Elysian Space Navy

This article describes the setting of a military science fiction series of stories by David Weber featuring Honor Harrington, the Nelsonesque heroine in a series reminiscent of C. S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower book series. The Elysian Space Navy is a doubly fictional space navy that exists momentarily in the events described in the eighth and nineth books of David Weber's Honor Harrington series, Echoes of Honor and Ashes of Victory.

Background
Elysian Space Navy was voluntairy fleet created by the Alliance POW's and other StateSec prisoners, after gaining control of Hades, People's Republic of Haven Office of State Security planetary prison (in fact - located on Styx island Camp Charon with its planetary defence control and StateSec garrizon). Elysian Space Navy main aim was rescuing of all prisoners, who would like to escape from planet.

Seizing of Styx was organized by Honor Harrington and her navy personnel after escape from from prison at StateSec vessel PNS Tepes. Significant help was given by Camp Inferno inmates led by Commodore Jesus Ramirez, senior officer there.

Name for the Navy
The autor of name for the Navy was Commodore Jesus Ramirez, San Martin citizen. Because StateSec prison planet was named Hades it was an ironic suggestion to name the fleet after the Elysian Fields of Greek mythology. Idea of new common navy helped to integrate and subordinate its non-Allied multinational volontaire members.

PNS Tepes escape
18 Cruiser Squadron crew and Warner Caslet:
 * 1) Commodore/Admiral HonorHarrington, RMN/GSN, squadron CO (and her treecat Nimitz),
 * 2) Commodore Alistair McKeon, RMN, CO of HMS Prince Adrian CA,
 * 3) Major Andrew LaFollet, Grayson Marines,
 * 4) Commander Solomon Marchant, GSN, XO of GNS Jason Alvarez CA,
 * 5) Commander Warner Caslet, PN, former operation officer at station Barnett staff,
 * 6) Commander-surgeon Fritz Montoya, RMN, detached to GNS Jason Alvarez,
 * 7) Commander-lieutenant Prescot Tremaine, RMN, squadron EW officer,
 * 8) Commander-lieutenant Anson Lethridge, Erewhon Navy, squadron astronavigation officer,
 * 9) Commander-lieutenant Geraldine Metcalf, RMN, tactical officer on HMS Prince Adrian,
 * 10) Commander-lieutenant Sarah DuChene, RMN, astronavigation officer on HMS Prince Adrian,
 * 11) Lieutenant Russell Sanko, RMN, communications officer on HMS Prince Adrian,
 * 12) Lieutenant Jasper Mayhew, GSN, squadron intelligence officer,
 * 13) Ensign Carson Clinkscales, GSN, squadron flag lieutenant,
 * 14) Master Chief Gianna Ascher, RMN, HMS Prince Adrian,
 * 15) Senior Chief Horatio Harkness, RMN, GNS Jason Alvarez,
 * 16) Senior Chief Halburton, RMN, HMS Prince Adrian (K.I.A.),
 * 17) Senior Chief Barstow, RMN, HMS Prince Adrian,
 * 18) Senior Chief Tamara O’Jorgenson, RMN, HMS Prince Adrian,
 * 19) Senior Chief Harris, RMN, HMS Prince Adrian, (K.I.A.).

Allied personnel

 * rescued from PNS Krashnark, unknown number, no more then 3 shuttles load (8 of them killed when Krashnark was captured):
 * Commandor Victor Ainspan, former CO of HMS Adonai CL (senior Alliance officer on PNS Krashnark),
 * other Alliance crew from RMN, Caliphate Navy, Alizon Navy, GSN (30) and Erewhon Navy (few).
 * rescued from Hades:
 * 5 thousands of POW's incarcerated no longer, then 5 T-years - eg. Commander-lieutenant Rebeca Ellis, former CO of HMS Plam Song DD or Commander Alyson Inch, chief machinist on ENS Farnese,
 * 1,8 thousant of trained POW's incarcerated longer then 5 T-years - eg. Rear Admiral Harold Styles, RMN (arrested because of insubordination), Liuetenant Amanda Thurman, ENS Farnese (the longest incarceration could last 8 T-years since war had begun).

Non-Allied personnel

 * Camp Inferno inmates (612 people):
 * Jesus Ramirez, former Commodore at San Martin Navy,
 * Harriet Benson, former Captain at Pegasus navy,
 * Albert Hurst, former Commander at Helmsport Navy,
 * Stephenson, former Lieutenant at Lowell Navy,
 * Henri Dessouix, former Lieutenant at Gaston Marines,
 * three hundred people assault force against Camp Charon.


 * other known inmates:
 * Gaston Simmons, former Commodore at Jameston Navy,
 * Cynthia Gonsalves, former Captain at Alto Verde Navy,
 * Susan Phillips, former Commander at Sarawak Navy (IT specialist),
 * Ushakovna, former Commander,
 * Dumfris, former Commander-lieutenant.

Generally long-time inprisoned officers were suitable for XO positions or to keep watch only.

Crew requirements

 * Warlord-class battlecruiser minimal compartment: 1325 (4 vessels),
 * ENS Farnese minimal compartment: 700 (damaged side),
 * Mars-class heavy cruiser minimal compartment: 600 (4 vessels),
 * unknown minimal compartments for two light cruisers and seven transports (less experienced crew for transports planned).

Total demand: no less then 8400.

Ship acquisition
Captured Havenite ships only (11 warships and 7 transports).
 * single StatSec warships:
 * Mars-class CA Krashnark - CO Citizen Captain Pangborn,
 * Frigate-class CL Bacchante - CO Citizen Commander Vestichov,
 * captured StateSec convoy form Shilo to Seabring:
 * Warlord-class BC: Wallenstein, Farnese, Kutuzov, MacArthur, Barbarosa,
 * Mars-class CA: Ares, Huan-Ti, Ishtar,
 * Frigate-class CL Sabine,
 * five Longstop-class transports (Mardi Gras - CO Citizen Commander Talbot, Voyager),
 * two Roughneck-class Fast Attack Transports survived from Citizen General Chernock joint task force.

Capturing of StateSec convoy
StatSec was going to fortificate with minefields reconquered Seabring system and repacify its inhabitants with the equivalent of two divisions worth of intervention battalions supported by full combat equipment (including battle armor, assault boats and heavy tanks). StatSec convoy entered the parking orbit of Hades due to load 70 thousands of forced workers. Convoy was ordered by Charon Control to dropp wedges and shields. When demand for surrender was transmitted CO of BC Attila attempted defiance and ship was blown away by the orbital defenses. The explosion resulted in the near total destruction of two other warships (CA Hachiman and CL Seahorse). The rest of the convoy remained spaceworthy (5 BC, 3 CA, 1 CL, 5 military transports).

Battle of Cerberus
A joint State Security-People's Navy task force was sent to Cerberus system due to suspicion, that Hades was seized by prisoners. Joint task force used standard approach vector to the star system. Elysian Space Navy maneuvered its ships on an intercept course using thrusters only, which allowed to stealthy catch the enemy and destroy all Havenite warships.

Elysian Space Navy order to battle

 * CO - Admiral Honor Harrington (ENS Farnese),
 * Navy second-in-command - Commodore Jesus Ramirez (ENS Wallenstein),
 * 5 battlecruisers (one heavily damaged):
 * ENS Farnese - CO Admiral Honor Harrington, XO Warner Caslet,
 * ENS Wallenstein - CO Commodore Alistair McKeon,
 * ENS Kutuzov - CO Captain Harriet Benson,
 * ENS MacArthur - CO Commander Solomon Marchant,
 * ENS Barbarosa - CO Lieutenant Commander Geraldine Metcalf,
 * 4 heavy cruisers:
 * ENS Krashnark - CO Lieutenant Commander Scotty Tremaine,
 * ENS Ares - CO Commander Ainspan,
 * ENS Huan-Ti - CO Lieutenant Commander Anson Lethridge,
 * ENS Ishtar - CO Lieutenant Commander Sarah DuChene,
 * light cruiser ENS Bacchante - CO Lieutenant Commander Roberta Ellis,
 * Charon Control - CO Commander Susan Phillips,
 * overall command of Hades - Commodore Gaston Simmons (heavy equipment for equivalent of two ground divisions).

Havenite task force order to battle

 * CO - Citizen Ganaral Major of StateSec Seth Chernock,
 * task force fleet component CO - Citizen Rear Admiral Yearman (PNS Tammerlane),
 * task force fleet component second-in-command - Citizen Captain of StateSec Isler (PNS Modred),
 * task force fleet component third-in-command - Citizen Captain Rutgers (PNS Pappenheim)
 * battlecruisers (9 of Warlord-class, 1 of Lion-class):
 * PNS Tammerlane,
 * PNS Pappenheim - CO Citizen Captain Rutgers,
 * PNS Yavuz - CO Citizen Captain Fuhrman,
 * PNS Subutai - CO Citizen Captain Jayne Preston,
 * PNS Boyar,
 * PNS Roxana,
 * PNS Cheetah,
 * StateSec PNS Ivan IV,
 * StateSec PNS Cassander,
 * StateSec PNS Modred - CO Citizen Captain of StateSec Isler,
 * 5 heavy cruisers:
 * PNS Yama,
 * PNS Excalibur,
 * PNS Broadsword,
 * PNS Durandel,
 * StateSec PNS Morrigan - CO Citizen Captain of StateSec Sorrenson,
 * two fast attack transports escorted by heavy cruiser PNS Rapier – CO Citizen Captain Harken,
 * task force ground component - Citizen General Major of StateSec Claude Gisborne (27 thousands of marines and StateSec soldiers).

Taken prisoners

 * Camp Charon personnel (c.a. 1,5 thousand people) - tried under People's Republic Haven criminal law and People's Uniform Code of Conduct by court martial,
 * caputred ships compartments - over 29 thousands people, including over 2,5 thousands StateSec Ground Forces "marines",
 * ground forces - 13,5 thousands StateSec Ground Forces, 13,5 thousands People's Marines and the equivalent of two ground divisions worth in StateSec intervention battalions (probably at least 9 thousands people).

Ship compartments according to Honorverse Ships List data concerning standard People's Navy warships (StateSec ships had diffrent construction including built-in prison decks).

Extraction prisoners form Hades
After PNS Krashnark arrival there were 392.651 total number of evacuees, including 175.298 collaborative.
 * first convoy of 5 transports evacuated over 286 thousands people (CO Captain Cynthia Gonsalves, ENS Sabine),
 * second convoy after battle of Cerberus evacuated over 106 thousands people rescued (Elysian Space Navy main forces).

Afterward
After arrival to Trevor Star, the Elysian Space Navy was incorporated into Grayson Space Navy as The Protector's Own (Squadron). It solved severe legal problem connected with fact, that Steadholders were not permitted to create and directly command an armed force bigger than 50 retainers.

(This was also done in order to keep the personnel together as a single group. The Protectors Own became in effect a kind of Graysonian foreign legion, with service bringing citizenship. Another special provision was, that The Protectors Own members served as Protector's personnal vassals. Creating of The Protectors Own was also part of Protector Benjamin's modernisation strategy, creating an influx of new citizens with a variety of backgrounds and social mores. By the events of War of Honor, the Protector's Own has been outfitted with the new Harrington-class SD(P)s, which Admiral Alfredo Yu serving as its 2nd in Command and acting CO, in absence of Admiral Honor Harrington).

Time of Elysian Space Navy existence
C1912 P.D. - c1913 P.D.: since CL Bacchante had been captured as a second warship - until slower first rescue convoy departed to Trevor Star.

Real-world context

 * Greek mythology - references to Hades, Cerberus, Styx, Elysian fields, Charon, Tartarus, Sheol, Niflheim,
 * biblical topos of Exodus,
 * historical references:
 * famous military commanders and worlords commemorated with warships names,
 * similarity of isolation camps system on prison planet and its owner (Office of State Security) to Soviet Gulag operated by NKVD (located on empty Siberia mainly),
 * novel concept - planetary prison was present also at Frank Herbert's novel Dune (Salusa Secundus).