The Vorkosigan Companion - Lillian Stewart Carl [194]
Vorbarra, Xav:
Aral's grandfather, he was the ambassador to Beta Colony when he was a youth, where he met Aral's Betan grandmother. While the assassins sent by Yuri Vorbarra (his half brother) missed him during the Massacre, his wife was killed, leading Xav to side with Ezar in the civil war that resulted in Ezar becoming Emperor. (SH)
Vorbarra, Yuri:
An Emperor of Barrayar who went mad in his later years, despite, or perhaps because of, his heroic earlier role resisting the Cetagandan invaders. He is related to Prince Xav Vorbarra (half brother). He was deposed by an army headed by Piotr Vorkosigan and Ezar Vorbarra. During Yuri's ritual death of a thousand cuts, Aral Vorkosigan, though only thirteen years old at the time, was offered the first cut. (SH)
Vorbarra-Vorkosigan, Olivia:
Daughter of Xav Vorbarra, and the mother of Aral Vorkosigan, she was killed by one of Emperor Yuri's assassins, who shot a sonic grenade into her stomach in front of Aral when he was eleven years old. (SH)
Vorbataille:
No first name given. A count's heir in the southern districts of Barrayar, he is entangled in criminal activity involving Jackson's Whole, including using his private yacht to insert a hijacking team onto the Princess Olivia. He is betrayed when Luca Tarpan sets him up to take the fall for the assassination of Ekaterin. (WG)
Vorberg:
No first name given. A lieutenant in Barrayaran Imperial Security, he is a courier officer who was captured and held for ransom. Illyan sends the Dendarii Free Mercenaries to rescue him. During his rescue, Miles accidentally cut his legs off with a plasma arc while suffering a seizure. Vorberg's legs are fortunately salvageable, though he lost a bit of height in the accident. He later meets Miles back on Barrayar, but doesn't know Miles was the one who maimed him. Understandably, he speaks disparagingly of the Dendarii Mercenaries. While convalescing he is given a job as night guard commander for the security at the clinic where Simon has been placed. When Miles doesn't respond to Simon's repeated requests to see him, Vorberg finds Miles to chastise him, inadvertently letting him know something is wrong, and putting the whole chain of events that leads to Miles's appointment as Imperial Auditor into play. (M)
Vorbohn:
No first name given. A lord on Barrayar, he is the head of the Vorbarr Sultana Municipal Guard. He helped Officer Gustioz with obtaining permissions to arrest Doctor Borgos. He is also waiting to arrest Lord Richars when the Council of Counts finishes voting on Lord Dono's claim to his brother's District. (CC)
Vorbretten House:
The Vorbretten ancestral manor was so badly damaged during the fighting over Vordarian's Pretendership that the family demolished the remains and built anew. Protected by force screens, the new mansion is modern, light, and airy, perched on a bluff overlooking the river, nearly opposite Castle Vorhartung, and with excellent views of the Vorbarr Sultana cityscape both up and down river. (CC)
Vorbretten, René:
A count on Barrayar, he is the epitome of the modern Vor class; tall, athletic, and handsome. He speaks four languages, plays three musical instruments, and has perfect singing pitch. His house colors are dark green and bittersweet orange. He is the son of Commodore Lord Vorbretten, who had been a star protégé of Aral Vorkosigan until he was killed at the Hegen Hub during the Cetagandan takeover attempt a decade ago. When his grandfather died, René gave up his military career and assumed the count's duties. He married Tatya, the eighteen-year-old daughter of Lord Vorkeres, in a love match. While the couple