Sosei e no ichirunonozomi o takushite teion hokan-ki ni osame rareta mairuzu no itai ga yukue fumei ni. Ittai doko e kieta no ka? Mairuzu no fuhō wa kokoku barayā ni mo tsutae rare, kare no kōi keishō-ken wa māku ga hikitsugu koto to naru. Daga kōi e no kihi-kan kara, māku wa zenryoku o agete itai no sōsaku ni torikumi kimitsu hoanchō ni sakinjite tegakari o eta kare wa, yōhei kantai no menmen o hikiite shukkō suru. Mairuzu dakkan wa naru no ka?
Lord Miles Naismith Vorkosigan leads a double life. A noble of his home planet Barrayar, and a second, secret identify as a mercenary admiral, who sells his military skills to the highest bidder, but usually in the discreet service of his homeland.
Vorkosigan visits the Earth, the revered, original planet of humanity. He seeks rest and succour for his mercenaries and a respite for himself, however, his hopes are quickly dashed. Various emergencies shatter his plans, and personally, a deadly encounter, a clone double, intended to take his place and infiltrate the highest echelons of Barrayar, come very close to ending his life.« less