Complicating matters are Cetagandan and Barrayaran assassination squads (targeting Naismith and the clone, respectively), a Dendarii contingent and the local police, all converging on their location. The clone shoots Galen instead, then flees. However, the talks Miles has had with his clone bear fruit. Galen disarms them, then orders the clone to kill Miles. Galen captures Vorpatril and uses him to force a tense meeting with Miles, who unexpectedly brings along Galeni. Just before Miles and Galeni are to be executed, they are rescued by his Dendarii subordinate (and lover) Elli Quinn. Miles is locked up with Galeni, who has been interrogated using drugs, but has resisted attempts by his father to get him to join the Komarran resistance. The Komarrans are led by Ser Galen, Galeni's own father who had been presumed killed while fighting against the Barrayarans. Galeni later mysteriously disappears.ĭuring his wait, Miles is abducted, and his place taken by a clone created and trained as an assassin by Komarran diehards determined to free their planet. He finds his cousin Ivan Vorpatril is the second assistant military attaché. As the funds will have to come from the nearest sector headquarters in another star system, Miles resumes his real identity as Lieutenant Vorkosigan and is assigned to the embassy as third assistant military attaché, under Galeni's command. He reports to Captain Duv Galeni, his Imperial Security superior and a Komarran whose aunt was one of the victims of an infamous massacre of civilians allegedly committed by Miles' father. Miles visits the Barrayaran Embassy in London to obtain payment for their last mission.

Shortly after rescuing thousands of prisoners of war from the Cetagandans, as detailed in the novella 'Borders of Infinity', Admiral Miles Naismith and his Dendarii mercenaries arrive on Earth, fleeing Cetagandan retribution and needing to repair the damage to their ships.

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