Abroad as I was Walking

by **Skybase Girl** » Sun Feb 21, 2016 4:17 pm

Wonderful to see that the fabulous Clya Brown has returned to fanfic after quite a lengthy absence. I have to say that this story has been well worth waiting for. It's brilliantly written and immensely clever, adding another utterly believable dimension to the episode "Attack on Cloudbase." Clya has even provided plausible explanations for a few plot holes that the original writer Tony Barwick didn't quite manage to resolve.

It's VERY interesting to discover just what was really going on in Symphony's head as she lay tossing and turning in the desert; and it certainly adds a new dimension to the episode "The Trap". :wink:

The musical and biblical references have been very skilfully woven into the story; another example of how creativity can come from unusual sources. The idea that the themes explored in mediaeval folk songs should be relevant to events taking place several hundred years in the future is interesting. I guess it just goes to show that life, death, love, jealousy and salvation will always be with us!

I do hope that this means that Clya has found renewed inspiration and that this will be only the first of many stories to come! :-;)

by **Marion** » Wed Feb 24, 2016 9:22 am

Excellent story! 8M-M)

Thank you, Clya Brown. I agree with Skybase Girl's hopes that this is the first of many new stories :grin:

'Attack on Cloudbase' is one of my favourite episodes (for reasons which ought to be clear to anyone who knows me) but I admit it is spoilt by the lame ending and, therefore, open to many interpretations. Just where the 'real' ends and the 'debateable' begins is a puzzle, but there are so many subtexts in the whole that it presents a rich seam of inspiration for the fanfiction writer.

by **Carrie** » Fri Feb 26, 2016 2:53 pm

Yes, one of my fave episodes too, only eclipsed by 'Flight to Atlantica' (and those who know me will know why that is too!)
Clya, you've been away too long. Thanks for returning. I do remember you talking about this story at one of our previous get-togethers, and I'm so glad you finally got it finished.
Really loved your interpretation of events, and was smiling and grinning the whole way through (with apologies to Symphony, the poor love)
A lovely way to spend lunchtime in between papering walls..never mind that ad for a certain biscuit confection. more like 'have a break read SHQ fan-fiction'!

8M-M)

by **Clya Brown** » Sat Mar 05, 2016 12:08 pm

Phew! Thanks so much for the kind words, and I'm glad you liked it - and I have to admit, it's good to be back again

. Mind you, it's frightening - no, it's terrifying - to have to come to terms with just how long it's taken to get this from what started as a Forum discussion to a finished product. Just out of curiosity I've been taking a dip into the archives, and I've discovered that what kicked it off actually started way back in 2004* with a thread called "The Blue/Symphony Thing", and was followed up early in 2005 in the discussions related to a poll called "Live or Die?". Isn't technology great when it means you don't even have to scramble up into the attic to track down your own notes?

"The Blue/Symphony Thing": http://spectrum-headquarters.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=31
"Live or Die?" (dreams poll): http://spectrum-headquarters.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=137

[* Well, it really started in 1967, but nothing much happened in the intervening 37 years]