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Preston actually hoping his prey would escape was promising.
Preston actually helping Pratchett escape is amazing. Let's hope he keeps thinking for himself and that this insubordination is only the beginning.
And then lets continue to hope that Heyward will stop fuming in his angelic rage and will think as well (about John supposedly murdering Anne Whiting), so that his next inevitable meeting with Preston can be a productive one resulting in much pain and grief for Black.
Now that CatKnight's shot down my theory about the black shape being Bast, I will quickly change tack and assume that the mystery woman is none other than... Mrs. Foster. No, wait, she's too far away to be in Charleston already. Okay... Whiting! My next guess is Whiting (eventually, I'm bound to get it right - unless Cat would do something sneaky like introducing a completely new character - that would be mean). After all, we never did read that she died, we have only read about reports to that effect. Yes, Anne Whiting is my guess - for now.
Preston actually helping Pratchett escape is amazing. Let's hope he keeps thinking for himself and that this insubordination is only the beginning.
And then lets continue to hope that Heyward will stop fuming in his angelic rage and will think as well (about John supposedly murdering Anne Whiting), so that his next inevitable meeting with Preston can be a productive one resulting in much pain and grief for Black.
Now that CatKnight's shot down my theory about the black shape being Bast, I will quickly change tack and assume that the mystery woman is none other than... Mrs. Foster. No, wait, she's too far away to be in Charleston already. Okay... Whiting! My next guess is Whiting (eventually, I'm bound to get it right - unless Cat would do something sneaky like introducing a completely new character - that would be mean). After all, we never did read that she died, we have only read about reports to that effect. Yes, Anne Whiting is my guess - for now.
Whoever the Ninja-lady is, she's smart and capable.
You've been busily building this to a climax, but if the trial isn't the focus of the action then I'm not going to guess where this is all headed.
Looking forward to reading the next update.
You've been busily building this to a climax, but if the trial isn't the focus of the action then I'm not going to guess where this is all headed.
Looking forward to reading the next update.
Hi CatKnight!
Hiya CatKnight! I thought I recognized the screen name from someplace.
Nice AAR! I'm through the first page, but you've gotten me hooked. It's been a while since I've played EU...
Hiya CatKnight! I thought I recognized the screen name from someplace.
Nice AAR! I'm through the first page, but you've gotten me hooked. It's been a while since I've played EU...
I'm hoping that John begins to clearly see what is happening... again. But I'm not goin' to set myself up for another disappointment.
As for Tom & John... only for Tom's sake I hope that the truth comes out about Exeter being the true killer and not John. That'd just add a little more fuel to the fire of Tom's anger/hatred toward Black and may just help tip the balance against Black.
Still, things are a bit untidy, but that makes for great readin', eh?
As for Tom & John... only for Tom's sake I hope that the truth comes out about Exeter being the true killer and not John. That'd just add a little more fuel to the fire of Tom's anger/hatred toward Black and may just help tip the balance against Black.
Still, things are a bit untidy, but that makes for great readin', eh?
Chief Ragusa: Hm...that'd be a neat idea. I don't know if IRL Ed Rutledge had a daughter. Hm...
Fulcrumvale: Very interesting.
J. Passepartout: I'd say that if John doesn't know what's going on, he's at least figuring out the part about 'lesser of two evils.'
Stuyvesant: We'll check in on Tom in a bit. He's a bit confused right now...
Director: Well, the trial could have been the focus but I'm not sure how Black would feel about being litigated.
"This is a banishment order for all twelve states!"
"This is the sound of me telling Jasen (Exeter) to crush your skull."
Hmm... I'll work on it.
ohms_law: Hi ohms! Welcome to the party. Yep, this is my main hideout and you've stumbled on my magnus opus...or something like that. "Resurrection" is almost three years old now. It might finish by 2010.
Might.
Draco Rexus: Yes, if Tom can get focused then his anger would be a powerful weapon.
And didn't I once appoint you song master for this AAR or something? Where's "Flight of the Valkyries" or "Eye of the Tiger" or the Pokemon theme?
Fulcrumvale: Very interesting.
J. Passepartout: I'd say that if John doesn't know what's going on, he's at least figuring out the part about 'lesser of two evils.'
Stuyvesant: We'll check in on Tom in a bit. He's a bit confused right now...
Director: Well, the trial could have been the focus but I'm not sure how Black would feel about being litigated.
"This is a banishment order for all twelve states!"
"This is the sound of me telling Jasen (Exeter) to crush your skull."
Hmm... I'll work on it.
ohms_law: Hi ohms! Welcome to the party. Yep, this is my main hideout and you've stumbled on my magnus opus...or something like that. "Resurrection" is almost three years old now. It might finish by 2010.
Might.
Draco Rexus: Yes, if Tom can get focused then his anger would be a powerful weapon.
And didn't I once appoint you song master for this AAR or something? Where's "Flight of the Valkyries" or "Eye of the Tiger" or the Pokemon theme?
-= 195 =-
Maryland
September 1784
"I know you're here," Tom snarled. "Come out."
No reply. The forest around his campsite defied him simply by existing, a green curtain in every direction though a faint, sharp breeze hinted at autumn.
A squirrel entered the site and sat across the fire from him, gnawing on a shred of wood.
Heyward narrowed his gaze. He could sense when they were close, but not direction nor specifics. Could this be...? "Who are you?"
The squirrel dropped its wood shard and wrinkled its nose.
"Answer me!"
"Dear me," said a voice behind him. "He's talking to squirrels now. The poor gentleman is gone, they'll say. Next he'll fall truly low and speak with dogs."
Heyward rolled and leapt to his feet to find Bast sitting on a branch ten feet high doing a credible imitation of Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat.
"Graceful," she said. "Do you do tricks?"
"I might be tempted to try!" he snapped.
She stood, hackles rising. "Bring it, human."
He glared and the branch Bast rested on shattered. To his intense annoyance she landed on her feet.
"Impressive. Most impressive."
Tom focused on her. She deflected the 'attack' to a nearby rock which crumbled.
"You have learned much, young one. But you are not a Jedi yet."
Tom stopped short. "WHAT?"
"Hm? Oh, I read that somewhere. Poor human. You get one piece of bad news and you turn psychotic. What will the neighbors say?"
"How did you know?"
"I'm a cat. Oh, and you're going the wrong way."
"What are you talking about?"
"You need to go to Cherokee Country."
"John's in Charleston!"
"Black's in Charleston," she snapped. "Don't lose focus. But first you need to go to the chief village of the Cherokee. It's name is Echota."
"I've almost been there twice," Tom snapped. "Why would I go back?"
"Because..." Bast paused. "Because Black killed a sister of mine there, and there are clues on how you can beat him."
"Why don't you just tell me!?" he demanded.
"Sorry, that's against the rules."
"I'm making my own rules!"
Bast grinned, again bringing to mind Alice in Wonderland. "How can you do that when you don't even know the game?" Then, to his astonishment, she faded out of sight.
-----------
South Carolina
John stopped at the doorway to his bedroom and leaned on the frame. "Cassie. I thought you'd be asleep."
She turned slightly in bed, arms behind her head and smiled. "I thought you'd be home sooner."
"I'm sorry." He pushed himself off the door and past the bed to peer down at his daughter. Christiana lay curled almost into a ball, sucking noisily on her thumb but apparently far off in whatever paradise little girls dreamt in. John smiled tenderly and stroked the fuzz on her head.
"Bad night?" Cassie asked.
"I don't know, to tell the truth," John said. He adjusted Chris's blankets. "I seem to have picked up an enemy. Or someone has anyway."
He heard a flutter of movement, and turning found his wife sitting up, blanket clutched to her chin, eyes wide. "How do you mean!?" she asked harshly.
His brow lifted at her tone. "I'm all right, Cass." He lifted his chin and tugged his neck cloth loose. "I shouldn't tell you this, but I was to arrest Mark Pratchett tonight."
She nodded.
"You knew?"
"Oh no, no," she said, looking down at her hands, now clenched in her lap. "I'm not surprised though. Governor Moultrie reacts badly when men speak about him so."
"Rightly so," said John. "If he wrote that about me I would have asked for an explanation long ago. It's shabby work to say what you will and hide behind your press. But no, I think Moultrie handled this badly. What surprised me though is..." He told her about Pratchett's mysterious patron and their rooftop escape. "He got clean away from us though, jumped like a cat and twice as cunning."
"And you have no idea who ..he.. is?"
"None." Preston pulled his shirt over his head and sat down, gripping her calf through the cloth. "I don't know if he's a friend of Pratchett, or just doesn't care for me, or..."
"Or Governor Moultrie?" Cassie asked, looking up.
"I doubt it. He's not agile enough." Her jaw dropped and he grinned. "I jest. Perhaps you're right and he doesn't care for Moultrie... but he would have needed to be either in the planning meeting or the armory when we prepared. No one in that meeting could have done this, so I must have a spy within the Guard."
"A spy?"
John nodded and yawned. "A smart one. He left Pratchett behind, took his shirt and doubled back to throw us off the scent."
Cassie froze. "You saw that?"
"I saw Pratchett. I thought his heart would burst. I don't think he's moved that fast since he was a boy."
"Oh." She looked down again, twisting the blanket in her hands. "What did you do with him?"
"Nothing." John grinned and stood to get under his side of the covers.
Cassie's head whipped up. "Nothing!?"
"Nothing. I went chasing after..whoever the other man was. I wonder if he ever got down."
"But why?"
"You disapprove?" He crawled in and rolled to face her.
"No, I'm just surprised."
"Well, you don't know everything about me yet," he smiled. In truth he wasn't sure why, except John didn't trust Moultrie's idea of "making an example" of him after the hangings following Allen's rebellion.
She lay down next to him and sighed. "Hopefully it won't happen again."
"I dare say it will," John said seriously. "Moultrie's going to explode when I tell him what happened."
"Why tell him?"
"If I don't, someone else will." Preston's eyes lit up. As long as they were both awake anyway... he reached over, squeezed her breast and swept his leg onto hers.
"Ow!" She jerked away and stared at him, wide eyed.
"What's wrong!?"
Cassie blushed. "I...fell earlier. I think I bruised my knee." She shifted closer. "Just...be careful," she murmured, pulling him into a kiss.
You don't know everything about me yet either, husband.
From information found on line. This may or may not be drawn from the book about John and Edward Rutledge.
Mary Shubrick Eveleigh was the widow of Col. Nicholas Everleigh. Mary and
Edward Rutledge did not have any children. Edward wanted to marry Mary Shubrick.
His mother wanted him to marry Henrietta Middleton. He bowed to her wishes.
Edward and Henrietta had three children, Henry Middleton Rutledge, Edward
Rutledge, and Sarah "Sally" Middleton Rutledge. Henry married his cousin,
Septima Sexta Middleton. They were the founders of Rose Hill in Nashville, TN.
Edward, b. 1778 d. 1780 - burned to death at home. CJ
In a message dated 9/16/2004 11:13:26 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
KDRutledge@webtv.net writes:
Edward Rutledge (1749-1800), son of Dr. John and Sara (Hext), married
Henrietta Middleton in 1774. Children attributed to them are: i. Henry
Middleton Rutledge (1775-1844); ii. Child, not named, born 1778, died
young; iii. Sarah, (1782-1855). Never married.
Henrietta died in 1792, and Edward married Mary Shubrick Everleigh.
Edward and Mary had one child; Sarah. (Two daughters named Sarah?)
One source indicated Edward made a will, 25Sep1798, which was probated
1800. Copies of those might prove interesting. Edward died 23Jan1800.
Edward's siblings are said to be: John, Andrew, Thomas, Sarah, Hugh,
and Mary.
Kermit D. Rutledge
The text in bold is my highlight. I don't know if you were aware of this when you had Rutledge/Black and Heyward square off.
According to Wiki, Goldie Hawn is a direct descendant.
The daughters seem too young and the sster too old tobe as agile as the man in black.
Now, you go and hint that the man was in fact Cassie and clearly a woman.
Bast mentions that he needs to go to Echota. Very casually forgetting just how warm a reception the Cherokee would give General Heyward. If Heyward does ever get back to 1946,he should form a double act with Bast and take to the stage. Their comedic routine would sell out.
Mary Shubrick Eveleigh was the widow of Col. Nicholas Everleigh. Mary and
Edward Rutledge did not have any children. Edward wanted to marry Mary Shubrick.
His mother wanted him to marry Henrietta Middleton. He bowed to her wishes.
Edward and Henrietta had three children, Henry Middleton Rutledge, Edward
Rutledge, and Sarah "Sally" Middleton Rutledge. Henry married his cousin,
Septima Sexta Middleton. They were the founders of Rose Hill in Nashville, TN.
Edward, b. 1778 d. 1780 - burned to death at home. CJ
In a message dated 9/16/2004 11:13:26 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
KDRutledge@webtv.net writes:
Edward Rutledge (1749-1800), son of Dr. John and Sara (Hext), married
Henrietta Middleton in 1774. Children attributed to them are: i. Henry
Middleton Rutledge (1775-1844); ii. Child, not named, born 1778, died
young; iii. Sarah, (1782-1855). Never married.
Henrietta died in 1792, and Edward married Mary Shubrick Everleigh.
Edward and Mary had one child; Sarah. (Two daughters named Sarah?)
One source indicated Edward made a will, 25Sep1798, which was probated
1800. Copies of those might prove interesting. Edward died 23Jan1800.
Edward's siblings are said to be: John, Andrew, Thomas, Sarah, Hugh,
and Mary.
Kermit D. Rutledge
The text in bold is my highlight. I don't know if you were aware of this when you had Rutledge/Black and Heyward square off.
According to Wiki, Goldie Hawn is a direct descendant.
The daughters seem too young and the sster too old tobe as agile as the man in black.
Now, you go and hint that the man was in fact Cassie and clearly a woman.
Bast mentions that he needs to go to Echota. Very casually forgetting just how warm a reception the Cherokee would give General Heyward. If Heyward does ever get back to 1946,he should form a double act with Bast and take to the stage. Their comedic routine would sell out.
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Heyward's well down the rabbit hole now, he's in way over his head. If I was in his place I might have preferred to have been vaporized while I still had the chance. :wacko:
Fulcrumvale said:Wait, Bast can see into the future?
Well, remember how Heyward got here in the first place.
Interesting update. Heyward will take Bast's advice whether he means to or not.
I'm not sure which part I liked best, Bast's interaction with Tom or finding out that Cassie was the one sending John and his troops on a wild goose chase!
**
Music you ask for, Cat? Man, that's a toughy with you throwing comedy bits in with action/adventure scenes!
**
Music you ask for, Cat? Man, that's a toughy with you throwing comedy bits in with action/adventure scenes!
Fulcrumvale: Well...it's overly complicated in a vain effort to avoid various paradoxes postulated over the years, but let's say Bast can see 'probabilities' - remember she tells Gabe "you know what's coming," referring to the French Revolution.
Perhaps in 200 years she will talk to Lucas. Perhaps the Jedi were a brotherhood that kept order and justice in the Egyptian Old Kingdom...before the dark times...before the Empire.
Chief Ragusa: Interesting! Nope, I didn't delve that far into his history. I already felt funny pretty much wrecking his name in this AAR, I didn't want to make it worse
And yeah, strange that Bast forgot that the Cherokee won't like Tom. Maybe she just doesn't care
Judas Maccabeus: Well, Black will be happy to try and vaporize him anyway
J. Passepartout: Basically. She didn't really give him a choice.
Draco Rexus: Hmm....good point. Lessee - comedy and action adventure. How about the theme from 'The Tick'?
Perhaps in 200 years she will talk to Lucas. Perhaps the Jedi were a brotherhood that kept order and justice in the Egyptian Old Kingdom...before the dark times...before the Empire.
Chief Ragusa: Interesting! Nope, I didn't delve that far into his history. I already felt funny pretty much wrecking his name in this AAR, I didn't want to make it worse
And yeah, strange that Bast forgot that the Cherokee won't like Tom. Maybe she just doesn't care
Judas Maccabeus: Well, Black will be happy to try and vaporize him anyway
J. Passepartout: Basically. She didn't really give him a choice.
Draco Rexus: Hmm....good point. Lessee - comedy and action adventure. How about the theme from 'The Tick'?
-= 196 =-
South Carolina
September 1784
Black/Moultrie stood on the city green on a mounted platform. To his left stood the Liberty Tree, a sickly thing that (apparently) had a bad summer and now listed, its bare and knotted branches peeling bark. Normally to his right he would have invited Colonel Preston, but he wasn't sure he could be trusted. This story of a masked man jumping on rooftops... The other soldiers corroborated him, but of course they'd support their leader.
Regardless, Pratchett escaped and word was out about the attempted arrest. The faithless animals didn't approve. Well, too bad. He wouldn't need them much longer anyway. In fact, after today he could almost call it 'done.' Except for Heyward. He needed to finish off Heyward.
He stared at the rabble that passed for Carolinans, well dressed men and women fresh from church. A few talked amongst themselves and smiled. Most looked up anxiously for the latest bad news. There Preston was now, pushing his way through the crowd with his pretty wife and daughter in tow. Good.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!"
The crowd quieted. Preston eyed him intently.
"Just this morning I received a letter from Mister Pinckney in Philadelphia. It is much as we feared. Northern voices and General Heyward's lies have betrayed us."
John straightened and shot a glare along the line of faces, reading the crowd.
"To make a long note brief, they hold us responsible for our troubles. Last year's crop failure is our fault. Slave uprisings are our fault. Indian raids are our fault. General Heyward's betrayal and that of General Allen? Our fault. Though unsaid, their tone makes clear that any other state would not be suffering so."
"Fie! That's not true, Governor Moultrie!" a woman protested. He held up his hand for silence.
"No, it's not true. It gives us insight into their minds however. It tells us what they think of the Jewel of the South. It tells us they value the words of traitors and men far from here to our own reports. It tells us that when we pleaded to them for justice, they sneered and turned away just like Parliament all those years ago."
Anxiety yielded to anger. Moultrie held up his hands. He had to guide them carefully. Very carefully.
"As you may have guessed, they have denied our request to bring General Heyward home to question his conduct in the Indian war and the attempted murder of Edward Rutledge. They do not believe us capable of a fair hearing!" He pointed at Preston. "They do not believe you capable of a fair investigation!"
"Rot them!" cried a man, causing several ladies to flush and glare.
"God willing I'm sure," Black purred. "Now I have a seperate letter from Philadelphia. They tell us General Heyward escaped or was kidnapped! Fie! They let him go. They let him go knowing he would try to return and harm us all! I warrant he's on the way here now with his black heart bent on revenge. Then they have the nerve to ask me to go there to answer questions about our conduct! When did South Carolina go on trial?"
He had them. He could feel it.
"Now we must ask a terrible question, not unlike the one we made eleven years ago and it is this. If this union does not serve Carolinan interests then why should we stay? If Philadelphia will not answer to justice or reason, then are we better off forging our own destiny? I say we are!"
Some anxiety came back, eyes darted to the twelve starred flag next to the Church.
"Will there be a war?" asked a woman.
"There will not, for everyone knows northmen are cowards. They will squawk. They will even threaten. In the end they will realize their Articles do not allow it. Indeed, I would not be surprised if others follow our example and the union simply ends." Which is the plan.
John flinched at Cassie's terrible grip on his hand. He gradually squeezed harder to even out the pressure. She looked up at him and flushed.
Black grinned. "I call for an emergency meeting of the state assembly at nine in the morning tomorrow to address this question. You are welcome to attend and see justice done!"
Thee's a lot of rotting going on in South Carolina.
General Heyward, man of steel, is going to fly in and wreak havoc. One man against a state that wants to put him on a show trial at best or lynch him at worst. What Heyward should be doing, murderous savage that he is, is organise the Cherokee to attack South Carolina. Oh wait, that's what Black's Indian Agent is trying to set up right now.
There were no Indian raids, just Blacks duo. Congress did not deny Heyward's extradition, he'd gone before they could decide.
It would seem that the Carolina federation is a foregone conclusion, though without Virgina's support. The Carolinas secede and notify Congress. Black thinks Congress will simply bluster. How long has he been amongst humans? It's not long enough.
It has been overlooked but the US Army (5th) in South Carolina is a Federal and not a state force and Heyward has not been suspended from Federal military service. If the Indians attacked, the 5th would be sent to the frontier with such state militia as Black distrusted and all to be slaughtered to a man, leaving Black with his state militia all alone and in charge. Is Cherokee a US allied or vassal state?
The flurry of diplomatic activity as Congress seeks the remaining states to ratify a new Constitution and North and South Carolina's state assemblies try to work out theirs.
Throw a Union army into North Carolina to help those who want to keep the state part of the US and (pardon the UK series catchphrase) S.I.G.(Spectrum is Green)!
General Heyward, man of steel, is going to fly in and wreak havoc. One man against a state that wants to put him on a show trial at best or lynch him at worst. What Heyward should be doing, murderous savage that he is, is organise the Cherokee to attack South Carolina. Oh wait, that's what Black's Indian Agent is trying to set up right now.
There were no Indian raids, just Blacks duo. Congress did not deny Heyward's extradition, he'd gone before they could decide.
It would seem that the Carolina federation is a foregone conclusion, though without Virgina's support. The Carolinas secede and notify Congress. Black thinks Congress will simply bluster. How long has he been amongst humans? It's not long enough.
It has been overlooked but the US Army (5th) in South Carolina is a Federal and not a state force and Heyward has not been suspended from Federal military service. If the Indians attacked, the 5th would be sent to the frontier with such state militia as Black distrusted and all to be slaughtered to a man, leaving Black with his state militia all alone and in charge. Is Cherokee a US allied or vassal state?
The flurry of diplomatic activity as Congress seeks the remaining states to ratify a new Constitution and North and South Carolina's state assemblies try to work out theirs.
Throw a Union army into North Carolina to help those who want to keep the state part of the US and (pardon the UK series catchphrase) S.I.G.(Spectrum is Green)!
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Goody, a war. I propose Heyward become the next strongman, because that's pretty much the only way back, a good guy strongarms South Carolina back into good governance. And then it can proceed as normally.
I have to agree with Judas, South Carolina succeeding? How shocking!
The question is, now what? Will the north march south? I hate to agree with Black, but I don't think the Articles (or the current interpertation of 'em) will allow that. Will the rest of the Confederation fall apart into petty independents, just waiting to be scarfed back up by the British? I fear that might happen as well. Although that would also ruin Black's plans so I don't think it will happen. Will Tom survive his jaunt into Cherokee territory, learn what he needs to off Black, successfully make into the Carolinas, and take out Black and successfully heal the former colonies to the point where they become the United States? Most certain... but how painful will that be for those involved is what's going to make for awesome reading!
The question is, now what? Will the north march south? I hate to agree with Black, but I don't think the Articles (or the current interpertation of 'em) will allow that. Will the rest of the Confederation fall apart into petty independents, just waiting to be scarfed back up by the British? I fear that might happen as well. Although that would also ruin Black's plans so I don't think it will happen. Will Tom survive his jaunt into Cherokee territory, learn what he needs to off Black, successfully make into the Carolinas, and take out Black and successfully heal the former colonies to the point where they become the United States? Most certain... but how painful will that be for those involved is what's going to make for awesome reading!