Borders of Infinity

1989

This is a collection of stories all featuring Miles Naismith Vorkosigan over a number of years.

They are all linked by a story in the 'present' where Simon Illyan, Head of ImpSec is facing charges of peculation on behalf of Miles' Mercenary Fleet.

The stories are

• The Mountains of Mourning.

  This is set on Barrayar, in Miles' own country. In the mountains that his mercenaries had been named after, indeed. Miles is ordered by his father-the-Count to judge a case of infanticide in a backwoods village.

• Labyrinth.

  Set on the unwholesome planet of Jackson's Whole, Miles and a corp of his mercenaries have arrived to arrange for weapons resupply at Baron Fell's station. Simple enough you would have thought, but these are the Dendarii Mercenaries, and even the most straightforward of plans have a tendency of going very pear shaped. Can Miles get out of this one with his honour intact (does he really want to)?

• The Borders of Infinity.

  The title story. The Cetagandan Empire is in expansive mood again and it's forces have overwhelmed the planet of Marilac. They have taken thousands of prisoners and resistance is collapsing. This is not in Barrayaran interests so Miles is ordered to rescue the commander of Fallow Core in order to reform a resistance force. What he finds in the confines of Dagoola IV Top Security Prison Camp #3 forces a slight change of plans - rather than rescuing just the one man, Miles decides to stage a mass break out that makes the Great Escape look like a school outing.

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