and that rank too.

Also didn't the Alexanders have connections as well? I haven't checked I Will Build My House of Steel again, and only read it once (and only the Google preview part, which wasn't all of it).

I don't remember that, no.

You may be confusing the Alexanders to the Wintons. Jonas Adcock's sister was Angelique Adcock, also known as Queen Angelique, wife of King Roger III, which makes him uncle to Queen Elizabeth III. It was Jonas who introduced his sister to then Commander Roger Winton, when they were starting up Project Gram. In fact, the passage we quoted previously about Sonja and Hamish's butting heads and their kindergarten feud is a conversation between Roger and Jonas Adcock, shortly before both of their sisters (Lady Caitrin and Angelique) arrive for lunch.

Shannon_Foraker wrote:It makes sense for an acting (would have been full, if not for classification level needed on Gram) Commodore in the 1850s to make Vice Admiral before IEH (1911), assuming they're smart, like Adcock, and maybe even through seniority. He could likely only hold a promotion so long, though.

Shannon_Foraker wrote:
I'm unsure. I think she had the opportunity to advance faster than Hamish. She was related to Janacek and thus had the clique of patronage available to her. It's possible it was used to advance her even without her knowledge, as a way of currying favour with Janacek.

But her personality was most likely holding her back. She (and Hamish) had a history of temper and butting heads, and most likely not only against each other. So her file probably had quite a few remarks from other officers who thought she was a hot-head. Nowhere near strong enough to stall her career, but it might have sufficed to sto

When did Adcock become a Vice Admiral? He made a big deal in the Google Preview of House of Steel that I looked at about promotion, and ended up becoming Commodore Adcock, because Gram was an acting Commodore's slot.

Also didn't the Alexanders have connections as well? I haven't checked I Will Build My House of Steel again, and only read it once (and only the Google preview part, which wasn't all of it).

Fox2! wrote:

Shannon_Foraker wrote:
I'm unsure. I think she had the opportunity to advance faster than Hamish. She was related to Janacek and thus had the clique of patronage available to her. It's possible it was used to advance her even without her knowledge, as a way of currying favour with Janacek.

But her personality was most likely holding her back. She (and Hamish) had a history of temper and butting heads, and most likely not only against each other. So her file probably had quite a few remarks from other officers who thought she was a hot-head. Nowhere near strong enough to stall her career, but it might have sufficed to sto

When did Adcock become a Vice Admiral? He made a big deal in the Google Preview of House of Steel that I looked at about promotion, and ended up becoming Commodore Adcock, because Gram was an acting Commodore's slot.

Also didn't the Alexanders have connections as well? I haven't checked I Will Build My House of Steel again, and only read it once (and only the Google preview part, which wasn't all of it).

The essay part of her OERs may have consisted entirely of "Fully supports equal opportunity programs."

Fox2! wrote:The essay part of her OERs may have consisted entirely of "Fully supports equal opportunity programs."

Shannon_Foraker wrote:Huh? Is it because of all the work she can't talk about? Can you explain more please?

ThinksMarkedly wrote:

Shannon_Foraker wrote:When did Adcock become a Vice Admiral? He made a big deal in the Google Preview of House of Steel that I looked at about promotion, and ended up becoming Commodore Adcock, because Gram was an acting Commodore's slot.

In HoS, but we don't know when exactly. The book jumps from the mid-19th century to Operation Buttercup, when he's Vice Admiral. The post in the "need to know" thread with the dialogue between Sonja and Michelle Henke mentions him by name and that rank too.

tlb wrote:

Fox2! wrote:The essay part of her OERs may have consisted entirely of "Fully supports equal opportunity programs."

Shannon_Foraker wrote:Huh? Is it because of all the work she can't talk about? Can you explain more please?

I expect it was just an unfunny joke; but I think you realized that and wanted Fox2! to explain how it wasn't really sexist.

And there, now I have mansplained it.