The Vorkosigan Companion - Lillian Stewart Carl [173]
Pramod:
A quaddie at the Cay Habitat, he is a striking boy with aquiline nose, brilliant black eyes, wiry muscles, and dark mahogany skin. One of the quickest learners in the engineering class, he is instrumental in helping Leo create the new vortex mirror for their cargo ship. (FF)
Prince Serg:
A new Imperial Cruiser and the most powerful ship in the Barrayaran fleet. If Miles can survive six months at Lazkowski Base, he will be transferred to it. The dreadnought reinforces the Dendarii forces in the fight against the Cetagandans at Vervain. Its gravitic imploder lances have three times the range of the Cetagandan ones. (VG)
Princess Olivia:
An unarmed ship that was hijacked using Lord Vorbataille's yacht. All of the passengers aboard were killed. (WG)
Prisoner of Zenda, The:
A video that Siggy brings to the rest of the quaddies. (FF)
Projector:
A cloaking device Stuben and Lai use to hide their Betan Survey ship from the General Vorkraft's sensors and rescue Cordelia. Later, an improved version is used to project the image of a Betan warship to lure the Barrayaran vessels away from guarding the wormhole so supply ships can reach Escobar. (SH)
Prole:
A slang term, shortened from the word "proletariat," used by the Vor to refer to anyone that isn't in their class. (CC)
Ptarmigan:
No first name given. A lieutenant and shuttle pilot in the Dendarii Free Mercenary Fleet, he takes all orbit-to-surface flights at combat-drop speed. (BA)
Pym:
No first name given. A retired sergeant in the Barrayaran military, he is an armsman to Aral Vorkosigan, and Bothari's replacement. A tall, habitually fit man graying at the temples, he is always dressed in the brown and silver house uniform. He served twenty years in the Imperial Guard, meeting his wife while on security duty at Vorhartung Castle. Afterward he joined the House Vorkosigan staff, aided by a recommendation from Simon Illyan. He accompanies Miles to solve the infanticide case at Silvy Vale. He escorts Mark and Elena in Vorbarr Sultana to protect Mark after Ivan failed to keep him out of trouble. He also tries to help Miles in his pursuit of Ekaterin, and also feeds information about Mark to Kareen after their forced separation. He is highly insulted by Doctor Borgos's genetic modification of his butter bugs with the Vorkosigan family crest. During Miles's wedding and celebration afterward, he feels so bad about missing the toxic pearls that he gives Roic time off with double holiday pay while he works the night shift. (CC, MD, MM, WG)
Pym, Miss:
No first name given. A daughter of Armsman Pym, she is Ekaterin's personal maid, and is sent to Barrayar while Miles and Ekaterin go to Graf Station. (DI)
• • Q • •
Quaddie:
An unofficial nickname for the bioengineered workers on the Cay Project. They are genetically engineered humans with a second set of arms and hands instead of legs and feet. They are literally owned by GalacTech, which tries to dump them on Rodeo when the Cay Project is shut down. Doctor Cay dubbed them Homo quadrimanus. Bruce Van Atta refers to them by the derogatory nickname "chimps." They prefer living in zero-gee, but can move about in artificial gravity with the help of float chairs. After Leo Graf leads the first group to freedom, they establish the Union of Free Habitats in an asteroid belt, and grow to a population of more than a million. Miles meets several during his adventures, including Nicol, a quaddie musician, and Garnet Five, a zero-gee ballet dancer. (DI, FF)
Quaddie approved fiction:
Video fiction approved for the quaddies' viewing by GalacTech personnel. As seen by the titles (The Little Compressor That Could, Bobby BX-99 Solves the Excess Humidity Mystery, Bobby BX-99 and the Plant Virus), they are educational in nature. The quaddies pass them up in favor of more escapist fare. (FF)
Quartz:
A Betan city, of which Cordelia says the president