Texts, Tears, and Childhood

This week, the Korean ferry disaster is in the news quite a bit, and one of the aspects of it that is really making headlines is the fact that so many of the passengers, mostly teens, used their cell phones to either text or call their loved ones. In book three of The Warrior Chronicles, Warrior's Realm, a similar thing happens. Cort and his company of Ares Marines are overwhelmed by an enemy force. In an effort to give their fellows a chance to survive the onslaught, Cort and a couple of others overload their power packs. But before he hits the button, Cort sends Kim Point, his love interest, a brief message saying goodbye. You will have to read the book, or find the teaser I posted about it, to learn what was in the message.
The concept is one that I spent a lot of time working on. I had to make it a message that Cort would send, make it realistic for what such a message would contain, and make it the right length for the amount of time he had to get in position. But that was all for a twenty-first century warrior, in control of his own destiny, fighting a twenty-fourth century battle on another planet. How would it play out for an average person? A teen, no less.
One young man texted his father, "Dad, don't worry. I've got a life vest on, and we are huddled together." Another sent a group message to his friends. "If I've wronged any of you, forgive me. Love you guys." Those two teens have not been found. One teen that is safe after being rescued, sent, "Mom, I'm sending you this now, because I'm afraid I might not be able to say it later. I love you."
To have written my scene just a few days before the ferry disaster, and then see teenagers send their loved ones messages that are so similar to what my fictional hero sent his fictional love interest, is bittersweet to me. On one hand, it feels good to know that today's teens, facing their own mortality, think of those they are leaving behind. I would like to think it's not cultural, but rather a trait that most teens embody. After all, they are growing up in a world with much more death and sadness than the one I grew up in. But on the other hand, it sad to me that a teenager has to demonstrate that kind of courage. It's one thing when a Marine recognizes the approaching scythe being wielded by Death's bony hand, but when a group of teens faces it just as bravely, I wonder what happened to childhood.

Warning: Best when consumed by the publication date.

One of the things that is very important to me about my writing is that I can claim the sub-genre Hard Science Fiction. I have a few stories in my head that don't fit the category, but The Warrior Chronicles  are firmly there. What that means is that my technology, my science, my books have to be plausible, and I won't just say, "The ship went to warp ten." In Edgar Rice Burroughs' Mars books (No, I am not going to compare myself to Burroughs, I am just giving an example of what I am writing about.), he uses 'rays', or parts of the light spectrum, like gases, to propel the craft used by the inhabitants of Barsoom (Mars). At the time he wrote it, the concept was reasonable. But we have since discredited many aspects of his tech and physics. The same will happen with my books. In time, science will prove many of the theories I use for FTL travel, time travel, and FTL communication to be incorrect. But I want to hold that wolf (Get it? Wolf? No? Have you even my books?) at bay for as long as possible. I even have a guy who helps me with that. A physicist who I run my science by, offers suggestions and opinions to help me keep the science as real as possible. Everything from destroying planets, to creating anchor points in our local space-time.
I spend a lot of time reading physics papers, weapons research, etc. I talked about it a bit in my Jack of all Trades post. This morning, I came across a white paper about a theory that, if confirmed, will throw my FTL drive system out of the black hole, so to speak. It is about event horizons, particle walls, and extreme gravity. I took two things away from the article and two supporting pieces. Number one, I never, ever, ever, want to cross the event horizon of a black hole. If you ever come in contact with someone who offers you the chance to do so, politely turn them down. Trust me on this. The second thing I took from the physics headache I got today, is that my science may be disproven within a decade. Dammit! My hope is that the science behind my Jonah Drive Construct isn't discredited before Warrior's Realm even makes it to Amazon's Kindle Store.
Someday, I know aspects of my science will fall to the side as drivel, but until then, I want my hard sci-fi fans to enjoy my work. After my science fails, at least I will be in good company. I mean, I've already seen my name next to Edgar's on a Kindle list, so I can at least claim that, right? Right?