Konstantin Bothari
Encyclopedia
Sergeant Konstantin Bothari is a character in the Vorkosigan Saga
of science fiction
novels by Lois McMaster Bujold
. He was a deeply disturbed foot soldier and a classic example of an anti-hero.
. He never knew his father. His mother was a midwife and prostitute. Bothari's personality is variously described as fragmented, insane, or chameleon-like. While a child, his mother repeatedly sold him to customers until he was old enough and large enough to fight back. His deep psychological scars and trauma can surface with the right stimulus, converting him from a cool-headed warrior to a sexual psychopath in an instant. He is described as very tall, with a hatchet-like facial profile, and a rumbling bass voice, which he uses sparingly. He has to take medications constantly to control the violent urges and hallucinations that bubble up from within his mind.
The one environment in which he was able to exist in a reasonably functional capacity was the military, where he was a superbly effective foot-soldier. After enlistment he came to the attention of the sadistic, perverted Ges Vorrutyer who used him to fulfill his personal sadistic sexual fantasies, especially with captured prisoners of war. Compelled to exist in this environment, Bothari's personality crumbled even further, but under the stolid command of Vorrutyer's sometime lover and later foe, Aral Vorkosigan
, he was able to pull himself back together to a certain extent. Completely loyal to Vorkosigan, he retained his fealty even when Vorrutyer began using him again, so when Vorrutyer directed him to rape Cordelia Naismith
, formerly Vorkosigan's prisoner and someone Vorkosigan had told him to protect, he killed Vorrutyer instead.
After this incident, he left the military and became a Vorkosigan Armsman, one of 20 personal bodyguards allowed to the Count
on Barrayar. He also acquired a daughter, Elena, who was one of a group of children who had been the product of rape of Escobarans by Barrayarans during the failed invasion. Escobar sent these children, as fetuses in uterine replicators, to their Barrayar fathers. Elena's mother had been one of the prisoners Bothari had abused at the direction of Ges Vorrutyer. Elena was placed in the care of one of the women in a village near the Vorkosigan country estate, Vorkosigan Surleau. Growing up, she became Miles Vorkosigan
's playmate, first love, and, eventually, subordinate, in his mercenary fleet
. During her childhood, Bothari saved every spare coin for her dowry, so she would make a good marriage when grown.
When Cordelia married into the family, Bothari transferred his deepest loyalty to her, accompanying her on her mission to rescue her still-developing son Miles from the Imperial Residence while it was under the control of the rebel Count Vordarian
. His knowledge of the ways of the Caravanserai enabled them to hide close to the Residence while Vordarian's troops were hunting for aristocrats to hold hostage. He was instrumental in rescuing the pregnant Lady Alys Vorpatril, and thanks to the midwife skills he learned from his mother, he delivered Miles' cousin Ivan Vorpatril
while they were hiding from Vordarian's soldiers.
Sending Alys, Ivan and the young Lieutenant Koudelka to make their way back to the loyalist base, he went with Cordelia and former Imperial bodyguard Ludmilla Droushnakovi to penetrate the Palace using its secret escape routes. There, at Cordelia's command, he executed Vordarian, decapitating him with a single stroke of a fine sword blade. Unfortunately the psychological effects of this incapacitated him for a while, almost preventing their escape with the uterine replicator containing Miles, the object of their quest. Since the Residence was burning at the time, thanks to Bothari's own efforts with a plasma arc weapon, their pursuers had other problems.
With the birth of Miles Vorkosigan
, Bothari became Miles' bodyguard, servant, mentor and something of a surrogate father, even though Aral Vorkosigan, while busy as Regent, made time to be with Miles every day. His duties ranged from driving Miles to school, and later to the Military Academy, to searching him for the concealed weapons Miles would attempt to take with him to deal with those who tormented him for being a "mutie" or mutant, a terrible accusation on Barrayar.
Pulled along with the now grown Elena and everybody else when Miles adopted the persona of Admiral Miles Naismith, talking his way into the command of a mercenary fleet, he was killed by Elena's mother, who Miles had inadvertently hired to be one of his mercenaries, as revenge for the torture and rape he had done to her under Ges Vorrutyer's direction. Ironically, in the mentally deranged state he was in at the time of the rape, he had convinced himself they were in love, so his final words to her as she killed him were "Lady, you are still beautiful."
The final word on Bothari belongs to Aral Vorkosigan. According to him, Bothari was what people wanted him to be. Vorrutyer wanted him for a torturer, and he was one. Vorkosigan himself wanted him as a loyal subordinate, and he was one. Cordelia, however, wanted him as a hero, her personal knight errant. Thanks to her, that is what he became.
Vorkosigan Saga
The Vorkosigan Saga is a series of science fiction novels and short stories set in a common fictional universe by American author Lois McMaster Bujold. Most of these were published between 1986 and 2002, with the exceptions being “Winterfair Gifts” and Cryoburn...
of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novels by Lois McMaster Bujold
Lois McMaster Bujold
Lois McMaster Bujold is an American author of science fiction and fantasy works. Bujold is one of the most acclaimed writers in her field, having won the prestigious Hugo Award for best novel four times, matching Robert A. Heinlein's record. Her novella The Mountains of Mourning won both the Hugo...
. He was a deeply disturbed foot soldier and a classic example of an anti-hero.
Character background
Known to all simply as "Bothari", he is the product of the Caravanserai, the notorious slum district of Vorbarr Sultana, the capital city of BarrayarBarrayar
Barrayar is a science fiction novel by Lois McMaster Bujold. It was first published as four installments in Analog in July–October 1991, and then published in book form by Baen Books in October 1991. Barrayar won both the Hugo Award for Best Novel and the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel...
. He never knew his father. His mother was a midwife and prostitute. Bothari's personality is variously described as fragmented, insane, or chameleon-like. While a child, his mother repeatedly sold him to customers until he was old enough and large enough to fight back. His deep psychological scars and trauma can surface with the right stimulus, converting him from a cool-headed warrior to a sexual psychopath in an instant. He is described as very tall, with a hatchet-like facial profile, and a rumbling bass voice, which he uses sparingly. He has to take medications constantly to control the violent urges and hallucinations that bubble up from within his mind.
The one environment in which he was able to exist in a reasonably functional capacity was the military, where he was a superbly effective foot-soldier. After enlistment he came to the attention of the sadistic, perverted Ges Vorrutyer who used him to fulfill his personal sadistic sexual fantasies, especially with captured prisoners of war. Compelled to exist in this environment, Bothari's personality crumbled even further, but under the stolid command of Vorrutyer's sometime lover and later foe, Aral Vorkosigan
Aral Vorkosigan
Aral Vorkosigan is a fictitious character from Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga series. Known throughout this science fiction universe as “The Butcher of Komarr,” he dominates the imagination of the two main point-of-view characters in the Vorkosigan Saga, Cordelia , who becomes his wife,...
, he was able to pull himself back together to a certain extent. Completely loyal to Vorkosigan, he retained his fealty even when Vorrutyer began using him again, so when Vorrutyer directed him to rape Cordelia Naismith
Cordelia Naismith
Cordelia Naismith is the name of two fictional characters by Lois McMaster Bujold. One is the titular character from a Victorian era Sherlock Holmes short story entitled "Adventures of the Lady on the Embankment" included in her anthology Dreamweaver's Dilemma...
, formerly Vorkosigan's prisoner and someone Vorkosigan had told him to protect, he killed Vorrutyer instead.
After this incident, he left the military and became a Vorkosigan Armsman, one of 20 personal bodyguards allowed to the Count
District Count of Barrayar
Count is a title and position in the government of Barrayar in Lois McMaster Bujold's science fiction series the Vorkosigan Saga.-Role of the Counts:...
on Barrayar. He also acquired a daughter, Elena, who was one of a group of children who had been the product of rape of Escobarans by Barrayarans during the failed invasion. Escobar sent these children, as fetuses in uterine replicators, to their Barrayar fathers. Elena's mother had been one of the prisoners Bothari had abused at the direction of Ges Vorrutyer. Elena was placed in the care of one of the women in a village near the Vorkosigan country estate, Vorkosigan Surleau. Growing up, she became Miles Vorkosigan
Miles Vorkosigan
Miles Naismith Vorkosigan is the hero of a series of science fiction novels and short stories by Lois McMaster Bujold known as the Vorkosigan Saga. In an article in The Vorkosigan Companion, Bujold acknowledged several real-life inspirations for the character: T. E...
's playmate, first love, and, eventually, subordinate, in his mercenary fleet
Dendarii Mercenaries
In Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga, the Dendarii Mercenaries are the mercenary organisation founded by Miles Vorkosigan in The Warrior's Apprentice.-Formation:The mercenary fleet begins almost by accident...
. During her childhood, Bothari saved every spare coin for her dowry, so she would make a good marriage when grown.
When Cordelia married into the family, Bothari transferred his deepest loyalty to her, accompanying her on her mission to rescue her still-developing son Miles from the Imperial Residence while it was under the control of the rebel Count Vordarian
Vordarian's Pretendership
Vordarian's Pretendership is a major event in Lois McMaster Bujold's sci-fi series, the Vorkosigan Saga.-Background:The War of Vordarian's Pretendership occurred in the novel Barrayar. Emperor Ezar had just died; his son Crown Prince Serg had died earlier in the Escobar War, leaving only Ezar's...
. His knowledge of the ways of the Caravanserai enabled them to hide close to the Residence while Vordarian's troops were hunting for aristocrats to hold hostage. He was instrumental in rescuing the pregnant Lady Alys Vorpatril, and thanks to the midwife skills he learned from his mother, he delivered Miles' cousin Ivan Vorpatril
Ivan Vorpatril
Taken from its original location as a sidebar to Miles Vorkosigan-Ivan Vorpatril:Captain Lord Ivan Vorpatril, also known as "That Idiot Ivan" or "Ivan, You Idiot" , is a character in Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga...
while they were hiding from Vordarian's soldiers.
Sending Alys, Ivan and the young Lieutenant Koudelka to make their way back to the loyalist base, he went with Cordelia and former Imperial bodyguard Ludmilla Droushnakovi to penetrate the Palace using its secret escape routes. There, at Cordelia's command, he executed Vordarian, decapitating him with a single stroke of a fine sword blade. Unfortunately the psychological effects of this incapacitated him for a while, almost preventing their escape with the uterine replicator containing Miles, the object of their quest. Since the Residence was burning at the time, thanks to Bothari's own efforts with a plasma arc weapon, their pursuers had other problems.
With the birth of Miles Vorkosigan
Miles Vorkosigan
Miles Naismith Vorkosigan is the hero of a series of science fiction novels and short stories by Lois McMaster Bujold known as the Vorkosigan Saga. In an article in The Vorkosigan Companion, Bujold acknowledged several real-life inspirations for the character: T. E...
, Bothari became Miles' bodyguard, servant, mentor and something of a surrogate father, even though Aral Vorkosigan, while busy as Regent, made time to be with Miles every day. His duties ranged from driving Miles to school, and later to the Military Academy, to searching him for the concealed weapons Miles would attempt to take with him to deal with those who tormented him for being a "mutie" or mutant, a terrible accusation on Barrayar.
Pulled along with the now grown Elena and everybody else when Miles adopted the persona of Admiral Miles Naismith, talking his way into the command of a mercenary fleet, he was killed by Elena's mother, who Miles had inadvertently hired to be one of his mercenaries, as revenge for the torture and rape he had done to her under Ges Vorrutyer's direction. Ironically, in the mentally deranged state he was in at the time of the rape, he had convinced himself they were in love, so his final words to her as she killed him were "Lady, you are still beautiful."
The final word on Bothari belongs to Aral Vorkosigan. According to him, Bothari was what people wanted him to be. Vorrutyer wanted him for a torturer, and he was one. Vorkosigan himself wanted him as a loyal subordinate, and he was one. Cordelia, however, wanted him as a hero, her personal knight errant. Thanks to her, that is what he became.