Horace Harkness

I’m tired of Sir Horace being a sidekick. He’s way too smart to be a sidekick. He had to have arrange the escape from PNS Tepes alone, get as many Manticorans as possible off Tepes, get Honor Harrington out of solitary confinement, destroy Tepes to cover the escape, and have the forethought to get intelligence on the prison planet Hades and combat equipment for use on Hades. Sir Horace sas a history of being at least one step ahead of basically everybody.
My proposal for how he could do all he accomplished is simple: like the Harringtons, Harkness (an orphan for the sake of argument) is one of a lost Mesan alpha lines.
I’d really like a spinoff, even a temporary spinoff, with Sir Horace in command; here’s one possibility that ties up some loose ends left by To End in Fire and perhaps allows Darius to be exposed if not found. Scotty Tremain is assigned a division of ships (heavy or battle cruisers) to attempt to explore the Torch wormhole-call it a reconnaissance in force. Sir Horace, his EWO, is the sidekick again. Sir Horace has given a lot of thought into why Harvest Joy vanished after its transit through this wormhole and expects an attack. They transit the wormhole, and predictably are attacked (maybe by a couple of battle cruisers?), but Sir Horace’s clandestine preparations allow them to survive. All command personnel on the bridge except Sir Horace and the comm officer remain combat effective and the comm officer freezes (hopefully Scotty survives to fight another day). Sir Horace immediately takes command of the division (like Honor Harrington at Hancock Station) and fights his way clear of the attack. The division can’t retreat back through the wormhole since they don’t have an entry vector so they run for it. The remainder of the story is the journey back to Manticoran space, along the way dodging Renaissance Factor warships, gathering intelligence on the Renaissance Factor, and learning how to detect them the Mesan spider drive ships. On returning to Manticore space, since he’s already equivalent to a lieutenant commander, Sir Horace is commissioned and promoted (to commander or captain junior grade?), awarded the CGM, and immediately sent to the crusher, which he aces (of course). Maybe he’s then is given independent command of a Saganami C heavy cruiser and told to go out and play. The details are up to David Weber to decide – it’s all up to David Weber – I’m just a lowly ex-marine medical doctor with a passion for the Honorverse.

yokavan wrote:I’m tired of Sir Horace being a sidekick. He’s way too smart to be a sidekick. He had to have arrange the escape from PNS Tepes alone, get as many Manticorans as possible off Tepes, get Honor Harrington out of solitary confinement, destroy Tepes to cover the escape, and have the forethought to get intelligence on the prison planet Hades and combat equipment for use on Hades. Sir Horace sas a history of being at least one step ahead of basically everybody.
My proposal for how he could do all he accomplished is simple: like the Harringtons, Harkness (an orphan for the sake of argument) is one of a lost Mesan alpha lines.
I’d really like a spinoff, even a temporary spinoff, with Sir Horace in command; here’s one possibility that ties up some loose ends left by To End in Fire and perhaps allows Darius to be exposed if not found. Scotty Tremain is assigned a division of ships (heavy or battle cruisers) to attempt to explore the Torch wormhole-call it a reconnaissance in force. Sir Horace, his EWO, is the sidekick again. Sir Horace has given a lot of thought into why Harvest Joy vanished after its transit through this wormhole and expects an attack. They transit the wormhole, and predictably are attacked (maybe by a couple of battle cruisers?), but Sir Horace’s clandestine preparations allow them to survive. All command personnel on the bridge except Sir Horace and the comm officer remain combat effective and the comm officer freezes (hopefully Scotty survives to fight another day). Sir Horace immediately takes command of the division (like Honor Harrington at Hancock Station) and fights his way clear of the attack. The division can’t retreat back through the wormhole since they don’t have an entry vector so they run for it. The remainder of the story is the journey back to Manticoran space, along the way dodging Renaissance Factor warships, gathering intelligence on the Renaissance Factor, and learning how to detect them the Mesan spider drive ships. On returning to Manticore space, since he’s already equivalent to a lieutenant commander, Sir Horace is commissioned and promoted (to commander or captain junior grade?), awarded the CGM, and immediately sent to the crusher, which he aces (of course). Maybe he’s then is given independent command of a Saganami C heavy cruiser and told to go out and play. The details are up to David Weber to decide – it’s all up to David Weber – I’m just a lowly ex-marine medical doctor with a passion for the Honorverse.

Was Sir Horace ever on command track? Does he have the ability to lead a squadron? Your synopsis certainly sounds interesting and exciting! I would like to add though, that the sidekick thing – at least for a very long time – was a result of Sir Horace's wishes. And doings.

I understand your point but he is the ultimate example of a senior NCO.
Someone who works for a living, gets things done, but isn't interested in full overall command.
I remember the old admonition to trainee officers. When on manoeuvres, and you have to camp, a good officer says "Sergeant", pitch camp." Then goes off to consider weighter matters while it all gets done without youthful interference.

Daryl wrote:I understand your point but he is the ultimate example of a senior NCO.
Someone who works for a living, gets things done, but isn't interested in full overall command.
I remember the old admonition to trainee officers. When on manoeuvres, and you have to camp, a good officer says "Sergeant", pitch camp." Then goes off to consider weighter matters while it all gets done without youthful interference.

Yes, he is the quintessential senior NCO, but the scenario I sketched sort of drags him out of that roll. Simply put, he's just to bright to not want more (challenges/responsibility/recognition). I say, draft him into that roll. Ginger Lewis is an example of a brilliant and courageous senior NCO who became a commissioned officer and was ultimately given command of a Queen's ship. Why not Harness? He would definitely be an interesting CO. I'd love to see him in command of a heavy cruiser or maybe a Q ship. What's not to like>

While you would gain yet anothe competent Honorverse officer, you would lose a unique NCO.
As a vague example, on Christmas day I really enjoyed chatting to my eldest granddaughter. A poised, capable and startingly pretty 18 year old young woman. A treasure, but I'll never get back the 8 year old tomboy that I also loved.

yokavan wrote:Simply put, he's just to bright to not want more (challenges/responsibility/recognition).

You are operating from a fundamentally flawed premise - intelligence and ambition are not linked.

Harkness is where he wants to be, doing what he wants to do.

zyffyr wrote:

yokavan wrote:Simply put, he's just to bright to not want more (challenges/responsibility/recognition).

You are operating from a fundamentally flawed premise - intelligence and ambition are not linked.

Harkness is where he wants to be, doing what he wants to do.

That's true. They are not linked. What's more, some people are simply comfortable the way they want to be.

It reminds me of trying to make an admiral out of James T. Kirk.

Actually, mine isn't a flawed supposition so much as projection. I started out my adult life as a machine gunner in the US Marines. After four years, I was a sergeant, but I wanted more. So I guess I did an Alfred Harrington and became a medical doctor (though not a neurosurgeon).

Fair enough, and congratulations on your success in finding your niche.
During my adult life I worked in many fields from truck driving, oil drilling, to biochemistry, lots more. To my wife's astonishment (and mine) I ended up for the last decade as a senior civilian in our Defence department heading up an aerospace division.
However I did realise that many good people found their preferred levels, even though they had the ability to go higher. In many cases it was a work/life balance matter, for others they were more implementers than initiators.

yokavan wrote:Actually, mine isn't a flawed supposition so much as projection. I started out my adult life as a machine gunner in the US Marines. After four years, I was a sergeant, but I wanted more. So I guess I did an Alfred Harrington and became a medical doctor (though not a neurosurgeon).

Daryl, I found the same concept over the last few years - Working as a Lead Engineer/Solution Architect, I've had to look for jr team members for engineering, project management, and design roles. I've worked with many install/repair technicians in my field, and saw potential for growth to the next step in their career - as project managers or design engineers depending on their talents/education. I've had a remarkable # of them turn me down, even with lucrative wages/benefits. Some people just don't want to be in charge, and are happy just troubleshooting issues and following the plans given to them. Many people just know their limitations or what makes them comfortable.

Daryl wrote:Fair enough, and congratulations on your success in finding your niche.
During my adult life I worked in many fields from truck driving, oil drilling, to biochemistry, lots more. To my wife's astonishment (and mine) I ended up for the last decade as a senior civilian in our Defence department heading up an aerospace division.
However I did realise that many good people found their preferred levels, even though they had the ability to go higher. In many cases it was a work/life balance matter, for others they were more implementers than initiators.

yokavan wrote:Actually, mine isn't a flawed supposition so much as projection. I started out my adult life as a machine gunner in the US Marines. After four years, I was a sergeant, but I wanted more. So I guess I did an Alfred Harrington and became a medical doctor (though not a neurosurgeon).