I just wanted to say, BBM-Cat, and those of you newly joining the discussion, that it has been a big shot in the arm to me to continue on with the editing of this mega-story because of the enthusiastic readership, comments and feedback I have gotten from you. A writer does not write in a vacuum, and knowing that so many people enjoy and consume the story at marathon rates (the last couple of weeks I have seen individual users logging 80 to 100 pages on my hit counter, doing marathon reading of hours at a time) and that tells me there is something alluring that keeps people reading!
so thank you, those who read and comment, and those who just read!