Story 181: "The Waterskiers" by Khyber

[amyhit.livejournal.com]

Well everyone (I'm not sure how numerous you are at the moment, but I'm going to be bold and say 'everyone'), we've reached the end of the road - the point where the narrative pavement turns to gravel turns to a beaten dirt path trailing off narrowly into the uncharted wilds of the great and sometimes terrible WIP territory.

By waybacking Khyber's website we get what seem to be conflicting accounts of what the future of KvsS7 was to be. In early 2008 there were five fics meant to follow "The Waterskiers," three of which were to be "full episodes" and two were to be vignettes (as seen here). This outline complies with Khyber's notes for "Amnesia" which he judged to be the "late beginning/early middle" of the story. Yet by late 2009 the titles of four of these five fics had vanished, and only the one titled "Parabola" remained. It was initially indicated to be planned as a vignette, but later seemed intended to have been a full episode.

In summary, the fate of the KvsS7 universe remains largely a mystery, and anyone participating in the comments thread should feel free to speculate on the future of the story, as well as share their thoughts about the fic itself.


TITLE: The Waterskiers (Mod note: You may have to c/p the URL, or find the fic on Gossamer.)
AUTHOR: Khyber
E-MAIL: khyber@khyberfic.net
DISTRIBUTION: Ephemeral, Gossamer, please ask for anywhere else.
RATING: R for mature content.
CATEGORIES: XR KEYWORDS: Withheld.
SPOILERS: Pbbblffft.
SUMMARY: Missing scenes... okay, a LOT of missing scenes... from "Hollywood AD."

Author's Notes: This story is part of "Khyber Versus Season Seven" and takes place during "Hollywood AD," specifically, following the end of the famous bathtub scene. The rest of the episode takes place a week or more after the end of this story.
Remember that the premiere of "The Lazarus Bowl," according to the episode, is "eighteen months later," sometime in late 2001.


Sadly the summer is over. That does, however, mean a return to something resembling a normal posting schedule at some point in the near future. Remember the old days (July) when a new week meant changing up the plot, style, and characterizations with an all new fic? Well those days are returning along with coats and scarves, so if you have any suggestions for fics you'd like to read this fall the recommendations page is always open.

Comments

ohai (4)

[still-khyber.livejournal.com]

In contrast Scully was going to have an experience which would confirm for her that some greater force works directly in the world with a purpose that is uncompromising and beyond easy comprehension, and that whether she chooses to accept it or not she is sometimes an instrument of that purpose. Though this is a pretty Catholic sentiment, I was fighting with the idea of whether not Scully would see this through a Christian frame or not.

KvS7 was going to end with Skinner dead in Bellefleur, and CSM trying to convince M and S to help him and a few others re-establish a version of the Project and fight the future. And we, the readers, know that CSM is "right," but M and S don't. And to take this path that we know is "right" in terms of XF mythology would invalidate most everything and everywhere they have been through the rest of KvS7, reduce them again to suits and guns and test-tubes.

And I was going it leave it there, unresolved.

IWTB:

One of the things I liked about IWTB was that it actually worked as well or better after KvS7 than it did after the canonical series, except that Skinner was still alive. Their relationship in IWTB is pretty much exactly how I always imagined things turning out. I have been slightly misquoted regarding IWTB having a 'happy' ending that I liked; I think I said that it's an ending that feels true. I felt like it had been twelve years since Antarctica, and Antarctica's still there but so is a lot of other life. I can imagine how they got there and where it's going after and it feels like something real. I credit DD and GA for this, because their performances in IWTB are little gems of naturalism by great character actors (despite GA being saddled with one terrible montage scene.)

Re: ohai (4)

[amyhit.livejournal.com]

It's good to hear from you, Khyber. I think I'm going to pass on replying to your comments and just chill out and enjoy reading what you have to say about KvsS7.

Except to say that what you were planning to do to end the story sounds good to me. (Even though I'm pretty sure I'll never understand your POV on IWTB *g*) Lack of resolution is usually a good thing in my books.

Re: ohai (4)

[wendelah1]

In contrast Scully was going to have an experience which would confirm for her that some greater force works directly in the world with a purpose that is uncompromising and beyond easy comprehension, and that whether she chooses to accept it or not she is sometimes an instrument of that purpose. Though this is a pretty Catholic sentiment, I was fighting with the idea of whether not Scully would see this through a Christian frame or not.

Are you saying that what happened to her in Africa has shaken her faith to the point that she no longer believes in a higher power?

What about "All Things"? Where does this fit in? This additional Scully metaphysical journey plan seems a little redundant to me, unless you were going to toss "All Things" out.

Why wouldn't Scully transform whatever happened to her into the framework that best fits her spiritual worldview, which is, her African adventure aside, still Catholicism? Just a guess, but I think this one probably wasn't going to make the cut either. I don't see how this was going to lead into your ending.

KvS7 was going to end with Skinner dead in Bellefleur, and CSM trying to convince M and S to help him and a few others re-establish a version of the Project and fight the future. And we, the readers, know that CSM is "right," but M and S don't. And to take this path that we know is "right" in terms of XF mythology would invalidate most everything and everywhere they have been through the rest of KvS7, reduce them again to suits and guns and test-tubes.

And I was going it leave it there, unresolved.

I've been thinking about this since you posted it and I still don't know to respond to this revelation. That's not an ending to the series or the season or anything, really. You wrote all of that in order to leave this unresolved.

I'm gobsmacked.

So.

Right now, I have nothing further to add, except to thank you again for for stopping by. At least now we know what the intended conclusion was, even if the specific details are a little shaky. I reserve the right to revisit this in the future if I think of a better response.

Khyber, in case you don't get back here again, I just want to tell you again how much I've enjoyed your writing. I hope you have a wonderful life and think of us as fondly as we think of you when we read your outstanding contributions to our fandom. You are/were one of the greats, and I feel fortunate to have shared the same fandom/cyberspace with you.

All best,

Wendy