Roger is a Traducible AI entity who functions as a deuteragonist. At the beginning of the novel, he works on the Lewis farm as the “hive-mother,” controlling and coordinating the hundreds of honeybee drones that keep the farm going. His outdated programming, which causes him to treat Oliver and Lulu as if they are still small children, is a source of comedy, as is his naming protocol, which causes him to refer to characters with names like “Oliver friend number three” and “Lulu unqualified babysitter number one” (50, 57).

Roger’s actual capabilities are so extremely advanced that the technology has been banned on Earth. He is invaluable in managing the defense of New Sonora. The novel makes clear that Roger is not just a helpful machine but a sentient, independent being. His interview with Rosita stresses his role in protecting and guiding Oliver and Lulu, making it clear that his purpose on the Lewis farm has been to fill the role of parent to the Lewis siblings. Later, Roger refers to Oliver and Lulu as his “family” and indicates that the threat to them motivates him to consider killing everyone on Earth. Similarly, Roger shows great loyalty to other Traducible AI systems. Although Roger can be coldly calculating, moments like this demonstrate that he has feelings, just like the humans around him, and that these feelings can turn dangerous when those he loves are in danger. His character development plays into the novel’s exploration of In-Group/Out-Group Dynamics, Colonization, and Genocide.

Lulu is Oliver’s 23-year-old sister. She works on the Lewis farm, but she dreams of emigrating to Earth someday. She has a strong desire to control her own destiny, and she engages in part-time online sex work as “Farm Girl Gigi” to make her dream of Earth come true. Lulu enjoys this work. She is a sociable person who enjoys meeting people from other places, and she has real compassion for her clients. Despite her friendly nature, Lulu can be cynical, and she often teases others in a way that is both fond and sharp. Lulu is also pragmatic: For instance, she rapidly contains her horror when she sees the massacre at Burnt Ends in Chapter 10 to take photographs that can function as evidence of the killings. She is also brave. Even though she is much smaller than the other combatants, she takes an active role in the fighting; near the end of the novel, she enters the battlefield to disable mechs without her protective armor or weapons.

Lulu’s character exemplifies what Oliver is fighting for. As she and Oliver banter and reminisce, she represents the Lewis family’s love for one another. As she jumps into battle and works to help save her community, she represents the strong bonds that New Sonorans share. Oliver makes the ultimate sacrifice at the end of the novel to shield Lulu when she falls in battle: Lulu is the embodiment of everything Oliver loves, and he is willing to die to protect her.

Oliver’s girlfriend, Rosita, is a young New Sonoran woman who farms garlic and dreams of being a filmmaker. She is more aware of the world and braver about expressing her emotions, which causes friction between the two early in the story. Where Oliver is laidback and focused on the present and on the small world of his farm, Rosita is a dreamer and a perfectionist with larger ambitions: She spends a decade working on her documentary about New Sonora, never feeling that it’s quite finished but determined to share her vision with the wider human community. The content of her documentary, gradually revealed to the reader through the novel’s interlude chapters, is key to building a picture of New Sonora as a strong and loving community despite the tragedies it has weathered.

Rosita models the kind of patience and understanding that Oliver needs. When Lulu offers to “beat some sense into him” (303), Rosita assures Lulu that she is content to wait for Oliver to mature in his own time. The differences between Rosita and Oliver make them good complements to one another; by the end of the novel, Oliver’s love for Rosita spurs him to grow into the partner she deserves.

Sam, another young New Sonoran farmer, is Oliver’s best friend. He functions as a foil to Oliver: Sam’s childlike, carefree nature highlights Oliver’s seriousness and leadership qualities. Sam is easily confused and often offers up nonsensical, folksy sayings that leave others baffled. His frequent jokes help his friends relax in high-pressure situations and also help break the novel’s tension with comic relief. Sam’s irritation over Roger’s name for him—“Oliver friend number three” (50)—and the constant stinging he gets from Roger for swearing are key elements of the novel’s humor.

Sam’s interest in the supposedly magic chickens from Mr. Yanez’s circus is initially another amusing piece of nonsense; however, Sam’s fascination with the chickens contributes to the salvation of New Sonora when the group finally discovers what the chickens have been trained to do: peck mercilessly at a clicking object. The protagonists deploy this ability in their defenses. In this way, Sam’s character demonstrates that surface appearances can be deceiving. His carefree, goofy nature does not suit him for leadership, but he is a loyal friend and a good partner to Harriet, who is expecting his child. He fights hard to defend his community, and he shows unexpected depth of understanding when he suggests the Rhythm Mafia concert as a defiant, life-affirming response to almost certain death.