This issue was not planned with a theme. Nor did we pick stories because they matched. In fact, no one even noticed until the stories were back from the proofreaders. Every single one answers the question, “Whatever happened to _____?”

Twenty-five years ago, in Chapter 4 of 1632, Balthazar and Rebecca Abrabanel’s carriage driver fled. David Hankins tells the driver’s story in “The Abrabanel Rescue.” This is David’ Hankins first 1632 story. Dominik Wagner, a simple coachman, must find his courage as he embarks on a dangerous quest to rescue his kidnapped charges, elderly Balthazar Abrabanel and his daughter Rebecca, from the strange noblemen armed with incredibly powerful guns who have whisked them away to a mysterious magical city!

“The Arabian Queen” by Virginia DeMarce. The Massinger theater troupe is engaged in churning out as many new plays based on both current and up-time works as fast as they can, penned by the late, great Shakespeare’s grandson, young Tom. Although they attempt not to offend anyone, some audience members recognize themselves as the play’s villains and take umbrage! It picks up right after “The Play’s The Thing” from Issue 11..

In “More McDonalds” by Terry Howard, Jimmy Dick, the self styled ‘Grantville’s greatest philosopher’, finds that shooting his mouth off continues to come back to haunt him as yet another contingent of Scots arrive, eager to follow their McDonald’s clan war chief Lord Jimmy into battle! It also follows a story from Issue 11, “Clan McDonald.” This concludes that arc, although not the story of the McDonald clan.

John Deakins’ “Artists From Afar” follows Giorgio Fabrini, the husband of the highly famed Italian painter Caravaggio’s secret daughter as he makes the long journey to the Netherlands. He is attempt to secure his family’s future by selling his late father-in-law’s previously unknown paintings, now worth a small fortune.This is the sequel to “Chiaroscuro” from Grantville Gazette 89.

“Green, Blue, and Bruises” by Natalie Silk sees young Anya from Spain continuing to adjust to life in the USE with her father’s brother, Uncle Danel, and his wife Auntie Tia in Zaborstadt. Learning the new language and customs proves difficult, and her hopes of returning to Spain have been dashed, so Anya begins to consider what kind of life Grantville has too offer her. Natalie Silk first introduced Anya in Grantville Gazette 87, and some members of her family appeared as recently as Issue 12.

“The Guardians of Germany” by Bjorn Hasseler shows s0me clever members of the Committees of Correspondence discovering a new way to raise funds. They write and publish the downtime world’s first superhero stories, based on European legends and celebrated up-time heroes! This story takes place largely at Redbird Institute and draws together Wilhelm Reuber (Grantville Gazette 61), the missing fourth von Hesler brother (Grantville Gazette 56), and Sunshine Moritz (Security Solutions).

Twenty-five years isn’t just a long time for characters. It’s a long time for authors, too. When the Ring of Fire happened on Sunday, April 2, 2000, the world was a very different place than it is today. Tracy Morris provides us with reminders of what electronic entertainment was like, in “Movies and Television The Year Before The Ring of Fire.” What were the people of Grantville watching when the Ring of Fire stole them away? You might be surprised at how many huge box office hits they missed out on!