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Armsman's oath:

The oath that Miles has Arde Mayhew and Baz Jesek swear to confirm their acceptance of him as their liege lord, serving him faithfully until either death of the armsman or his lord, or until the lord releases the armsman from his oath. This can pose problems, as Arde is a Betan and the first ever to swear the oath, and Baz is a deserter from the Barrayaran military, and already liege-sworn to Emperor Gregor. Mark also has Elena swear the oath to him before going to rescue Miles, breaking Barrayaran tradition as well, since a female had never sworn the armsman's oath until that moment. (WA, MD)

Armsmen's Shout:

A Barrayaran wedding tradition, where the twenty sworn armsmen of a lord cheer his marriage. Pym leads the one for Miles after he marries Ekaterin. (WG)

Arozzi:

No first name given. Miles interviews him about Radovas's death, as he has taken over the man's duties until a replacement is found, and is hoping to be permanently promoted into the position. He is involved in the plot to destroy the Barrayaran wormhole, and when he encounters Ekaterin on the jump point station, takes her and Madame Vorthys hostage to prevent discovery of the plan before it can be carried out. (K)

Artificial gravity:

Spacecraft and space habitats use artificial gravity for human health and to compensate for acceleration. The technology behind the system is not explained. Initial prototype systems required heavy power use, but by the time of the Vorkosigan Saga, there's no mention of the power cost. Shuttles and small spacecraft do not have artificial gravity systems. (All except FF)

Arvin:

No first name given. A ghem-lady with blond hair who seduces Ivan at Lord Yenaro's party. She and Lady Benello find Miles and Ivan at the bioestheties exhibition, and take both men over to Lady Veda's exhibit, where Yenaro was unwittingly set up to kill all of them with an asterzine-impregnated carpet. (C)

Aslund:

A cul-de-sac planet like Barrayar, the Hegen Hub is its sole gate to the greater galactic web. They hired the Dendarii Free Mercenary Fleet for protection when the Cetagandans began making preliminary moves to capture the Hegen Hub. After the brief war with Cetaganda, it cements an alliance with Barrayar, Vervain, and Pol. (VG)

Athos:

A cloistered planet with three moons in a remote sector of space that is inhabited solely by men. Even the word "woman" is an obscenity in their culture. Humans have been living there for approximately two centuries, using uterine replicators and ovarian banks to create future male generations. The men live in communes and everyone pitches in to help with maintaining their society, as that is the only way to earn social duty credits toward having a child. They grow facial hair as a symbol of fatherhood after saving enough credits for a reproduction permit. Life for the planet's inhabitants is peaceful, if fairly rigidly controlled by the government. When their genetic lines begin to die out, they send a representative into the galaxy to procure new ones, and foil a major Cetagandan plot as well. (EA)

Aura detector:

Used in crime scene investigations, it detects the afterimages of human movement for some time afterward. The auras fade over a number of hours. Miles laments that it is too late to use one during his investigation of the murder at Silvy Vale. (MM)

Auson:

No first name given, he is the captain of the Ariel who boards Miles's freighter at Tau Verde to inspect their cargo. A decent soldier, but sloppy after eighteen months of blockade duty. When he tries to take Elena as his hostage, Miles and the rest of his crew capture his boarding party, then take his ship. Auson gets both arms and his nose broken by Elena, then endures a General Ship Inspection by Miles and his crew. He signs the contracts of his men over to Miles, and joins the Dendarii Free Mercenary Fleet. He is promoted to captain of the Triumph after the capture of the ore refinery.

Four years later, he still commands the Triumph under Admiral Oser,