Honorverse ramblings and musings

because when it was explained what he had said to cause honor to slap him the judge would simply ask why she didn't shoot him and throw the case out.

cthia wrote:On that note, why didn't Houseman sue Honor?

Because a public court case would lead to everyone knowing exactly what Honor said to him and why. Sure, he would nail Honor to the cross, but in the process would completely incinerate the few shreds of his career he had left.

Dauntless wrote:because when it was explained what he had said to cause honor to slap him the judge would simply ask why she didn't shoot him and throw the case out.

But she was military and he was a civilian. Military personnel simply cannot go around striking civilians—while Honor was rich at the time and Houseman surely had to have gotten bitch-slapped enraged, post slapping. Having been successfully sued—in which it seems obvious to me that Houseman certainly could have won such a case—would not have been a good thing to end up on Honor's record.

This is another case of a missed opportunity for the opposition.

This is another case of a missed opportunity for the opposition.

In what universe does the Opposition care about Harrington enough to go out of its way to trash her career? It's one thing for them to have a grudge match against Duchess and Admiral Harrington in 1916 PD, it's another thing entirely for them to expend the capital to try and go after her in 1903.

cthia wrote:

Dauntless wrote:because when it was explained what he had said to cause honor to slap him the judge would simply ask why she didn't shoot him and throw the case out.

But she was military and he was a civilian. Military personnel simply cannot go around striking civilians—while Honor was rich at the time and Houseman surely had to have gotten bitch-slapped enraged, post slapping. Having been successfully sued—in which it seems obvious to me that Houseman certainly could have won such a case—would not have been a good thing to end up on Honor's record.

This is another case of a missed opportunity for the opposition.

It did end up on her record - she got an official reprimand for it. Plus a knighthood, an earldom and a steading, medals and Colonel of Marines at around the same time.

Houseman might have not been able to sue in a Manticoran court because the incident occurred on Grayson. He'd need to go through their legal system. I think once Houseman left Grayson, he never would go back. So...

cthia wrote:

Dauntless wrote:because when it was explained what he had said to cause honor to slap him the judge would simply ask why she didn't shoot him and throw the case out.

But she was military and he was a civilian. Military personnel simply cannot go around striking civilians—while Honor was rich at the time and Houseman surely had to have gotten bitch-slapped enraged, post slapping. Having been successfully sued—in which it seems obvious to me that Houseman certainly could have won such a case—would not have been a good thing to end up on Honor's record.

This is another case of a missed opportunity for the opposition.

munroburton wrote:It did end up on her record - she got an official reprimand for it. Plus a knighthood, an earldom and a steading, medals and Colonel of Marines at around the same time.

Houseman might have not been able to sue in a Manticoran court because the incident occurred on Grayson. He'd need to go through their legal system. I think once Houseman left Grayson, he never would go back. So...

LOL

Being successfully sued didn't end up on her record.

I'm not so sure about the illegality of being able to sue her on Manticore, since Houseman was still under the protection of the RMN.

Duckk wrote:

This is another case of a missed opportunity for the opposition.

In what universe does the Opposition care about Harrington enough to go out of its way to trash her career? It's one thing for them to have a grudge match against Duchess and Admiral Harrington in 1916 PD, it's another thing entirely for them to expend the capital to try and go after her in 1903.

Although a very small but focused sort of miscreants, the Opposition at that time, at the very least, certainly consisted of Dimitri Young, the Youngins and the North Hollow flies and whatever influence they might have had. (I still wish I knew 'The official year of birth of the North Hollow Files.')

Anywho, Dimitri was the party whip in the House of Lords and he had always been about hampering Harrington's naval career after his son got the shit beat out of himself while idiotically trying to mount a bucking horse.

In what universe does the Opposition care about Harrington enough to go out of its way to trash her career? It's one thing for them to have a grudge match against Duchess and Admiral Harrington in 1916 PD, it's another thing entirely for them to expend the capital to try and go after her in 1903.[/quote]
Although a very small but focused sort of miscreants, the Opposition at that time, at the very least, certainly consisted of Dimitri Young, the Youngins and the North Hollow flies and whatever influence they might have had. (I still wish I knew 'The official year of birth of the North Hollow Files.')

Anywho, Dimitri was the party whip in the House of Lords and he had always been about hampering Harrington's naval career after his son got the shit beat out of himself while idiotically trying to mount a bucking horse.[/quote]


It doesn't matter what the Youngs want in this case. She was presented as a hero. Things were going badly and she was a bright spot. Keep in mind that it was Cromarty's government in power. They were not going to go after her. Note that her ship was considered victorious...she was not defeated.

Since it was the Opposition that wanted Honor in the first place, it would have been hard to go after a hero. Also, Hauptman was on her side. There would have been a far smaller outcry without his media to push for it.

And nothing happened anyway.

Duckk wrote:In what universe does the Opposition care about Harrington enough to go out of its way to trash her career? It's one thing for them to have a grudge match against Duchess and Admiral Harrington in 1916 PD, it's another thing entirely for them to expend the capital to try and go after her in 1903.

cthia wrote:Although a very small but focused sort of miscreants, the Opposition at that time, at the very least, certainly consisted of Dimitri Young, the Youngins and the North Hollow flies and whatever influence they might have had. (I still wish I knew 'The official year of birth of the North Hollow Files.')

Anywho, Dimitri was the party whip in the House of Lords and he had always been about hampering Harrington's naval career after his son got the shit beat out of himself while idiotically trying to mount a bucking horse.

ldwechsler wrote:It doesn't matter what the Youngs want in this case. She was presented as a hero. Things were going badly and she was a bright spot. Keep in mind that it was Cromarty's government in power. They were not going to go after her. Note that her ship was considered victorious...she was not defeated.

Since it was the Opposition that wanted Honor in the first place, it would have been hard to go after a hero. Also, Hauptman was on her side. There would have been a far smaller outcry without his media to push for it.

And nothing happened anyway.

I was thinking more along the lines of "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Duckk wrote:

cthia wrote:On that note, why didn't Houseman sue Honor?

Because a public court case would lead to everyone knowing exactly what Honor said to him and why. Sure, he would nail Honor to the cross, but in the process would completely incinerate the few shreds of his career he had left.

Embarrassment was the only thing I could figure as well.

He possibly could have recouped the damage she did to his career as part of the lawsuit. As well as the damage to his social status. Albeit, I don't know if Honor's net worth was extensive at the time since Skydomes had not materialized for her yet.

Which may have been a factor in the decision not to sue, thinking she had nothing in the till to get, worth the trouble. Had she been as rich as she is now...