People of Darkness (1980)

The term literally means "opposing sepsis," which is an inflammation in the body caused by infection. In medicine, an antiseptic is an antibacterial substance that can be applied topically to skin or mucous membranes. Antiseptic also refers to disinfectant solutions used to sterilize medical instruments and surfaces in order to prevent the growth of potentially harmful microorganisms. Colloquially, the term refers to something or someone that is exceptionally clean, neat, and orderly, to the point of being cold and impersonal.

Sinew is the strong, stringy tissue in the body that connects muscles and bones, and sinewy is an adjective describing a tough, organic, stringy object. When describing a person or an animal, sinewy refers to a thin yet resilient appearance, where lean muscles and sinews are visible, with little or no body fat.

San Francisco is the main commercial and cultural center of Northern California. The city was founded in 1776 by Spanish colonizers and grew fairly slowly until the Gold Rush of 1849, which brought about rapid population and economic growth. In 1906, a major earthquake followed by severe fires destroyed nearly three-quarters of the city. The damage was quickly repaired and in the first half of the 20th century the city attracted immigrants from around the world, as well as World War One veterans. In the 1960s and 1970s the hippie, peace, and gay rights movements were centered in the city and to this day it is a highly diverse and liberal hub of alternative culture and progressive social activism. It is a major tourist destination known for its scenic views, restaurants, eclectic architecture, rich history, cultural institutions, and mild weather. Many major technology and start-up companies are located in San Francisco and issues of gentrification and housing insecurity are hotly debated.

A city located in south-central California, about 110 miles north of Los Angeles. It was founded as an agricultural trade center in 1869, and was named after Thomas Baker, who owned much of the land in the surrounding area. The city grew steadily, and its agricultural economy expanded to include diversified industries such as petroleum-based products, steel products, textiles, and electronics.

Part of the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. Anaheim was founded in 1857 by a group of German immigrants who named it Anaheim, which translates from German as "home on the (Santa) Ana River." It is located 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Los Angeles, and is home to Disneyland, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

A written (or typed) statement detailing expenses incurred during a particular event, such as a trip, or while performing a certain job, such as a research project. Expense statements often include lodging, meals, and gas.

A large culturally and racially diverse city located in southern California. Los Angeles is the second most populated city in the U.S., after New York City. The name Los Angeles means “the angels” in Spanish and is hence known as the “City of Angels.” Prior to the 20th century, Los Angeles was not the center of movie-making, leisure, or cultural capitalism that we think of today. The city began as a small village that, in order to distribute the water supply from the Los Angeles and Owens Rivers, consolidated a number of neighboring communities to create one large city. It is for this reason that there are a number of distinct city districts within Los Angeles including: Hollywood, San Pedro, Chinatown, Watts, Boyle Heights, Encino, and Little Tokyo. Before the mid-20th century, agriculture thrived within the city as there were many farms, orchards, and greenhouses. When the film industry moved from the East Coast to California, largely due to the availability of natural light and cheap property values, Los Angeles became a cultural and economic hub of the West Coast. Theater, music, and visual art have proliferated since the 1960s, creating an urban renaissance that corresponded with the physical growth of the city. Its warm climate, beaches, and mountains also make it a popular world-wide tourist destination. The city is also known for its major freeways, traffic, and car culture.

This sprawling city is home to many ethnicities, career options, and socioeconomic classes. There are also a number of Navajo peoples living in Los Angeles as a direct effect of the Indian Relocation Act of 1956. This act encouraged Native Americans to leave their reservations and settle down in large cities by offering vocational training, moving expenses, and some economic help when they first arrived in the cities. The act relocated approximately 750,000 Native Americans into major cities, such as L.A., where they often faced cultural isolation, poverty, discrimination, and other adverse effects.

The acronym stands for General Motors Corporation, an U.S. automobile manufacturer which was the world's largest producer of motor vehicles for most of the 20th century. The corporation was founded in 1901 in Detroit, Michigan, and quickly became the leading brand name and best seller of pickup trucks, vans, and sport utility vehicles.

A city located in the far southwestern corner of Texas, on the banks of the Rio Grande, and just across the border from the city of Juárez, Mexico. In Spanish, the name El Paso means "the passage," and indicates the strategic location of the town in Spanish colonial times along the Camino Real Por Tierra Adentro, Spain's "royal road" that traveled north from Mexico City to the Spanish colony's northern frontier. Although a mission was built in the area in 1659 and small settlements were scattered around it throughout the 1700s, it wasn't until 1827 that a permanent village was established in what today is the city of El Paso. The town grew slowly until the arrival of the railway in 1881, after which El Paso saw a significant population increase and a growth in trade, commerce, ranching, agriculture, and mining production.

Today El Paso is an important crossroad for foreign trade, transnational labor, and pan-American transportation. Its history as a Spanish colonial town and its proximity to Mexico make it a bilingual city with strong cross-border influences on its economy, demographics, and culture.

The entertainment and recreational branch of the U.S. military. The unit was created in 1940 by the War Department with the purpose of enhancing morale, specifically of deployed soldiers, through entertaining performances and leisure programs.

Considering the context in which the term appears in Tony Hillerman's 1980 novel PEOPLE OF DARKNESS, there is a possibility that Hillerman meant Special Forces or Special Operations, and not Special Services. Since the passage in the book discusses explosive mechanisms and ways to conceal them, it is likely that the reference is to the Special Operation unit, which engages in unconventional combat missions requiring highly-skilled personnel.