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Firebird: Secondary Characters

This page is filled with SPOILERS for the Firebird universe. Do not read further if you do not want major plot or character developments revealed! Characters are listed in alphabetical order by their last name.

Lord Corey Bowman – Secondary character in the first FIREBIRD novel. Corey and his fraternal twin brother Daley are Count Wellan Bowman’s wastling sons. Handsome and adventurous, Corey is Lady Firebird’s closest friend growing up in Netaia’s elite wastling culture. Corey and Firebird’s friendship sustains them both during their competitive education and upbringing. Despite their mutual attraction, they have sworn a non-romance pact; they both know that one of them soon will be grieving the other’s death.

Netaia’s wastling culture dictates that any “extraneous” third or fourth child born to the noble families is doomed to seek a noble death. Despite his usually optimistic and forward-looking nature, Corey admits to Firebird shortly after their military commissioning that he would rather live and raise a family. Corey is killed in action during Netaia’s attempt to conquer the nearby planet Veroh.

Corey’s twin brother Daley is also part of Firebird’s strike team during the doomed mission to Veroh. Daley and Firebird are the only two of their four-ship squadron to survive. Daley also seeks political asylum within the Federacy, spending the next several years under deep cover.

Governor Lee Danton – Secondary character in the first three FIREBIRD novels (FIREBIRD, FUSION FIRE, CROWN OF FIRE). Danton is Occupation Governor of Netaia after the Federacy invades and occupies Netaia, following an unprovoked attack on the Federate world of Veroh. Danton holds the precarious responsibility of guiding the established Netaian Electorate and monarchy toward covenance with the Federacy. Though sympathy exists in many quarters toward that covenance, many of the entitled elite oppose covenance in general and Danton in particular—as well as his Lieutenant Governor in FIREBIRD, Brennen Caldwell. The Electors spare no effort to expel Federate forces from their planet.

Danton is portrayed as a sympathetic character throughout the FIREBIRD novels. He is quick to aid Firebird and Brennen Caldwell during their attempt to dispel and quench political and social revolt on Netaia (CROWN OF FIRE). Danton is fair-minded, with a good measure of common sense and levelheadedness. All this makes him an ideal governor during an unstable socio-political period.

Field General Damalcon Dardy – Secondary character in the first four FIREBIRD novels (FIREBIRD, FUSION FIRE, CROWN OF FIRE, WIND AND SHADOW). Damalcon is a Sentinel in the Federate military. Solid and dependable, Damalcon is a source of support to Firebird and Brennen Caldwell throughout the tumultuous course of their early marriage. He frequently serves in strategic military protection and planning and therefore works with Brennen and Firebird against both Shuhr and Netaian assassination attempts.

In FUSION FIRE, Damalcon displays a romantic interest in Ellet Kinsman, another military Sentinel. Ellet is determined to marry Brennen Caldwell, but after a timely intercession by their spiritual leader at Sanctuary, Ellet and Damalcon are married. Their similarly grounded and determined personalities provide the foundation for a complementary and stable relationship.

Major Shelevah (Shel) Mattason – Secondary character in CROWN OF FIRE (with a brief appearance in WIND AND SHADOW). Shel is the tall and muscular Sentinel assigned as Firebird’s bodyguard during their diplomatic return to Netaia. Shel has a grave, somber nature, having been widowed young when her pair-bonded mate, Waldron Mattason, died in combat.

Shel’s role in CROWN OF FIRE is to support and protect Firebird and Brennen during the intrigues and dangers they encounter from the Netaian elite and the murderous Shuhr. She and Firebird strike up a friendship in the midst of these tumultuous circumstances, with Firebird learning more of Shel’s past sorrow and heartaches.

During the climax and finale of the book, Shel agrees to recover Brennen’s body despite plain indications (including Firebird’s bereavement shock) that he has died. It is Shel’s previous experience that elicits this extraordinary compassion, and it ultimately saves Brennen’s life.

Terza Shirak – Secondary character in CROWN OF FIRE (with a brief appearance in DAYSTAR). Terza is a gene tech for the Golden City Shuhr. Despite being part of the cold and calculating culture of the telepathic Shuhr, Terza harbors feelings of resentment, doubt, and mistrust toward her people. These feelings prove justified when her biological father and newly instated Eldest, Modabah Shirak, use Terza as a pawn to try and assassinate Firebird and Brennen Caldwell. He impregnates Terza with Brennen Caldwell’s genetic material, intending to prey upon the Caldwells’ compassion and sympathy and entrap them.

Though initially disgusted by pregnancy’s physicality, Terza’s attitude changes, both toward the child she carries and her own role amongst her people. A genetic mutation that gives her unprecedented psychic inner shields enables Terza to plan to escape the Shuhr culture and seek asylum amongst the Sentinel people. When finally confronted with the opportunity to either assassinate the Caldwells or plead for the life of her child, Terza forsakes her people hoping for life and freedom.