Lieutenant Handley is a Compact Navy officer who serves as the executive officer for the Spec Force presence in the Mud system in Checkmate. While he works closely with elevated Bonapartan Household Guards—including Edward Windsor—he himself is not from Bonaparte, which provides him a unique, somewhat impartial perspective amid the internal royal drama.
Key traits and moments:
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Tall and imposing, standing around two meters.
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A qualified Falcon pilot who expresses surprise that JT Austin lets Mitsuko Yamato copilot instead of him—JT responds that he prefers to die knowing it’s not personal.
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Shows professional respect for Mitsuko and JT but is also prone to teasing and blunt commentary, such as calling out JT’s relationship with Mercado or mocking his dramatic entrance with “sky law.”
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When Edward Windsor is recalled to take the Bonapartan throne, it’s Handley who formally relieves him of command, promoting him from Spec Force commander to king.
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Upon Windsor’s departure, Handley is promoted to field lieutenant commander and assumes command of the operation, with Windsor, Mitsuko, and JT witnessing the change of command.
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While a competent officer, he frequently acts as a grounded realist and stabilizing influence. He shows tactical knowledge and a sardonic wit, often serving as the “straight man” to JT and Mitsuko’s antics.
Though not Bonapartan, Handley integrates well with the royal-affiliated troops, having helped transition the Chrysanthemum and Sapper Guards into Naval Special Forces units. His presence reinforces the idea that Compact Navy operations remain multiworld and collaborative, even amid the pomp of constituent-world monarchies like Bonaparte’s.
Appearances: Checkmate