Publisher: Baen Books, Book Type: Paperback, Publication Date: 9/1/1990,
Pages: 345

Miles Vorkosigan graduates from the Barrayaran Military Academy with high expectations of ship command but is disappointed with an assignment as meteorologist to an arctic training camp, where he is expected to predict weather and to ascertain whether he can get along with his subordinates and superiors in the regular forces. There he narrowly averts a massacre between the trigger-happy base commander and mutinous recruits. That assignment turns out about as well as expected.

Reassigned to investigate a suspicious military buildup near a wormhole nexus in the distant Hegen Hub, he revives his undercover persona as mercenary Admiral Miles Naismith to negotiate between competing powers for control of the wormhole. Miles, of course, does his best to salvage the situation, but, as always, there's a surprise... The Prince and the Mercenary. Together, they can get into a lot of trouble. Trouble only the combined forces of the Free Dendarii Mercenaries can get them out of. At least, that's what they're hoping... He rescues the Emperor of Barrayar from a tangled web of intrigue by the tricky Commander Cavilo, and watchs his back for the arctic base commander seeking bloody vengeance.