A-to-Z Challenge Day 18: The Letter R

Mackenzie Reyes

The Dark Side of Space

Space Corps Book 1

I've mentioned before that Dark Side of Space was the very first story developed for the Space Corps saga, and that the notes took a revision before they started taking a form that I was satisfied with.  Well, after I was further ensconced developing everything, I realized that even the revised notes, from a time where I was still pretty young, weren't up to snuff with what I had subsequently accomplished elsewhere, so I went back and revised again (this would still not be the last time, but it got me to the point I needed), even going so far as to do those biographical sketches I was badmouthing yesterday.  Mackenzie Reyes ended up serving as a pretty fruitful springboard for some world-building elements that I hadn't previously considered.  Part of his background is the time he spent at the Roscoe Research Institute.  Aside from being named for a particularly memorable anthropology professor I had in college, its location proved more interesting.  For the purposes of the exercise, I devised the Francisco Keys.  As anyone ought to know, California has some significant fault lines that makes it prone to earthquakes.  If you're Lex Luthor you'll give them a little help, but if you're simply patient I'm sure they'll do their job on their own.  I don't wish ill for current or future residents, but anytime you live somewhere with natural conditions like that you're asking for trouble.  That's just a fact.  The Francisco Keys, then, are the result of this phenomenon, the remains of San Francisco that just happen to give a nod to famed poet Francis Scott Key (which turns out nicely for events in Seven Thunders, especially if you remember the song Key is known for, and the circumstances in which he composed it).  Incidentally, I'm not the only writer who envisions interesting things for the California coastline.  In some Aquaman comics from the early years of the new millennium, there existed Sub Diego.

Rose

Yoshimi Trilogy

Rose is Yoshimi's mother.  She is in the linear sense quite dead throughout the narrative, but obviously she still plays a pretty significant role.  Her complete name might be familiar to comic book fans, but I won't tell you what it is, as that's another of the developments best left to reading the story for yourself.  Y'know, if you so choose.

***

The Red Sox didn't play Friday because of the lockdown.  It would have been their first game at home since Monday.  Coincidentally they were in Cleveland the next day anyway.  They're playing today in Fenway, though.  Big Papi had some remarks for the Faithful.

The Angels won yesterday!  Albert Pujols is at .309, Mike Trout at .297.  Trout, meanwhile, also had a chance to celebrate last season, including The Catch.  Read about it here.

The A's lost yesterday.  But Coco Crisp hit a home run!  Pitcher Brett Anderson left the game with a sprained ankle, so Crisp and his name will have to remain the bright spot for the night.

Rain didn't help the Cardinals.  They played and lost.  They're now a half game ahead of the Reds for the top of their division.