CaptainPerseus wrote: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.
Welcome!!
1) Theisman only escaped being scapegoated because he managed to put Apollo out of the fight--I think that was touched on in SVW. Serving senior officers who commanded ships in that timeframe wouldn't have a problem with their actions--but how many of those are actually left?
In addition, consider how the Havenite Congress responded to the renewal of hostilities in WoH--they actually wanted the war to resume, and their hawkish stance was likely reflecting fairly accurately their constituents. The civilians were not seeing their whole families massacred if they failed to win, and aren't likely to let insignificant FACTS interfere with their rightousness. So, until the formation of the GA, rehabilitation steps on too many political toes. After all, it puts the war guilt on Haven, and they all knew it was the evil Manties and their own traitors (like Caslet and Yu) that caused all their military losses. . . . so, no.
2) Whatever reason would legally have to be the intent to have a child with Honor, or you couldn't use it. If he had done so, she would have had a child. As far as bastards inheriting, there was a little scene with some Steadholders needing to be reminded of literally dozens of times that had already happened. Besides, there was still Faith.
3)This was already answered--but consider some of the other regions. The Phoenix Cluster is another region like Matapan, sparsely settled and patroled (the RMN and Erewhon) by outside powers; their independence is nominal, really, but they are another locus of ongoing out-migration from the League. Any region near the end of a wormhole terminus with habitable stars in the vicinity will eventually result in migration. For that matter, it is likely that the Silesian region might start attracting more immigration, once the piracy problem is thoroughly stomped on. The Silesian confederacy didn't have all the stars in the region --the Trianon Combine and Marsh show that there are systems out there that are still independent.
Regarding OBS, remember that Honor considered the Andermani quite capable of seizing Basilisk by force; before the shooting started, they might have been less concerned with not complicating the Mantie resistance to Haven. Looking at the map in the book, the stars closest to the far north might have joined the Alliance more to deter the Andies than to block Haven. The Andies were a lot closer, after all.
Regards,
Rob
