Story 202: "Laws of Motion" by Syntax6

[wendelah1]

Hi! I had spotty internet access the later part of March so amyhit kindly filled in for my last turn. I'm bypassing the queue this time around to suggest a story I've been meaning to reread for at least six months. "Laws of Motion" is a sequel to "Universal Invariants," which we discussed back in November, 2010. If you haven't read her first story, you won't get as much out of the sequel. (But you totally should read UI! It's my favorite of syntax6's stories!)

However, if you don't want to read "Universal Invariants" before tackling "Laws of Motion," here's a brief summary: "Universal Invariants" is an au in which Scully is living with her boyfriend Ethan (who was deleted from the pilot) when she is assigned to the X-Files. The novel spans all of season one and the beginning of season two through "One Breath," and has scenes from many of the episodes artfully woven through it. There is also an original casefile, which is the B plot, with the A plot being their developing partnership, and the effect it has on her personal life, especially her relationship with Ethan. HUGE SPOILER here: Scully gets engaged to Ethan after the X-Files are closed down, then has sex (amazing sex!) with Mulder while they are in Arecibo, Puerto Rico during "Little Green Men." Major awkwardness ensues, Mulder and Scully never discuss it, and she is too ashamed to tell Ethan. Then Scully is kidnapped by Duane Barry. Months later, when she is returned, not only is she missing time from the abduction, she can't remember earlier events, including what happened at Arecibo. Mulder can't bring himself to tell her. She never regains the lost memories, but breaks up with Ethan anyway. The End.

So. "Laws of Motion" picks up at the beginning of season five, just after "Redux 2." Scully is cured of cancer and Mulder has just brought her home from the hospital, when there is a phone call from her ex-boyfriend, Ethan. He's in jail, accused of murdering a colleague, and wants their help. Like "Universal Invariants," "Laws of Motion" is structured around a casefile, the murder Ethan has been accused of committing, but the story's focus is squarely on the secret (from the previous story) Mulder has been keeping from Scully and the consequences of that deception. It's a fun read and I remember loving it almost as much as "Universal Invariants."

"Universal Invariants"

"Laws of Motion"

Send feedback, tell Syntax6 we miss her, and please come back to let us know what you thought.

Comments

[wendelah1]

I'm so glad people are enjoying these. After the last story amyhit and I decided we needed a "sure thing," and a Syntax6 story is usually loved by all, or at least most.

She handles sex scenes with unusual sensitivity, realism and brevity. See "Apex" for an example in a different genre, and the sex scene in "Bait and Switch" for yet another genre. All are excellent.

I think the angst/sex scenes in amalnahurriyeh's fic are excellent and the sex is never dull. And onemillionnine's sex scenes are by turns sexy, angsty and transcendent. .

[amyhit.livejournal.com]

She handles sex scenes with unusual sensitivity, realism and brevity.

Yeah, I can’t think of any other fic writer who reliably writes sex scenes that are this gripping and hot. And you have a good point in mentioning their brevity. I don’t tend to notice that they’re short while I’m reading, because they’re extremely effective, and I guess that’s kind of the point: writing long sex scenes is, quite often, what a writer does when they’re not sure the sex scene is strongly written enough to be short and still be effective.

Syntax has written two of my favorite XF sex scenes, and I mean ever. The scene in Universal Invariants is one. I can’t say I like the sex scenes in LOM nearly as much as the one in UI, but they definitely work in the context of the story. The Mulder and Scully are older, wounded, more mistrustful, less willing (or able) to be swept up in frantic passion with even temporary disregard for the consequences.

Actually, the first sex scene in LOM sticks in my mind for how horrible it is. I find it more painful than any of the sex scenes in Iolokus, for example, despite Iolokus being a much more overtly dark and troubling story.

[wendelah1]

The sex scene in "Universal Invariants" is my favorite sex scene in fan fiction, period. It's perfect.

And you have a good point in mentioning their brevity. I don’t tend to notice that they’re short while I’m reading, because they’re extremely effective, and I guess that’s kind of the point: writing long sex scenes is, quite often, what a writer does when they’re not sure the sex scene is strongly written enough to be short and still be effective.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Actually, the first sex scene in LOM sticks in my mind for how horrible it is. I find it more painful than any of the sex scenes in Iolokus, for example, despite Iolokus being a much more overtly dark and troubling story.

That's a good point, although I must confess I don't actually remember any of the sex scenes in Iolokus and I just reread it last autumn. I remember two scenes best: the horrific scene where she lights the fetuses on fire and the holiday happy ending with the Mooselet. Go figure.

The first sex scene in LoM is a very painful read for me, too. I think it works because it fits within the context of the story, and because she doesn't let it drop: all of the painful aftermath is played out and worked out within the story's framework.

The Mulder and Scully are older, wounded, more mistrustful, less willing (or able) to be swept up in frantic passion with even temporary disregard for the consequences.

Yes, the scenes work because of how well they reflect the changes they've gone through by this point in the series. Plot and character, perfectly interwoven. She's just so damn good.

[bmerb.livejournal.com]

ugh that first sex scene in LoM I actually had to reread, because honestly it read nearly as rape/nonconsensual sex, and it was friggin disturbing. AND... I like LoM, but not as much as UI for a number of reasons.

[wendelah1]

The sex was certainly consensual--but at some point, Mulder's emotional IQ plummeted and he misinterpreted her responses. Things went rapidly downhill. I never would have read that as rape--but it still could be traumatizing for both parties. That seemed right to me. Things were too emotionally fraught between them for sex to go well. And Mulder knew it--that's why he refused to go along with her emotional blackmail request to begin with.

They're both emotional wrecks in this version of season five. It's the worst possible time for them to become sexually involved, which is why I don't find the story's resolution of the romantic complications very believable. I do understand why Syn felt it had to end that way. Her readers would have been grievously disappointed if they hadn't gotten their expected hit of MSR. But in rereading, I've concluded she needed a third part or a longer buildup. Something. It doesn't work.

I like the first story better as well, maybe because I've always thought they had a better shot at a viable relationship early on, before all of the damage is done. There should be more early season fanfic, period.

Edited to add--it is understandable that the scene was disturbing. I'm sure it was meant to be--she conveyed to her readers the emotional turmoil the characters were experiencing. Damn effective writing.

[bmerb.livejournal.com]

Oh gods yes, more early season fanfic! Plus lets just be honest, the sex scene in UI was about perfect, and captured a Scully that could-have-been if she'd lived a life just a bit outside of canon (that is, the Ethan-less canon). UI took all the elements and wove everything together with perfection. LoM was great, but the emotional mess took up more time and space than I'd prefer. Not that I don't like emotional wrecks, because I totally DO (hello Iolokus and Tikkun Olam?), but when there is so much good plot and good story and casefile and weaving in of canon, the extreme focus on relationship turmoil was just not my favorite.