One of the things I liked most about this story is Captain Neill. He's one of the great original characters in this fandom. For me, this story is as much about his character arc as it is about theirs, about how their fate is changed by his feelings for Scully and his subsequent interventions. To my way of thinking, he's the hero in this story, taking the place of Mulder in that role. It's breathtaking to behold, and a much riskier choice for a writer than the more usual route. I loved it. Both times he intervenes on their behalf it's such a shock. How did this happen? He's not on their side, yet by the end, he takes two huge risks, saving them both at the cost of his own life.
And perhaps my favorite thing of all, I love that Certitude addresses the effects of Scully having been infected with the alien virus. I love the idea that there are after effects, and that the Consortium has been studying those effects and their possibilities for some time now. The chilling moment where she's told it's an injection of her blood that has caused Mulder such agony is one of my favorites, and I would love to have seen Glasser explore that further, either in this fic, or in another one. And I find it perfectly appropriate that Scully's altered blood cells are labelled 'X-cells' - a shiver went through me when that was revealed.
I loved this the first time through, but later I kept thinking this is just a more extreme form of an ABO incompatibility transfusion reaction. I wanted Scully to know that--she would know that--and try to puzzle out the implications. Except, then I thought, what would the scientific implications be for the Consortium? Okay, a foreign protein causes an extreme reaction. Like duh. Why would you need to repeat that over and over again? This "experiment" on the whole seems pretty bogus to me, and in retrospect is the weakest part of the plot, verging on gratuitous Mulder Torture. Why are they only doing blood studies on her? Why didn't they do baseline studies on him, if he's the actual test subject? Why didn't they drag him away for observation in a controlled setting, instead of leaving him in his room? As mad scientists, they fail utterly. Having the foreign cells labeled as "X" cells is cute in a grotesque sort of way.
But the experiment and the three characters' reactions to it is what drives the plot, so ultimately I end up hand-waving it. After all, Glasser was an English major, not a biochemist or a medical researcher. He's writing a horror story, not a scifi medical thriller.
But what I appreciate maybe even more than all of this, is that Certitude addresses the effects the virus has had on Scully psychologically.
Yes, this is one of the story's strengths; it creates psychological horror for the reader, as well.
Re: Things I liked:
And perhaps my favorite thing of all, I love that Certitude addresses the effects of Scully having been infected with the alien virus. I love the idea that there are after effects, and that the Consortium has been studying those effects and their possibilities for some time now. The chilling moment where she's told it's an injection of her blood that has caused Mulder such agony is one of my favorites, and I would love to have seen Glasser explore that further, either in this fic, or in another one. And I find it perfectly appropriate that Scully's altered blood cells are labelled 'X-cells' - a shiver went through me when that was revealed.
I loved this the first time through, but later I kept thinking this is just a more extreme form of an ABO incompatibility transfusion reaction. I wanted Scully to know that--she would know that--and try to puzzle out the implications. Except, then I thought, what would the scientific implications be for the Consortium? Okay, a foreign protein causes an extreme reaction. Like duh. Why would you need to repeat that over and over again? This "experiment" on the whole seems pretty bogus to me, and in retrospect is the weakest part of the plot, verging on gratuitous Mulder Torture. Why are they only doing blood studies on her? Why didn't they do baseline studies on him, if he's the actual test subject? Why didn't they drag him away for observation in a controlled setting, instead of leaving him in his room? As mad scientists, they fail utterly. Having the foreign cells labeled as "X" cells is cute in a grotesque sort of way.
But the experiment and the three characters' reactions to it is what drives the plot, so ultimately I end up hand-waving it. After all, Glasser was an English major, not a biochemist or a medical researcher. He's writing a horror story, not a scifi medical thriller.
But what I appreciate maybe even more than all of this, is that Certitude addresses the effects the virus has had on Scully psychologically.
Yes, this is one of the story's strengths; it creates psychological horror for the reader, as well.