Dafyd is a young, politically astute research assistant on Tonner Freis's biology team on the planet Anjiin. Though he holds the lowest rank on his team, he often allows others to underestimate him so he can observe and gather information from behind the scenes. Following the alien invasion, his deep drive to understand the sociology and motives of his Carryx captors places him at odds with other human factions.

Tonner is the brilliant, self-important leader of a renowned biology research team at the Irvian science academy. He deals with stress and trauma by narrowing his focus entirely onto scientific research, seeking to control what he can through experimentation. Obsessed with recognition and driven by a need for scientific discovery, he views complying with his captors' biological puzzle as humanity's best path forward.

Else is the elegant, brilliant second team lead on Tonner's research project. She gave up leading her own team because she recognized the innovative, historically significant nature of Tonner's work. Practical and calm, she frequently serves as a stabilizing force who reins in Tonner's more aggressive and controlling impulses.

Jessyn is a gentle, introverted researcher on Tonner's team who struggles with severe mental health issues. She relies heavily on medication and the quiet support of her brother to manage intrusive thoughts and depressive episodes. Captivity forces her to adapt in unexpected ways, transforming her fear and vulnerability into a hardened, fierce resilience.

The Swarm is an alien entity created as a tool of war by an unknown species fighting the Carryx. Sent to Anjiin months before the invasion, it is designed to gather intelligence by secretly inhabiting human hosts. As it experiences human sensations and emotions through its hosts, it begins to evolve beyond its original programming, developing complex desires and loyalties.

Rickar is a pragmatic and cynical junior researcher on Tonner's team. Seeking a promotion, he initially attempts to help a rival academy usurp Tonner's project, leading to his temporary exile from the group. He possesses a keen ability to observe the strange, mundane ways people continue to function despite enduring extreme trauma.

Campar is a diligent and loyal researcher on Tonner's team who frequently serves as the group's comedic relief. He uses humor as a defense mechanism to defuse tension and mask his own terror during the alien invasion. Beneath his lighthearted exterior, he pays close attention to the shifting power dynamics within the team.

Synnia is a research assistant on Tonner's team whose life drastically changes during the initial Carryx assault. Following a traumatic event, she transforms from a quiet, dedicated scientist into a silent, grief-stricken captive. Her profound pain ultimately fuels a fierce, single-minded desire for retaliation against her captors.

Jellit is a researcher in an astronomy group and the devoted caretaker of his sister, Jessyn. His team is the first to detect the alien vessels hiding in the sun's corona prior to the invasion. Initially upbeat and optimistic, his harrowing experiences in captivity harden him, sparking a fierce refusal to live as a willing captive.

Urrys is a former Irvian security officer who is captured alongside the research teams. Highly charismatic and militaristic, he views captivity as an intolerable loss of humanity. He believes his background gives him a unique understanding of violence, driving his steadfast conviction that humans must resist their alien captors regardless of the odds.

Tkson is a Carryx tasked with acting as the keeper-librarian of the human moiety. Its job is to facilitate humanity's integration into Carryx society by testing their scientific usefulness. Emotionless and deeply entrenched in the Carryx philosophy of inevitable subjugation, Tkson struggles to comprehend the complex emotional and social needs of its human captives.

Ekur is a Carryx subjugator-librarian tasked with conquering alien planets and assessing the usefulness of their inhabitants. Preoccupied with status and societal rank within the complex Carryx hierarchy, Ekur views all other species as lesser beings. Its philosophical musings on power and survival frame much of the narrative's exploration of colonization.

Irinna is a junior researcher on Tonner's team. She works closely with Jessyn to map the cellular composition of the biological specimens provided by the Carryx. She is a dedicated scientist who remains focused on her work despite the terrifying conditions of their captivity.

Nol is a research assistant on Tonner's team and Synnia's devoted husband. He provides a quiet, steady presence within the group's dynamic. During the initial Carryx invasion, his terrifying encounter with the alien forces deeply impacts Synnia.

Llaren is an astronomer from the rival Dyan Academy. He works directly with Jellit Kaul and is present when their instruments first detect the approaching Carryx fleet. In captivity, he acts as a stabilizing leader for his group of survivors and attempts to coordinate with the other human factions.

Samar Austad is the chief administrator at the rival Dyan Academy. He attempts to engineer a bureaucratic takeover of Tonner's groundbreaking genetic research by secretly recruiting Rickar. His aggressive political maneuvering sets the initial tension within the scientific community prior to the alien invasion.

Dorinda is Dafyd's aunt and a powerful member of the scientific funding colloquy. She possesses deep insight into the political machinations of the academies and recognizes her nephew's subtle intelligence, frequently warning him about the shifting tides of academic power.

The Sovran is the vast, imposing leader of the Carryx. Described as having a hundred eyes and a silver-filigreed abdomen, it holds absolute authority over the Carryx civilization and the myriad alien species they have subjugated across the galaxy.

Ameer is a human woman whose body is secretly taken over by the alien entity known as the Swarm. Though her body serves as a physical host, the traces of her consciousness remain trapped inside, feeding the Swarm critical information about human behavior and social dynamics.