Circumnavigation 88: From Bad to Worse

[C James]

From Bad to Worse is up.

 

Don't worry about the title; though it might sound ominous, it might mean something utterly unrelated.

 

BTW, I normally release the title of the next chapter in the thread mid-week, but in this case, I can't, because it would be a bit of a spoiler. However, this is nothing to worry about. It doesn't mean it's something ominous. In fact, I can safely mention that this chapter, like every other, as been certified as entirely cliffhanger free, including by our resident frog, MikeL.

 

CJ

[MikeL]

Bogus goat!

[Benji]

From Bad to Worse is up.

 

Don't worry about the title; though it might sound ominous, it might mean something utterly unrelated.

 

BTW, I normally release the title of the next chapter in the thread mid-week, but in this case, I can't, because it would be a bit of a spoiler. However, this is nothing to worry about. It doesn't mean it's something ominous. In fact, I can safely mention that this chapter, like every other, as been certified as entirely cliffhanger free, including by our resident frog, MikeL.

 

CJ

 

................ Plenty of mentions of beheading here in this chapter! So I wonder how long Trevor and Shane will be gone from the Kookaburra when they adventure into inner Australia? Will their boat be spotted by an aircraft, and a visit by errr....... a certain visitor come aboard? I still think the hit-man will get the wrong target, perhaps another hapless thief coming off the Kookaburra at the wrong place wrong time? Nice chapter goat, laid out Trevor's concern a bit too nicely, Martin was unfazed by the revelation which leads me to believe he knew ahead of time Fowler and Martin talk a lot to each other a lot!

 

Oh BTW, By NOT releasing the title of the next chapter I deem it worthy of a cliffhanger!

Edited August 24, 2011 by Benji

[MartyS]

Oh BTW, By NOT releasing the title of the next chapter I deem it worthy of a cliffhanger!

 

I completely agree.

 

PS Thanks for an interesting chapter

[TalonRider]

The title to the next chapter isn't a cliffhanger to me. I know what it is.

[C James]

Bogus goat!

 

Bogus how??? :blink:

 

................ Plenty of mentions of beheading here in this chapter! So I wonder how long Trevor and Shane will be gone from the Kookaburra when they adventure into inner Australia? Will their boat be spotted by an aircraft, and a visit by errr....... a certain visitor come aboard? I still think the hit-man will get the wrong target, perhaps another hapless thief coming off the Kookaburra at the wrong place wrong time? Nice chapter goat, laid out Trevor's concern a bit too nicely, Martin was unfazed by the revelation which leads me to believe he knew ahead of time Fowler and Martin talk a lot to each other a lot!

 

Oh BTW, By NOT releasing the title of the next chapter I deem it worthy of a cliffhanger!

 

Hrmmm!

 

A case of mistaken identity? Encountering some hapless soul who bears a resemblance to Trevor and Taking the wrong head? Interesting, but what are the chances that any random, so far unknown thief would be there right at that instant AND look like Trevor? That would be one heck of a set of coincidences...

 

And Benji, how can not releasing the chapter title be a cliffy? :blink: It's just the the wording gives away something that happens. It's not a bad thing, just an event...

 

The title to the next chapter isn't a cliffhanger to me. I know what it is.

 

Yep!

 

See? Talonrider confirms that it's not a cliffhanger!!!!

 

I completely agree.

 

PS Thanks for an interesting chapter

 

It's not a cliffhanger!

 

We don't know where Basingstoke is going, but at least we now know where he is, which we didn't before, so it's sort of an anti-cliffhanger.

 

We do know that Basingstoke is heading for either Carnarvon Bay, Tasmania, or Carnarvon, Western Australia, but there was a 50-50 chance he's choose Tasmania with his coin toss.

 

CJ

[MartyS]

.

We do know that Basingstoke is heading for either Carnarvon Bay, Tasmania, or Carnarvon, Western Australia, but there was a 50-50 chance he's choose Tasmania with his coin toss

 

It sure does not look like he is headed South on that course.

[C James]

.

 

 

It sure does not look like he is headed South on that course.

 

Perhaps he's just a really bad navigator?

[Benji]

Perhaps he's just a really bad navigator?

 

.............Wait a minute, his stop is at Halls Creek and the 2nd stop is Newman, It certainly looks like he is heading south to me and then headed to Carnarvon!

Edited August 25, 2011 by Benji

[MartyS]

.............Wait a minute, his stop is at Halls Creek and the 2nd stop is Newman, It certainly looks like he is heading south to me and then headed to Carnarvon!

 

Hi Benji,

 

The route he is traveling is not toward Carnarvon Bay, Tasmania.

 

Marty

[Low Flyer]

.............Wait a minute, his stop is at Halls Creek and the 2nd stop is Newman, It certainly looks like he is heading south to me and then headed to Carnarvon!

 

Yes, he's heading directly for Carnarvon - the one in Western Australia, that is.

 

The one where Trevor is!!!

[thephoenix]

Yes, he's heading directly for Carnarvon - the one in Western Australia, that is.

 

The one where Trevor is!!!

 

which means this is a cliffhanger!

[C James]

.............Wait a minute, his stop is at Halls Creek and the 2nd stop is Newman, It certainly looks like he is heading south to me and then headed to Carnarvon!

 

Hi Benji,

The route he is traveling is not toward Carnarvon Bay, Tasmania.

Marty

 

Yes, he's heading directly for Carnarvon - the one in Western Australia, that is.

The one where Trevor is!!!

 

which means this is a cliffhanger!

 

Okay, all of you, relax!! You're just jumping to conclusions! We've known for a while that Basingstoke had a 50-50 chance of going to the wrong place, so all was well... and, in this case, he'd need to head southeast to get to Tasmania, but he's heading southwest. We can't rule out that he's just a poor navigator, or just wants to take the scenic route...

 

Also, a note to low flyer; if you line up Halls Creek and Newman, and extend the line past Newman, you don't hit Carmarvon! You'd come out on Shark Bay, at Hamelin Pool, and if you kept going a little more, you'd hit Rhys Lagoon, but not Carnarvon, so no worries.

 

Besides, as Martin Blake mentioned, Kookaburra is fairly safe in Shark Bay, and the main danger would be being spotted from the air. Now where would Basingstoke get a plane?

 

See? Nothing to worry about!

[Benji]

Okay, all of you, relax!! You're just jumping to conclusions! We've known for a while that Basingstoke had a 50-50 chance of going to the wrong place, so all was well... and, in this case, he'd need to head southeast to get to Tasmania, but he's heading southwest. We can't rule out that he's just a poor navigator, or just wants to take the scenic route...

 

Also, a note to low flyer; if you line up Halls Creek and Newman, and extend the line past Newman, you don't hit Carmarvon! You'd come out on Shark Bay, at Hamelin Pool, and if you kept going a little more, you'd hit Rhys Lagoon, but not Carnarvon, so no worries.

 

Besides, as Martin Blake mentioned, Kookaburra is fairly safe in Shark Bay, and the main danger would be being spotted from the air. Now where would Basingstoke get a plane?

 

See? Nothing to worry about!

 

.................. Nice try goat but Trevor and Shane are leaving the area and why would Basingstokes head any where near Rye's cove? (BTW, WTF is a name like Basingstoke?) He has not flown over the water as of yet, only inland which means he has no idea what he is looking for. His interest is only in two locations, and by the lucky flip of a coin he is brought closer to Trevor in Carnarvorn. By the time he gets info intel on the subject he is hunting, Trevor and Shane will be long gone. But Kline will not be, and will be the lead into the assassins target. Minus a few fingers or toes I'm sure, I'll be disappointed if he does not offer Kline a skydiving lesson in his thanks for the information.

[C James]

.................. Nice try goat but Trevor and Shane are leaving the area and why would Basingstokes head any where near Rye's cove? (BTW, WTF is a name like Basingstoke?) He has not flown over the water as of yet, only inland which means he has no idea what he is looking for. His interest is only in two locations, and by the lucky flip of a coin he is brought closer to Trevor in Carnarvorn. By the time he gets info intel on the subject he is hunting, Trevor and Shane will be long gone. But Kline will not be, and will be the lead into the assassins target. Minus a few fingers or toes I'm sure, I'll be disappointed if he does not offer Kline a skydiving lesson in his thanks for the information.

 

You're right, Trevor and Shane could well be long gone by the time Basingstoke gets better intel... assuming he even actually goes to Carnarvon, WA, and not Tasmania. See? Nothing to worry about, so no cliffhanger, right?

 

Basingstoke is just the name he's known to Sanchez and a few others by. In his business, he probably changes names more than socks. I referred to him at first as "the man known to some as Basingstoke" but for simplicity, in the narration, I now just call him Basingstoke. Sanchez is similar; that's just an alias, too.

[storymonger]

I'm sure it's been talked to death, but what's the working theory on Fowler's wife, Shelly? I mean, she just happens to make Key Lime Pie? She seems very involved in the case. Furthermore, in Chapter 81 Trevor mentions that he's always loved the name Shelly. Why does he love that name? Shelly also refers to it as fate that brought Trevor to her "doorstep." Is the belief that it's his mother or that they know one another/are related? Maybe it's all just a Red Herring?

 

Personally, it feels a little too "neat" but this story is fairly lighthearted, generally speaking, so my assumption would be the tendency to wrap up with a bow, which leads me to think everyone is connected.

 

Sorry to dredge it up, but I'm new to this story and throwing out thoughts.

Edited August 29, 2011 by storymonger

[Low Flyer]

... this story is fairly lighthearted, generally speaking, ...

 

Absolutely. There can't have been more than half a dozen attempts on the hero's life so far...

[storymonger]

Absolutely. There can't have been more than half a dozen attempts on the hero's life so far...

 

I mean no disrespect. I do stand by my words that overall the tone is fairly light. While there is a backdrop of danger and there have been some psychological consequences for Trevor, none of the main teen protagonists have died and if I were a betting man would say it's overall unlikely to happen.

 

Tone is relative, and this story would rate higher on the "real danger" scale compared to the Hardy Boys, but I can also name lots of mystery stories that go much darker. Which, given the teen characters this series is focused on, I would say isn't, nor should be, the intent.

 

All that said, the comment was largely a contextual throw away around the role of Shelly/Rachel in the overall story arc anyway, which I think's more interesting than debating tone.

[Low Flyer]

I mean no disrespect. I do stand by my words that overall the tone is fairly light. While there is a backdrop of danger and there have been some psychological consequences for Trevor, none of the main teen protagonists have died and if I were a betting man would say it's overall unlikely to happen.

 

Tone is relative, and this story would rate higher on the "real danger" scale compared to the Hardy Boys, but I can also name lots of mystery stories that go much darker. Which, given the teen characters this series is focused on, I would say isn't, nor should be, the intent.

 

All that said, the comment was largely a contextual throw away around the role of Shelly/Rachel in the overall story arc anyway, which I think's more interesting than debating tone.

 

Sorry, I was joking - you're entirely entitled to your opinion. I tend to agree that none of the teenage protagonists is likely to meet an unpleasant end, but you have to admit - the journey from the Suez Canal to Australia was a little tense at times... There were times when I seriously wondered whether CJ would risk the wrath of his readers by drowning Trevor.

 

By the way, by "a little tense" I in no way wish to imply that any of the chapters may have ended in cliffhangers. CJ's made it very clear that he doesn't use them and who am I to doubt him?

 

As for the identity of Trevor's mother, who knows? Have you looked in the Brainstorming thread? There's a bunch of speculation there. I'm avoiding it in case it gives anything away, but there's probably something there about his mum.

[storymonger]

I tend to agree that none of the teenage protagonists is likely to meet an unpleasant end, but you have to admit - the journey from the Suez Canal to Australia was a little tense at times... There were times when I seriously wondered whether CJ would risk the wrath of his readers by drowning Trevor.

I agree with you. The sun certainly went down on the Indian Ocean. I also think some of the stuff written from Ali's perspective was pretty gruesome compared with the overall story. I'd imagine we're going to see an even darker side of Sanchez as well, since he's now taken a personal interest in ending Trevor's life and has far more resources to expend. He could abandon it after Bridget is taken care of, but somehow I don't see him willing to stop there.

 

If there's consequences, it will be from Sanchez's endgame. Bridget may be cold-hearted, but Sanchez and the Cartel will be heartless.

 

By the way, by "a little tense" I in no way wish to imply that any of the chapters may have ended in cliffhangers. CJ's made it very clear that he doesn't use them and who am I to doubt him?

There are no cliffhangers if you read the story all at once! It's your own fault for reading it as a serial publication!

 

As for the identity of Trevor's mother, who knows? Have you looked in the Brainstorming thread? There's a bunch of speculation there. I'm avoiding it in case it gives anything away, but there's probably something there about his mum.

 

I will head over there. Edited August 29, 2011 by storymonger

[TalonRider]

If you've ever noticed, when it comes to CJ's stories, none of the younger protagonists have died. Sure, they've been injured. It's usually the antagonists that end up dead.

[Zombie]

WTF is a name like Basingstoke?

It's the name of a moderately grim town in UK. According to this Google hit it sounds like a perfect place for our friendly assassin to spend a few days relaxing after he's despatched Trevor

 

"Basingstoke, Hampshire. A squalid, ugly, uncomfortable place, an intolerant, racist, homophobic, narrow-minded, authoritarian rat-hole, run by vicious, suburban-minded materialistic philistines. A spiritual and moral emptiness of a way of life based on greed and rampant egomania. Care has no place and tolerance is regarded as a dangerous weakness."

 

 

I agree with you. The sun certainly went down on the Indian Ocean. I also think some of the stuff written from Ali's perspective was pretty gruesome compared with the overall story. I'd imagine we're going to see an even darker side of Sanchez as well, since he's now taken a personal interest in ending Trevor's life and has far more resources to expend.

 

What, even darker than Sanchez's entertaining little party in ch84? ("Sanchez’s gun spoke twice, the rounds slamming into Alvarez’s stomach ... Taking careful aim, Sanchez put a bullet in each of Alvarez’s knees, shattering his kneecaps, evoking screams of agony from Alvarez ... Smiling with satisfaction and feeling the warm sensation in his stomach, he rejoined his party, where he would sit and relax, chatting amiably with his people, as Alvarez took an agonizing hour to die.")

 

Gulp

 

There are no cliffhangers if you read the story all at once! It's your own fault for reading it as a serial publication!

 

So you won't be reading weekly cliffhanging instalments as a serial from now on then

[C James]

I'm sure it's been talked to death, but what's the working theory on Fowler's wife, Shelly? I mean, she just happens to make Key Lime Pie? She seems very involved in the case. Furthermore, in Chapter 81 Trevor mentions that he's always loved the name Shelly. Why does he love that name? Shelly also refers to it as fate that brought Trevor to her "doorstep." Is the belief that it's his mother or that they know one another/are related? Maybe it's all just a Red Herring?

 

Personally, it feels a little too "neat" but this story is fairly lighthearted, generally speaking, so my assumption would be the tendency to wrap up with a bow, which leads me to think everyone is connected.

 

Sorry to dredge it up, but I'm new to this story and throwing out thoughts.

 

I'm very constrained as to what I can say (I can't give spoilers) but I can say that there won't be any wild coincidences when all is explained (I hate coincidences). And BTW, we get all the mysteries solved and explained on (story time) dec 17th, which is coming up fast (It's well into December in the story already).

 

Sorry, I was joking - you're entirely entitled to your opinion. I tend to agree that none of the teenage protagonists is likely to meet an unpleasant end, but you have to admit - the journey from the Suez Canal to Australia was a little tense at times... There were times when I seriously wondered whether CJ would risk the wrath of his readers by drowning Trevor.

 

By the way, by "a little tense" I in no way wish to imply that any of the chapters may have ended in cliffhangers. CJ's made it very clear that he doesn't use them and who am I to doubt him?

 

As for the identity of Trevor's mother, who knows? Have you looked in the Brainstorming thread? There's a bunch of speculation there. I'm avoiding it in case it gives anything away, but there's probably something there about his mum.

 

When that chapter of Trevor's pirate encounter posted, a lot of people did think he was a gonner. I've got the hate mail to prove it.

 

 

If you've ever noticed, when it comes to CJ's stories, none of the younger protagonists have died. Sure, they've been injured. It's usually the antagonists that end up dead.

 

Hrmmm? At least one of my short stories ends in death for the protagonist (and I can think of at least one where he's a teen). But, you're right as far as novels go... Hrmmm... but for how long?

 

It's the name of a moderately grim town in UK. According to this Google hit it sounds like a perfect place for our friendly assassin to spend a few days relaxing after he's despatched Trevor

 

"Basingstoke, Hampshire. A squalid, ugly, uncomfortable place, an intolerant, racist, homophobic, narrow-minded, authoritarian rat-hole, run by vicious, suburban-minded materialistic philistines. A spiritual and moral emptiness of a way of life based on greed and rampant egomania. Care has no place and tolerance is regarded as a dangerous weakness."

 

What, even darker than Sanchez's entertaining little party in ch84? ("Sanchez’s gun spoke twice, the rounds slamming into Alvarez’s stomach ... Taking careful aim, Sanchez put a bullet in each of Alvarez’s knees, shattering his kneecaps, evoking screams of agony from Alvarez ... Smiling with satisfaction and feeling the warm sensation in his stomach, he rejoined his party, where he would sit and relax, chatting amiably with his people, as Alvarez took an agonizing hour to die.")

 

Gulp

 

So you won't be reading weekly cliffhanging instalments as a serial from now on then

 

Well, okay, so we did see that perhaps Sanchez's calling in life isn't being the perfect host of fun cocktail parties... but maybe he'll get better with practice.

 

As for Basingstoke, Hampshire... I've been there. I was only there for half a day, and it was a few years ago (I was driving from London to Cornwall after a late transatlantic flight that got in late, and needed somewhere to stay that wasn't too far from London) and it seemed okay to me... (admittedly, only being there for half a day, it could have been horrible and I wouldn't know) and it had what I thought was an awesome restaurant (I love UK Indian food! Yum!!!) Other than that, I don't remember too much about it... except I did end up going the wrong direction for a bit when I left, after getting confused by the roundabouts. (the sign post on one pointed at a funny angle to a road, and it turned out to be the wrong road, it must have meant the other one, which was the road towards Salsburry, which is what I was trying to get on).