Story 164: "Human Credentials" by Scarlet Baldy

[amyhit.livejournal.com]

Recently, while reading Human Credentials for the first time, I had such a strong desire to discuss it that I knew immediately I was going to post it here at some point. Then, while going through our recs page, I was pleased to find it had already been recced quite some time ago by tiger_bay.

Human Credentials picks up after FTF, in an AU season 6, when a mysterious lead prompts Mulder, Scully, and Diana to set out on an adventure that will challenge their humanity and take them to the ends of the earth, possibly in more ways than one. The fact that this fic is over 400K tends to suggest it's a story with a fair amount going on. That's an understatement. There's not a lot that isn't going on in Human Credentials. It incorporates the mytharc in a way that makes a powerful and surprising amount of sense, and it makes excellent use of nearly every major secondary character from the show, as well as bringing in at least one intriguing original character. On top of that, it has the kind of dark, controversial Mulder and Scully characterizations that are sure to spark discussion. And there's a fair amount of hot sex too.


Human Credentials


A Few Specifications and Caveats:

Regarding Diana Fowley: Her role is mainly in the first third of the fic, so if you aren't a fan of her character and you just can't see yourself making it through 400K of her presence, don't write this fic off! Human Credentials does give Diana her due, but it's still very much Mulder and Scully's show.

Regarding the sequel: There is one, and it's called Lendemains. It's an unfinished WIP, and it was written about a decade after Human Credentials. You may discuss it in the comments if you want to, but the 'official' rec is Human Credentials only. It's just easier that way.

Regarding our schedule: Because this fic is so long, we might spend more time on it than usual. If discussion is still going on after seven or eight days, or if people start posting saying they fully intend to comment but they need a little more time, then wendelah1 and I will hold off on posting a new fic for a few more days.

Regarding the content warnings: Heed them. Characters do some very troubling things in this fic. Things that will make excellent points for discussion, I think, but I don't want anyone getting blindsided.

Comments

Re: a really troubling sex scene.

[badforthefish.livejournal.com]

it's about NOT ABUSING PEOPLE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Easy to say if you're.... a machine. But people fuck up, they lose comtrol and do horrible things they regret. The good guys learn from it and move on. The bad guys acquire a taste for it and keep finding excuses to repeat their actions. Again the title is "Human Credentials". I didn't want heroic and perfect Mulder and Scully, I wanted them human, fallible, messing up and yet with a love for each other that transcends everything else.

On the other hand, it's disturbing that it isn't addressed afterwards because it plays into the whole "culture of silence" tradition surrounding abusive relationships.

Except this is not an abusive relationship, this is ONE instance of abuse. And yes, they should have discussed it, but you know how M&S never "realy talk". Do you think this is something the both of them would have wanted to address again? This is just wishful thinking. They know what happens. Scully forgave, Mulder feels like shit about it and she knows it. What else is there to say? Do you really think Mulder doesn't know that if this happens again, she'll bolt? Scully doesn't need to say it. These two KNOW each other.

Re: a really troubling sex scene.

[amyhit.livejournal.com]

There's "messing up" and "being human" and then there's abuse. If you are abusive, they have prisons for the likes of you. The "my feelings made me do it," defense doesn't hunt. It's called a crime of passion, and sometimes it's treated differently in a court of law and in the public eye, but it's still called a 'crime', after all.

Re: a really troubling sex scene.

[badforthefish.livejournal.com]

I don't see how you can split this in two categories as human history is based on various forms of abuse done to each other and the natural world.

If you are abusive, they have prisons for the likes of you.

Yeah, which are such a successful way of making people less abusive. ;-)

The "my feelings made me do it," defense doesn't hunt

But we're not talking about finding an excuse or a defense here. IMO Mulder doesn't deseve to be given the label "abusive man" because he lost it once. He didn't try to defend himself or find excuses. He owned up to it and is horrified by what he's done. Shouldn't he be forgiven and be allowed to move on? Yes, I am a tree hugging hippie who is for rehabilitation rather than punishment. I've been teaching kids for more than ten years. Labelling a kid a bully because he lost his temper and pushed a kid, will only make the kid define himself by this label and therefore go on being a bully. I'm not saying serious crimes should be allowed to go unpunished, but I'm saying that everybody deserves a second chance and that it is unfair to define this Mulder on one isolated act of violence.

Re: a really troubling sex scene.

[amyhit.livejournal.com]

I'm for rehabilitation rather than punishment too, 100%. But that requires rehabilitation, otherwise it's just doing nothing and letting it go. When a guy - any guy - does something like this, in order for me personally to stop seeing him as defined by it, he must convince me he will never do it again. Which is tough to do, considering how often people who show this kind of violence once show it again.