Labyrinth
Labyrinth is a Vorkosigan novella included in the Miles, Mystery, and Mayhem volume of the saga. These novellas and short stories are the reason I tracked down the omnibus editions. They aren't sold separately and it's hard to find them in print. Since the Vorkosigan Saga is episodic, rather than one continuous story, they aren't necessary for following the plot. But they add some nice flavor. This one in particular fits in thematically with Cetaganda and Ethan of Athos.
All three stories are about the consequences of genetic manipulation, though Labyrinth brings it to the individual level. Miles is on a mission with the Dandarii Free Mercenaries with Captain Bel Thorne - a hermaphrodite from Beta. They are ostensibly looking for a new weapons contract, but along the way they plan to smuggle a geneticist away from the arms dealer. Along the way they come across a Quaddie - a woman who was designed for zero-gee life. She has four arms instead of two arms and two legs and requires a special chair to get around in environments with gravity. Miles also comes across a woman who was designed to be a super-soldier, considered a failure, and is facing a mercy-killing. As he gets to know her, he decides to rescue her, too, believing that there's nothing merciful about killing.
Apart from being an interesting look at some of the things we could create with advanced gene splicing and amoral scientists with big budgets, this story is a resounding reminder that those creations would still be human. That they would still be deserving of free and full lives, of choice and happiness, regardless of whether someone else considers that life lesser. There's one awkward sex scene (I get what Bujold was trying to do, but I think it could have been done better), but mostly that message comes across loud and clear.
All three stories are about the consequences of genetic manipulation, though Labyrinth brings it to the individual level. Miles is on a mission with the Dandarii Free Mercenaries with Captain Bel Thorne - a hermaphrodite from Beta. They are ostensibly looking for a new weapons contract, but along the way they plan to smuggle a geneticist away from the arms dealer. Along the way they come across a Quaddie - a woman who was designed for zero-gee life. She has four arms instead of two arms and two legs and requires a special chair to get around in environments with gravity. Miles also comes across a woman who was designed to be a super-soldier, considered a failure, and is facing a mercy-killing. As he gets to know her, he decides to rescue her, too, believing that there's nothing merciful about killing.
Apart from being an interesting look at some of the things we could create with advanced gene splicing and amoral scientists with big budgets, this story is a resounding reminder that those creations would still be human. That they would still be deserving of free and full lives, of choice and happiness, regardless of whether someone else considers that life lesser. There's one awkward sex scene (I get what Bujold was trying to do, but I think it could have been done better), but mostly that message comes across loud and clear.
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