MaleJavier Giscard was a Havenite citizen and a prominent officer of the Havenite Navy during the Manticoran Wars.
Physical appearance[]
Giscard was just over one hundred and ninety centimeters tall, lean, with a bony face and a hawk-nose. He had hazel eyes. (HH8)
Biography[]
Prior to the Pierre coup, he was a commander and had been naval attaché to the Star Kingdom of Manticore and an instructor at the war college. Like Thomas Theisman, he was a protege of former Captain Alfredo Yu; and like Esther McQueen, he was an example of the low-born officers who could never have obtained high rank under the old Legislaturalist government, but whose talent was recognized and rewarded under the new system. Although Giscard considered the Committee of Public Safety a less-than-perfect government, he was loyal to the new regime because it was unquestionably preferable to its predecessor, which he had hated.
In the early 1910s PD, Giscard had reached the rank of Admiral in the People's Navy and was the commander of Task Force 29 in the Silesian Confederacy. He and Eloise Pritchart, his assigned people’s commissioner, were secretly lovers, though they displayed only leashed animosity and grudging respect for each other in public. (HH6)
Although he was thought to be a better choice than Esther McQueen for the office of Secretary of War, it was impossible to appoint him because he had been recalled from Silesia because of "failure". (HH7)
He commanded the Twelfth Fleet during Operation Icarus, his flagship being PNS Salamis. He was disgusted by Cordelia Ransom's treatment of Commodore Honor Harrington after the latter was captured. (HH8)
Giscard was then ordered to return to Haven, most likely to be arrested, but the SS ships accompanying the Twelfth Fleet were destroyed by Shannon Foraker shortly before Admiral Thomas Theisman's successful coup. (HH9)
He commanded the First Fleet during Operation Thunderbolt, with RHNS Sovereign of Space serving as his flagship. He was assigned to attack Trevor's Star, but when confronted by the joint RMN/GSN force, he withdrew. (HH10)
After he defeated Honor Harrington in the Battle of Solon, the Congress wanted to award him the Congressional Cross, but he refused, accepting only the thanks of Congress.[1]
Admiral Giscard was killed on 15 May 1921 PD when Sovereign of Space was destroyed by Admiral Harrington's Task Force 82 in the Battle of Lovat. (HH11)
Relationships[]
Eloise Pritchart[]
Pritchart and Giscard initially met when she was assigned as his People's Commissioner. Though he initially distrusted her due to her connections within the Committee and her cold, seemingly merciless public persona, they soon discovered that they shared a passion for the true Republic of Haven, and subsequently fell in love. She considered him to be "an outstanding man". (HH6)
They conducted their relationship under StateSec's noses for several years, playing the roles of opponents who shared nothing more than leashed animosity and grudging respect. Behind closed doors, however, they remained as passionately in love as ever; in fact, the power of their feelings for each other sometimes astounded him. (HH8)
The revelation of their relationship stunned the inner circle of those who would pull off the Theisman Coup. Though at least Pritchart could have escaped the approaching execution orders thanks to her connections in the Committee, she chose to stand by the man she loved; Lester Tourville noted that "Live or die, she and Giscard would fight to the last ditch together." (HH9)
After the fall of the Committee and the Theisman Coup, they were separated for long periods of time as Giscard assisted in mopping up renegade StateSec forces while Pritchart remained in Nouveau Paris. However, despite their long separations, their relationship endured as strongly as ever. (HH10)
Pritchart was visibly stunned when Thomas Theisman brought her news of Giscard's death at the Battle of Lovat. (HH11)
Her grief for him did not abate, even well over a year after his death. Though Pritchart gave no outward sign of it, Honor Harrington could empathically sense the pain she felt every time she thought of him. (HH12, HH13)
Service Record[]
Promotions[]
- Commander
- Admiral (1910s PD)
Posts and duties[]
- naval attaché to the Star Kingdom of Manticore
- instructor at the war college
- Task Force 29, Commanding Officer - 1909 PD
- Twelfth Fleet, Commanding Officer - from 1913 PD
- First Fleet - Commanding Officer - from 1919 PD
- Third Fleet - Commanding Officer - 1921 PD
Decorations[]
- Thanks of Congress
References[]
- ↑ He stated that the Cross was to important an award to be given for political reasons.