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Ah. Good luck with that.

Good luck? With - um - business?

That, certainly.

Though, in finding one devoid of people telling you what to do as well.

Oh - oh.

[ Right. ]

Well, uh...You found that, didn't you?

[There's a pause here.]

How so?

Well, uh - um. [ Was that...a bad thing to say? What was that pause? Why did he pause? ] You're an admiral, aren't you?

[There's another pause... longer before there's a bark of an actual laugh.]

Good god, boy. Do you think because your orders are coming from someone further away they're less someone telling you what to do? I'll admit, they get a bit more flexible the more wormhole jumps you are between them and you.

[ Did he just - call him - boy? That - what? Why? That's not how you...address professional associates. Right? It - Is it meant as an insult? No, he doesn't think so - Vorkosigan's voice is gruff, but not angry or sarcastic or demeaning. And he laughed. Laughed for real. Is he...confused, maybe? Has he forgotten that he's not talking to his son? No, his accent is all wrong...

Hurghhh. ]

But - it's just the Emperor telling you what to do, isn't it?

It's the most important voice, certainly. But there's Ministries with agendas, restrictions on supplies and manpower. Policial parties, who will have pressure and stakes in the outcome. Individual Counts pushing for family achievements... it's a layer of strategy on top of the battles assigned.

[The voice remains curt and gruff, but the cadence is measured and patient, rightfully as one explaining to an outworlder, and simplified as such. There's a bite of exasperation but it's aimed for the necessity than the listener.

There was an age when he didn't give two damns about the political side of strategy. Those were long gone, the scars and old rivalries permanent from them.]

[ A slight hesitation. ]

You, uh...I'm sure you have ways of getting around the restrictions on supplies, at least. Right?

These days, at least.

Not before?

Rank and reputation do its job. Quite the same in business models from what I understand of them.

[ A grunt. ]

Sometimes.

Fair. What experience do you have, Mr. Kane?

[ Just peeing his pants a moment, don't mind him... ]

Uh - experience?

[Probably not helped as Aral's tone takes a slightly sharper edge here.]

Business. You've no military, as you say. Gregor hadn't mentioned your history.

[ Slowly approaching a panic...But not so much of one that he doesn't still have a firm grasp on his cover story. ]

Uh, yeah. I was a student back home. Business. That's about it. But I traded stocks on the side, too...

Hm. [The little vocalization doesn't give much.]

Successfully, I imagine. I look forward to seeing what you can do.

Oh.

[ There's a suspicious little hesitation, because - could that really be it? It was really an inquiry, and not an inquisition? ]

Yeah. Uh - have you taken a look at your portfolio yet? You're all doing really well now.

[He knows this part of the conversation. He knows this part of the conversation very well. As his father had gotten older, he had gleefully handed off dealing with the House finances to Aral.

This is the part that veers sharply into investments, options, bonds and futures. He had studied it all. It was a part of his education as well as something one simply needed for making sure the military and ministers weren't hiding peculation in the middle of terms and liquid fund shuffling.

It didn't mean he liked it.]

Ah. No. I believe Gregor has that aspect. [The perks of no longer being at the top. Thank god.]

Yeah. Right.

[ Why does he want the Butcher to be aware of how well they're doing with their money? That doesn't make any sense. None at all. But for some reason, the fact that Aral Vorkosigan hasn't taken a look at the finances, and seen how much their investments have grown, feels like a vise around his neck. Stupid. If Aral Vorkosigan looks at the finances, he'll know a little more about the clone, won't he? He'll know the clone's aptitudes. And the less he knows, the better. The less he knows, the less likely he'll guess, and then the less likely it'll be that he'll come and torture and kill the traitor in their midst. It's good that he's disinterested.

And yet. ]

Gregor...did one of his unbreakable oaths on me. [ Shut up, shut up, stop chattering. ] So I'm - uh - compelled never to cheat you. Or steal from you. So you never have to be afraid of that. [ Why are you stuttering? Stop saying um all the time. ]

[He pauses at that, listening to the awkward, stuttering rush. There's quite a bit packed into that. How the conversation got there, and got him to agree without being offended at the implications... something Peter is used to or just a testament to Gregor's negotiating chops.

But why bring it up? What is it even validating?]

Would you have done it otherwise? [The question is even toned, but blunt.]

[ That's...a question. A question which actually takes a surprisingly short amount of time to answer. He'd thought that his capacity for hurting the Barrayarans and their allies was near-unchecked, but in truth he knows at once that: ]

No. I don't need to take money from all of you.

Hm. [It wasn't the speed, or the answer that had the note of truth to his inner ear. But the reason. If he was a craftsman of this sort, no, he really wouldn't.]

That does explain why you would agree to such an oath. [A beat.] Send along a copy of what you report to Gregor. I should like to watch your work.

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