Character Corner: Xttra Oogan
An inside look at my Alien People Chronicles co-protagonist
I’ve mentioned in the past how authors sometimes form emotional bonds with characters while telling their stories. These characters become like close friends or even family.
Such is the case for me with both of my Alien People Chronicles protagonists. Calandra Menankar and Xttra Oogan existed for more than two decades in my imagination before I finally published Alien People in September, 2020. Both characters are closer to my heart than any other characters I’ve created. I spent countless hours crafting their lives and personalities from scratch.Â
Xttra is the subject of my new Character Corner spotlight. If you haven’t read the Alien People Chronicles trilogy yet, beware that some significant *spoilers* lie ahead.
Who is Xttra Oogan?
Xttra is a pilot from the planet Lathos. Readers first meet Xttra in Alien People when the Ra’ahmian Stellar Guard dispatches him to rescue survivors from a crashed scout ship on an asteroid near his homeworld.  He soon joins Calandra in her quest to contact the probe builders who sent a probe from a planet called Earth to his home solar system. Their ill-fated expedition sets the events of the Alien People Chronicles trilogy in motion.
Xttra is the youngest son of Malar Oogan and Chloe Agura. He was raised on a small farm outside of Tu’atan — a small rural village near Halo Lake in Ra'ahm's southern province. Farm life seeded a restless and reckless spirit within Xttra. He craved adventure and silently resented living in such a rural area. When Xttra reached adulthood, he enrolled in the Ra’ahm Stellar Guard academy with a goal of becoming a master pilot.
Xttra’s decision alarmed his parents and drew vehement protests from both Malar and Chloe. Malar raised his family in remote Tu’atan to protect them from Delcor’s agents. Xttra’s grandfather, Atrer Oogan, was a key ally of Bathal I — Ra’ahm’s first chief sovereign who instigated a successful rebellion against the Confederation of Northern Tribes. His rebellion sparked the Separatist War. Atrer eventually soured against Bathal and secretly aligned with Delcor in orchestrating Bathal’s murder so Delcor could rise as his successor. Atrer also ended up killing his wife Cliara — Xttra’s grandmother — as part of the plot, leading Malar to slay his father in retaliation. Malar also tried to overthrow and slay Delcor, but barely escaped with his life when his plot was discovered. Malar feared Xttra’s return to Luma would draw Delcor’s attention and put their entire clan in danger.
Meeting Calandra Menankar
A life-altering moment occurred when Xttra first met Calandra Menankar, his future wife, while hiking a remote trail nestled in the Aurora Mountains. Xttra saw her on the trail and decided to strike up a conversation. They finished the trail together and he asked her on a date. Calandra accepted and the natural chemistry between them only grew stronger as time progressed. Xttra enjoys hiking, swimming, and other outdoor activities as much as Calandra does and their common interests served as a jumping off point for building a deeper bond.
Xttra and Calandra were already dating for three months when Alien People opens and are deeply in love with one another. They married shortly after returning from Earth — a few months before the events of Dark Metamorphosis unfold. Calandra gives birth to their daughter Alexa about 3 ½ years before Among Hidden Stars begins.
Life in Luma
Xttra lives in an apartment near the Stellar Guard shipyard in Luma. His housing was provided to him by the Ra’ahm military. Xttra has served in the Stellar Guard for eight years at the time when the events depicted in Alien People occur. He rose to the rank of master pilot in only five years and has commanded his own scout ship for three years at the time he departs on the expedition to Earth.
His assistant pilot, Lance Ikara, is his best friend going back to their days in the Stellar Guard academy together. They were in the same graduating class and love to engage in friendly competition and banter. Lance joined Xttra’s crew following a tragic crash on an asteroid that led to his demotion from master pilot. Xttra received a special commendation from the Stellar Guard when he rescued Lance and one other survivor from the wrecked scout ship.
During his down time between Stellar Guard missions, Xttra competes in events like the Glacia Series — a popular and dangerous race through an obstacle course in Lathos’ solar system. Xttra was a skilled athlete in his youth and won multiple races and athletic events in his home province. This fuels a competitive streak and occasional recklessness.
First Contact with Earthians
Xttra is 31 years old when the events in Alien People unfold. Calandra enlists his help in retrieving the probe that they soon discover came from a distant planet called Earth. Under orders from the chief sovereign Delcor, Xttra is assigned to undertake a voyage to Earth and make first contact with the probe builders.
Meeting the Earthians turns into a nightmare. Government and military officials from the United States wrongly assume the Lathoans are hostile invaders after failing to establish communications with Xttra and his crew. US Army rangers track down the entire scout ship crew in Utah and the majority are slaughtered by the Earthians. Only Xttra, Calandra, and Bo’un survive the expedition to Earth and they only escape the planet with the help of Kevin Riley — a sympathetic army ranger who turns against the hostile Earthians. Xttra is haunted by deaths of his former crew and the trauma inflicted on himself, Calandra, and Bo’un. He consistently second guesses the decisions he made on Earth and harbors an intense hatred toward the Earthians for their hostile actions.
Abduction by Confederation agents
Xttra is abducted from Fengar, a moon orbiting Lathos, one year after returning from Earth. His abduction sets the events of Dark Metamorphosis in motion. A spaceship crew hailing from the Confederation of Northern Tribes brings him back to Earth’s solar system as a hostage, intending to use Xttra’s knowledge and past experience to contact and form an alliance with the Earthians. He learns of Delcor’s past war crimes while being forced into battling a hybrid soldier awoken from a hibernation pod concealed on Mars. Once he is freed from his captors and returns home, Xttra joins Calandra in seeding a rebellion against the chief sovereign.
Appearance and Personality
Xttra has a rugged athletic build you would expect from a farmer turned pilot. He is considered handsome by both Lathoan and Earthian standards. He stands 6-feet tall and has slightly curly brown hair, deep blue eyes, and light olive skin. Much like Calandra and other Lathoans, Xttra has vivid irises that contrast more subdued eye coloring typical to Earthians.
Xttra possesses a sharp wit and smiles frequently. He likes to crack jokes from time to time. He is a natural leader. Xttra likes taking charge when faced with a tough situation because he trusts his own judgement and instincts above the people around him. He is intelligent, caring, and deeply loyal to family and friends. Xttra can also be temperamental, impulsive, reckless, and arrogant. These traits have opened a door to poor decision-making on his part in the past.
Being with Calandra has helped Xttra become a better version of himself. She helps him retain hope in dark times and keeps his more impulsive and reckless tendencies subdued. He cares about his wife, and his daughter Alexa, more than anything else in life and strives to be the best husband and father possible.
Which character from my novels and short stories do you want me to highlight in a future Character Corner feature? Cast your vote or leave a comment at the end of this article.
