Thompson Burnelli
Names: Thompson Burnellithe SenatorThompsonSenator Thompson BurnelliBurnelliSenator Burnelli
First appears in Book 1: Pandora's Star, chapter 4 (THREE)
Appearances
What you know
Book 1: Pandora's Star
- Ch 4Senator chairing the science commission and North America's UFN delegate; an arrogant Earth aristocrat who mocks CST for missing the alien discovery.
- Ch 13Senator Burnelli opposes the expedition and further funding for exploration, and favors leaving the Dyson Pair alone for centuries.
- Ch 16Senator Burnelli criticized Kime for leaving hastily, argued nothing actually fired on the ship, and called for another ship under a bolder captain.
- Ch 17Senator Burnelli is hostile toward Wilson and Nigel, and warns that announcing a navy could cause panic and market turmoil.
- Ch 17Burnelli's man Tunde Sutton was on the Second Chance for political reasons.
- Ch 18Thompson plans to push for an executive review committee and plant contacts to keep Rafael's expanded Directorate in check.
- Ch 20Thompson is a senator and member of a Grand Family older than the Commonwealth, and frequents the Clinton Estate club in Washington.
- Ch 20Thompson trusts Paula implicitly; they have swapped information on politics and criminals for decades, though he is unsure they are friends.
- Ch 20Thompson says no secret security section answerable only to the executive exists, and agrees to check with his father.
- Ch 20Thompson agrees to lobby President Doi for full cargo inspection to Far Away, since Doi is indebted to his family.
- Ch 22Senator who tells Paula that no secret executive security department exists and that the Venice Beach hit was not authorized by the President or Senate Security.
- Ch 22Senator Burnelli confronted Doi and got all cargo shipped to Far Away ordered to be inspected at Boongate, starting next week.
- Ch 22Burnelli found that people lobbying the executive against inspecting Far Away cargo work for Nigel Sheldon, and he told Paula.
- Ch 22Senator Burnelli was murdered in a squash court at the Clinton Estate club, his neck broken and skull smashed.
- Ch 23Senator Thompson Burnelli was murdered in his squash court at the Clinton Estate.
- Ch 23Thompson Burnelli, a Senator Paula considered completely reliable on this matter, suffered a bad fate after informing her.
- Ch 24Justine's younger brother and a senator, murdered; he is recovering in a clinic awaiting a new body. Paula says he pushed through a Far Away inspection.
Connections
- related toTunde SuttonBurnelli's man
- family ofJustine Burnellibrother
- ally ofPaula Myolong-standing information exchange
- member ofClinton Estate
- enemy ofThe professional
- family ofMurielledescendant
- related toJustine Burnelliboth Burnelli; senator killed
Key moments
- Book 1 · Ch 4ExoProtectorate Council convenes over the Dyson barriers
Powerful Council members gather in New York to assess the threat posed by the barriers around the Dyson Pair, discovered by Dudley Bose. They debate whether the barriers are defensive or imposed.
- Book 1 · Ch 4Council approves a starship
Nigel proposes building an FTL starship to investigate the Dyson Pair; the Council votes unanimously in favor and CST will partly fund it.
- Book 1 · Ch 13Farewell gala at the Regency Palace
On the eve of departure, Wilson, Anna and Oscar attend the First Speaker's gala, where Council members debate the mission, weapons, funding and defense, and the Second Chance is saluted with fireworks.
- Book 1 · Ch 16Two crew left behind
CST reveals Bose and Verbeke were abandoned. Kime justifies leaving them to bring back vital information, while Burnelli criticizes him and calls for another ship.
- Book 1 · Ch 17Council debates response to the Dyson aliens
After Second Chance's return, the Council concludes a third party removed the barrier, considers the Dyson aliens a threat, and discusses the risk that Bose and Verbeke are captured.
- Book 1 · Ch 17Council votes for a starflight agency
Nigel pushes for a covertly built navy within a new agency overseeing scoutship missions to Dyson Alpha. The Council votes unanimously to propose the agency to the Executive Office.
- Book 1 · Ch 18Halgarths push offensive navy and merge Directorates
At the review meeting Larry argues for offensive capability; Natasha urges new weapons, and Rafael's Directorate absorbs other security Directorates, with the Burnellis reluctantly accepting.
- Book 1 · Ch 20Squash match and bar talk
After Paula beats Thompson at squash, they meet in the Clinton Estate bar and discuss the Venice Coast fallout, a possible mole, and Far Away cargo inspection.
- Book 1 · Ch 20Thompson agrees to lobby the President
Paula asks Thompson to press President Doi for full examination of cargo to Far Away; he agrees despite likely Halgarth annoyance.
- Book 1 · Ch 22Paula takes Burnelli's call
In a Paris bistro, Paula takes a call from Senator Burnelli, who says the Venice Beach hit was not authorized by the executive or Senate Security.
- Book 1 · Ch 22Cargo inspections ordered and Sheldon implicated
Burnelli tells Paula that Far Away cargo will be inspected at Boongate, and that lobbyists blocking her request work for Nigel Sheldon.
- Book 1 · Ch 22Assassination of Senator Burnelli
Disguised as a squash coach, an assassin who has corrupted the club's network kills Senator Thompson Burnelli.