As not to become an unintended spoiler for the novel, I've confined my characters to those who begin the story with Mikial.
Mikial is the novel's main character - a rare female warrior
biologically transformed by her alien people into a needed guide
through troubled times. Only twice before in recorded history have
the Qurls raised up a "Great" among them. Mikial is still coming to
grips with being the third such entity, a Great Suria meant to deal
with the incursion of humans on her world. This is made more
difficult by those who still wish to discredit her.
She carries with her the legacy of whom she was before her Change -
a Dathia belonging to a warrior class physically suited for
fighting. At six-foot, three, her muscular frame is anything but
petite. Change has given her the abilities of the other three
sects, most noticeable being the addition of fine sprays of hair
along her ears, running from cinnamon to a translucent white. Her
deep mocha skin has paled slightly with the transformation, though
she retains the feral countenance of her original Datha sect in her
angular face, amber eyes, and claw-tipped fingers.
If she could do anything now, it would be to return to simpler
times and recapture a love now denied her. However, the heritage of
being Servant born, and the ever present threat of humans,
continually push her back into the role of a Great Suria. Her
biggest problem is not that others don't believe in her as much as
she doesn't believe in herself.
Sandy hair, bright hazel eyes, a sprite's face, and broad white ear fans, Paleen continues to exemplify the heart of her sometimes mischievous sect. Like the rest of the Ipper Qurl, Paleen is stubbornly faithful to her friend, though their relationship is bruised from the sometimes harsh adventures shared.
The awkward part of their friendship is Dalen Goss, a male whom Mikial fell in love with but couldn't pursue once she became a Great Suria. He is now Paleen's intended, with Paleen looking forward to their upcoming marriage.
Paleen is now mentoring Mikial in the mysteries of the Ipper sect, revealing many new wonders that suggest the Ipper are far more powerful then they would have people believe.
A single long white braid is the first indication that this lean and lethal Datha officer is slightly on the unorthodox side of things. Mikial's former gray-eyed Strike commander thrives on the new and unexpected, and is naturally drawn into Mikial's world of alien ships and political in-fighting. He serves as a reminder to Mikial of what she once was, Parva representing the unswerving loyalty of the Datha Qurl tempered with the less restrained perspective of older minds.
An expert in counseling tempermental Dathia, Rensa is a Shandi teacher rushed in to get control over a difficult Great Suria. An unassuming female with short brown hair, Rensa is not afraid to confront her much larger student, and is familiar with the inner workings of a Dathia's aggressively inclined perspective. She is Mikial's mentor and moral compass when friends diminish and challenges threaten to overwhelm.