Brothers in Arms

Brothers in Arms is a science fiction novel by American writer Lois McMaster Bujold, part of the Vorkosigan Saga. It was the fifth book published in the series, and is the twelfth story, including novellas, in the internal chronology of the series. Brothers in Arms was first published by Baen Books in January 1989, and is included in the 2002 omnibus Miles Errant. Plot summary 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 resultant damage to their ships. Miles visits the Barrayaran Embassy in London to obtain desperately needed payment for their last mission. 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. 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 finds his cousin Ivan Vorpatril is the second assistant attaché. Galeni later mysteriously disappears. During 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. The Komarrans are led by Ser Galen, Galeni's own father, who had been presumed killed while fighting against the Barrayaran occupiers. 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. Miles himself gets a dose of fast-penta, a truth drug, but his reaction to it is idiosyncratic. Instead of docilely answering all questions, he becomes manic; he finds that he can beat the drug by flying off on wild tangents, such as reciting military manuals, poems and plays from memory. Meeting his clone, Miles tells him that he could claim his rights as Miles' brother under Betan law. Just before Miles and Galeni are to be executed, they are rescued by his Dendarii subordinate (and lover) Elli Quinn.