Hender Linn is a character in Isaac Asimov's Foundation series.
About Hender[]
Hender Linn is a colonel and the chief aide to General Dugal Tennar, the leader of the military junta governing the Galactic Empire.
Colonel Linn served as the primary advisor and "lackey" to General Tennar, a role he accepted without complaint as it provided him with security and influence. His function was to tell Tennar what he wanted to hear and to transmit his orders unchanged, though he occasionally attempted to steer the General toward more prudent courses of action when he sensed no personal risk. Linn was a cautious and shrewd political operator, understanding the symbolic power of the Emperor's office and advising Tennar against moving into the Imperial Palace, knowing the populace would not tolerate such irreverence.
Linn identified First Minister Hari Seldon and his Psychohistory Project as the greatest threat to the junta's stability. He understood that Seldon's popularity and the perceived power of psychohistory to predict the future made him a dangerous figure. Linn believed that while psychohistory itself could be a useful tool for the regime, it had to be controlled by someone other than Seldon. He orchestrated a meeting between Tennar and Seldon, not to gain genuine understanding, but to evaluate Seldon for elimination. He argued that Seldon should be removed in a way that appeared natural, allowing the junta to install a more compliant director for the Project.
His surveillance of the Project revealed the massive public celebrations for Seldon's 60th birthday, which convinced him and Tennar of Seldon's immense popularity and the need for a subtle approach. Linn's plans were severely disrupted by Dors Venabili, who forcibly infiltrated his secured office to threaten him and General Tennar with death should any harm come to Seldon. This encounter demonstrated the limits of his power against a determined, personal threat and forced a reassessment of their strategy regarding the First Minister.
Appearances[]