Vorkosigan Saga Cordelia Naismith

1 vorkosigan saga

1.1 years
1.2 escobar war
1.3 lady vorkosigan , regent-consort
1.4 mother of miles , mark vorkosigan
1.5 countess vorkosigan , vicereine of sergyar
1.6 widow
1.7 ideology , policies
1.8 personal appearance , style

vorkosigan saga

cordelia naismith, first appears in novel shards of honor, citizen of beta colony, , member of betan astronomical survey, converted betan expeditionary force during wartime.

the homeworld of vorkosigan saga cordelia naismith first appears in short story entitled dreamweaver s dilemma included in dreamweaver s dilemma anthology contains adventures of lady on embankment .

early years

cordelia born on beta colony daughter of elizabeth naismith, doctor, co-wrote article ethan read in medical journal in beginning of ethan of athos.

during cordelia s time commander of vessel in betan astronomical survey, despises military mindset due upbringing beta colony s liberal , anti-militarist values. explores jump-points , newly discovered planets in nexus, job requiring advanced mathematical , scientific knowledge , no small degree of daring, interpersonal skills, crew composed of non-military civilian scientists cordelia considers group of prima-donnas , cry-babies. on survey mission on newly discovered world later named sergyar, captured controversial admiral aral vorkosigan of barrayaran imperial military service, scorned galactic society @ large butcher of komarr . spend arduous period on planet s surface together, , during time, fall in love. however, given positions on opposing sides of military struggle, not act upon feelings, though aral asks marry him.

the escobar war

aral , cordelia cross paths again short time later during war precipitated barrayar s abortive attempt invade escobar, beta colony brought ally of escobar. cordelia receives promotion captain , transferred betan expeditionary force (the betan military). captured along crew after breaks barrayaran blockade, allowing vital military supplies , weapons reach escobarans, become instrumental in turning invading barrayaran forces.

during time military prisoner brought attention of ges vorruyter, high-ranking commander of barrayaran forces , notable sadist , pervert enjoys tormenting , raping female captives. spared violent rape @ directives of vorruyter when sergeant bothari rejects orders , kills him slicing throat because bothari knows cordelia important aral vorkosigan. later, upon conclusion of war, many of compatriots , allies believe heroine responsible slaying vorruyter, earning brief status heroic celebrity on beta colony.

however, favorable opinion of aral vorkosigan, protestations of honor , integrity , later profession of love him, earn suspicions of government, believes has been psychologically conditioned , brainwashed serve barrayaran deep-cover mole, using cover of faked love affair means transmit intelligence barrayar. after several attempts betan superiors @ remedying non-existent psychological tampering, including being drugged against will, , being told mental state prevent resuming command, cordelia flees barrayar (assisted arde mayhew) , becomes aral s wife, , lady cordelia vorkosigan, learn retired soldier thinks of husband pressed government service new regent of barrayar upon death of elderly , gravely ill emperor ezar vorbarra. upon husband s appointment, titled regent-consort.

as lady vorkosigan , regent-consort

upon death of emperor ezar, period of political instability ensues, replete assassination attempts on both cordelia , husband, new regent. while pregnant, cordelia present @ soltoxin poison-gas attack on husband political terrorists. while both cordelia , aral given antidote, teratogenic antidote has disastrous effects on unborn child. aral vorkosigan rendered infertile poison. cordelia moved attempt save fetus, despite damage has sustained in attack, placing him in uterine replicator, new technology on barrayar @ time.

while uterine replicator safely ensconced in imperial capital city, political instability flares full-scale insurrection when count vidal vordarian , conservative vor allies mount coup d etat , seize imperial residence in hopes of apprehending both child-emperor gregor , mother princess kareen, whom vordarian hopes marry , use seize throne. ensuing civil war becomes known war of vordarian s pretendership, in gregor rescued palace loyalists , princess kareen killed. count vordarian killed , beheaded during attempt cordelia , allies (sgt. bothari , ludmilla drou droushnakovi) break imperial residence rescue gestating fetus, uterine replicator requires attention , not neglect given vordarian.

cordelia becomes known woman executed vidal vordarian after presenting severed head husband, several of staff, , several of vordarian s partisans present negotiating settlement, bringing insurrection end. incident earns no small degree of awe , respect military-minded vor caste, more pronounced due being woman.

in addition aral s role regent, , cordelia s affiliated social position regent-consort, aral , cordelia appointed distinct status of being legal guardians of child-emperor gregor, , cordelia given guiding role on formative years , education, placing betan in enormously powerful position mold emperor s political , social attitudes , affect barrayar s future whole. full repercussion of new role goes entirely unnoticed council of counts , more conservative elements of barrayaran society.

the chief initial reason cordelia not having more children not due inability procreate (with betan medicine, functioning cells required reproduce), because healthy children have potential weaken miles stature (and endanger life) in family due deformity. barrayar had suffered great damage due nuclear war, , non-viable mutations in children common , universally met euthanasia during less enlightened past. miles grandfather, piotr, himself euthanized miles. mark pierre , miles acceptance conservative barrayar aral s heir, miles healthy children, born @ end of diplomatic immunity give space defer future children until aral s retirement, when plan have more children.

mother of miles , mark vorkosigan

as result of soltoxin antidote given her, child, miles vorkosigan, suffers severe physical deformities partially ameliorated additional treatment received in uterine replicator; father-in-law, count piotr vorkosigan refuses allow deformed child use name. instead, named miles naismith vorkosigan, after cordelia s own father.

cordelia , aral intentionally have 1 child, son miles. later discover clone of son miles, named mark vorkosigan, has been created without knowledge. while legal status vorkosigan questionable on barrayar, cordelia unquestionably accepts him son. endorses him openly rest of barrayaran society, buffers culture shock barrayar, buys him ship use find miles , helps love life acting go-between him, girlfriend kareen koudelka , kareen s parents.

as countess vorkosigan , vicereine of sergyar

upon count piotr s death, becomes countess vorkosigan. later, after emperor gregor achieved majority, aral named viceroy of sergyar. cordelia becomes vicereine countess vorkosigan, being appointed co-leader of planet, rather title being merely 1 of courtesy spouse of viceroy. new positions require them move sergyar assume governance , settlement.

when husband dies aneurysm on sergyar, makes decision not have him cryoprepped , frozen since on 2 hours have passed , chance of reviving him have been mental vegetable @ best.

cordelia chooses settle on sergyar.

as widow

after death of aral vorkosigan, cordelia chooses remain on sergyar , continue role vicereine few years. in gentleman jole , red queen, cordelia , admiral jole, commander of sergyaran fleet, develop romantic relationship , decide retire neighboring homes on segyar. cordelia had genetic material saved aral , uses create daughter, aurelia, stated intention of raising 6 daughters under surname kosigan, providing them link father while separating them military caste has never approved of.

ideology , policies

cordelia maintains independent , assertive front, being full partner aral. bit disconcerting barrayaran society, women barely beginning beyond being wives , mothers. because known betan emigrant, unique status female military hero is/was vaguely ignored vor society, partially due conscious decision apolitical , remain out of spotlight, bending energies rearing both own son (miles) , gregor.

she heartily encourages imports of civilized thinking , goods allows more freedom , independence people of barrayar. countess vorkosigan, architect of large-scale scholarship program, making galactic standard educations in medicine , science available barrayaran students promise, , not born vor.

cordelia opposed natural childbirth, more betans (who still practice option), due soltoxin attack robbed of first child. aiding new generation of barrayaran women of upper- , middle-classes in use of uterine replicators; believes alone radically changing barrayaran culture within.

as vicereine of sergyar cordelia uses authority influence development of sergyar s culture, including instituting rights, health care , education sex workers in attempt replicate system of licensed sexual therapists on native beta colony.

cordelia, religiously, sort of betan presbyterian, rather unitarian-style christian-descended religion.

personal appearance , style

countess cordelia vorkosigan tall woman roan-red hair leavened gray, wears parted in center , long in (in youth, hair coppery red) , sea grey eyes. although not accounted great beauty, face having nose bit bold, , jawline bit strong, nonetheless attractive woman. wears deemed appropriate wear vor-class matron, long flowing skirts , tailored bolero style jackets, slip betan astronomical survey fatigues in private comfort , nostalgia.

early in marriage , new status lady vorkosigan, relies upon lady alys vorpatril s expertise in barrayaran fashions , etiquette, not socially embarrass husband political foes.