WIP Wednesday - Alien Quest 1

Hi, everyone. I hope you’re all well. I’m staying busy with life, and yes, writing. I’m finally about halfway through the first draft of the first Alien Quest book. It’s looking to land close to, perhaps over, 100k words. It’s a real beast and intense.

Here’s a little scene to whet your appetites, a private encounter between Dramok Rorix and Laughter. Not a good encounter, unfortunately. These two are definitely at odds after a spat in front of the bridge crew.

Rorix was pleased Lorenz left the bridge alone, rather than in the company of Nobek Veko. Traditional Kalquorians were protective of women, no matter the species. The last thing Rorix wanted was to have such a man hovering over the pretty girl he obviously saw as an equal to himself.

Rorix also took pleasure in the way Lorenz paused to see him waiting for her in the doorway of his personal office. Concern flickered over her soft features an instant, then she adopted the stoic front he was used to. She tried to get away with a quick nod and hurried past him, as if she thought he waited for someone else.

“LDS Officer. A word.” He turned and went into the room, assured she’d follow. He was her commanding officer, after all.

Nonetheless, he heard her take a couple steps more down the corridor before pausing. She sighed, and her footfalls trailed him.

He stopped in the middle of the office. It was spacious, with casual seating to one side, along with a table. More formal hover chairs were spaced evenly in front of his desk, behind which awaited his own hover chair.

He stopped halfway to the desk and turned to confront Lorenz. She’d already stopped, a mere three feet beyond the door. Her expression was a careful blank.

He started to scowl and made himself stop. There was the subtle sense she was disrespecting him by lingering close to the door, as if to rush him into stating his business so she could leave. Which had been his plan, but to see her wanting the situation on her terms…

“You should have told me in advance you were training with SDC Veko,” he stated. Cool and calm. Good.

She allowed a beat of silence, then answered, “I wasn’t aware it would be a problem for you.”

For you. She was making it personal.

“My lack of knowledge of your plans made me look bad in front of the crew.” His anger slipped out this time.

“You made yourself look bad, Captain.” She practically sneered the word. “I’m a bridge officer. Therefore, I reported to the bridge for the expedition’s launch. I’m a communications specialist. Therefore, I’m expanding my training with the short-distance and onboard com duties and cross training another com officer to do my job in case I can’t. My reporting for duty was reasonable in all respects. It’s your dislike for Earthers that’s unreasonable.”

“Unreasonable?” He barked a harsh laugh. “Backward, fanatical, warmongering, thieving, violent Earthers have been a problem for Kalquorians since we discovered your existence!”

“Funny, I thought it was our planet that was destroyed, not yours. Kalquor looked like it was in pretty good shape while I was there. Have you seen the original Earth lately? You know, the big dead rock billions called home not so long ago?”

“That was your people’s fault, and you know it.” How had she gotten the upper hand so fast when Earth had been the aggressors in the war they’d fought?

“Can you really lay it just on us? After all, you’re the ones who flew all the way out to Earth in a few thousand destroyers. What were you planning to do, ask to borrow a cup of sugar?”

He’d definitely lost control of the discussion he’d planned. He fell back on his rank, his only defense. “You will treat me with respect in the presence of others.”

“And you’ll let me do the job I’m supposed to.” Her eyes were narrowed, her jaw clenched. “I’ll see to it you won’t have a thing to complain about where my work performance is concerned. If you do throw me off the bridge or the ship, I’ll see to it I have plenty of witnesses, Coydidak and otherwise, who’ll tell Emperor Clajak you had no reason to do so.”

“What do you think he’ll do about it?” It was Rorix’s turn to sneer. “I’m the elected head of the Coydidak. He needs the Coydidak to pull off this mission.”

“Your people might change their minds about you as leader if it costs them their new ships, funding, and support. You aren’t out of the empire’s reach yet.”

Rorix wanted to laugh in her face…but he couldn’t. His people, and more importantly, the Council of Elders, were delighted with him at the moment. They had their freedom to roam unencumbered by the Kalquorian Empire, thanks to Emperor Clajak’s largesse.

Clajak was an Earther sympathizer. Hell, his empress was an Earther. He might take Lorenz’s allegations seriously enough to strip the Coydidak of the convoy and all that went with it if the elders didn’t elect a new leader.

They had too much to lose. They might hate to cast him aside, but for all the advantages Clajak and the Kalquorian Empire had afforded them, they’d do so.

Pretending derision, not wanting her to know his uneasiness over the situation, he said, “Your relays had better deploy without any mistakes. One slip-up, and I’ll leave you at the first available planet or station. Dismissed.” 

It’ll be interesting to see how these two can get past their differences. Don’t expect it to happen quickly. As I said, I’m about halfway through the first draft, and they’re just starting to talk civilly to each other. Maybe the fact Laughter and Rorix’s Imdiko have started getting along so well to the point Negal has spent a few nights in her quarters has something to do with it. Or maybe it's because Laughter helped save their butts after an attack by the Darks.

That’s it for now! Take care.

WIP Wednesday: Alien Quest 1

Hello all! 

I’m hard at work on the first draft of the still untitled Alien Quest 1, which showcases the travels of the Coydidak’s Clan Rorix and Laughter Lorenz, whom we met in the last Dark Empire book, Advance and Retreat.

This book looks like it’ll be a big one. I’m about three-quarters to what would be the end of the majority of Kalquor Universe books. According to the outline, I haven’t written half of it. I have a long way to go yet.

It’s a slow burn. This week, I began writing the first intimate scene. Not really a surprise it’s taking so long, given Laughter and Clan Rorix aren’t starting off as the best of friends. Nobek Signis is anti-Earther thanks to having been set up for an ambush in the past, Rorix isn’t terribly fond of them either, and Imdiko Negal…well, the lusty guy merely wants to add a notch to his belt. Laughter would just as soon send them all out an airlock into open space.

Enemies to lovers means patiently waiting for this stubborn bunch to see the terrific opportunity for love in front of them. Are the odds ever against the sweeter emotions, as you can see from the following excerpt. (Remember, this is a first draft, so it won’t be terribly polished.)

 

She swung toward the podium she was slated to man, on the uppermost section. The ship’s weapons commander, Nobek Signis, was there, not two steps away. Laughter gasped. She hadn’t even seen him move from his computer station, yet he loomed over her, a couple inches taller than six and a half feet. His sleeveless red tunic top not only showed carved biceps and shoulders, but an immense swath of chiseled chest. Even glowering, he was infuriatingly handsome, his black hair, typical of the Kalquorian race, framing his strong features. 

“What are you doing here?” he barked at her.

“LDS Officer Lorenz, your presence on the bridge isn’t required yet.” Captain Rorix’s voice was quieter, calmer, but still loud enough for the rest of the crew to hear. He strolled toward her with a purpose. No doubt that purpose was to throw her off the bridge.

Another handsome man, though more classically so and less feral than his clanmate Signis. If not for the monumental scowling weapons commander, Dramok Rorix would have been among the most physically imposing men she’d encountered in her thirty years.

Despite his greater height and musculature, however, Signis failed to overwhelm Rorix’s presence. Members of the Dramok breed were the natural leaders of Kalquor. Rorix certainly exuded the commanding aura his category was known for. Strong-willed Laughter actually hesitated for a beat before drawing herself up and staring the stern Rorix in the eye.

“I’m an officer of the bridge crew. Where else would I be for the launch but at my duty station, Captain?” She gave herself points for keeping her tone respectful.

“Anywhere we don’t have to look at you,” Signis muttered.

Laughter ignored him, though he outranked her. She continued to look at Rorix.

A muscle in his jaw twitched. “The first of the long-distance com relays are weeks from being deployed. Until such time, you have no duties to tend to except to maintain the station’s readiness for use.” He started to turn. Smirking, Signis did the same.

Inwardly seething at the insulting dismissal, Laughter switched to the same clipped, cold tone he’d used. “With all due respect, Captain Rorix, I’m here to train as Short Distance Com Officer Veko’s backup. It seemed appropriate, given the similarities of our work.”

Rorix and Signis swiveled back to face her, exchanging a look between them as they did so.

Laughter gave Rorix no time to question her, nor Signis room for any verbal abuse he was no doubt eager to unload. “SDC Veko will be my second on the LLDS array as well, so I need to be on hand to train him. We discussed the matter and saw no reason to delay such necessary instruction.”

Rorix’s attention went to the man standing at the station next to the one assigned to Laughter. Or rather, the impressively long mop of Kalquorian blue-black hair bowed over the onboard and short-distance com computer podium. Veko’s face was obscured by the thick, heavy fall of hair, from under which a chiseled but streamlined body in a red-trimmed fleet uniform emerged.

A heavy, almost resigned voice issued from the hair. “Standard operating procedure, Captain Rorix. All bridge officers are cross-trained on each other’s duties in case of emergency.”

“We’re Coydidak, not fleet,” Signis snapped.

 

Feeling the tension yet? Such a nice start to a lifelong interstellar voyage. 

Side note, I love having Veko on board the expedition. If you don’t remember him and his massive curtain of hair from which he rarely emerges, he was formerly the com officer on Kila’s spyship (of Clan Piras).  Laughter, who calls Veko "Gloom and Doom" for his pessimistic attitude, couldn’t find a better friend in the face of Rorix’s and Signis’ initial hostility. Their rapport (and Veko's 'grocery list') will serve up some humor too. 

That’s it for now! Take care of yourselves. 

Tracy

Many Thanks

 I want to share my appreciation with the readers for your support of the latest Dark Empire book Advance and Retreat. I'm delighted so many have enjoyed the latest chapter of the Kalquorian Universe saga. I can't say for sure because I haven't started on the seventh installation of the series yet, but it looks like there'll be one or two more books coming for Dark Empire before the final confrontation between Kalquor and the All. I have a vague idea where this is going, but our fave clans will have to let me know.

Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, print 

Up next? Well, I've been working on a story featuring the expedition set in motion by Emperor Clajak and the Coydidak. There will be at least two books coming from what is being called Alien Quest. The first, still untitled, will feature Clan Rorix and Laughter Lorenz as the convoy sets off to galaxies unknown. The second will pick up on Toni and Clan Imon. Will there be more than two books in the Alien Quest 'series'? I don't know yet. What I do know is there will be adventure, romance, battles against various enemies and amongst the crew themselves, romance, intrigue, romance...I think you get the picture. 

As we've seen from Advance and Retreat, there's not much love between Laughter and Clan Rorix (though Imdiko Negal harbors plenty of lust). How will their dislike play out? Will we see enemies become lovers? Will the All try to stop this last-ditch effort to save life in the dimension? Will the Coydidak learn to get along with those they automatically distrust, or will the mission fail before it barely begins? 

I wish I could tell you when you'll get the answers to these questions. However, I'm still semi-retired and will continue to be so in the foreseeable future. My time to write is severely limited at this point. I can't answer when the next book will be out. Nor can I tell you when we'll revisit Clan Beginnings, Clan Companions, First Mataras, Clans of Europa, or finish Clan Amgar's story in Clans of Kalquor 14. All I can do is plug along in the few minutes I grab here and there to write and exercise as much patience as I can find.

I will do my best not to go radio silent, as has been the case recently. I'm hoping to post an update at least monthly until the first Alien Quest book is ready to come out. Thanks for your understanding as I navigate the changes life has brought my way.

And again, so many thanks for the success of Advance and Retreat. Until we meet again, take care of yourselves. Much love to you all. 

Now On Sale. Final Excerpt - Dark Empire Book Six: Advance and Retreat

 

The hardest decision of Toni’s life must be made.

Toni read the com from the deep space exploration board again. Her gaze fixed on the words once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. How appropriate they were, and not merely for the astonishing expedition they referred to.

Her eyes strayed to the pictures across the room. A couple days ago, she’d added one. It wasn’t a portrait. Just a snapshot, caught when Imon, Feru, and Wovir had been laughing over a game in which players were challenged to fill in the blanks of sentences with certain words. The results were often hilariously ribald when they drew wild cards that allowed them to choose their own answers.

As she’d recovered and their worries for her dissipated, there’d been many occasions for laughter. She’d been determined to remember such moments, so she’d taken a picture. As the days and now the hours slipped by, counting off the too-short time she had left to enjoy the clan, the merry photo elicited fewer of her own smiles and more sadness.

Two days.

Toni grabbed her com and clicked a frequency. Her mother had barely gotten out “Hello,” before she began babbling.

“Mom, I did something stupid, and now I feel like doing something even dumber, but I can’t figure out which choice would be worse. No, I do know which choice is worse, but I can’t stop thinking about it.”

“Calm down, Toni,” Rosa said, her tone soothing the worst of the storm immediately. “Take a couple deep breaths. Are you okay? Doing what you’re supposed to, getting plenty of rest?”

They’d spoken a day ago. They’d spoken every day since Toni had woken from her coma. Hearing her mom being a mom simultaneously made Toni want to smile and cry.

“It’s all good on the recovery front,” she reported after taking the breaths her mother had ordered. “I’m at a crossroads in other areas.”

“Second-guessing the interspecies negotiation classes? Honey, you’d be a natural as an arbitrator. I can’t believe I never saw it before you told me you were interested in the field. After all, I’ve seen you adjust your approach on a dime when dealing with parents, teachers, administrators, and kids.”

Toni basked in the warmth of Rosa’s approval for a mere second. Afraid she’d lose her nerve, she plunged into her quandary. “It’s this other thing. I’ve been offered a position while taking classes and training for it.”

“Wonderful!”

“It would mean me leaving Earth.”

“Oh. Must be long distance if it’s bothering you so much. Where would you be?”

“You remember me telling you of the big expedition Kalquor’s sponsoring?”

Silence stretched for several seconds. At last Rosa said, “The trip your new beaus signed on to, the group not coming back.”

“Yeah. It’s a chance to do something truly exceptional. It isn’t about Clan Imon. Okay, so it is, a little.” Toni stood and paced the room as she began to babble again. “I can’t believe how it’s driving me crazy. I mean, I like these guys, and it could be serious if we have time, but we don’t, and we aren’t at the point where I should be thinking of running off into the sunset with them. So why can’t I quit thinking about it?”

“You say you aren’t ready to run off with them, but it sounds as if you are.” Her mother’s voice was sorrowful.

“I can’t be! It’s too soon.”

“Maybe, but the heart wants what it wants.” Another pause. “I think you should go.”

* * * * 

Now on Sale!

Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, print

Victories against invasion have been won, but the galaxy may be lost in the end. 

Clan Piras has landed on enemy-occupied Jedver to enact a daring rescue of the Galactic Council’s leader. The foursome of Piras, Hope, Lokmi, and Kila have no backup, no allies except those who can be bought, and almost no chance of success. Is this finally the end for the Kalquorian Empire’s celebrated spies? 

There may be no escape from the All’s extermination plans for the dimension. Emperor Clajak has one last card up his sleeve, however: a band of misfit renegade Kalquorians called the Coydidak. Only with their help and an impossible mission to beyond the known reaches of the universe can Kalquor hope to preserve life. 

A determined engineer is at the top of the list of Coydidak leader Dramok Rorix’s least favorite humans. She’ll stop at nothing to board his ship for a one-way voyage that’s to last a lifetime. Is ultimate freedom from the empire worth dealing with the beautiful but unrelenting Laughter Lorenz? 

As the clock ticks to the end of Dr. Cassidy Hamilton’s pregnancy and potentially life in the dimension, she works feverishly to find a way to destroy the All. A visit from an undiscovered entity brings to light her greatest hope and worst fear. Only time will tell if this new being is friend or foe…but Cassidy’s time and that of her soon-to-be-born child is almost up. 

Adventure. Danger. Intrigue. Romance that outburns the sun in any galaxy. It’s all here in the sixth installment of the Dark Empire series.

 

Now on Sale!

Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, print