It's certainly better than Ivan not supplying coffee and Miles having to seek it out himself, or worse, go without.
Right. First order of business: find Commodore Destang and find out what he's doing. If necessary, prevent him from shooting Galeni.
It does not prove necessary to prevent him from shooting Galeni, at least not immediately. Miles finds Destang in Galeni's office, sitting at Galeni's comconsole, with Galeni standing nearby looking haunted. Elena is there too. Miles makes anxious inquiries, and learns that while the courier has not yet been arrested, evidence indicates he's been on the Komarrans' leash for at least three years. Also, Illyan has apparently been asking after him with increasing frequency. Bugger.
Miles applies himself fully to the task of talking up Galeni, making sure to mention that he refused to give in to the Komarrans even at the cost of his own life, making sure not to mention that at the time it sure looked like it was also going to cost Miles and Linya's. Galeni doesn't deserve to go down for that.
Then he asks after his money. Destang gets a bit sardonic about the number of times Miles's missive brought up said money, but he produces a credit chit, so Miles can forgive him.
His attitude towards the cleanup operation is... less forgivable.
All right, fine, he wants to nail Ser Galen to the floor with a large and permanent spike. Miles can understand this impulse, especially from someone who served during the Komarr Revolt and saw the nastiest parts firsthand. At least Galeni won't have to personally be involved in the assassination-or-illegal-extradition of his own father. But Mark? What the hell has Mark done to anybody, besides impersonate Miles a little, for which Miles is definitely willing to forgive him, and stun Linya, for which she seems inclined likewise?
Miles does not actually offer this argument. It seems likely to fail. He takes a slightly different tack.
"On what grounds would you kidnap my," don't say brother, he won't be receptive to brother, "clone, sir? He's never committed a crime on Barrayar. He's never even been to Barrayar."
no subject
Right. First order of business: find Commodore Destang and find out what he's doing. If necessary, prevent him from shooting Galeni.
It does not prove necessary to prevent him from shooting Galeni, at least not immediately. Miles finds Destang in Galeni's office, sitting at Galeni's comconsole, with Galeni standing nearby looking haunted. Elena is there too. Miles makes anxious inquiries, and learns that while the courier has not yet been arrested, evidence indicates he's been on the Komarrans' leash for at least three years. Also, Illyan has apparently been asking after him with increasing frequency. Bugger.
Miles applies himself fully to the task of talking up Galeni, making sure to mention that he refused to give in to the Komarrans even at the cost of his own life, making sure not to mention that at the time it sure looked like it was also going to cost Miles and Linya's. Galeni doesn't deserve to go down for that.
Then he asks after his money. Destang gets a bit sardonic about the number of times Miles's missive brought up said money, but he produces a credit chit, so Miles can forgive him.
His attitude towards the cleanup operation is... less forgivable.
All right, fine, he wants to nail Ser Galen to the floor with a large and permanent spike. Miles can understand this impulse, especially from someone who served during the Komarr Revolt and saw the nastiest parts firsthand. At least Galeni won't have to personally be involved in the assassination-or-illegal-extradition of his own father. But Mark? What the hell has Mark done to anybody, besides impersonate Miles a little, for which Miles is definitely willing to forgive him, and stun Linya, for which she seems inclined likewise?
Miles does not actually offer this argument. It seems likely to fail. He takes a slightly different tack.
"On what grounds would you kidnap my," don't say brother, he won't be receptive to brother, "clone, sir? He's never committed a crime on Barrayar. He's never even been to Barrayar."