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Since I tend to write by following the breadcrumb trail rather than by mapping out a story to fit my own specifications, I had no idea that the end of Sanctuary would leave me, as the X-Files characteristically did, with new, absorbing questions rather than neat resolution. A few plot threads that began to come together only at the end of the trilogy made me realize that there was much more to explore within this universe. |
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the bottom of the page for brief story selections heading into Topaz, A start and a stop In spite of the fact that I'd been writing this story universe for two years (late 1998 to the end of 2000)--or perhaps precisely because I was so familiar with these characters by that point that, like good friends, I couldn't bear to simply set them aside--I continued writing, starting into the sequel material and beginning to follow our characters on the next stages of their respective journeys. But by about 60 pages in, it became very clear that I'd taken a wrong fork in the road. A bit of investigation I also realized that Alex Krycek had been operating in a near-vacuum in Sanctuary due to the confinement occasioned by his injury. I had no clear idea of precisely what the 'normal life' he would be returning to (at least in part) at the end of the book was actually comprised of, or what influences were at work on him, or what his mindset and circumstances had been at the point where the Sanctuary stories began. And because of this, I had no way of knowing how he would react to the events at the end of Sanctuary, or what course of action he might logically choose next. So in my lack of ability to move forward with the larger story, I went back to Krycek's beginning and started to piece together his backstory, weaving my own assumptions about his origins (for this story universe) as tightly as possible into canon. It turned out to be an fascinating exercise. If you're interested in delving a little deeper into the murky, complex and often contradictory world of the Rat, you can find the backstory here: A Rat's Life. Unwelcome stasis... and finally a breakthrough At a certain point I felt myself running out of steam with this project. While the characters continued to whisper to me from farther ahead along the story's road, I just couldn't seem to make the creative jump from here to there. No inspiration. My friends who wrote X-fic were experiencing a similar kind of stasis. In the end analysis, the creative cauldron for writing fanfiction seems to be fired by a number of factors that prominently include a constant supply of new source material and on-going discussions about the show and characters, two elements that were fast disappearing within X-Files fandom after the show finished its run. I wanted to write the story but simply didn't have the creative 'umph' I needed. Then a new reader (one of those wonderful souls who gives very long, detailed feedback) came along and started me thinking about this story world again. Our discussions, and the editing of Sanctuary that ensued, have helped to refill my creative cauldron, and finally the inspiration/impetus to go forward with this series has struck. I still find myself in need of finishing up the last of my Alex Krycek backstory exploration (the critical period between his amputation and early Season 6 when the Sanctuary universe begins to play out.) This is what I'm working on now (October, 2007.) But as soon as I finish it and have a firm grasp on where Krycek was mentally/emotionally/strategically at the point where Paradise Lost begins--and therefore, what course he's likely to take when the events of S are past--I will start the actual writing of Topaz. After all these years. Imagine that! What's coming up in Topaz? As Sanctuary came to a close, certain mytharc elements began to come to the forefront, specifically the question of whether Tracy had been part of experiments backed by either the Consortium or some other group working toward Colonization. This plot thread will become more prominent as the story proceeds, with Krycek (still not completely recovered from his gunshot wounds, to say nothing of his ragged emotions) on the run from the assumed consortium backlash to his action vis-a-vis CSM, but also heading for California to look for evidence of a Pasadena group working toward hybridization. Mulder and Scully begin their own investigation seeking information that might shed light on the medical mystery surrounding Tracy, though Mulder grows increasingly concerned about the chip in Scully's neck and whether she, too, might be in danger of being controlled by outside forces. Dr. Maria Vanek heads west, looking for a new group to support her vaccine research. The mysterious man in the hospital hallway who absconded with Tracy shows himself to be more than a little curious about human life, and initiates a project that others will have to bear the burden of for years to come. At a certain point Krycek contacts Mulder with more specifics about Samantha's escape from her captors, leading to an awkward family reunion in Northern California. And a sudden clash between alien Colonists and Rebels results in two limited strikes that bring critical U.S. metropolitan areas to their knees. Threatened by the possible use of her chip against her, Scully goes into hiding on the abandoned campus of a former mental hospital, where she finds herself in the position of having to work with the enigmatic Dr. Vanek. In the midst of all this, the personal journeys of the characters continue to stand out: Mulder coming to terms with his sister's fate, and with his fears about Scully's safety; Scully thrown into an arena focusing on pure science, but employing methodology that gives her pause. Krycek, finally a player again but without the support that Tracy's companionship so briefly gave him, must decide how to survive his personal maelstrom and what larger goals to pursue. Eventually he is gifted with more than he can ever hope for... and something that terrifies him. And Mulder smells a rat in Washington and is drawn to investigate. Looking at the series recently with a sense of perspective I didn't have when I was busy writing Sanctuary, I can see now the steady thematic progression involved, one that isn't limited to the X-Files characters but that touches all our lives as human beings. Paradise Lost is about losing what you think is most dear to you; Walking Through Fire is about the chaos that loss brings to your life. Sanctuary is about the sometimes unexpected refuge you find in other people, and Topaz will be about using the strength you've gained through those relationships to go out and face the threatening storm. Teasers for Topaz |
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