The Vorkosigan Companion - Lillian Stewart Carl [172]
Pitt's lieutenant:
A Marilacan, no name given. He acts as Pitt's second-in-command at the Dagoola prison camp and attempts to kill Miles after Pitt's death. Miles shows him mercy and he ends up being rescued along with the others. (BI)
Plasma arc:
A standard military energy-beam weapon, suitable for melting and/or burning. Personal versions range from pistol and rifle-size weapons, powered by self-contained power packs, to large, portable plasma arc systems that can damage vehicles and ships from thousands of meters away. A plasma arc power pack can also be jury-rigged to overload, creating a crude explosive device, as Aral does on Sergyar to start a fire. A wound from a plasma arc can be devastating, like what Elli Quinn suffers during the Tau Verde IV campaign, when a plasma arc shot burns off her face. (All except FF)
Plasma cannon:
A ship-to-ship version of the plasma arc, it is immensely more powerful, with a range of several thousand kilometers. Miles places one in the corridor of the Ariel to neutralize Cavilo's holding Gregor as a hostage. (VG)
Plasma mirror field:
A ship-mounted plasma mirror field that absorbs and reflects an incoming beam, sending it back to hit the attacking vessel. It allows a shuttle to take on a warship and defeat it, as the Escobarans did to the Barrayaran navy during the 120-Day War. (SH)
Plasma mirror field pack:
A self-powered, personal deflection energy field capable of absorbing approximately thirty to forty hits before burning out. During the clone rescue mission on Jackson's Whole, Mark uses his plasma mirror field pack to shield Elli during the extraction. (B, MD)
Plause:
No first name given. An ensign in Miles's class, he is assigned to languages school to learn galactic languages since he already speaks all four native Barrayaran ones perfectly. (VG)
Plumbing:
Frictionless (waterless) or sonic toilets are found in self-contained settings, such as space habitats. In lower-tech settings or in planetary facilities, traditional water-based plumbing is still used, with accompanying pipes and potential drain problems, as occurred when Doctor Borgos tried to dispose of forty kilograms of bug butter by washing it down the sink. Bathing facilities range from historic bathtubs, such as the one in Vorkosigan House where Ivan dunks Miles to snap him out of his depression, to traditional water showers and sonic showers, which use sound waves to remove dead cells and dirt. (All)
Pol:
A neighboring planet of Barrayar, it connects that planet to the Hegen Hub by way of the Komarr nexus. A republic, it joins the Hegen Hub Alliance after the Vervain conflict. (VG)
Pol Station Six:
A jump-point station between Pol and the Hegen Hub. Miles goes there in his Victor Rotha disguise to gather intelligence on the various ship buildups near the Hegen Hub. (VG)
Population Council:
The organization responsible for ensuring safe reproductive ability for Athos's all-male population. They accepted the lowest bid for a new batch of ovarian material from L. Bharaputra & Sons, and received a shipment of nonviable tissue cultures. Their solution is to send Ethan Urquhart into the galaxy to acquire viable cultures. (EA)
Portobello Pharmaceutical Company:
The large company that both Doctor and Mrs. Bianca work in and own. (DD)
Power armor:
A self-contained combat suit used in ship-to-ship boarding and combat in space or other hostile environments. Each armored suit augments the user's physical strength, contains its own power, environmental, and weapons systems, is impervious to stunner and nerve disruptor fire, and can withstand plasma arc fire for a short time. A suit is also capable of being remote-piloted from a central command. Miles and Auson tap into the Oseran suits during the assault on the refinery at Tau Verde IV,