Terrific, chilling, and yet somehow hopeful story. I love that Rodney rescues John and himself by being both smart and kickass, and that their friendship is able to survive in the end. Also, the first scene in the conference room, where there's the awareness that something is wrong, but you're not sure what, was incredibly well done.
Thank you. I like competent Rodney, in canon and fic. Plus I think John is a real man, the kind who can recognize that nothing that happened was Rodney's fault - just sometimes solutions aren't going to be good, just as good as it can get.
I fooled around a lot before putting the conference room scene first. I wanted to set up that what was wrong wasn't fixed by them getting back, because they were in Atlantis and the problem was still with them.
Oh, say, you don't want to look at the first ~5000 words of Hot Potato, do you? I've been resisting pestering people with it. Totally one-eighty from Patchwork.
Okay, this was so disturbing. I read it and had to go away to think about it, and it's been haunting me. But I love the ending -- it's so true, on every level.
Disturbing and ultimately lovely. Thank you, dear one.
I have to exorcise these darker stories periodically. This one, at least, ends on an upswing. I truly believe the characters, as I see them, could find a new balance afterward and go on. I took great satisfaction from Woolsey being very much on their side, in his quiet, bureaucratic fashion. He doesn't say it would kill them to be sent away from Atlantis, he points out how difficult creating a cover story for their obvious (and obviously more successful than Earth medicine currently boasts) limb grafts would be. He knows how to manipulate the paperpushers and chair warmers as does it for good people.
I hope that whatever haunting has faded and it just sticks as a tale of friendship pulling through in the end.
Oh ... wow. I had held off on reading this because of the "dark" warning, and because of that, I wasn't really expecting a happy or at least hopeful ending -- and this is why I so dearly love not knowing how a story will end, because seeing them get past it, rebuilding their lives and their friendship, was all the more delightful for not seeing it coming. For all the horror of their situation, this was a gorgeous and uplifting story; I love this look at their friendship, and how much it means that even something like this can't permanently shake it.
and this is why I so dearly love not knowing how a story will end,
Bobble-headed nodding here. I like a story to surprise me sometimes. That's why I'm so loath to give detailed warnings. I understand people have squicks and triggered issues, but if I have to put every dramatic point into a warning and the summary, there really isn't much story left to read.
There's this thing someone calls the unspoken contract between the writer and reader, that's entered into within a few paragraphs. The tone and style of the writing tells the reader 'this is going to be serious story' or 'this is happy fluffy crack' and I think as long as the writer doesn't renage on that, warnings should be superfluous.
I'm thrilled you found it uplifting. I happen to think it is too, because the characters do what so many of us have to do, find a way to deal with what has happen and move forward, finding happiness and friendship is still there afterward.
Comments 61
Reply
I fooled around a lot before putting the conference room scene first. I wanted to set up that what was wrong wasn't fixed by them getting back, because they were in Atlantis and the problem was still with them.
Reply
sorry I'm late to the party; haven't checked the flist for a few days.
so glad to see you posted! ::twirls you::
Reply
Wheeeee!
Better stop. I just ate.
Reply
Reply
send it over!
::rubs hands together in anticipation::
Reply
Disturbing and ultimately lovely. Thank you, dear one.
Reply
I hope that whatever haunting has faded and it just sticks as a tale of friendship pulling through in the end.
Reply
Reply
Bobble-headed nodding here. I like a story to surprise me sometimes. That's why I'm so loath to give detailed warnings. I understand people have squicks and triggered issues, but if I have to put every dramatic point into a warning and the summary, there really isn't much story left to read.
There's this thing someone calls the unspoken contract between the writer and reader, that's entered into within a few paragraphs. The tone and style of the writing tells the reader 'this is going to be serious story' or 'this is happy fluffy crack' and I think as long as the writer doesn't renage on that, warnings should be superfluous.
I'm thrilled you found it uplifting. I happen to think it is too, because the characters do what so many of us have to do, find a way to deal with what has happen and move forward, finding happiness and friendship is still there afterward.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment