"Perfect," says Miles, rubbing his hands together. "Now, I'd like you all to imagine this garage as the Count's Court in Hassadar. Lots of interestingly carved woodwork on the walls," he sketches these with sweeping gestures, "tables here, a desk there, behind which sits the Butcher of Komarr himself, looking vaguely awkward the way he always does when my wife is in the room, it's nothing personal, Linya, he's just overthinking things. Here," he skips to the side and gestures again at a spot beside the imaginary desk, "stands a very bored clerk - Captain Galeni, would you take the role? I'll feed you your lines, never fear - holding a spear with the Vorkosigan standard, a very important historical artifact dating from the Time of Isolation which I've always thought looked a bit like an overgrown toothpick laden with a fragment of a giant's dinner."