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.


Tiala Caldwell – Secondary character in the last two FIREBIRD novels (WIND AND SHADOW, DAYSTAR). Tiala is the “frighteningly devout” daughter of Firebird and Brennen Caldwell. After hearing the ethical debate surrounding the existence of the Sentinel’s telepathic ayin, Tiala promptly requests an ayinectomy. The surgery is not performed, but just a few months later, she is called into voluntary exile at the secret prayer settlement of Tekkumah on Procyel II.

Years later, while Tiala’s older brothers Kiel and Kinnor Caldwell fight for their lives on Mikuhr in WIND AND SHADOW, an angelic Bright One visits Tiala on Procyel II, heralding the news that Tiala will give birth to the Sentinels’ long-awaited messiah or “Boh-Dabar.”

Tiala is described as having her mother Firebird’s auburn hair, and she is shown spending hours in prayer on behalf of the Sentinel people. By the events of DAYSTAR, she has borne and raised her son, Tavkel, who leaves Tekkumah to redeem all of humanity, Sentinel and non-Sentinel alike.


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.

By the events of WIND AND SHADOW, Netaia has been successfully integrated into the Federacy, largely due to Danton’s cooperation with the supportive monarchs Queen Carradee Angelo and her daughter Queen Rinnah.


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.

In WIND AND SHADOW, Damalcon and Ellet are stationed at Mikuhr as Commander of Occupation Military Forces and Occupation Governor, respectively. Although few Federates off Mikuhr know the situation, Damalcon and Ellet are responsible for a Sentinel presence on Mikuhr that protects the rest of the Federacy. Even during the heightened crisis of Kiel Caldwell’s abduction and the impending threat of Mikuhran retaliation, Damalcon displays the same levelheaded qualities seen in previous FIREBIRD novels.

By the events of DAYSTAR, Damalcon and Ellet have one grown daughter, Hanusha Caldwell, and three granddaughters.


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.

Shel also has a brief cameo in WIND AND SHADOW as one of the bodyguards accompanying Kiel Caldwell in his diplomatic mission to Mikuhr.


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.

Though little mention is made of Terza in subsequent books, Terza and her daughter Saried are accepted into the Caldwell family. In DAYSTAR, Terza welcomes the messianic Boh-Dabar before passing away peacefully at the Sentinel Sanctuary.