PAWN ON A GREEN BAIZE
TABLE
by Sevenstars & Aureleigh
DISCLAIMER: This is an original amateur story based upon the characters and situations created in the TV series, The Magnificent Seven. No profit is made from it and no infringement upon any copyright owned by any individual or organization is intended.
RATING: PG-13.
WRITTEN: September 19, 2001- January 28, 2003 (with gaps).
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thanks first of all to Aureleigh, whose post of October 6, 2000, on the TM7 yahoo discussion board (then an eGroups board) served as the inspiration for the story, and who provided quantities of suggestions for plot elements, to the point where I decided she really ought to be billed as co-author. (Any comments on the fic will be forwarded on to her.)
To SueNecessary for her gracious permission to adapt much of her vision of the character and personality of Maude Standish, whom she and I seem to see very similarly.
To my good pard Gloria for plot assistance and her splendid Mag7 Trivia site.
To the members of the Mag7 Old West Writers' board for their advice about ticks and how to remove same.
Ezra's backstory, including his visit to Europe, is mine, but some of the ideas for Maude's roots and past, Ezra's relationships with the other six (especially Nathan), and his general character and motivations, came from posts to TM7 and the M7Fic list at Squidge by Gloria, Jean Williams, Otakula, Maggie C., JKersteter, Kari Masoner, Derry, and GreenWoman, whose suggestions I gratefully acknowledge.
Basic information about Rocky Mountain spotted fever from http://www.webmd.com. Information about Cheyenne, Barney Ford, and his Inter-Ocean Hotel chiefly from http://www.wyomingtalesandtrails.com and http://www.cheyenne.org/aboutcheyenne.asp. History and physical environment of Colorado Springs was taken partly from Marshall Sprague's fascinating history of the town, Newport in the Rockies (OP, but available secondhand through the usual venues), partly from the Federal Writers' Project 1930's guide to Colorado, as was much of the history of Trinidad and the descriptions of the country through which Vin, Buck, and JD mount their search (including the legends of the San Luis Valley dunes, now known as the Great Sand Dune National Monument). Poker rules and sample games adapted from the collectible paperback Poker According to Maverick and from the websites http://www.poker.uk.co and http://www.playonlinecasinogames.com.
"Little Charley Ross" existed and was kidnapped as described, and it was indeed the first abduction for ransom perpetrated--except by a few Indian tribes, notably the Comanches--in the United States. His family sought for 20 years to find him but never succeeded; they even published a highly detailed book about themselves and their life and environment, hoping he would someday read it, recognize something, and contact them. A supposed participant in the crime eventually confessed that the child had been placed in the custody of a brother-in-law of his, who is believed to have drowned Charley in the East River when discovery seemed imminent.
This story occurs during second season, at some time between the episodes "Wagon Train" and "The Trial." (A certain apparent minor inconsistency with the latter will be explained in due course!) Spoilers abound for various segments, especially "Sins of the Past" and "Love and Honor." References also to my fics "Transgressions" and "Darcy."
And, yes, I do plan to elaborate on the death of Patrick Standish. Be patient--I have to recover from this epic first!
Comments to: Sevenstars