Aral Vorkosigan - Public Life

Public Life

Aral received his first military commission at the age of 18, and by 36 was the youngest admiral in Barrayaran history. A master strategist and tactician, he planned the conquest of Komarr, the only inhabited planet at the other end of the only wormhole access to Barrayar. His goal was to impose Barrayaran power with a minimum of fighting, and his description of the conquest became a required text for galactic military schools. However, one of his officers ordered a massacre of a large group of Komarran leaders being held together, protected by Aral’s word; this was the infamous Solstice Massacre. Without waiting for a court-martial, Aral personally executed the officer. For this act, he was demoted to Captain. On Komarr and elsewhere, it was assumed that he killed the officer in order to conceal the fact that he or the Emperor had ordered the massacre, however, resulting in his legendary reputation as "the Butcher of Komarr" and an enduring ill-will expressed in a revolt 10 years later, an assassination plot (Brothers in Arms), and an attempt by Komarrans to close Barrayar's wormhole Komarr). After his demotion, Aral spent a period at the arctic base on Kyril Island, drinking heavily, and then was given a ship to command, known as “the Leper Colony” because of the rough nature of its crew. True to its name, the crew mutinies, at the beginning of Shards of Honor.

Aral is still part of the highest political and military discussions. Emperor Ezar and his chief of security, Captain Negri, plan a glorious death for Ezar’s sadistic son Serg, who will die leading a hopeless expedition to conquer the rich planet Escobar. Aral is horrified, but participates in order to minimize deaths and damage. The staging camp for the attack is the uninhabited planet which will eventually be named Sergyar, where he meets Cordelia. She becomes an important factor in the brevity of the war, both by conveying to Beta and Escobar details of the coming assault and as captain of a Betan ship escorting a secret defensive weapon to Escobar. Aral is aware of all this and takes it into his calculations in planning the retreat. After the retreat he is immediately restored to the rank of admiral and put in charge of the prisoner exchange. He then retires from the military.

Emperor Ezar dies, leaving Aral (now married to Cordelia) as regent for Ezar’s 5-year-old grandson Gregor Vorbarra. Aral’s first decision as regent is disastrous: the execution of young Carl Vorhalas for dueling. Carl’s brother seeks vengeance through a poison gas attack, which deforms the fetus Miles. Count Vordarian then leads an uprising, attempting to install himself as Gregor’s protector and then replacement; while Aral organizes the military response, Cordelia has Vordarian beheaded and ends the “Pretendership.”

Aral’s later regency is skipped over by the novels. There are attempts at invasion by Cetaganda and at rebellion by Komarr, both of which he puts down. We are given to understand that he reforms the military, imports and encourages the use of new technology, and generally attempts to introduce humane, rational, and egalitarian principles in Barrayaran society.

When Aral is in his early 60s, Gregor comes of age as Emperor, with Aral continuing in power as his Prime Minister and leader of the "Centrist Coalition." A year or so later, Aral’s father dies and Aral becomes the 11th Count Vorkosigan, with local duties. Aral continues for another decade in unbroken power except for brief periods when his son Miles’s adventures arouse accusations of conspiracy.

In his early 70s, Aral considers retirement from public life, and is forced by a cardiac event to give up his position as Prime Minister (Mirror Dance). At that point (Memory), the Emperor is planning Aral's son Miles’s military career on-planet, but Miles's own problems end his military career and confine him to Barrayar. Miles becomes his father's proxy in the Council of Counts. Emperor Gregor appoints Aral and Cordelia co-viceregents of the planet Sergyar, which is being colonized by Barryar and terraformed. Aral still holds this position when he dies, at the end of Cryoburn.