Mirror Dance

Plot summary

These teenage clones are destined to have their brains replaced by those of their wealthy, aged progenitors. Miles learns of the situation and attempts to rescue his troops and his brother, but is killed by a needle grenade. He is immediately placed in a cryonic chamber, but the medic in charge becomes separated during a retreat under fire. The medic uses an automated shipping system to send the chamber to safety, but is killed before revealing where it was sent.

The Dendarii flee and bring Mark to Miles' parents on Barrayar. Cordelia accepts Mark as a son and has him legally recognized as a family member. Frustrated by the lack of progress from Barrayaran Imperial Security, Mark decides to search for Miles himself, believing Miles is still on Jackson's Whole. Cordelia buys him a starship, and he invites some Dendarii, including Captain Quinn, to join him.

Meanwhile, Miles has been secretly received and resuscitated by the Duronas, a research group cloned from a medical genius and employed by Baron Fell. They hope they have Miles, but he suffers from post-revival amnesia, so they are unsure. The Duronas want to hire the Dendarii to help them escape Jackson's Whole. Mark finds Miles but is captured by Baron Ryoval and tortured for five days.

His personality fragments into four sub-personalities: Gorge, Grunt, Howl, and Killer. When Ryoval's assistant reports that Mark seems to be enjoying the torture, Ryoval decides to study him alone. Killer kills Ryoval, allowing Mark to escape. Mark sells Ryoval's security access codes to Baron Fell for a large sum and the Durona Group's freedom.