Udine ghem Estif Arqua, Baronne Cordonah, was half Cetagandan haut and half ghem. The daughter of Moira and Rae ghem Estif, she lived on Komarr until the Komarran Conquest, then fled with the aid of a Selby mercenary fleet captain, Shiv Arqua. She left her husband in favor of Shiv and moved with him to his home world of Jackson's Whole; together they climbed to the top of House Cordonah. Udine loved being Baronne and thoroughly enjoyed the constant intrigue necessary to keep her House on top. The fact that Tej, unlike her siblings, did not enjoy the cutthroat Jackson Whole business-social life confused and disappointed her mother who couldn't understand how a daughter of hers - and Shiv's - could be so lacking in ambition.