Castles in the Sky (or The Wild, Wild West) – A Colorado AAR

[Wenis]

Are you sure they were alowed to take the house?

That would be a bad way to lose a job.

[Director]

I remember an incident from the middle 80's where a couple returned home from vacation to find their house gone. Seems the housenappers knew they were going away for a couple of weeks, rented the equipment, listed the house out to the countryside and looted it - furnishings, copper pipe, everything. Never did hear if the police caught anyone.

[Rensslaer]

In the meantime, we're sure the new updates will be worth the wait... *sips some cranberry juice and sits back*

Oh, they should be! I just need to find time to direct to writing fiction again. Btw, I recommended your Hussite Lament story to someone in OT who is planning a trip to Prague!

So, Hamilton has secured himself the tepid support of Tecumseh and his power. Great AAR Rens, glad I caught it before it got too deep.

Thank you very much, Estonianzulu! And welcome! I appreciate your interest. Sorry it's so slow in coming right now. Job search comes first... And EU 3. I'm glad you're along for the ride -- I'll try to get something up soon.

Okay mister Rensslear, I have read through this. I originally started because I noticed in your sig. it said "Now Updating!!!", and yet I see no update. Shame on you sir. I would think, after your editing posts, that you would recognize this as "Falser Advertising!!!"

Okay, I through funnin ya. So far I have found your premise intriging. Your writing has been great. Your characters well fleshed out. That letter from Burr to his daughter, whew. I hope to see more updates and less promises in the future.

Yes, well... "Updating" turned out to be 2 updates. And I have another 3 on the way... Just need to finish writing them. I really love this story, and it deserves more attention than I'm giving it. I just have so much tugging at my attention, and my morale, right now. Thanks for your kind comments! Welcome!

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MORE ! !

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Soon! Thanks for your ever-present support, Ghost!

Are you sure they were alowed to take the house?

That would be a bad way to lose a job.

Yeah... That would be bad! Well, it wasn't one of MY houses! It would be difficult to fit one of those $3-12 million homes onto a flatbed. By coincidence, I was a guest for a party at a home in that community just last week. We looked out the window to see how far away their neighbors were, and were surprised to find they were relatively close... Then we realized that was just the rest of THEIR house!

I remember an incident from the middle 80's where a couple returned home from vacation to find their house gone. Seems the housenappers knew they were going away for a couple of weeks, rented the equipment, listed the house out to the countryside and looted it - furnishings, copper pipe, everything. Never did hear if the police caught anyone.

Wow! A friend of mine told me a story -- I think this may have been the 1966 or 1976 flood here in Denver, but I may be confusing it with a flood from somewhere else -- where the flood waters picked up a church, and people watched it float down the street, where the floodwaters set it down in a vacant lot, just as if it belonged there! They decided just to leave it. I think it was actually where they'd already bought the land, and meant to move it by truck! No need!

Thanks everybody for your continuing interest in this story, despite the speed of molasses! I'll see if I can get back to this soon.

Rensslaer

[Estonianzulu]

Thank you very much, Estonianzulu! And welcome! I appreciate your interest. Sorry it's so slow in coming right now. Job search comes first... And EU 3. I'm glad you're along for the ride -- I'll try to get something up soon.

Rensslaer

No worries, we can't all be Hurricane Amric. Let's me catch up on all the other AAR's I should be reading

[Ayeshteni]

Bulleted.

Ayeshteni

[Rensslaer]

No worries, we can't all be Hurricane Amric. Let's me catch up on all the other AAR's I should be reading

Hurricane Amric, eh? That explains why I quickly found myself pages behind when I started reading his Genghis Khan story from the very beginning... Still catching up!

Bulleted.

Ayeshteni

Great! Thanks for stopping by, Dear Sir!

Rensslaer

[Hajji Giray I]

Oh, they should be! I just need to find time to direct to writing fiction again. Btw, I recommended your Hussite Lament story to someone in OT who is planning a trip to Prague!

Really? (blushes) Why thanks ... though maybe I should add the caveat that I've never been to Prague . Mysteries are buckets of fun to write by the way!

For me the hardest part of finding time is always finding time to sit down, with a keyboard. I often plot out the next moves in my short stories, AAR, or even lectures to a rather wrongheaded friend of mine, while vacuuming, waiting at a bus stop, trying to get to sleep, setting the dinner table ... okay, that could just be obsessive. With a minimal attempt at memorization, it's even possible to recall catchy phrases or lines of dialogue for my characters to say. But all too often the problem is quite simply finding the time to actually get all that stuff out of my head. Hope the searches go well for a job, and for your free time, but as you can see quite a few of us will be here whenever you manage to update this AAR.

That church-flood story blows my mind The old writer's adage: The difference between truth and fiction is that fiction has to be believable...!

[Rensslaer]

Thanks to everybody who has been reading this story, and keeping the thread active!

I hope to have an update posted within the next day or two, BUT...

Fair Warning: There are elements to the upcoming scenes which draw closely from history, and which some of you -- those who may be familiar with more obscure points of US History -- may recognize the situation.

Discussing implications of the scene upon the story as it has already been described are fine -- and are certainly encouraged!

But I would ask that you not post indications -- spoilers -- of your inside knowledge of history, as it may well ruin the suspense for others.

All will become clear in time, but these scenes are very carefully crafted (I hope!) to make the most of suspense and the fog of war...

That said... Watch this space!

Rensslaer

[Sir Humphrey]

Throws arms up into the air. Sweet.

[Rensslaer]

Stepping from the bright sunshine into the deep darkness of the Marietta Outfitters, General Hamilton removed his riding gloves. He blinked and just stood there, waiting for his eyes to adjust as Col. Van Rensselaer slipped in behind him and closed the door.

Fortunately, Hamilton’s dark blue uniform was generally unsullied, as in winter there was no campaign dust. Nevertheless, he gave it an unconscious pat, as if to ready it for an introduction to someone.

“Welcome, General,” came a voice – strong, but somehow tentative in tone, as if wondering what to expect from two gold-braided officers.

Gradually, the man came into focus. A husky, relatively tall man in a white linen shirt. He was sizing them up, squinting to see their insignia clearly.

“General Hamilton,” he said, “unless I miss my guess.” Their lack of United States emblems would indicate a private army. He was rounding the counter, and moving toward the officers. Extending his hand, he offered, “I’m Garrett Brown, proprietor.”

“A pleasure, Mister Brown,” Hamilton said, and then Rensselaer introduced himself. Only now did Hamilton recognize two lanky, plain-dressed men from the other end of the store. They were gawking, at first glance, but then ducked behind a shelf.

“What may I do for you gentlemen?” Brown asked.

“If you know who I am,” the General said, “then you know what I am about.” Hamilton had led his army overland thus far, but warmer weather had drawn him back to the Ohio River, in hopes that it might speed his travel. “I would like to ask your opinion on the passability of the river, now that the weather has broken. And whether there might be boats enough for my army.”

Brown seemed to consider for a moment. “Welp…,” he said, and drew a breath. He didn’t immediately go on.

“May I take that to mean there are not enough boats?” Rensselaer jibed, good naturedly.

Hamilton’s razor-sharp gaze remained focused on the seriousness of his need.

Brown seemed doubtful. “You’d have to check with Blennerhassett. He has some boats. And there are more under construction, but they’re tied up in contract to him.”

“Blennerhassett?” Hamilton asked. “He is a local businessman?”

Brown halted, just as he was about to say something, and shaded his eyes as the two other shoppers slipped through the door behind Rensselaer and into the glare of the street. “Harman Blennerhassett,” he explained, once the distraction was past, “is a businessman, of sorts. He has an estate, and all his dealings, set on the island in the middle of the river. He owns the whole place – the whole island. He’s an eccentric man. But he’s the richest man in town, and probably the only man who can help you.”

“I was hoping that you might be of some help, too,” Hamilton probed. “As to provisioning my army. I realize that a force of four thousand men is entirely beyond your means, but… To what degree can you assist?”

Brown looked abashed. Spreading his arms helplessly, he said, “I would be far more able to help, except that our normal resupply boat has not come through. We’re having trouble restocking, as it is. And we’re having to reach into the last of our winter stores.”

Rensselaer tried to be helpful. “We came, partly, along the river. Much of it was blocked with ice…”

“Oh, that happens every year. That might explain a delay of as much of a week, but this has been a fortnight now. It’s never been this late, even when they had to carry the boat past the blockages on their shoulders. Never, I should say…” he corrected, “without Indian trouble.”

“We had no…” Hamilton also corrected himself. “Well, little trouble passing through the Shawnee lands. Having spoken to both Tecumseh and Black Hoof, I was relatively sure things would be quite all right.”

From his expression, Hamilton’s estimation in Brown’s eyes must have just jumped several notches.

“Sol,” Hamilton turned to Rensselaer. “We’ll need to arrange for hunting and foraging parties. Please see to that immediately.”

“Of course, General. I will get right to it.” He expressed his gratitude to Garrett Brown, and then stepped out the door.

Hamilton’s searching eyes scanned the store’s shelves, feeding mental calculations. “Those two men who were here…” Suddenly his eyes were on Brown. “Were they Blennerhasset’s men?”

Brown’s eyebrows rose defensively. “Ahh…. Yes. I thought about stopping them, but… Blennerhasset isn’t hard to find.” He added, “He should be here before long. He stops by every morning, to see how his orders are proceeding. It’ll be sooner, rather than later. Well before noon.”

“Very well…” A puzzled look crossed Hamilton’s face. He had opened his mouth in preparation for another query when…

The room was suddenly invaded by both cold and blinding light. Both men recoiled from the door, and raised arms to protect their eyes.

The shadow in the doorway resolved into the form of a young boy with a crazed expression. “Mister Brown! There’s a man by the river! Washed up. He’s dead!” The men were too stunned to react immediately, but upon seeing Hamilton, the boy added, “I think he’s a soldier!”

Brown and Hamilton exchanged a look of alarm. With an absent-minded word of thanks to the boy, Hamilton quickly brushed past him and down the steps.

[grayghost]

Very nicely written. You did a good job describing that harsh winter glare that can invade a darkened room. I consider descriptive narrative to be well done when I can easily picture myself in the depicted surroundings. When you can feel the gloomy chill of the weather, when you can easily picture that glaring sun in a winter sky, well, the narrative becomes outstanding.

I guess what I am trying to say is good job.

So far I have noticed no obscure historical references, but I am looking. Might have missed something there, but I dont think so.

[Morpheus506]

Blennerhassett! Aha! I recognize him from my GTA piece way back when. Jolly fun name he has, eh?

[Quirinus308]

An update yea

Now, I am not one of those fellows who knows a little bit about the story you are working off of, so I must now scurry away to Wikipedia and see what I can find.

Oh yeah, great update

Q

[GhostWriter]

Rensslaer: ...but upon seeing Hamilton, the boy added, “I think he’s a soldier!”

hmmm. General Hamilton negotiated safe passage for his men (only.) this 'soldier' could be with the resupply "boat people" who may have a history of malice toward the Indians...

of course, the Indians could have been slightly hungry ! !

with that thought in mind, how much food did General Hamilton and company obtain (if any) from the Indians ? ?

Rensslaer: ...Brown and Hamilton exchanged a look of alarm...

i also do not recognize this part of history, and i suspect that i won't... time will tell.

it seems that General Hamilton needs to ascertain the unit of that soldier ! !

excellent update ! !

[Ayeshteni]

The plot thickens.

look forward to increasing my knowledge of obscure American history.

Ayeshteni

[Lord E]

A new update, wonderful. I see the plot thickens indeed, there is much going on here that I don’t recognize or fully understand, so I look forward to see what will happen in the next updates

[Rensslaer]

Throws arms up into the air. Sweet.

Thanks! Great to see the old crew still reading!

Very nicely written. You did a good job describing that harsh winter glare that can invade a darkened room. I consider descriptive narrative to be well done when I can easily picture myself in the depicted surroundings. When you can feel the gloomy chill of the weather, when you can easily picture that glaring sun in a winter sky, well, the narrative becomes outstanding. I guess what I am trying to say is good job.

High praise! Thanks!

Blennerhassett! Aha! I recognize him from my GTA piece way back when. Jolly fun name he has, eh?

Indeed! But careful not to say too much... Shh!!!

An update yea! Now, I am not one of those fellows who knows a little bit about the story you are working off of, so I must now scurry away to Wikipedia and see what I can find. Oh yeah, great update. Q

I'm sure Wikipedia has much to say on this, and Morpheus did a well-written piece on the plot-in-question in the Guess the Author challenge. But what's the fun in reading ahead?! Sit back and enjoy, with or without foreknowledge.

hmmm. General Hamilton negotiated safe passage for his men (only.) this 'soldier' could be with the resupply "boat people" who may have a history of malice toward the Indians...

Exactly!

]of course, [B]the Indians could have been slightly hungry ! !

with that thought in mind, how much food did General Hamilton and company obtain (if any) from the Indians ? ?

Ick! I'm sure Hamilton would have availed his party of anything the Indians were willing to trade. They're carrying stores, foraging and hunting along the way, and buying/trading for more anyplace they can. Keeping an army fed in the field is always a challenge!

The plot thickens. look forward to increasing my knowledge of obscure American history. Ayeshteni

Great to see you! Hamilton was a friend of Scots. I think I welcomed you earlier, while I was still on hiatus, but if not, Welcome!

A new update, wonderful. I see the plot thickens indeed, there is much going on here that I don’t recognize or fully understand, so I look forward to see what will happen in the next updates

Welcome, Lord E! All will become clear, in time... Based on, but improving upon, history.

Going to try to get the next update up in the next few hours. I have 5 scenes (counting the last one) carefully sketched out, though not 100% written. Just a few more touches...

Thanks everybody!

Rensslaer

[Morpheus506]

I'm sure Wikipedia has much to say on this, and Morpheus did a well-written piece on the plot-in-question in the Guess the Author challenge.

You flatter me, sir.

[stnylan]

An update! Superb!

And a mystery as well - who is this man, what is the cause? What nefarious goings on take place on this island (I take it as given that any man who owns an island in the middle of a river with a boating fleet is up to no good). And what will Hamilton do about it all? Can't wait.

[Draco Rexus]

Better late than never, I catch the latest post and find myself once more on the edge of my seat and awed by your writing, Renss.

I am intrigued as to how this is going to move forward. I see a possible show down in three different factions, and each possible outcome boggles the mind. I simply beg you not to leave us hanging for much longer!