Happy Thanksgiving from the Lone Wolf Universe by Dellani Oakes

Lone Wolf by Dellani Oakes

The year is 3032 and Mankind has conquered the stars. Two organizations control the majority of the business and trade: The Navigation Guild and The Galactic Mining Guild. Both vying for supremacy, the balance of power is often in flux. Now, though, the Mining Guild has a secret, the largest known deposit of Trimagnite—the liquid ore that's life's blood for the Navigation Guild. That's just the tip of the iceberg and it's up to Wil VanLipsig, the Lone Wolf, and Matilda DuLac to control the situation before it's too late.

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Shakazhan: Lone Wolf Book 2 by Dellani Oakes

Book 2 in the Lone Wolf series, Shakazhan picks up where Lone Wolf ended. Things are in a right state, but this time Wil and Matilda have some new friends. With the help of the Kindred, they just might make it out of this mess alive.

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The Maker Book 3 in the Lone Wolf series. by Dellani Oakes

It's Christmas and the people of Shakazhan are celebrating the holiday, and a few precious moments of peace. John Riley is dead, but he freed the nameless Kahlea, who called upon others before he, too, died. Now, the tiny force awaits the coming of the ancient evil race. Wil and Matilda are determined to find others among the natives of Shakazhan, to join them in the impending battle. Unbeknownst to them, the planet has even more secrets to reveal.

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Lone Wolf Tales – Companion to Lone Wolf Series by Dellani Oakes

This is a collection of nine short stories and novellas centered in the Lone Wolf world. Discover new characters, and delve into the lives of some familiar ones. This volume includes: And Itza Danced, Blackened, Brothers at Arms, Call Me Penny, Fractured, Gone But Not Forgotten, A Little White Lie, Painkiller, There Shall Be Great Rejoicing.

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I Love Dialogue from Shakazhan by Dellani

Wil and Matilda lead an expedition to Iyundo, a remote and nearly forgotten planet far from known space. To their surprise, the Galactic Marine ship, Hannibal, also arrives with Aisulov, head of the Galactic Committee on board. Knowing that they have to follow John Riley, to stop his diabolical scheming, they realize they will need the help of the Marines. This necessitates talking to Chairman Asilov, who isn't known for his affability. In fact, the Vandaran tends to play political games in order to gain advantage over his opponents. He hasn't counted on Wil.

Aisulov liked long, uncomfortable silences. He wanted to see how people handled them. Some grew very agitated. He noted his observations without betraying any emotion in his face.

Slatterly looked annoyed. The woman was harder to read, but she was mildly uncomfortable in his presence. VanLipsig was an enigma—his face and eyes showing nothing except what he wanted Aisulov to see.

Slatterly was an open book, with all his emotion in his face and mannerisms. It was obvious to Aisulov, however, that the Guild captain didn't care what was thought of him. He got the impression that the man could be quite unreadable if he wanted to be.

The woman must be regarded very beautiful among her own kind. Aisulov saw characteristics that he knew most humans considered desirable. His eyes lingered appreciatively on her breasts, allowing a slight leer. It was a terrible breach of protocol, but he wanted to gauge her husband's reaction.

Matilda's gaze dropped to Aisulov's lap, lingered there a moment, and traveled back to his face. A slight raising of the right eyebrow communicated volumes. Captain VanLipsig intended for him to know that she was completely unimpressed with his attributes.

Oh, she's good, that one. She plays the game like a man.

Wil said nothing, sizing up Aisulov with a blank expression. He saw a politician who liked to play mind games. It amused him, but he didn't show it. Aisulov must think they were all below him intellectually. It was a characteristic of the Vandaran people to underestimate the intellect of their human contacts. Wil had used that to his advantage in negotiations many times. Aisulov might have heard stories about him, but he hadn't heard everything or he wouldn't now be playing games.

Silent Time was an age old technique for someone who wanted to establish himself as the one in charge and give him the upper hand in negotiations. Wil could play the game as well as Aisulov, so he waited, sitting unruffled in his seat, gazing at the old moose as intensely as he himself was perused.

Marc looked like a thunder cloud. Wil knew he was annoyed with Aisulov's game, but he also knew Marc to be playing a game of his own. They'd done this often enough from the age of ten or so. It was their form of "good cop and bad cop." Marc played the overly excitable, hot tempered, agitated fellow who's impatient and ready to explode.

Wil sat quietly, sizing up the situation, coming in for the kill when the other party was occupied with Marc. It had done them in good stead many times and it was interesting to see that they still fell into the old pattern. It felt right, like a comfortable chair and well worn boots.

One last lingering look at the woman, and Aisulov swiveled his chair abruptly, facing VanLipsig. He'd tried everything he could think of to make the fellow drop his guard or show a chink in his armor. So far, nothing. Aisulov could be subtle, but he was beginning to think the man was too stupid for sophisticated techniques. He changed tactics.

"Tell me, Colonel, how is it that a man of your skills and reputation has allowed a toadying sycophant like Riley to slip through his fingers three times now? I should have thought a man like you would've captured him or at the very least killed him by now. Yet, here we sit." His broad gesture encompassed the entire universe.

Wil allowed himself a tight smile that didn't reach his eyes. He knew Aisulov was trying to embarrass him, which he found most amusing. He might have told the old man to save his breath, but it would be a waste of his own.

Aisulov liked long pauses, so did Wil. He waited a full minute before replying. His face betrayed nothing, he spoke in an even, modulated voice, his gestures and words chosen with care. He shifted in his chair, leaning back and sliding down slightly. His lackadaisical attitude was intended to mildly offend Aisulov and he could see a flicker of annoyance in the old Vandaran's face.

"It's true, Riley got away from me three times. However, I put it to you, Your Honor, how many other men would've gotten this far in the pursuit?"

Aisulov was decidedly uncomfortable. He didn't answer for a little while. When it was obvious that Wil expected a reply, he muttered. "None, Colonel, as we both know."

Wil nodded, spreading his hands in a gesture of openness and honesty.

"I further put it to you, Your Honor, what other man could possibly track him better than I? While it is true he got away again, this time incorporating an ages old device, unused for millennia, I believe I know his destination. In fact, my wife had the forethought to download information from the console before it was consumed by flames. At no small risk to herself, I might add."

Wil paused again, waiting for Aisulov to make all the appropriate noises of gratitude. To have to thank a woman was decidedly beneath his position, but humans considered their females equals. He had played the game so far, he must continue to do so. He thanked her as briefly as was polite.

Matilda inclined her head respectfully, but didn't give him the added honor of cocking her head to the right as she should have to one whom she considered an equal.

Aisulov was incensed, but decided she simply wasn't familiar with the customs of his people. He overlooked the slight, but at the same time, it rankled.

Matilda smiled to herself. Having dealt once or twice with Vandarans, she was perfectly aware she'd insulted him. Let the old boy cook in his own juice. Stare at her breasts and leer, would he? She could play the game almost as well as Marc could. She hadn't come this far in her career by the age of 28, not to have learned a thing or two. Wil glanced at her and she caught a millisecond of a twinkle in his eye.

© 2017 Dellani Oakes

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Welcome to Shakazhan!

Today, I'm proud to announce that Shakazhan – Book 2 in my Lone Wolf Series, is now available once more! Re-issued with fabulous new covers, Shakazhan and Lone Wolf are for sale on Amazon.

Please note, if you see paperback copies with any covers other than this dazzling blue, you're not buying the Dellani Oakes authorized edition, and I don't get any money for it. (For full disclosure onthis, click here.) 

Below is a teaser from Shakazhan, as well as the last couple of pages of Lone Wolf – Book 1. Shakazhan begins just as Lone Wolf ends.

Lone Wolf

Riley was guided by someone who knew this world. His feet carried him across rocks and desolate land until he reached what had once been city gates. Nothing remained of the metal, but the stones stood silent sentry as he passed between the ruination of the arches. A stone lined, circular plaza stretched out before him surrounded by what had once been a beautiful city. Little was left save the shell of ancient buildings overgrown by tawny grasses and rust colored vines. The buildings formed concentric circles around the center.

Led by a voice inside his head, he found a room deep in the heart of the least damaged building. In the middle of the room, he discovered what he sought—an ancient teleporter. Scrambling over rocks and trash littering the teleport pad, he found the control panel.

By some miracle, he found a set of rusty tools. Tapping off the oxidized metal, he worked rapidly to repair the antiquated device. He had no idea what to do consciously, his hands moved of their own accord. Laughing and whistling as he worked, he saw the ancient controls take shape beneath his hands.

Unerringly, Wil followed Riley's trail. Somehow, he'd managed to find the most direct path to the ruins on the horizon . They approached the long abandoned ruins warily, unsure where to find Riley.

The remnants of a magnificent fountain formed the focal point of a crumbling courtyard. Slimy, green water gurgled lethargically in a noxious smelling stream. Wil and Matilda gave it a wide berth, stopping once they were past it, looking for Riley's trail. Wil was near to giving up when he spotted drops of dried blood. His son had cut himself on sharp, twisted metal not far from the fountain. Following the blood trail, they entered the only surviving structure, a large building to their left.

Matilda used hand signals now that they were inside. Wil nodded, coming up next to her. Moving in tandem, they checked their surroundings as they went. It was narrow, dark, dank and littered with ancient bones. The bones fell to dust as they passed, holding their shape all these centuries merely from habit. Signaling Wil, Matilda walked cautiously forward. He heard movement ahead of them; muttering and cursing, sounds of debris being shifted, shuffling and scuffling. They advanced in two directions, circling around to come up on Riley from different sides.

The old man straightened, head cocked in Wil's direction.

"Hello, Dad." Riley turned slowly, facing his father.

"Hello, Son." His gun was leveled at Riley's chest, unwavering, waiting for an excuse to fire. "She never told me about you. Never said a word."

Riley laughed. The cold, abrupt sound echoed around the room. "Would it have made any difference?"

"Yes. It would have." Wil's voice was soft, almost gentle. "I know it doesn't change things now, but I'm sorry. I know what that place was like."

"Hell! Like Hell on earth!"

Wil nodded, not taking his eyes off Riley, nor dropping his weapon. "So, what now, Son?"

"Are you going to kill me, Daddy?"

"If you make it necessary."

Riley shook his head slightly. "I don't think so. You look at me and see a part of yourself. Mother used to tell me I looked a lot like you. That is, before she lost her mind. After that, she thought I was you, come back for her."

Riley's voice broke with anguish. "She forgot me, but remembered you until the end. Ironic isn't it?" His laughter this time was hollow, as if he'd been left empty. He was no longer angry. He was a child, wanting confirmation that he was loved.

Matilda felt sorry for the man, but at the same time was wary. She sensed something about Riley she couldn't pinpoint. There was power here, evil, great, demonic. She hoped Wil wouldn't be taken in, that Riley wouldn't be able to play on his emotions.

Wil remained impassive, his jaw muscle flexing, the only indication of his discomfort. "Yes. If Cherise had just told me, we wouldn't be here now. But that doesn't matter anymore, nothing can change the past."

Wil approached Riley warily, sensing something different about him. He kept his weapon drawn as Matilda approached with a set of cuffs. Once she placed them on Riley, binding his arms behind him, Wil grabbed his son by the elbow, propelling him to the exit. Matilda followed a few feet away.

No sooner had his hand touched Riley, a scream sounded in Wil's head, disorienting him. Grandma screeched hysterically, "Kahlea! Kahlea! The Ancient Evil has returned!"

Knocking Wil to the floor, Riley scrambled to get his cuffed hands in front of him. Wil tried to right himself and stop the screaming in his mind, but he couldn't. A red miasma flowed before his eyes, his ears rang, disorienting him further.

Matilda tried to grab Riley, but he elbowed her roughly aside as he ran to the control panel and hit the combination of buttons to activate the machine. A grinding rumble filled the air. High pitched screeching of millennia old equipment made his eyes water, disorienting him slightly as he struggled to the platform. The earth shuddered underfoot as the age old conduits ground downward toward the undulating deposit of Trimagnite beneath their feet.

Matilda was overcome by incapacitating nausea. Unable to maintain her equilibrium, she collapsed in a pile of rubble. Wil struggled to rise, forcing himself upright. Hands trembling, he leveled his weapon at his son.

Riley's halting steps carried him to the transport pad. He stepped upon it, feeling the humming shudder grow louder, higher in pitch. The sound set his teeth on edge as if millions of giant fingers dragged their nails down a chalk board. He stepped onto the center of the pad, his skin crawling with the vibrations of the antediluvian device. The unshielded energy disintegrated his clothing as the transport slowly began.

Wil stood directly in front of Riley, weapon aimed at his heart. "I should have killed you long ago."

Riley's world slowed to a crawl. Wil's finger tightened on the trigger, sending the pulse of energy which would incinerate his son. Riley felt an excruciating pull on his head and the soles of his feet as if he were being bent backwards into a hoop and dragged through a key hole.

The pain of transportation was agonizing. A flash of orange light and a lancing, heat seared his chest and genitals as he fell backward into nothingness. Like a light speed roller coaster, Riley road the waves and undulations through space. He lost all sense of time, space, self; dragged away to the heart of darkness, to a hell he so richly deserved.

Shakazhan – Chapter 1

The Inhospitable Surface of Iyundo—1630 Galactic Mean Time (GMT)

"Where the hell did he go? I hit Riley point blank! It's impossible for me to miss at that range!"

In a fit of peevishness, Wil threw his gun to the ground, kicking debris over it. Matilda moved to the control panel. Flames licked at it, consuming the ancient device.

"We won't get this working again." She kicked it hard, the tip of her steel toed boot bouncing off the console. Finding a port for her scanner, she downloaded information from the console.

"That's a waste, baby."

"You never know what we can find out. Even a fragment can help."

Wil knew she was right, he just didn't want to admit it. "We need to get out of here before that blows."

"One more minute...." Matilda replied in a casual singsong.

Picking up his gun, Wil considered the flames. "The way that fire is going?"

"Put it out, then," she snapped as she watched the status bar on her download.

"Yes, Ma'am." He saluted flippantly, searching for something to extinguish the flames, but found nothing but unusable debris that would only succeed in feeding the fire.

"Speed it up, baby, I can't put it out."

"Almost done."

Flames leaped higher. Wil watched with growing concern. Just as he was about to grab her and run, she uncoupled the scanner and set off at a sprint. Wil followed her, trying to shield her body if the console blew. They dove behind a pile of rubble, keeping their heads down.

A small, fuzzy creature burst into the room, gesticulating wildly. Eyes wide with panic, he chittered at them in a language their translators couldn't decode. His face sported a slight snout, but there was intelligence in the bright, dark eyes. Dressed in a loin cloth, his body was covered with a soft layer of fur and was only marginally humanoid in configuration. He had a head, two arms and two legs, but there the resemblance to humans stopped.

Wil aimed his weapon at it, calm but wary. Matilda stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"Wait! He's okay. Listen." She tilted her head toward the creature.

"Listen to what? That's gibberish."

"He's telepathic. Come on." She followed the creature without question.

"Matilda! Wait!"

"Shut up and follow him. It's not safe here."

Wil went after her reluctantly, more to protect her than because he trusted the creature.

"Hurry! Felix says it's about to blow."

"Who's Felix?"

"He is."

"Who told you?"

She huffed sharply, exasperated. "He did."

The control panel fire gained intensity. The area around it blazed. A low rumble reached them, the earth trembled below their feet, cracks forming in the walls and floor. They moved away from the fire and deeper into the building, opposite the way they had entered.

The way was often blocked by fallen walls and broken, decaying furniture. This had been a showplace once. The vestiges of its long forgotten beauty were still visible—here a green marble floor, there a magnificent chandelier made of jewels.

"Where is he taking us?" Wil demanded.

"He's showing me a picture of a courtyard out this way." She pointed to their right. "It's safer than going back the way we came."

Wil followed unwillingly, senses alert. His hackles rose, his nerves tingled. Matilda could sense tension and concern in Wil's every move. The sense of urgency she got from Felix made her doubly uncomfortable.

The rumbling and rushing of air grew louder and closer. Risking a look behind them, Matilda saw the chamber they'd left seethed with flames. The front of the building, where they'd entered, fell into a flaming pit. Silver tinged fire burst suddenly from its depths.

"Hurry!" Wil yanked on her arm as he passed her.

The urging from Wil was unnecessary. Matilda tried to keep up, but his legs were considerably longer and he could cover more ground in a mile eating lope, hardly winding him. Panting, she trotted beside him. The hot, dry air burned the back of her throat. The fire raged to the rear, erupting anew. It raced closer, singeing their hair. Their lungs rasped with each breath.

Felix ducked behind a fallen set of doors, raced around a corner and led them to a courtyard, surrounded on three sides by the building they'd just exited. The fourth was gone, long ago fallen to rubble. The air behind them grew hotter. The walls bulged and vibrated violently.

"It's going to blow, Wil!"

Matilda took off at a dead run, legs pumping as hard as they could, her lungs burning. Wil moved behind her, shortening his stride. He wanted to take the brunt of the shock wave and any shrapnel. Matilda stumbled, sliding sideways. He reached out to grab her, missing as her body tipped away from him. Her knee hit hard on a sharp rock protruding from the rubble. Standing with difficulty, she gritted her teeth, determined to continue.

Felix stopped. The sight of her blood worried him. His saucer shaped eyes held deep concern. He glanced behind them nervously, though he waited patiently for her to rise.

Matilda could barely put her weight on her leg. Shaking her head, she limped forward a few inches, nearly falling again.

Wil scooped her up in his arms, running faster than Matilda could have on her own. His long legged stride devoured the distance toward safety. They ran over the stark terrain, Wil's legs rapidly eating up the miles. Felix chittered and gesticulated, pointing to a deep depression in the landscape. He ran toward it, not waiting for Wil, trusting him to follow.

The ground dropped sharply, turning spongy and damp. The depression looked like an artificially made ditch, not a river bed. The edges were too regular and smooth. There was a lot of rubble here as well. Wil slowed, careful where he put his feet.

Felix ran ahead, chittering and yelping loudly. Dozens of little furry creatures like Felix, ran out from a well concealed opening. They yelped and gesticulated wildly when they saw the humans, but ushered the party into their hiding place. Wil and Matilda were surrounded by a three foot high sea of multihued fuzzy people dressed in loin cloths and sarongs.

The tunnel they entered wasn't quite high enough for Wil to stand upright. The floor dipped downward at a steep angle. Stooping to enter, Wil bent his knees, his back bowed as the way narrowed.

Wil expected it to be damp and dank underground. Instead, it was dry, well lit and smelled of roasting meat and exotic spices. After about a hundred meters, it broadened out into an open area where three or four large pipes joined into an open common room. Soft pallets lay on the floor in neat rows. On the outer perimeter, they passed cooking fires.

Felix led him to a group of mats, motioning that Wil should put Matilda down on one. He did so, noticing that the bedding was meticulously clean. It was soft and resilient under her weight.

Another creature, this one with peppered gray fur, moved in beside Matilda. Felix stepped aside respectfully. She wore a leather bag at her side. Wil lingered a moment until Felix tugged his pants leg. Reluctantly, Wil allowed the healer near Matilda.

The healer pulled surgical instruments from her bag, laying them out on a pristine strip of cloth. Made predominantly of glassy stone, they glittered dully in the half light of the culvert. The healer hummed as she cut Matilda's stasuit away from the wound with a pair of shears. That accomplished, she held her hands over her instruments, chanting. They flared pale purple, continuing to glow brighter as she chanted.

As a counterpoint to her high voice, Wil heard and sensed the rumbling of the explosion building not far away. Worried, he looked around him. The serene visages of Felix and the others should have reassured him, but they didn't. The explosion he'd anticipated nearly knocked him off his feet. The ground undulated, the earthen roof groaned, sprinkling them with a fine dust. The tremors continued several minutes, lessened, gradually subsiding. It wasn't nearly as formidable as Wil had anticipated. Regaining his balance, he watched the healer do her work.

The healer leaned over Matilda's leg, protecting it as much as possible from falling debris. Her humming continued and her patient's eyes fluttered shut. Wil could tell Matilda was in a deep hypnotic trance. He took a step forward, but Felix stopped him, shaking his head, smiling. Wil was suddenly filled with peace. He knew the healer wouldn't harm Matilda.

Clearing her work area with sweeping motions of her hands and another song, the healer began again. She cleaned the wound with a bitter smelling liquid. That accomplished, she took up her first instrument, preparing for her incision.

Wil couldn't watch her cut into his wife's leg, for the first time in his life squeamish at the sight of blood. He turned away as the blade descended. His comlink squawked urgently.

"VanLipsig, go ahead Flotilla." He hardly recognized his own voice, it was partially choked with dust and partially constricted with anxiety for his wife.

"Wil! What the hell is going on down there? We registered a massive power surge, followed by a inferno and now a colossal explosion. Are you two all right?" Marc, captain of the mining vessel and Wil's long time friend, yelped. His voice sounded an octave higher than normal, showing his worry.

Wil gulped, trying to clear his throat. "We're alive. Matilda's hurt. She fell when ran away from the explosion. She's being looked after now."

"Looked after? Are you back on the ship?"

"No, we met some people here. One of them is tending to her."

"People? Wil, there's no sign of life there except the two of you!"

"Trust me, I was just as shocked as you. There's life here, just not as we would recognize it. They seem to be silicon based, not carbon. A science officer would have a field day down here."

Felix tugged on Wil's pants leg. His face held an urgency unequaled by any Wil had seen. The little rock man made a tapping motion on his chest, just like hitting a comlink.

"I think of one of them is asking me to end this conversation. I'll get back with you when I can. VanLipsig out."

© 2016 Dellani Oakes

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I Love Dialogue from Shakazhan

New Cover by Suzette Vaughn

Having reached a mysterious planet, deep in uncharted space, Wil and Matilda find themselves in peculiar circumstances. Led here by Riley, and nearly killed in a massive explosion, they take refuge with an alien race who call themselves the Kindred. From what they can tell, the Kindred are silicon based lifeforms. Highly intelligent beings, they don't speak – they are telepathic. Matilda is injured and is given expert medical aid by one of the Kindred healers. Afterward, they sit down for dinner – if you can call it that.

Wrinkling her nose at the unsavory looking, pinkish gray, pulpy rectangle, she glanced over at the cooking fire with longing. "Whatever they're fixing smells delicious."

"I don t think we had better try their food, I doubt their diet would agree with us."

Matilda took the trail food reluctantly, breaking off a piece and adding a little water. Biting in, she shuddered. "Strawberry Beef Supreme? Ugh! Who thinks of these things? "

Wil took his own package nibbling experimentally at the corner. "Marc and I developed theories over the years. First was that they simply do the combinations at random. Second was that they spend an inordinate amount of time thinking hard what would be the most disgusting combinations known to mankind. My favorite, a team of nutritionists gathered at a convention, got ripping drunk and played Scrabble with the food pyramid. Think Strawberry Beef Supreme is bad? I once got Mango Macaroni Surprise. The surprise was that it was completely inedible." Grinning, Wil ate his Strawberry Beef Supreme with great relish. It was filling and it wasn't Mango Macaroni Surprise.

© 2016 Dellani Oakes

Shakazhan To Be Re-Issued Saturday, July 9, 2016!

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Gone But Not Forgotten

Before there was Lone Wolf, Shakazhan or The Maker, there was Gone But Not Forgotten. Below is an excerpt from this short story in the Lone Wolf Universe. For the entire story, for FREE check out the link.

Tortured winds ripped through the mining camp clinging to the inhospitable cliffs and crags of Saltulle. The hurricane force winds drove the blinding rain in horizontal sheets, stinging exposed skin. At times, the rain turned to sleet capable of sheering flesh from bone. When it wasn't raining, the wicked dessert heat baked a man dry in hours. Scorching sun, torrential rain and gales were everyday fare on Saltulle.

Synonymous with Purgatory in miners' vocabulary, Saltulle excelled in two things: providing the Mining Guild with ores and gems unavailable almost anywhere else and turning out the most experienced miners in the galaxy.

Edmund DuLac and his wife, Mary, had lived for nearly eighteen years. All three of their daughters were born on Saltulle. Matilda was fifteen, Brigette twelve and Amie eight.

Ed went through his morning routine automatically, fixing coffee and waking the girls. Mary hated rising early, but Ed's day began at 0500 each day. He usually had to drag Matilda up too, but the other girls were early risers like their father. Ed made breakfast while Brigette made lunches for three girls and one miner, who could eat as much as all of them combined.

Today was special though. The atmosphere of the small, sturdy house was charged with anticipation. Even Mary and Matilda were up for it was Matilda's first day of work. Ed had pulled a few strings and gotten her hired as a log runner. Her training was over, now she was a full fledged Miner One, lowest rank in the Galactic Mining Guild.

Log running was a relatively safe job for a teenager, for it merely involved going from one base camp to the next and logging their hourly dig rate. This job was done by comunit most places, but Saltulle's environment made communication virtually impossible. Special underground lines were in place for extreme emergencies such as a collapsed face or beast attack, but nothing short of life threatening condoned their use.

Matilda felt awkward in her stiff, new uniform. The khaki colored, ill fitting jump suit; heavy, steel tipped boots, safety goggles, hard hat and gloves were common to all miners.

Ed gazed at his tall, athletic daughter and grinned approvingly. Her sisters giggled at her and her mother smiled her support. Matilda tried to smile, but her nervousness prevented it.

"My baby girl, a miner like her old man. I can't tell you how proud I am, Tilda." Her father clapped her on the shoulder as he would have a son. "Following in her daddy's footsteps."

Breakfast was cleared away and the two younger girls left for school, still giggling. Matilda took her lunch in its insulated thermal box and followed her father to work. She had to check in with the supervisor before starting her day.

The mining supervisor was a man who had known Matilda her entire life. His name was Ivan MacHale, but the girls always called him Uncle Mac. Her father warned her repeatedly to call him Supervisor MacHale and not to slip if she knew what was good for her.

Knees shaking, hat and goggles in her hand, she was given her first assignment. Her lunch and portable computer logs packed securely in a heavy floater cycle, she followed a flashing yellow arrow on her console to Mine Base One, about twenty clix away.

The floater cycle handled like a lumbering elephant. However, it remained stable in all but the most severe weather. Each cycle was equipped with state of the art weather gear so she should have plenty of advance warning before a storm hit.

She was about two clix from Mine Base One when her spine tingled unpleasantly. The hair on her neck rose and her nerves jangled, making her very alert. Curious, she checked her weather report, but saw nothing unusual. It was a calm, clear day on Saltulle. Absently, she noted her relative position on her map and continued to Mine Base One.

It took about thirty minutes to complete her survey and log the numbers. The base was below quota by about twenty percent. Part of her duty was to interview the superintendent and mine leader to determine cause.

"To be honest, Log Runner DuLac, the site is damn near played out." The superintendent, a man named Murdock Pickford, handed her a hand held scanner, showing the most recent scans of the mining site.

Part of Matilda's training over the last six weeks had been familiarizing her with site scans. Even to her meagerly trained eye, something was out of place.

"What's this?" She pointed to an erratic peak in the scan. It was dark purple, jagged and taller than all the rest. Murdock leaned over her shoulder, looking at the scan.

"I don't know, never saw anything like it before."

"Mind if I have a copy of this? Might help out at main base so you don't get hammered on the low productivity."

Superintendent Pickford smiled and copied the files to her log. It wasn't her job to condemn or judge his people. All she did was record the information and take it back for some bureaucrat to peruse, categorize and file. The twenty percent drop could hurt. Miners had lost their ranks for less. Since he didn't particularly want to be busted down to Miner One, he was grateful to Matilda for taking the initiative to add his file to her log, as he was not in a position to ask her.

She left soon after and headed for the next mine base. Her path took her past the same spot where she had her odd feeling, but it didn't return.

For Your FREE copy of Gone But Not Forgotten and other Free Treats look for Dellani on Smashwords!

© Dellani Oakes 

Where Do the Names Come From?

Where do you get your names? I've been asked this question fairly often. Not so much with my romance or romantic suspense, but with of my science fiction. Every good sci-fi needs aliens. Since it's rather unlikely that the characters will find aliens with the names John, Paul, George or Bob, an author has to get creative.

Sometimes, the names are right there, as in the case of Caprilla Mayeese. It just popped into my head as I was writing. I saw his piercing blue cat eyes, his sleek midnight fur and his name sounded in my mind. The rest of the giant cats, or Fellicians, were easy (though the name of their race gave me fits for a day or two). I wanted somewhat exotic names, but, I hope, not too ridiculously difficult to pronounce. Again, I found their names fairly easily. Ariella, Escascia, Errollic and Cavitus.

Other aliens weren't as easy to name. I had just introduced a sentient, moose-like alien (Vandaran), the Chairman of the Galactic Committee—basically, the president of everything—and had no idea what to call him. I could wing it a little while referring to him as “The Chairman” but that gets cumbersome.

I happened to have my son at his Aikido class and the name of the dojo was on the door. Aikido of Volusia County. One of the dads opened the door as I was writing. I looked up and saw the name backwards on the glass door. “Aisulov,” I thought. “That makes a great character name. And so Chairman Aisulov was baptized.

The name of his scurrilous Vice-Chairman came from my Chevrolet van. Reversing it looked funny, so I changed the order slightly, making her name Telorvech. Her security head, the odious Mabatsuou, also flashed into my mind. They are both characters who gain importance in book 3, The Maker. I really like them, even if their hearts are blacker than the pits of hell.

I introduce some other characters in The Maker, book 3, who come from other planets. One of these is Bankaywan, given to me by a telemarketer, who was calling from Bank One—though with her heavy accent, it sounded like “Ban Kwan”. I'm thinking of changing it, though. It still sounds a bit too much like Bank One. From Bankaywan, I brought in Sta Hyt Mai, though not terribly exotic, it was another name that simply occurred to me when I created her.

For the name of the Mining Guild planet, I resorted to a list of baby names. I found it among the Hawaiian names and it was so perfect, I used it. Aolani means Heavenly Cloud, appropriate for a planet that is mostly crystal blue seas and sandy beaches—a tropical paradise. Other names, like the planet where Matilda was born and raised, Saltulle, came from my imagination. (I just Goggled Saltulle and the first 8 hits I got were related to my books, how cool is that?) 

Sometimes a name won't come to me right away. I have to find one myself because the character doesn't tell me. Usually, these are minor characters, but sometimes they aren't. I chose the name of one of my sci-fi characters, (who is introduced in book 4, The Kahlea) by digging through baby name sites. I had a very specific meaning in my mind. I wanted something about a warrior and I wanted something that would give hope. I chose Duncan Chandler. Duncan means Dark Warrior or Dark Skinned Warrior. Chandler means Candle Maker—in effect, a maker of light. This character is the culmination of all that the characters have fought for and worked toward. He is the unexpected hero. Needless to say, Duncan is a favorite. I never expected him to evolve as he does.

Shakazhan is the name of my distant, mythical planet in the

middle of absolute nowhere. The planet that was once the center of the Timokuan culture, the battleground that was and will be. I wanted something that had an edge to it. Something harsh, alien, impressive. It guess it kind of sounds like someone sneezing, but I like the feel of it. I should also mention Timokuan. I got that idea from Tomoka, which is a fairly common name in this part of Florida. It's supposedly the name of a Native American tribe, but it's more likely that it meant something entirely different and that the Frenchmen who encountered them, misunderstood what they were being told. They were also called Timucua. I fiddled with the spelling a little bit and came up with Timokuan. It is both the singular and plural form of the word.

Kahlea, the ancient evil race, is the same way. It is one Kahlea or dozens. And trust me, you don't want even one anywhere around you. To know them is to loathe them. Actually, to know them is to die. They're short tempered and can kill you with their minds.

Leordovik – honestly couldn't tell you where that name came from. I think it's another one that just sort of evolved. I had actually used the name Lordvik earlier in the novel and I needed something that sounded similar, but wasn't quite the same. I added a couple more vowels and came up with Leordovik.

I find myself rambling somewhat, so I suppose it would be wise to curtail this article. I'm also distracting myself by Goggling Timokuan, Leordovik and Shakazhan. Giving myself a little ego boost in the process. 

I find it fun to talk about my character name choices. Finding the perfect name for a character is challenging and fun. Having just the right meaning or sound is an important facet of a character's personality. A rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but I doubt we'd feel quite so enamored of Romeo and Juliet if they'd been named Ogden and Hortense.

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