Jess Tamblyn

Second son of the Tamblyns, and a Roamer, Jess is a pilot for the family water business on Plumas. He and his brother Ross' fiancée Cesca Peroni are in love, but resist their attraction out of respect for Ross. When Ross is killed in the first Hydrogue sky mining attack, they allow a mourning period before they are willing to be together. After Cesca agrees to marry Reynald, who is now Father of the Theroc people, she and Jess reluctantly split, knowing it is an intelligent move for purely political reasons and is what's best for the Roamers.

Immedaitely after parting with Cesca, Jess leaves Rendezvous by himself and makes first contact with the ancient elemental race, the Wentals. The Wentals recruit Jess to spread their liquid essence to many water planets, allowing them to grow stronger. During one such mission, Jess is attacked by Hydrogues and the Wentals save his life by merging with him. This makes him impervious to harm but also deadly to human touch.

With help from the Wentals, Jess builds a starship, molecule by molecule, and returns to Rendezvous. He is reunited with Cesca but cannot touch her, though by now Reynald has been killed and she is free to love him openly. Jess seeks the help of other Roamers to spread the Wentals to aquatic planets as a means to strengthen the elementals for battle against the Hydrogues.

Later, Cesca is mortally injured and Jess convinces the Wentals to save her the same way they saved him; Jess and Cesca can finally touch each other, but they are no longer human. Brought into the war with their ancient enemies the Hydrogues and Faeros, the Wentals are ultimately able to withdraw themselves from Jess and Cesca, who are finally together and restored to normal.