The Vorkosigan Companion

by Lillian Stewart Carl

  Brain transplant:

  A risky, illegal operation performed by House Bharaputra on Jackson's Whole, in which an elderly person's brain is transplanted into a new, cloned body, enabling them to double or triple their life span. (L, MD)

  Breath mask:

  A portable breathing unit enabling a person to survive in an atmosphere that lacks oxygen, it contains enough air to last fourteen to sixteen hours. Everyone who travels to Komarr is required to view breath-mask video training. Etienne Vorsoisson dies when he fails to check his mask before taking Miles to the experiment station outside the Serifosa Dome on Komarr. (K)

  Brillberries:

  A seedy, red berry that grows on Barrayar, occasionally on vines that overhang ravines. Harra had gone to pick brillberries the day her baby was killed. (MM)

  Brother's War:

  A historical event mentioned by Doctor Yei when comparing the different emphases in the quaddies' education to Leo Graf. (FF)

  Brownell:

  No first name given. A female security officer on Beta Colony who tries to arrest Arde Mayhew before Miles's intervention. (WA)

  Brun:

  No first name given. A captain in the Barrayaran military, he is the Fleet Security Commander on the Prince Xav. A lean, tense man, he was in charge of the patrol that shot up the police precinct on Graf Station. He is prejudiced against Komarrans, and thinks Lieutenant Solian deserted his post. (DI)

  Bubble-car:

  A public transportation system on Komarr. Bubble-cars are like individual monorail cars that travel along a tube-track to their destination. Recently the system has been suffering more traffic jams on certain routes, leading to disagreement in the government over various solutions. Miles and Ekaterin take one of the cars on their shopping trip to the Shuttleport Locks district in the Serifosa Dome. (K)

  Buffa:

  No first name given. One of Aral Vorkosigan's faithful lieutenants in the Barrayaran military, he oversees the interrogation of Dubauer before Aral stops it. (SH)

  Bug butter:

  The digested and processed substance regurgitated by the butter bugs after they have eaten raw vegetable matter. It is white and curd-like, bland without adding additional flavors or spices, but rich in nutrients and vitamins, and able to be stored at room temperature. Ma Kosti and Kareen Koudelka use it as ingredients in several dishes at Miles's dinner party without his knowledge, creating ice cream and a garlic spread. Their first hit creation is maple ambrosia, created by blending the butter with maple mead from the Dendarii Mountains, which they serve at the Emperor's wedding reception. (CC)

  Burton, Kara:

  A Betan doctor, she is the co-author of the article "On an Improvement in Permeability of Exchange Membranes in the Uterine Replicator," in the issue of The Betan Journal of Reproductive Medicine read by Ethan Urquhart. (EA)

  Butter bug:

  A hideous-looking, bioengineered insect with six legs, a dull-brown carapace, vestigal wings, and a large, pale white abdomen. They have a hive mentality, with a queen that is attended by sterile workers. They eat vegetation, digesting it in their abdomens using special microbes, then regurgitate an edible substance called bug butter. They are reengineered to be more attractive and appealing by Ekaterin Vorsoisson, Mark Vorkosigan, Enrique Borgos, and Kareen Koudelka. (CC)

  Butter bug queen:

  The reproductive center of a butter bug hive, the queen is much larger than the workers, and can grow larger than a man's hand. Sterile until given the proper hormones, but until she has started reproducing, a queen is fast and agile, as proven by the one that escapes the laboratory in Vorkosigan House, which is eventually caught by Armsman Jankowski's daughter. (CC)

  • • C • •

  C6-WG:

  The shuttle that was supposed to take Miles to Aslund, but instead puts him in a space pod and ejects him near the Ariel. (VG)

  Calhoun, Tav:

  The man bidding against Arde Mayhew for the RG 132, he is a heavy man in a green sarong. Although he wins the auction for the freighter, he accepts Miles's offer of a promissory note against some of his land holdings on Barrayar, not knowing the acreage is radioactive. When Miles returns to pay off the note, Calhoun becomes violent, having learned of the worthless land and having been shadowed by Barrayaran security agents. He tries to have Miles arrested, but is subdued by Elli Quinn. Miles ties him up and locks him in a storage closet, with the complete payment in his pocket. (WA)

  Canaba, Hugh:

  A doctor and geneticist, he has tan skin, brown eyes, racially indeterminate features, and short, wavy hair graying at the temples. He is to be picked up by Miles and the Dendarii at Jackson's Whole and taken to Barrayar. An arrogant genius, he also has several genetic samples that must be retrieved before he will leave, forcing Miles to infiltrate House Ryoval's laboratories and rescue Taura in the process.

  After his rescue, Hugh has a new identity as Vaughn Weddell, and a new life on his adopted planet, where he works in a laboratory at the Imperial Science Institute. He helps diagnose how Simon's memory chip was contaminated, reconstructing the prokaryote organism and also creating the chelation solution to detect its vector encapsulation, enabling the capture of Lucas Haroche. (L, M)

  Cappell:

  No first name given. The resident mathematician at the Serifosa Dome Waste Heat Management department on Komarr, he is one of Radovas's coworkers that Miles interviews during his investigation. Involved in the jump-point plot, he is in unrequited love with Marie Trogir. When the engineers vote on whether to try to use their hostages to bargain for escape at the jump station or surrender, he votes to keep going, not wanting Marie to have died for nothing. (K)

  Captain:

  No name given. Simon Illyan's secretary at Imperial Security headquarters during the investigation into his breakdown, he has been there for two years. (M)

  Caravanserai:

  A very poor and dangerous area of the Vorbarr Sultana on Barrayar, where Bothari lived as a child. When Cordelia arrives on the planet, it is considered a red-light entertainment area. No electricity grid, no comms, no better than slums. Bothari and Koudelka go there one evening to find female companionship, and end up getting into a brawl which leaves Koudelka severely injured. Later, Cordelia, Droushnakova, Bothari, and Koudelka hide out in the area while preparing to infiltrate the Imperial Residence to find Miles. They also locate Padma and Alys Vorpatril here, and attempt to rescue them as well, but Padma is killed during the improvised operation.

  Almost three decades later, when Mark Vorkosigan first visits Barrayar, the area is going through gentrification, and has been greatly improved, although it is still rough in spots. Mark has to fend off local bullies that assault him, almost killing one. A plaque has been placed to mark the exact spot where Padma was killed. (B, MD)

  Cavilo:

  No first name given. The commander of Randall's Rangers after she had the former leader killed, she is short, attractive, and intense-looking, with close-cropped white-blond hair, elfin-like features, and blue eyes. A sociopath, her only true interest in is herself, and she is adept at using intrigue and seduction to get what she wants.

  She first encounters Miles as the arms buyer Livia Nu while he is in his Victor Rotha disguise, and tries to seduce him. She has Sydney Liga, Miles's first contact, killed, and the crime pinned on Rotha. She is working with Stanis Metzov when Miles is recaptured trying to get to Vervain, which has hired the Rangers to protect the planet, unaware that she plans to let the Cetagandans through the wormhole, leaving her to loot Vervain in the confusion afterward.

  When Gregor falls into her hands, she tries to seduce and marry him, but is foiled and captured. During the battle with the Cetagandan invasion fleet, she escapes and is raped by Metzov, whom she later kills while he tries to strangle Miles. Holding Miles to his promise of safe passage out of the sector, she accepts a medal of valor on behalf of her ruined mercenary company, and flees the area. (VG)

  Cay, Daryl:

  A doctor
and the former head of the Cay Project at Rodeo, he was several years past retirement age, but was still working when he passed away. (FF)

  Cay Project Habitat:

  A modular orbital habitat above Rodeo with approximately 1,500 personnel, 494 rotating personnel, and 1,000 permanent inhabitants. Owned by GalacTech, it can be completely self-sustaining, with hydroponic gardens and full living facilities. When Leo Graf is sent there to train quaddies in industrial welding, he ends up leading a revolution, and the quaddies disassemble the entire station and jump it through a wormhole to freedom. (FF)

  Cecil:

  No first name given. A major in charge of determining the assignments of Barrayaran Imperial Service recruits. About fifty years old, he is an excellent teacher and scholar, lean, even-tempered, and watchful, with a rare, dry wit. Miles discusses his meteorological officer assignment with him, and learns it is a test to see if he is capable of serving on the Prince Serg. (VG)

  Cee, Terrence:

  The man sought by Colonel Millisor and Captain Rau on Kline Station. Blond-haired, blue-eyed, and in his early twenties. His official designation is L-X-10 Terran-C. The result of a Cetagandan experiment, he was genetically engineered to possess mental telepathy, and was to be used for covert government work. He tried to escape Cetaganda, along with other telepaths, including his lover Janine and four children, and Doctor Jahar, the founder of the project, but only he survived the attempt. He has kept samples of Janine's tissues, and is trying to raise money to remake her at Jackson's Whole. He spliced his genetic material, including the recessive gene that carries the telepathic ability, into the ovarian cultures that were supposed to be shipped to Athos.

  After Millisor is killed, Terrence comes to Athos to be alternate parent to Ethan's children that he intends to father by the EQ-1 line, and earn enough parent credits himself to father his own offspring by Janine's ovarian material. During his first trip to the Cetagandan Empire, Miles overhears Millisor getting permission to pursue Terrence, and sends Elli Quinn to Kline Station to investigate. Doctor Hugh Canaba has a sample of Terrence's genetic material, including his telepathy complex. It is one of the samples that Miles has to get out of Taura on Jackson's Whole. (C, EA, L)

  Celestial Garden:

  The Imperial residence on Cetaganda, called Xanadu by the galactics. It is covered in a six-kilometer-wide force dome, surrounded by a kilometer-wide park, then a circular street, then another park, then an ordinary street, with eight boulevards radiating outward like wheel spokes, putting the garden right in the center of the city. There are more gardens inside, with white-jade paved paths for vehicles and guests. Pavilions are scattered throughout the grounds, with simple, tasteful furnishings, including live plants, flowers, and small fountains. The connecting halls are acoustically designed to be hushed overall, yet also carry occupants' voices clearly to each other. In the middle of the dome area are several elaborate towers. Its servants dress in gray and white. Miles, Ivan, and Vorob'yev attend several functions there during the Empress's funeral ceremonies, including the presenting of funeral gifts and the viewing of the body in state, where Miles sees the dead Ba Lura behind the display bier. (C)

  Celestial Lady:

  An alternate title for the Cetagandan Empress, used mainly by servants. (C)

  Celestial Master:

  An alternate title for the Cetagandan Emperor, used mainly by servants. (C)

  Cenotaph:

  A monument honoring the dead who are destroyed or buried elsewhere, often used to commemorate war deaths. Ky Tung suggests they will use one to remember him when he is pulverized to dust fighting the Cetagandans at Vervain. (VG)

  Cetagandan Empire:

  The Cetagandan Empire consists of eight developed planets, and an equal fringe of allied and puppet dependencies; its homeworld is Eta Ceta IV, with several other planets considered satrapies, which are ruled by governors. Cetagandans use face paint to denote their rank and clan, which is falling out of favor with the younger generations. They apparently have high artistic tastes, but consider biological childbirth distasteful. They have a complicated system of power involving the ghem and haut castes. The ghem and haut are biological engineers without peer, as evidenced by the otherworldly beauty of their women, but the haut only work in human genetics. Exceptional scientist/artists of the ghem caste are rewarded for their genengineering efforts by having their creations incorporated into the Celestial Garden.

  During Piotr Vorkosigan's time, Cetaganda invaded Barrayar, and spent twenty years trying to subjugate the planet. Wanting to control a jump point to the Hegan Hub by conquering Vervain, they suborned Vervain's mercenary hireling Cavilo, who was going to let them in and plunder the planet during the invasion. Held off by the Dendarii and Vervani defense ships, and defeated by the arrival of the Prince Serg, they retreat back to their home space.

  During his first visit to Eta Ceta IV, Miles stops a plot to create a war between Barrayar and Cetaganda, and saves the Empire from being taken over by Governor Ilsum Kety, who is holding a copy of the haut gene-bank hostage. He visits the Empire again after being infected with deadly parasites by the renegade ba that had stolen a haut-lord gene bank. (BI, C, DI, VG)

  Cetagandan ghem-warriors:

  Two dozen mercenaries from that planet are recruited by Bel Thorne, Baz Jesek, and Arde Mayhew for the Dendarii Free Mercenary Fleet. Desperate to get off Tau Verde IV after their contract fell apart, they agree to put aside their differences with any Barrayarans for the duration of the trip. (WA)

  Chalopin:

  No first name given. The shuttleport administrator on Rodeo, she is well dressed with a swept-back hairstyle. She is displeased about the security incident with Claire and Tony and the additional scrutiny it brings from Vice President Apmad. (FF)

  Charles:

  No surname given. Chalmys DuBauer's servant. (DD)

  Chaste Brotherhoods:

  An organization on Athos that abstains from sexual activity of any kind. Ethan Urquhart doubts that his brother Janos will think Terrence Cee is a candidate for membership. (EA)

  Chenko:

  No first name given. A colonel in the Barrayaran military, he is a neurologist assigned to treat Miles's seizures. A fit and energetic middle-aged man, he and Doctor D'Guise come up with the diagnosis and treatment, although not a cure, to Miles's condition. (M)

  Chilian:

  No first name given. A ghem-general to Governor Ilsum Kety. His wife is Vio d'Chilian. Chilian is not involved in Kety's plot to take the throne, although his wife is. She and her lover Kety had planned to kill him at their first opportunity. (C)

  Chodak, Clive:

  A sergeant in the Dendarii Free Mercenary Fleet, he has black, almond-shaped eyes, dark skin, and a square jaw. During Miles's first mercenary run he is a corporal and one of Ky Tung's commandos, and was promoted to his current rank with the renamed Dendarii/Oseran mercenaries. Recognizing Miles on Pol Station Six, he meets with him privately to fill him in on what has happened during the four years he has been away. Under orders from Elena, he saves Miles and Gregor from being spaced by Admiral Oser. For his actions during the battle against the Cetagandans at Vervain, he is taken on a personal tour of the Prince Serg, followed by lunch with Aral Vorkosigan. (VG)

  Christof:

  No first name given. A lieutenant in the Dendarii Free Mercenary Fleet who is excellent at scouting terrain. (BA)

  Civilian Defenders of Garson Transfer Station:

  Captured Marilacan civilians held in the prisoner camp on Dagoola IV until being rescued by Miles and the Dendarii Free Mercenary Fleet. (BI)

  Claire:

  No surname given. A quaddie on the Cay Habitat Station, she is slim and elfin-looking, with short, dark hair that frames her face. She has had a baby, Andy, with another quaddie named Tony, and is the first of five quaddie girls to give birth. She was a welder joiner, but was transferred to housekeeping–nutrition tech and hydroponics since giving birth. When she is told she will not be able to st
ay in a monogamous relationship with Tony, they both try to escape the Habitat with Andy, resulting in Tony's injury, and Claire being separated from them. When Doctor Curry tries to sedate and sterilize her, she overpowers him and injects him with the sedative instead. She pretends to consider sterilizing him, but leaves him intact. She escapes with Leo and the rest of the quaddies through the wormhole. (FF)

  Climbing rose:

  A bioengineered, ambulatory rose bush that uses its vines to climb stationary objects, as Ivan finds out at the bioestheties exhibit on Cetaganda. (C)

  Clogston, Chris:

  A captain in the Barrayaran military, he is the senior fleet surgeon for the military escort of the Komarran trade convoy detained at Graf Station. He confirms that Ker Dubauer is a Cetagandan by analyzing his blood, and also jury-rigs a blood filter to remove the bioengineered parasites from Bel Thorne and Miles, although he eventually has to put both of them into cold stasis to prevent the parasites from killing them. (DI)

  Clone:

  A perfect copy of a person can be created from the smallest tissue sample of the progenitor, creating an exact physical duplicate. On Jackson's Whole, House Bharaputra runs a thriving business providing cloned bodies for rich, elderly people, who then have their brains transplanted into the new body. The clone created to replace Miles, later named Mark, had to be surgically altered to resemble his progenitor, as the damage done to Miles's body was teratogenic, which meant a clone of him would have developed to its normal height, and with normal bone strength. (L, BA, MD)

  Clone crèche:

  A facility owned and run by House Bharaputra on Jackson's Whole where clones are created and raised until they are the proper age for a brain transplant. Mark commandeers the Ariel to raid this facility, which also created him, and rescue the fifty clone children there from becoming new bodies for rich clients. He is trapped on the site, and has to be rescued by Miles and the Dendarii, inadvertently causing Miles's death during the operation. (MD)