“Jack Be Nimble”, End notes
[ Endnotes posted 22 Nov 2020 ]
Where did the idea for the story come from?
It built for a long time. Part of it came from the rash of stories over fifteen years ago (I believe sroni did one of her own) that touched on the meme I opened this one with: Did I ever tell you about the time I almost killed the Slayer? Part of it came from notions opened up by other, previous stories of mine; some of it came as prep-work for a story I haven’t written yet, but have been planning for years. And some, let’s be frank, came from how the character of Parker Abrams (‘Cale Parker’) seemed to keep wanting some kind of next word on his extremely un-admirable career.
Is there any particular significance to the title?
Some, not lots. Our boy ‘Cale’ had to do a lot of very nimble footwork in advancing his agenda, such that even people who knew one was in the works could seldom make much guess as to what it actually was.
What is the thing I like most about this story? the thing I like least, or about which I feel most doubtful?
‘Like’ and ‘dislike’ are pretty much the same here. I am generally pleased to believe I did a mostly successful job of presenting the character of a quite unlikeable person; at the same time, occupying the id of such a sordid specimen (not truly a sociopath, but so ruthlessly self-focused as to produce many of the same effects) was somewhat unpleasant.
More satisfying is how I handled Ariel’s urgent conviction that she could redeem him, as she seems to have only very narrowly missed doing. Cale was accurate in many of his judgments; he was wrong, I think, in believing that Ariel was naïve, she simply could see something he was incapable of recognizing (and consequently, lost his last chance to become).
Is there anything I think I could have done better, or might do differently if I had it to do over?
In some ways, I keep wondering if Katie’s presence in the story was really necessary, or if it even worked to cross-purposes. I feel she was, but the question does keep arising in my mind. (On the other hand, she was needed for things still planned in that future story …)
Do I have any plans to follow up on this story, or to use the character(s) or situation in a subsequent fic?
Yes, I do. I definitely do. In fact, one of the purposes of this story was to lay groundwork for two (I already mentioned one) future fics, at least one of which will probably appear in the coming year. Cale hasn’t made his last appearance, and we might be seeing one or two others as well.
Additionally, of course, there the inevitable links to other works (this being part of the Backstage series). Lots and lots of links.
Madame Tiphaine would be the biggest one. Mentioned here, she has been named or referenced in “ Hell Hath No Fury”, “ Twilight’s Last Gleaming”, “ Unbidden the Day”, and “ Shock to the System”, and actually featured as the central character in “ An Eye to the Future”. (And “Hell Hath No Fury” was the first appearance of ‘Cale’, before he decided to use his actual first name as his fictitious surname.) Katie had previously appeared in “ First Do No Harm”, and was mentioned in “ Kirlian Logic” (and Dustin, mentioned here in passing, appeared in both). Natalie (Sparks) likewise appeared in both “Kirlian Logic” and “An Eye to the Future”. Additionally - bolstered by Merl’s accounting - there is every likelihood that the ‘favorite aunt’ Katie mentioned (of the absent Dustin) was the ‘Clarke’ who was part of the clandestine team imprisoning and experimenting on Hank Summers in “ Tip of My Tongue”. Willy’s new bar in Cleveland (“An Eye to the Future” again) definitely seems to be the one Merl spoke of having to abandon due to a new Slayer infestation. Finally, among the demons mentioned as being present at Del’s, Groeltisch had previously appeared in “ Dusk Over Pompeii” and “ Queen’s Gambit”, and Qart‘araf were mentioned in “Hell Hath No Fury” and described in “ the Still, Small Voice”; plus, the Camber-Pyclet demons in the final fight were mentioned in “ Notes on an Opera Program” and appeared in “ Beg to Differ”.
Any observations to add at the end?
Yes. Part of the tragedy of this story is that Cale doesn’t even realize it is a tragedy. There was a chance he could have been saved - and Ariel almost pulled it off, he was right on the edge - but the essential weakness in his character had already weighted his choices too much in the wrong direction. He remembered part of the Old Man’s warning from “Hell Hath No Fury” (I have a long memory for grudges!) and completely forgot the part where the Overlord of Hell raised the possibility of his remaking his character so he didn’t return to that domain on his eventual death; instead, he kept looking for a way to escape it if he ever did get there.
Ariel didn’t just want to save him; from what she said, he could have become something outstanding if he just made it past the crisis point. He didn’t make it … and, being who he is, he’ll never be able to recognize what he lost.