Taura

Surname:	None
Given Name:	Taura
Aliases:	Nine
Place of Birth:	Jackson's Whole

Details

Taura was created on Jackson's Whole by Dr Canaba in genetic exprimentation designed to create a super soldier.

The experiment was partially successful. Taura is a very tall and extremely alert, hypersensitve and strong creature with viscious fangs and claws. She has a very fast metabolism and requires food equivalent to that of three men. This accelerated metabolism also gives her a very short lifespan.

At the age of sixteen, Taura, still known simply as Nine, the ninth soldier created in the programme, was the only surviving creation of the super-soldier project and a prisoner of Baron Ryoval's on Jackson's Whole. Canaba, in a misguided attempt to spare her pain required Admiral Naismith to retrieve a genetic sample Canaba had hidden in her and to kill her in the process.

Naismith was captured and thrown in with Taura in the hope that she would kill him. She did not. They became lovers; Miles named her Taura and then they escaped together. On the way out, Taura and Miles destroyed Ryoval's genetic sample collection, seriously denting Ryoval's wealth.

Taura joined the Dendarii Free Mercenaries as a combat soldier and quickly rose to the rank of Sergeant. The medical team with the Dendarii has Taura taking experimental treatment in an attempt to slow her metabolism and prolong her life.

After the death of Admiral Naismith, and the subsequent loss of his corpse, she was finally told who Admiral Naismith really was. She then joined, Elena Bothari-Jesek, Elli Quinn, Bel Thorne and Mark Vorkosigan in the mission to save and retrieve Miles from Jackson's Whole.

Her affair with Admiral Naismith continued on and off until Miles finally left the Dendarii for good.

It is not believed that Taura has more than a couple years left to live.