The Vorkosigan Companion - Lillian Stewart Carl [201]
He stays with Aral and Cordelia for a time, and then moves on to Beta Colony to go to school at the University of Silica, studying accounting. He is getting acquainted with his grandmother, Elizabeth, and is also involved with Kareen Koudelka. Elli Quinn doesn't like him, blaming Mark for Miles's seizures, and calling him a "fat little creep." Mark is a potential suspect in Simon Illyan's breakdown, but his alibi of being on Beta Colony rules him out. In an attempt to differentiate himself from Miles, Mark gains an enormous amount of weight.
After a year of university study and therapy, Mark returns to Barrayar. His latest capital venture is an offshoot of a visit to Escobar to get powerful weight-loss drugs. He also takes an Escobaran scientist, Doctor Enrique Borgos, under his wing to develop a bioengineering program to convert Barrayaran native plants to human edible food. The butter bug scheme turns Vorkosigan House on its ear.
Mark's relationship with Kareen Koudelka progresses well, but runs into difficulty with Kareen's return to Barrayar. He becomes quite desperate about potentially losing Kareen, until his mother Cordelia helps allay her parents' concerns about her relationship with Mark. He also seems to be bonding more with people, particularly with Miles. Mark is engaged in a valiant struggle to become a functional, if never quite normal, human being, and seems to be succeeding.
The butter bug maple ambrosia is a hit at the Emperor's wedding reception, and Mark also brokers a deal with Count Vorsmythe for start-up capital for his company, the profits from which he plans to use to explore alternate longevity techniques other than brain transplants. (BA, CC, DI, K, M, MD, WG)
Vorkosigan, Miles Naismith:
The hyperactive, physically deformed, genius son of Aral Vorkosigan and Cordelia Naismith. As a result of the soltoxin attack on his mother while she is pregnant, Miles is born with severe teratogenic, though not genetic, damage. In particular, his bones are brittle, misshapen, and prone to breakage. Miles was not able to walk until he turned five, after which he never slowed down. He has dark hair, gray eyes, a bit of a humpback, and is short for his age, approximately four foot ten inches tall. His appearance, on mutation-phobic Barrayar, is a problem that requires constant vigilance to contain. Miles reaches adulthood only because of his father's position, his intelligence and ability to charm those around him, and the watchful eye of Sergeant Bothari, who keeps enemies at bay.
Miles tries to commit suicide at age fifteen while attending school on Beta Colony, but Bothari prevents him from succeeding. Two years later, he washes out of the Imperial Military Academy when he breaks both his legs during a physical trial. His grandfather Piotr, Miles believes, dies from the shame of this. Miles accidentally forms the Dendarii Free Mercenaries while on a trip to Beta Colony to visit his grandmother. He ends the blockade of Tau Verde IV, and averts a plot to discredit his father and family back on Barrayar. After these adventures, Gregor realizes that Miles is a loose cannon, and appoints him to the Military Academy by Imperial fiat.
Miles's first assignment after graduating from the Imperial Academy is to replace the chief meteorology officer on Lazkowski Base. After trying to prevent the slaughter of technicians who refuse an order to clean up a dangerous poison, he is shipped back to Vorbarr Sultana, where he offers to resign his commission to save the rest of the men from standing trial. After a period of house arrest, he is seconded to Imperial Security and assigned to gather information on increased activity around the Hegen Hub. Miles poses as an arms dealer, and is framed for murder. While fleeing the charges, he finds the Emperor of Barrayar, Gregor, who has escaped his security detail, and is also in prison. The two uncover a plot by the psychotic mercenary Cavilo to let Cetaganda invade Vervain. When Cavilo learns she has the Emperor of Barrayar in her clutches, her thoughts