[ open post: sonia ]

[vorbratta]

Sonia Vorbarra Vorpatril

every Sonia under the sun

your choice of:

wartime: "canon" Sonia during the 20-year-long Cetagandan occupation

for barrayar: 4b AU Sonia, post-game

wine mom: post-massacre single wine mom Sonia, now Lady Vorpatril, raising her baby boy Padma

alignment swap: bad end AU where Padma dies in the massacre and Sonia goes on a heinous revenge quest after the civil war

visualosities 4b bio kink list

credit: photosynthesis

Comments

wine mom sonia open prompt

[vorbratta]

Ten years after the end of Mad Yuri's War, life finally no longer feels like a war zone. When the last shocks and pains finally wore away, when Sonia's grief for her husband progressed into deeply cherished, if aching, memory, when Vorbarr Sultana finally began to rapidly rebuild itself -- when it was over, Sonia almost didn't know what to do with herself. She'd spent more than half her life entrenched in one war or another, even if she never was too close to the gritty truth of it -- until Mad Yuri's War. The Massacre changed her, the Dismemberment changed her -- she remembers that fraught and furious argument with Piotr over her insistence on participating -- but her dear late sister's work was not all undone. When the dust settled, she was still Sonia Vorbarra Vorpatril, and some things never change.

She had vowed, long ago, never to let loneliness take hold of her and crush her so desperately as it had in her youth. Her late husband, dear, sweet Ivan, had never wished anything but happiness on her, and God, he had brought it in droves. But he is ten years passed now, and Sonia has allowed herself to move on, his memory never far from her mind. She will never remarry -- that honor belonged to Ivan Vorpatril alone -- but Sonia never was in the habit of depriving herself of much-needed company.

The memories of her youth in the war have never quite faded, not as much as the photographs she's kept all these years. She remembers them all, remembers the fantasy of a Barrayar she could fit into that always seemed just out of reach. There are still parts of her that don't fit here, things that sometimes make her wonder if she and Padma would be better off on Beta Colony, but she can't bear to part with what family she has left. And so Sonia finds her own element in the Vorbarr Sultana social scene, not just becoming a part of it but shaping it, because the Lady Princess is a hell of a lot more cosmopolitan than most of her Vor lady peers. It's well known that Lady Sonia Vorpatril, cousin and oddly close friend to Emperor Ezar, throws the best damned parties in the District.

a. party at the imperial residence
Sonia is in her mid-forties now, though she's impossible not to recognize from her youth, her half-Betan genes aging her much more gracefully. She still has that bright light in her eyes, that sunny smile and that wicked look, that same long, tumbling mass of dark curls down her back. But she looks different now, no longer in war-worn village clothes, now dressed in the height of Vorbarr Sultana fashion, as immodestly cut as social graces will permit her, because she lives to challenge every social norm in her sphere of influence. She wears jewelry now that, in retrospect, would have seemed oddly missing on her younger self, and her hair is adorned in fresh flowers.

Whatever the occasion the party is for, it isn't clear, but the Imperial Residence's banquet hall is full of people, talking, socializing, dancing. Sonia seems to be everywhere at once, chatting, laughing, a glass of wine always in hand.

b. city strolls
Sonia loves Vorbarr Sultana. She had hardly seen it for a decade, and it was ravaged by war for so long. Now that it's rebuilding itself, steadily and surely, she spends as much time as she can soaking it in, never tiring of it. They had fought hard for it, and she will bask in their spoils.

She can often be seen walking through the city on idle errands, with or without her son Padma in tow, or visiting her brother-in-law and nephew at Vorkosigan House. She favors the view from the Star Bridge, the bustling city center, the quiet beauty of the Royal Gardens. Really, it isn't hard to find Sonia in Vorbarr Sultana at all, these days.

c. wildcard
go ahead, just fuck me right up

option a with AU Betan Bull?? also i'm making shit up

[justoutside]

The strange looks are almost getting old. Almost, except they're still kind of hilarious. Krem doesn't get a second look, which. Is nice. He knows how hard Barrayar still goes for gender shit. He looks good tonight, the soft greys of the Betan Survey team complimenting his military cut hair and straight posture. He's confusing the fuck out of some of these General-Lords who think they should be looking at a civilian and Bull's getting a kick watching.

Barrayar doesn't know what to do with someone like Bull. He is big, easily as tall, if not taller than many of the men in their fine military formal and built like a truck. Sitting off to the side, lounging almost on one of the elegant sofas does nothing to diminish the sheer size of the man. He's a good counter point to Krem: uniform a little bit rumpled, a little disarrayed, dark skin even darker against the grey while his scars stand out starkly. The eyepatch gets some looks, but the insignia on his uniform gets a double take which is gratifying. Captain Bull Irons of the Charger is not here to make Barrayaran Lords comfortable. He's here to make sure Skinner doesn't kill anybody and Rocky doesn't blow anything up and drink on the Emperor's dime.

And maybe even enjoy watching the woman, gorgeous and done up and only a little older than he is, playing the crowd like she was born for it.

betan bull hell yes a++

[vorbratta]

Sonia knows exactly who all of the Emperor's guests are, and she's just as amused at the reactions the Betan scientists are getting from the Barrayarans in attendance. They don't really understand the concept of paramilitary very well, it seems, but then again, it's been a long time since a Betan Survey officer was a guest of the Barrayaran Emperor.

She finally makes it over to the Survey officers -- well, that one stand-out officer in particular with captain's tabs on his collar and nearly a full head of height over most men in the room. Impressive on Barrayar. She does wonder what they're putting in the water on Beta Colony these days -- and where he got that eyepatch. Not the sort of thing you usually pick up in Survey.

"Captain," she greets him with a flash of a sunny smile at him and his crew, her eyes bright. Her wine glass is only half-full, and she reaches out with her free hand to offer it to him -- a Barrayaran-style kiss on the hand or a more galactic handshake, it's up to him. She's curious to see what he'll do. "I do apologize for making my greetings so late. I trust you're enjoying the party?"

[justoutside]

His guys don't pay her much mind than a rowdy cheer of greeting. The booze is high price and free flowing and the Chargers' crew have never been ones to abstain. Bull feels more than sees the subtle shift of Krem moving to sit in his blindside. It gives him more than enough assurance to smile up at the beautiful woman, giving her the bulk of his focus.

"Ah, don't sweat it," Bull tells her, taking her hand carefully in his. He does his duty, a quick light kiss to her knuckles and a slight seated bow. He's not for titles, but he knows who he's talking to. "Emperor throws a hell of a party."

[vorbratta]

"Mm." Sonia sips at her wine and smiles brilliantly at him, tickled by his adhesion to Barrayaran customs rather than Betan. Her own Barrayaran accent isn't nearly as thick as most of the other attendees and state officials, a few traces of that Betan twang still lingering here and there in her voice.

"He certainly hosts one," she concedes, her smile tilted as she brushes her hair over her shoulder. "But I'm afraid my cousin isn't much of a party planner. HIs idea of entertainment is, hmm...not especially well-suited to state affairs." She looks amused more than anything, and offers a slight bow of her head. "I took the liberty of handling the details. Ah, but forgive me for not properly introducing myself -- Lady Sonia Vorpatril."

tucker

[vorbratta]

Sonia's not really sure what happened. She'd been saying goodbye to Tucker -- it was hard, even if she wanted him to go home to his son more than she wanted him to stay, but she'd been mentally preparing herself. And then something had gone wrong with the Star Gate, or so she assumes, because there was a crackle of electricity and a flash of light and she could hear, distantly, Doctor Niadem's frantic yelling...

...And then nothing.

At least for a moment -- a moment that somehow seemed to stretch on forever, a kind of shimmering in and out of existence, and then suddenly, she was present again. Awake, alert, and utterly confused. Because this is not the Star Gate ship.

She's on a planet, that's for sure, but it isn't Barrayar. It's too green, the air tastes wrong, and the towering cliffs all around don't look anything like the Dendarii Mountains. She feels her heart creep up into her throat as panic slowly begins to take over confusion, because something went wrong.

"What -- " she starts to say, utterly dumbfounded, and then she sees the armored person -- soldier, she must assume -- standing not far. It doesn't look like any armor she's seen, and it's such a bright color -- what is that, aqua? -- but right now, Sonia's alarmed enough by the situation at hand and their presence to immediately gather her wits about her. So, naturally, she shifts into demand-some-answers mode, trying to swallow any shrill notes to her voice.

"Who are you? What is this place?"

[lovernotafighter]

It was never a choice; Tucker had to come home. He had things to take care of, a son to see, a team to watch over. The future had been laid out long before he had ever come to that backwater planet, and while some struggled with the decision, Tucker knew what he needed to do.

Didn't make it easy or fun, but made it necessary.

So he had said goodbye and it sucked and wrenched his chest up in the worst of ways, before he started to walk through. Maybe it was his alien blah-de-blah; maybe it was just shit luck. He heard a yell, but thought maybe she was just saying goodbye even louder. And with the Doctor's voice.

But it didn't matter because he was back, back on Chorus, back in a familiar hellish war, just like the one he had left. He had assholes to kill and people to protect and those he fucking lov--

The rest of the thoughts halted because...he should not be hearing that voice again behind him. At all. He said goodbye to it, to her and this--this was HIS home, not hers. He blinked and slowly turned around, the armor heavier than he remembered after not wearing it for so fucking long. This was going to take some getting used to.

"S...Sonia?!"

And that's the best he could get out at the moment.

[vorbratta]

"Tucker?"

Alright, that one does get a little shrill. But Sonia knows that voice all too well, and she stares at him before taking a few hopping steps in his direction, trying not to let herself run. "Tucker, is that you? Where are we?"

[lovernotafighter]

No. No way, this shouldn't be happening at all, because Sonia had her own war to be involved in, one that took everything. He had felt like shit leaving her behind, knowing how risky it was, but-- Well, damn. Guess he didn't have to worry after all.

"Um, yeah." Was this a dream? Totally should be a dream, but if it was, there'd be bad music and far less clothes. Hands worked at his helmet, pulling it off, letting her see that face she recognized. Did that make it more real? Probably not.

"We're on Chorus." Sound familiar? It should. "Why the hell are you here?!"

[vorbratta]

His voice was confirmation enough, but seeing his face brings a wash of relief over Sonia that makes her feel like she can actually breathe. She closes the distance between them and throws her arms around him in a brief hug -- it's a little awkward with the armor, admittedly -- but it helps just to touch him. It's grounding. This is all very unsettling.

"Chorus?" she echoes, and her brow furrows. Yes, she remembers the name. "I have no idea. I remember saying goodbye, and Doctor Niadem activated the Star Gate, and then...something went wrong." She frowns. "I don't know. It all happened so fast."

[lovernotafighter]

In armor, Tucker was taller, bulkier, all sharp angles and hard unyielding armor; it wasn't as much fun to hug him. It was different than probably what she was used to, lean and fit and yet soft in the right areas and just tall enough that she could look him in the eyes. Welcome to this messed up universe of theirs.

But hey, at least he would get to show her his sword. And the Great Key. Bow chika bow wow.

"Shit, is there any way to get a hold of them?" But there wasn't; it was impossible, even he knew that. It was a one way street, right? His gloved hand rested on the small of her back. "Are you stuck here?"

drift

[vorbratta]

Logically, Sonia knows that it must be something to do with the collapsed wormhole that brought her here -- wherever here is, because it isn't war-torn Barrayar -- even though as far as everyone could tell, the outsiders' appearance was a one-way phenomenon, that has to be it. But when Sonia first finds herself suddenly stranded in a strange place seemingly inhabited by a variety of mechanical giants, she's too panicked to arrive at the logical conclusion right away. She quickly finds that this place isn't exactly friendly to humans, and it gives off an almost Jacksonian vibe of crime and corruption. So naturally, by the time logic kicks in, she's already wandered into trouble.

A few of the giant robots seem to consider stepping on her for fun, but one of them plucks her clean off the ground with some talk putting her up for auction -- some people find these fleshlings amusing, can you believe it -- and Sonia kicks uselessly at the air.

"Put me down this instant!" Sonia demands indignantly, reaching up to try and claw at the robot's grip on her. "You can't sell me! I have rights!"

CLAPS HANDS

[alwaysadrift]

It was good to be out and about, free from structure and responsibilities, save his self-imposed crusade to help rid the galaxy of rogue Decepticons. At least that's what Drift told himself when the cold, empty, dark of space started to creep into his joints and tug at his spark, bringing loneliness with it.

That was one of several reasons that brought Drift to places like this, seedy and certain to offer leads towards those aforementioned villains, but colorful and full of distractions from the loneliness as well. Missionary work he'd labeled it, but it was more like what the humans called 'walkabout'; traveling the galaxy until he found himself again, once more living the essence of his name as if it was his true baseline, the life state he always seemed to swing back to. What's different this time though, is that Drift has trust that there's a reason in it; faith that there is purpose waiting for him out there. He need only find it.

He's finding every nasty puddle in the squalor they call a street right now though, and not a single lead towards his goal. A ruckus reaches his audials though, including a voice, distinctly not digital in origin, and his translator trips up for a moment over a language he hasn't heard in years and the odd accent it presents in. He pushes past a too-forward street vendor, taking in the view of a few Stentarians clutching a small, struggling--human??

"Excuse me, gentlemechs," Drift slides forward, a hand cupping lightly under the wrist holding the human, just in case. He adjusts his modal energy to project calm and compliance in an attempt to make the three other mechs more amiable to his suggestion. "I believe the lady has other engagements to get to and you're holding her up. --er. Literally and figuratively."

He turns to the human--whom is definitely not Verity or any other human he knows--and his optics flicker in a way he hopes is friendly, even if his face plays the part of sheepish worry. "I'm so sorry I'm late, Madam. Please forgive me and...and have mercy on me. And on these strangers who know not what they do."

Drift has supreme confidence that he could take these three easily in a fight if need be. But you know....he should maybe try not to??

[vorbratta]

Sonia has no idea who this new robot is, or if he's really any less dangerous than the ones trying to sell her -- sell her, honestly, the audacity of it all -- but he seems friendlier, at least, and she catches onto the subterfuge right away. Putting on an indignant air that she doesn't have to try all that hard to muster, she directs her most ruthlessly imperial look at the mech holding onto her.

"It's about time you showed up," she says tartly, flashing Drift an altogether different look, one that clearly says help me before resuming her scathing tirade. "You're my bodyguard! How could you leave me all alone in this filthy place? And you -- " She manages, somehow, to direct her gaze up at the mech whose grip she is dangling from, "unhand me! Do you have any idea who I am?"

The Stentarian gives her a withering look. "Does it matter? Your friend here is severely outnumbered, and even something that squawks as much as you do ought to fetch a decent price from the right buyer."

"Of course it matters!" Sonia bites back. "My name is Sonia Titania Vorbarra, Princess of Barrayar, and if I am not returned to my bodyguard immediately, you'll have all the Barrayaran Empire to contend with!"

Technically all of that is true, even if she's almost certain Barrayar doesn't exist anywhere in this universe. Not that these guys have to know that.

[alwaysadrift]

Drift doesn't need to feign being taken aback, the human woman latches onto the ruse with an ease that might be alarming if she were his size and also armed. But the plea on her face when she looks at him solidifies his plan, and Drift inclines his helm to her as if chastized and then gives the Stentarian a patient, almost piteous look.

"Look friend. I'm sure you're smart enough to realize how...truly terrifying any organic must be to kick around this place alone. Right? And I'm sure you're also smart enough to do the math and realize that I have one sword for each of you, therefore, the odds are perfectly even."

Drift's tone is perfectly diplomatic despite the way the other two Stentarians flank him, but the slight shift of his body is not, solidifying his stance while the palm casually cupping the arm holding the woman shifts slightly, fingers finding the gap between armor at the inside of the wrist.

"We've been merciful for diplomatic reasons," he says loud enough for the all onlookers to hear, having no idea where Barrayar is or if they actually have terrifying battle princesses. "But I suggest you do not continue to test the lady's patience."

[vorbratta]

One of the Stentarians scoffs, but the other is starting to look uncertain, eyeing Drift's swords. He definitely looks like he knows how to use them. And the princess's glare -- something she's practiced over many years -- is just as fierce and unyielding and, yes, frankly, a little terrifying. She's tiny and looks harmless, but the Stentarian's starting to have doubts about just how ineffectual she is. He nudges his buddy with a mutter and they exchange a look before both glaring at Drift and Sonia and slinking off with a snide but ultimately pitiful, "We'll be keeping an eye on you."

Sonia waits until they're out of sight to puff out an explosive little breath, letting the tension slump from her shoulders. "Now that was a close one. For a moment there I was sure they were going to attack."

[alwaysadrift]

"I'm sure you've got better things to do than that." Drift returns, his tone kindly suggesting that they find those better things. He keeps up the act, chest puffed up and face stern, standing over Sonia protectively until the three unruly Stentarian's are out of sight.

And then he deflates a little with a sigh of relief, rubbing a hand over his face.

"It's not them I was worried about. More like..." Drift looks around at the crowd of onlookers who are only slowly going back to their business now that the entertainment of a potential fight is over. "...everyone else. And whatever passes for security here."

Drift looks down. "I'm sorry, I hope you don't mind me interjecting? Uh. I'm Drift."

maybe they're born with it... maybe its maybelline

[toiu]

Getting in a tussle with vampire-controlled zombies was a bit of a rough introduction to New York City circa 1938, but the two of them had managed to come out intact. Having weird sunshine powers certainly helped with the undead - even if Joseph Joestar seemed like he was better at bullshitting in lieu of any actual training. But hey - Hamon was Hamon - and the odd bio-electricity melted through zombie flesh all the same. All it took was some teamwork and creativity to get their pursuers off their tail.

Later the next morning, he seems intent on avoiding doing anything useful, like helping Sonia find out how the hell she got here. This is for multiple reasons: (1) there is breakfast to be had, and (2) he wanted to treat himself after such an eventful night. And so, they would find themselves at a Cafe to eat and discuss what to do next. For Jojo, it seemed to be getting some make-up advice with his meal.

He slaps an advertisement on the brochure of Beauty products, attracted to the bright red rouge featured on its pages. Hey, it's in vogue! He thinks these ladies look beautiful.

"What about this one? Less painted - it says right here."

[vorbratta]

Sonia had always assumed, somewhere in the back of her mind, that if she ever left the R1 and 21st century Earth, it would be to return home. It never occurred to her that she might be pushed into yet another version of the universe she did not recognize, and even farther back in time. It opens up an unfortunately infinite line of possibilities, and makes the idea of returning home seem unfortunately thin.

But she’s hardly had much time to think about it. Her time on the R1 had inured her somewhat to the strange and fantastic; she was less a stranger to excitement and danger than she had been a few years ago, and so she thinks, in all, she handled the situation rather well, and with only a little bit of screaming. After that, she thinks she performed quite admirably.

She had expected, maybe as a matter of course, that they would get down to some sort of practical business the next day. After all, there had to be something that pulled her here in the first place; that was just how these things worked. But her savior and new brunch buddy evidently has other concerns just now.

Sonia glances down at the brochure with slightly pursed lips, then back at his face. Her brow is slightly knit, and here composure right now is at least partly at the mercy of the coffee in her hand.

“Oh, ah—I don’t think it’s a bad color for you, but...” She suppresses a desperate look into something a little closer to exasperation. “Would you please answer some questions for me first?”

[toiu]

“Well, you have been patient,” he remarks playfully, curious enough about Sonia to tag along with her this far. The city’s certainly treated him to a fair amount of surprises since he arrived from England with Erina. Compared to possible vampires, she wasn’t too bad. She even handled being attacked by zombies pretty well for a woman, too.

He does put the brochure down, temporarily putting aside his browsing, even if he doesn’t quite get what the hurry was. He supposes he should get back to the rather full brunch he’d ordered.

“Let’s play a game,” he says through a mouthful of egg,”I answer a question and you pick a color for me.”

[vorbratta]

When Sonia does this, it’s cute. This she knows for a fact. When he does it—that cheeky playing around kind of thing—well, it’s still sort of cute, in a puppyish way, but Sonia takes little pleasure in being on the other side of it. The situation is oddly difficult to reverse; perhaps because she has so little grasp on it. The corner of her mouth twitches slightly and she delicately laces her fingers together, leaning forward to rest her chin on them.

“Only if you’ll quit talking with a mouth full of food. Chew with your mouth closed, please.” She pauses. “You’re not curious about me?”

[toiu]

He is totally curious about her, taking that little reprimand with a quirk of a grin. As the punk scoundrel Joestar, he's had plenty of scolding growing up.

Part of him thinks he should have made a drinking game about this, instead. Maybe a drinking game later? Yes, this sounds like a good idea.

"You answer my question - I'll pick one for you," he adds smoothly, with the full intent to buy for them both. This is totally a fair trade, he thinks, before sliding the brochure for her to pick her first object of choice.

for wash (chorus au)

[vorbratta]

The last thing Sonia remembers is being on the Star Gate ship, saying goodbye to everyone as they each left to return to their own worlds. And then — a flash. The ship had taken plasma fire from the Cetagandans, and it had shorted out the Star Gate before Wash had a chance to go through. He was supposed to go back home, to make sure Tucker's son was looked after, to finish fighting his own war, but he'd only wound up trapped on Barrayar in the end.

Everything goes white, and there's a dizzying sensation that feels an awful lot like jump lag, and when she comes to, the world is swimming around her so viciously that it takes her a moment to realize that she is lying flat on the ground, the sun beating down on her from above. Barrayar...had they landed back on Barrayar? No — not Barrayar. The smells, the sounds, they're all wrong, and when she finally manages to open her eyes, she sees bright splashes of green on brown earth around her. This place is wholly unfamiliar to her.

She's still reeling from the strange sense of vertigo, her stomach lurching unpleasantly as she pushes herself upright. She's still in the Barrayaran Rangers' uniform she'd stolen away in, still thick in some places with other people's blood. There are floaters at the edge of her vision, and she rapidly blinks them away, trying to clear the strange ringing in her ears. She looks around even as the world still threatens to spin around her, trying to orient herself in her surroundings, and her heart jumps in her chest as she sees Wash nearby.

"Wash! God, Wash, are you alright?" She's already scrambling on her hands and knees towards him. She doesn't know where they are, but Wash had taken plasma fire to his leg before he'd boarded the ship, and while she'd helped him care for it as best she could, it was far from any actual medical treatment.

not me taking so long to hit this back that the au itself has changed multiple times since

[protocol]

Wash had been torn between going home and staying on Barrayar, caught between worlds that he cared about and wanted to protect, responsibilities he knew that he couldn't run away from -- and friends that he never thought he'd see again being wrenched away from his grasp, once more. For how he'd agonized over it, for how he was forced into making a choice that he knew was right once he saw Tucker falling in the crossfire, it seems only fitting that in the end, the choice is just taken from him. He'd missed the Gate. There's nothing for it but to press on.

Except, except. He's barely done reeling through the consequences of that, staring dumbfoundedly at the gate, at the Barrayan skies overhead, when there's a flash of white, and everything shifts. He reacts on pure instinct, tumbling as he hits the like he's been thrown, fingers dragging through the dirt as he rolls up, half-kneeling, coughing through that awful lurching feeling in his stomach, through the dizzying sensation of suddenly being -- somewhere else. The scent of scored up dirt and grass floods his senses and he recognizes it immediately, his bewildered mind still automatically fitting memories into place as he dazedly looks up and recognizes the shape of the jagged cliffs. It's Chorus, his mind supplies. It looks like Chorus.

And that's good, probably, was the outcome he wanted, even if he doesn't remember actually going through the gate, and something must have gone wrong. But still, he's here, and he struggles to try to push himself up to his feet only to half-collapse back down onto his knee, the searing pain of a plasma burn still lancing through his leg. He curses under his breath, but then there's a voice, and -- wait.

"-- Sonia?" It is Sonia. He reaches out to her, hands grabbing at her forearm, scrambling best as he can to look at her -- there's some dirt clinging to her front, too, she must have landed the same way he did, she's. She's here. On Chorus. She can't be here. Wash pushes that thought down, for now, even as he looks at her wide-eyed and unsure, helping her up so she's at least kneeling rather than scrambling on her hands and knees. "You're -- I'm fine, I'm fine, are you okay? What happened?"

the longer it spends in the marinade the tastier the final dish 🤌🏼

[vorbratta]

Sonia, her nerves still settling, allows Wash to help her get halfway upright before she lets out a breath and gives him a put out little look, because he's the one with the fresh leg injury and here he is, trying to take care of her all the same. She can't expect anything else from Wash, she knows.

"I'm fine — oh, Wash, don't try to move around on that leg," she says with a touch of exasperation, hoping her mind will stop spinning long enough for her to get her bearings. She shakes her head, turning her attention to his leg, to see if the field dressing is still holding. "I...don't know. I remember the ship being hit, and the Star Gate — "

She bites her lip. The Star Gate was damaged beyond repair, and Wash was trapped on Barrayar. She looks back up at him helplessly. 

"I don't really understand the science behind it, but from what Dr. Niadem said, this shouldn't be possible." Sonia glances around, hoping some delayed sense of familiarity will set in, but it never comes. There's only the lingering cold nausea of jumpsickness. "I have no idea what planet this is, or how many wormholes we've jumped. I don't think I've ever had jump lag like this."

They seem to be in the middle of nowhere, but if they can find people — if they can get to a shuttleport, they could...what? Get back to Barrayar, with the wormhole route from Komarr still blockaded? It hasn't yet registered with Sonia that this place might be familiar to Wash.