Mission Basil

First novel of the series Honor Harrington of David Weber, Mission Basil follows the history of ordering Honor Harrington, ordering light cruiser HMS Intrepid, lasting its assignement in the Basil system. Although the Basil system became a place of employment of those fallen in disgrace or the inefficient ones, Honor is given to achieve its duty independently of the circumstances.

Synopsis

Prolog

The hereditary president of the Popular republic of Harbor Harris discusses the economic situation and soldier with his ministerial cabinet. The secretary with the Frankel economy presents last projections of the economy of the republic which are very bad. He blames the naval budget of it. The admiral Parnell specifies that the fleet is obliged to control the recently conquered systems. He blames the increases in the Allowance of Vital minimum (AMV) to be the cause of the economic situation. Frankel answers that the increases in the AMV are the only thing which makes it possible to control the people. The resulting discussion leads to the realization which an additional income is necessary to the financing of the AMV and of the military forces because according to the DuQuesene plan the source of this income should be new conquests. However to continue the conquests towards the South, towards Erewhon, is rejected because considered to be too dangerous, the Ligue solarienne could see it like a threat. To move towards the west, towards the Silesian Confédération is seen like a better option, but the Basil system, containing one of the termini of the Trou of worm of Manticore, is on the way of this movement. The decision is made to take the control of this system controlled by the stellar Royaume of Manticore and the admiral Parnell is charged to work out plans for this purpose.

History

To coldly order (commander) Honor Harrington, graduate of the Advanced Course of Tactic of the royal Marine of Manticore, takes the command of light cruiser CL-56 Intrepid HMS after this one underwent an important handing-over in a state of its armament.

Young officer with a promising career, the pleasure of Honor for this new command turns soon to consternation when it realizes that the Intrepid one was transformed into tactical testing ground for new technologies. After an initial success at the beginning of the war games of the fleet, the Intrepid one undergoes demolished on defeat after the adverse officers concluded that the surest manner to counter the weapons of the light cruiser is to refuse the chance to him to employ them.

Outlaw at the Basil station by officers eager to sweep their alleged " absolue" arms; under the carpet, Honor is much dismayed to learn than the ordering officer assigned with the system is his Némésis old man of the academy. The captain Lord Pavel Young will do everything to put it in a situation where she will be in impossibility of carrying out her duty: he leaves immediately for Manticore with his heavy cruiser, the Warlock , because this one requires a maintenance " urgente" , leaving Honor and the Intrepid , only unit of the MRM in the system, person in charge of the safety of the Basil system. Thus, so because of the requirements of monitoring, largely contradictory, the Intrepid lack with its duty, it will be Honor, and not Young, who will be held for person in charge.

But is to count without Honor, which pushing and drawing its crew, manages to lead his crew to the level of the task which is assigned to them. Thanks to a hard work and to the intelligent use of the resources at its disposal, Honor manages soon to revitalize the presence of the MRM in the Basil system and to astound the other personnel of Manticore assigned to the system. The personnel of the Junction and the planetary mission, accustomed to the incompetents usually sent in the system, is magic to realize that they now have a qualified officer with whom to work. Though just in resources and a personnel to correctly ensure all the obligations owe them in the Basil system, the Intrépide and Honor as it should be deal with the circumstances with the officers of the Queen.

And it is not too early, because the Popular republic of Harbor, stellar nation expansionist slowly strangled by its own economic policy since more than one half-century, started to be interested in the stellar Royaume of Manticore. The plan of conquest assembled by Le Havre starts with a takeover by force against Basilic; by involving the nonhuman natives in a frenzy of generalized massacres, Le Havre would provide a pretext to intervene and take the control of the system before Manticore cannot answer. This would lead thereafter to a logical stage which is the invasion of Manticore by the two termini of junction that Havre would control thus; the star of Trévor and thus Basil.

But by their respect owe them, Honor and the planetary personnel of Manticore discover parties of the plan. Evaluating and correctly assembling the fragments of information, Honor from of deduced the intentions from Harbor and finds itself with other choice only to act or to withdraw themselves while Le Havre enters in position of launching for an invasion. Honor carries out the Intrépide' 'and its crew in an engagement despaired against a vessel Q havrien in escape. Exceeded in very safe in courage, the Intrépide is severely touched during hunting, and suffers from important losses among its crew.

In spite of this, L Intrépide makes a success of its desperate mission. Manticore reinforces the system in time before the arrival of a force of Harbor which does not make, officially, that to pass. After extended repairs, Honor returns to the heroin kingdom. Promoted Captain of the list, Honor receives the command of lately built heavy cruiser Intrépide , ship of Stellar the Chevalier class, hastily famous to replace the CL-56 too damaged during the Basil confrontation.

Actors

The stellar Royaume of Manticore is developing its military force to face a war more than probably with Le Havre. However, much of political factions do not believe that the war is imminent and to obstruct the plans of the government, including the reinforcement necessary of the Basil. The government, whose majority is weak, has of another choice only to approve and leave Basilic almost without defense - until Honor Harrington is not assigned there.

The Popular republic of Harbor noting that its economy is weakened more and more by the policy of welfare state and an important military budget, obliges its leader to deal with Manticore by all the means necessary. The possession of the system of Basil and its terminus of hole of worm would give in Le Havre a strategic advantage on the stellar Royaume of Manticore.

References

Mission Basil ( One Basilisk Station , 1993) Atalante ISBN 2-84172-103-5, 1999,496 pp. I have Lu ISBN 2-29034-876-7, 2006,508 pp.
In English, the complete text is available in remote loading or reading on line to the free library of Baen.

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