Rage of Night characters

Appears from the start

A figure from earlier events to whom Conover still owes an unresolved obligation as this book begins. The nature and settlement of that obligation remain open.

Also known as Newton Sawyer

Appears from the start

The Messenger, commander of the Cygnus Realm, and pilot of the archetype. He diverts from his return journey when the Granite sends a broken distress call, then leads the effort to identify the vessel that destroyed it.

Appears from the start

Dash's deputy and the pilot of Swift. She helps assess the destruction of the Granite and identifies the unknown attacker's weapons as probably Verity in origin.

Also known as AI Sentinel

Appears from the start

The archetype's AI and Dash's closest operational partner. Sentinel receives the Granite's fragmented distress signal, helps Dash investigate, and analyzes evidence from the attack.

Appears from the start

A senior Cygnus officer who examines the recovered imagery of the Granite's attacker. Wei Ping agrees that the unfamiliar warship appears to carry Verity weapons.

Appears from the start

A Cygnus AI analyst who contributes to the assessment of the Granite attack and the suspected use of Verity weaponry.

Appears from the start

Captain of the cargo hauler Granite. His undisclosed cargo pickup and the pursuit that followed become central evidence after his ship and crew are destroyed.

First appears in chapter 2

The prospective pilot of Talon, a light mech designed for scouting and fast combat. She begins training with her assigned AI while the forge completes the mech.

First appears in chapter 2

The prospective pilot of Pulsar, a support mech able to produce brief gravity effects. He begins AI training as the forge prepares the mech for service.

First appears in chapter 2

Amy's assigned AI, with a serious manner and a strong focus on instruction. Hathaway begins preparing Amy to operate Talon.

First appears in chapter 2

Conover's assigned AI, whose persistent optimism contrasts with Hathaway's severity. Kristen starts training Conover for his eventual meld with Pulsar.

First appears in chapter 2

The acting lead for operational security. Ragsdale urges Cygnus to treat trust as conditional while the organization faces unfamiliar enemies and uncertain loyalties.

First appears in chapter 2

An adviser with deep reverence for the unseen. He reacts strongly when their conduct is questioned during the senior group's strategic discussion.

First appears in chapter 3

Pilot of the salvage vessel Rockhound during the expedition to recover dark metal from a moon near a brown dwarf.

First appears in chapter 4

The forge AI, archive keeper, and strategic fabricator. Custodian opens a restricted Messenger archive for Dash and explains that the next war phase requires a network of independent bases and commanders.

Also known as Director Powell

First appears in chapter 5

The pragmatic director of a floating settlement on Gale and an experienced atmospheric pilot. After seeing the mechs, he provisionally accepts Dash's account of the Golden and discusses exchanging helium-3 for food support.

First appears in chapter 6

A Cygnus fleet officer and former privateer with useful contacts on Kapok. He volunteers to help obtain the vast length of mining cable needed for a recovery operation.

First appears in chapter 6

A former Gentle Friends wreck crawler who examines the damaged skyhook recovered from the brown-dwarf moon. She uses a grav belt to work comfortably under the forge's gravity.

First appears in chapter 7

A cable-factory operator and criminal-syndicate leader with a grievance against Benzel over two stolen ships. She accepts a ten-percent share of the proposed recovery in return for her factory's cable stock.

First appears in chapter 9

The indoctrinated adopted human daughter of the Clan Shirna leader and a former Cygnus prisoner. Cygnus transferred her to STA custody instead of executing or holding her indefinitely.

First appears in chapter 12

One of the two sisters commanding the Spiral Collectors. Cygnus captures her after the privateers attack, but she warns that her sister will continue resisting.

First appears in chapter 12

The second commander of the Spiral Collectors. She remains in control of the withdrawing privateer force after her sister is captured.

First appears in chapter 17

A former refugee and the forge's most capable doctor. Sadiq is assigned to examine the Golden body recovered from a disabled vessel.

First appears in chapter 18

Nathis's adoptive daughter and the commander of the fortified force at Jabberwock. She controls a captive Golden through a cranial cable and directs the attack on Cygnus.

First appears in chapter 19

A forge engineer and pilot of Slipwing. During the Jabberwock battle, he takes the ship through defensive fire to protect a ship-killer platform.

First appears in chapter 19

A young refugee serving aboard Ravager. She survives the ship's destruction after being thrown clear in a vac suit and is recovered by Retribution.

First appears in chapter 19

A captive aboard the Clan Shirna commander's carrier. When the control cable is torn free, the wounded prisoner acts against the commander and helps Dash survive their confrontation.

Appears from the start

The AI partnered with Leira in Swift, supporting her operations as one of Cygnus's frontline mech pilots.