Honorverse ramblings and musings

cthia wrote:...that StateSec goon tried his damnedest to break her through sheer humiliation. But he was not going to break her. But he tried. Oh, but he tried. Just never knew how Honor pulled that off.

Weird Harold wrote:

cthia wrote:...that StateSec goon tried his damnedest to break her through sheer humiliation. But he was not going to break her. But he tried. Oh, but he tried. Just never knew how Honor pulled that off.

Save yet again by Shannon...

Her link to Nimitz was weak, but still present. Therefore she wasn't "alone" in that cell.

cthia wrote:Another thing I always found oddly interesting. In Enemy Hands Honor was sadomasochistically abused. She shook it off with so much nonchalance. That surprised the heck out of me. She's a well disciplined soldier, yes, but that StateSec goon tried his damnedest to break her through sheer humiliation. But he was not going to break her. But he tried. Oh, but he tried. Just never knew how Honor pulled that off.

If Grayson proper would have found out what was done to Lady Harrington...Oh my God! I don't think anyone ever found out, did they? I can even think of a few Havenites that would have 'excremented bricks' over that one!

roseandheather wrote:

cthia wrote:
Another thing I always found oddly interesting. In Enemy Hands Honor was sadomasochistically abused. She shook it off with so much nonchalance. That surprised the heck out of me. She's a well disciplined soldier, yes, but that StateSec goon tried his damnedest to break her through sheer humiliation. But he was not going to break her. But he tried. Oh, but he tried. Just never knew how Honor pulled that off.

If Grayson proper would have found out what was done to Lady Harrington...Oh my God! I don't think anyone ever found out, did they? I can even think of a few Havenites that would have 'excremented bricks' over that one!

Well, no brick-excrementing was involved, but if you don't remember, Tom Theisman actually wound up chucking his cookies (or whatever the contents of his stomach were at the time) when he realized what Ransom was planning to do to her.

Looking back, I think that might have been the moment I knew - in my gut, if not in my head - that someday the Republic and the Star Kingdom would be standing side by side. Against whom, I didn't know - but I did know that someday they'd find their way to each other, and that the reason why - or a large part of it, anyway - would be the relationship forged over the years by Honor Harrington and Thomas Theisman.

...obviously I am tired enough I need to go to bed if I am getting this maudlin.

cthia wrote:Getting maudlin Rose?
Altogether everyone ...

...

Holding the rank of Commander, she served as Rear Admiral Elvis Santino's operations officer for the RMN picket in the Seaford Nine System in 1913 PD. When the People's Navy Task Force 14.1 attacked, she urged Santino to abandon the system. He relieved her and ordered her off the ship. Ironically, this saved her life, as Santino and the rest of his force were killed soon after in the Second Battle of Seaford Nine. (HH8)
Because Admiral Honor Harrington knew Santino from her midshipman cruise aboard HMS War Maiden, she assumed that Commander Jaruwalski may have received unfair treatment. She asked her to be her deputy at the Advanced Tactical Course and almost single-handedly salvaged her career and restored her reputation. (HH9)

She was promoted to Captain (JG) at Admiral Harrington's behest with the First Space Lord, and later served as Admiral Harrington's staff operations officer in Task Force 34. (HH10)

cthia wrote:Ok, everyone remembers this I'm sure. It never really sat right with me. Was it not her job to question Santino's irrational decisions? I don't understand how it came to be that Andrea needed rehabilitating. Did no one even inquire as to what happened? Surely Santino's ignorance was widely known. Are officers to just blindly follow an idiot's orders? Heck, that smacks too much of the 'Citizen SLN.'

Ashes of Victory
Chapter Eleven
(Honor Harrington speaking first)
wrote:"I was particularly struck by three points in the Board's report, all relating more or less directly to you, Commander," Honor continued after a few heartbeats. "One was that a flag officer about to face the enemy in an extremely uneven battle deprived himself of an experienced tactical officer who'd obviously been on the station long enough to have a much better grasp of local conditions than he did. The second was that having done so, he went to the length of having that tac officer removed from his flagship and took time to dictate a message explaining her relief for 'lack of offensive-mindedness,' 'lack of preparedness,' and 'failure to properly execute her duties.' And the third . . . The third point, Commander, was that you never defended yourself against his charges. Would you care to comment on any of those points?"

"Ma'am— Your Grace, I can't comment on them." Jaruwalski's voice was frayed about the edges, and she swallowed hard. "Admiral Santino is dead. So is every other member of his staff and any other individual who might have heard or seen what actually happened. It would . . . . I mean, how could I expect anyone to believe that—"

Her voice broke, and she waved both hands in a small, helpless gesture. For just a moment, the mask slipped, and all the vulnerability and hurt she'd sought so hard to hide looked out of her eyes at Honor. But then she drew a deep breath, and the mask came back once more.

cthia wrote:
Ok, everyone remembers this I'm sure. It never really sat right with me. Was it not her job to question Santino's irrational decisions? I don't understand how it came to be that Andrea needed rehabilitating. Did no one even inquire as to what happened? Surely Santino's ignorance was widely known. Are officers to just blindly follow an idiot's orders? Heck, that smacks too much of the 'Citizen SLN.'

I just don't like the outcome of that. Andrea didn't need rehabilitating. She needed the facts known. I can't believe that it wasn't obvious what happened. If I were Andrea, I would have been bitter, and she was. I love Jaruwalaki for trying to save the crew's lives. Her survivor's guilt must be a 'rocket in her pocket.'

Weird Harold wrote:

cthia wrote:
Ok, everyone remembers this I'm sure. It never really sat right with me. Was it not her job to question Santino's irrational decisions? I don't understand how it came to be that Andrea needed rehabilitating. Did no one even inquire as to what happened? Surely Santino's ignorance was widely known. Are officers to just blindly follow an idiot's orders? Heck, that smacks too much of the 'Citizen SLN.'

Ashes of Victory
Chapter Eleven
(Honor Harrington speaking first)
wrote:"I was particularly struck by three points in the Board's report, all relating more or less directly to you, Commander," Honor continued after a few heartbeats. "One was that a flag officer about to face the enemy in an extremely uneven battle deprived himself of an experienced tactical officer who'd obviously been on the station long enough to have a much better grasp of local conditions than he did. The second was that having done so, he went to the length of having that tac officer removed from his flagship and took time to dictate a message explaining her relief for 'lack of offensive-mindedness,' 'lack of preparedness,' and 'failure to properly execute her duties.' And the third . . . The third point, Commander, was that you never defended yourself against his charges. Would you care to comment on any of those points?"

"Ma'am— Your Grace, I can't comment on them." Jaruwalski's voice was frayed about the edges, and she swallowed hard. "Admiral Santino is dead. So is every other member of his staff and any other individual who might have heard or seen what actually happened. It would . . . . I mean, how could I expect anyone to believe that—"

Her voice broke, and she waved both hands in a small, helpless gesture. For just a moment, the mask slipped, and all the vulnerability and hurt she'd sought so hard to hide looked out of her eyes at Honor. But then she drew a deep breath, and the mask came back once more.

There was a board investigation.

Cmdr Jarawalski didn't offer a defense to that board.

The Board couldn't believe that even someone as stupid as they all must have known Santini was could have been that vindictive in his last moments without good cause.

The Board couldn't believe that even someone as stupid as they all must have known Santini was could have been that vindictive in his last moments without good cause.