With the start of Act VI, the story of Toby has once again come to life for me. For general interest, I long ago got into the habit of dividing my character's story into 'acts' of his life.
Act I was the very start. It began with the appearance of a punk teenage kid at Star's End Bar well over a decade ago, and saw him chasing trouble, women, and a dream of reaching the stars. A dream he achieved with the slow and difficult rebuilding of a sneakily acquired derelict craft, and his triumphant first flight.
Act II began when Toby, with his new ship, left Rhydin (forever, he thought) and sought adventures out in space. He experienced losses of loved ones, and even his beloved ship himself - but found, as we all do, that new loves come in time. And so did a new ship, the Lady Mk. II. His adventures took him out to the Galactic Core, to a place called Booster's Cafe, and beyond.
Act III saw Toby's return to Rhydin after some twelve years away. He found Star's End spaceport nearly deserted in the interim, but met quite a few strange and interesting new friends at the old Red Dragon Inn. He also met a girl that he believed (as many do) would be the love of his life. However, for many reasons, that was not meant to be, and ultimately he departed once more for the stars, to seek some answers.
Act IV started with Toby's second return to Rhydin after a long journey among the stars to take stock of his life. It encompassed the loss of friends, and ultimately the loss of his lover, not to mention the painful realization of just what he was becoming. And it ended with him going into solitary exile at his cabin, alone in the deep woods, to decide exactly what path he was going to take - the light or the dark.
Act V picked up some time after the end of the previous act. Still in exile, Toby's life was once more forever changed as a friend he thought lost dropped back into his life. Or more precisely, into the lake behind his cabin. This Act revolves around Tabitha, the woman who would become his wife, and how they reconnected and finally found their destiny together.
Act VI starts today, though it can be said that there is really no change between V and VI. In the intermission between acts, the St. Germains (yes, Toby took his wife's last name - he never really had one of his own) have made a life for themselves in that cabin in the woods, and have added on to their number by 2 (and 2/3rds, at the time of this writing), along with their three dogs.
In addition, Toby's now working at the Star's End Bar, a fitting thing perhaps. He started at the spaceport, hanging around the bar as a kid, and now he's come full circle - as a father, a husband and a responsible working adult.
Ok, mostly responsible. It's still Toby, you know.
