If Honor had died...

ThinksMarkedly wrote:

cthia wrote:Something else. If Eloise had not released Mike, she could have used her as a bargaining tool later. As a peace offering.

Thanks for straightening my timeline.

Neither Beth nor Mike would have allowed that. Mike worked really hard so that she wouldn't be singled out for favours (to the point she overcorrected) and Beth would patently refuse to entertain an agreement to favour a family member that wouldn't apply equally to other RMN officers of similar rank.

Eloise must have had trouble convincing Mike in the first place to accept parole. Mike's reaction is to refuse anything like that. I need to reread the text to be sure, but I recall the parole had no strings attached, but Eloise kindly asked to pass the message along.

[Note: it was still a parole, so the regular rules for parolees apply]

I agree. But I wasn't actually talking about doing it in a formal capacity, holding Mike's head under a guillotine dependent on political gain. I was talking about as a friendly gesture.

"This is Haven One requesting conference with Queen Elizabeth, and I come bearing gifts. Say hello Lady Henke."

I think it would be difficult for Beth to overlook such a gesture. Plus it would keep Haven One from simply being turned into more system trash. Remember, Honor has just been killed and tempers are tested. Beth has the worst temper in the galaxy.

Heck, under those circumstances I'd have Henke's voice broadcasting on all channels before I entered the system. "Don't shoot Beth! I'm home!"

At any rate, if Honor dies, Benjamin would have to forbid certain members of the Keys from dancing a jig. That goes double for some of the Lords.

Hmm, if Honor had died, wouldn't Emily most likely have been spared the literary axe? But, if both had died, think Hamish would wed again? That'd certainly be a huge homestead to live in alone. Kuzak could comfort him again, in the presence of his own home, and not worry about leaving. She could eventually become... Countess Kuzak?

cthia wrote:Something else. If Eloise had not released Mike, she could have used her as a bargaining tool later. As a peace offering.

Thanks for straightening my timeline.

ThinksMarkedly wrote:Neither Beth nor Mike would have allowed that. Mike worked really hard so that she wouldn't be singled out for favours (to the point she overcorrected) and Beth would patently refuse to entertain an agreement to favour a family member that wouldn't apply equally to other RMN officers of similar rank.

Eloise must have had trouble convincing Mike in the first place to accept parole. Mike's reaction is to refuse anything like that. I need to reread the text to be sure, but I recall the parole had no strings attached, but Eloise kindly asked to pass the message along.

[Note: it was still a parole, so the regular rules for parolees apply]

cthia wrote:I agree. But I wasn't actually talking about doing it in a formal capacity, holding Mike's head under a guillotine dependent on political gain. I was talking about as a friendly gesture.

"This is Haven One requesting conference with Queen Elizabeth, and I come bearing gifts. Say hello Lady Henke."

I think it would be difficult for Beth to overlook such a gesture. Plus it would keep Haven One from simply being turned into more system trash. Remember, Honor has just been killed and tempers are tested. Beth has the worst temper in the galaxy.

Heck, under those circumstances I'd have Henke's voice broadcasting on all channels before I entered the system. "Don't shoot Beth! I'm home!"

At any rate, if Honor dies, Benjamin would have to forbid certain members of the Keys from dancing a jig. That goes double for some of the Lords.

Hmm, if Honor had died, wouldn't Emily most likely have been spared the literary axe? But, if both had died, think Hamish would wed again? That'd certainly be a huge homestead to live in alone. Kuzak could comfort him again, in the presence of his own home, and not worry about leaving. She could eventually become... Countess Kuzak?

Actually the most logical point to do that, would be instead of Operation Beatrice; so Honor would still be alive. This is assuming that the ceasefire and meeting at Torch had never been suggested (since that involved releasing Mike earlier).

But at that point Haven either had to surrender or stake everything on a chance for victory. At least it would be surrender under better terms before the Battle of Manticore than it would have been afterwards.

Thinking more about it, I am not sure that she had the political capital to surrender. Maybe if when she had sent Mike, she had brought her personally to Manticore to meet face to face immediately; then the Malign could not have sabotaged the meeting.

...and Nimitz had lived, would Nimitz possibly bond with someone else? Who? Abigail maybe? That could be interesting in so many ways. But Abigail isn't the type of genetic soup the cats like. Honor's offspring would be too young.

BtW, has their even been a bonded pair with a significant age difference? Bondswithgray is his Cat name.

cthia wrote:...and Nimitz had lived, would Nimitz possibly bond with someone else? Who? Abigail maybe? That could be interesting in so many ways. But Abigail isn't the type of genetic soup the cats like. Honor's offspring would be too young.

BtW, has their even been a bonded pair with a significant age difference? Bondswithgray is his Cat name.

I only know of two examples where cats formed new bonds when their original partner died. King Roger's treecat, Monroe, was aroused by depression upon finding the person responsible for the murder and then bonded with Elizabeth's brother, Michael. Samantha survived because she was pregnant and mated to Nimitz, then later bonded to Hamish Alexander.

So if Honor had died in battle, perhaps Nimitz could have bonded to James MacGuiness. But I do not think it could have been with just anyone.

tlb wrote:

cthia wrote:...and Nimitz had lived, would Nimitz possibly bond with someone else? Who? Abigail maybe? That could be interesting in so many ways. But Abigail isn't the type of genetic soup the cats like. Honor's offspring would be too young.

BtW, has their even been a bonded pair with a significant age difference? Bondswithgray is his Cat name.

I only know of two examples where cats formed new bonds when their original partner died. King Roger's treecat, Monroe, was aroused by depression upon finding the person responsible for the murder and then bonded with Elizabeth's brother, Michael. Samantha survived because she was pregnant and mated to Nimitz, then later bonded to Hamish Alexander.

So if Honor had died in battle, perhaps Nimitz could have bonded to James MacGuiness. But I do not think it could have been with just anyone.

If Samantha was present when Honor died, she would have been Nimitz' lifeline.

I'm aware of those cases, just not their ages. Mac isn't a genie either is he? Cats like genies.

About Sam surviving. I really find it difficult that a female cat could self destruct after giving birth. Seems the motherly instincts and need to nurture would win out.

Also, I've wondered for quite some time why a Cat can't be given a tranq until later, to keep it alive long enough to get over the grief.

cthia wrote:Cats like genies.

I wonder if that is why the Wintons have had so many cats bonding to them?

tlb wrote:

cthia wrote:Cats like genies.

I wonder if that is why the Wintons have had so many cats bonding to them?

I imagine that's a given. The Harringtons coming in second, and they can claim the first bonding.

The Cats just don't like dummies. LOL

Which means, when they come into the presence of a Mesan, they might bond with the one they were meaning to kill.

Harahap could have been the beginning, although technically he wasn't a Mesan.

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tlb wrote:

cthia wrote:Cats like genies.

I wonder if that is why the Wintons have had so many cats bonding to them?

Where's the evidence that cats like genies? Is there any statistic showing that cats bond with genies in higher proportion to the general genie presence in Sphinx? Do note that Sphinx, due to its heavy gravity, may have a higher proportion of genies than the general Galactic population.

Cats bond with the two-legs with specially powerful glows. The heirs to the throne are very highly educated and taught from an early age how to lead and think about the best for their people. That might be the correlation that explains.

Plus the cats do know something about the clan that rules, so they expose more individuals of theirs when the Wintons come to visit.

I thought it was the consencus on this forum. But I don't think there's textual evidence to the fact. I think the prevailing ingredient is that the type of mindglow a Cat finds tasty is predominantly found in genies, though not exclusively. Although rare pearls are sometimes found in sandsnails, oysters are their haven.

We know for a fact it isn't exclusive. Is Hamish a genie? Harold Tschu was born on Sphinx, so most likely a genie too.

That only leaves Harahap and Abigail. Abby is a genie too. Harahap is modified as well though I'm not certain he is a genie, although textev supports his very sharp mind. All the other data points are genies. Unless I missed a Cat or two?

So, although there's no textev to the fact. The data points seem to support it.

Caveat: Alphas can be found in everyday normal humans. See Einstein. And I. So, absent more data points. The I(s) have it.

Just to be clear. It is obvious that being a genie alone doesn't get you bonded. Although that can be misleading as well, because a person may have to be keen to being bonded.

I'm surprised Michelle hasn't been snapped up. And Givens wasn't, Hemphill and Foraker are still single good with sharp minds.

So, the only non genie is Hamish?

cthia wrote:So, although there's no textev to the fact. The data points seem to support it.

It appears like that, but the sample is too small. We don't know enough treecat adoption to be able to say for sure.