Memory (Bujold novel)

Plot summary

Miles Vorkosigan's career with the Dendarii Mercenaries takes a disastrous turn during a hostage rescue when a seizure—a lingering effect from his earlier death and revival—causes him to accidentally shoot off the hostage's legs. Fearing the fallout, he lies in his report to his superior, ImpSec chief Simon Illyan. Illyan discovers the deception, and Miles is forced into a medical discharge. This plunges him into a deep depression.

His cousin Ivan Vorpatril and ImpSec Captain Duv Galeni, who met Miles during a previous incident, manage to snap him out of it. Galeni is smitten with Laisa Toscane, a wealthy Komarran heiress. Miles arranges invitations for them to a party thrown by Emperor Gregor, hoping to help Galeni impress her, but Laisa and Gregor instead fall in love. When their engagement is announced, a furious Galeni calls Miles on a monitored line, venting his hatred for Barrayarans and the Vor class.

Soon after, Illyan suffers a sudden mental breakdown. Miles tries to investigate but gets no help from acting ImpSec chief Lucas Haroche, so he asks Gregor for an Imperial Auditor. Gregor instead makes Miles a temporary Auditor himself, despite Haroche suspecting Miles of causing Illyan's condition. The breakdown stems from a memory implant placed in Illyan's brain when he was a young lieutenant.

The device starts flooding his mind with random memories at an increasing rate, making him believe he's reliving different periods of his life. After consulting Gregor, Miles orders ImpSec doctors to remove the implant immediately. He then investigates whether the failure was natural or sabotage, recruiting Dr. Waddell—formerly Hugh Canaba, a biotech expert Miles once rescued from Jackson's Whole. Waddell finds a synthetic biological agent specifically designed to attack Illyan's implant.

Illyan recovers at Vorkosigan House, where he receives visits from Lady Alys Vorpatril, Gregor's social secretary, who had also stayed with him during his breakdown.