The moment might have passed, but the tingle in Bel's fingertips won't ebb any time soon. After years of hoping, it's almost impossible to believe. Lips parted, Bel listens intently. Watching Miles think is always a genuine pleasure.
It sounds good. Uncheckable, believable, accounting for everything. And the sequel wins a delighted laugh; of course Miles wouldn't cast himself as a helpless victim if he didn't have to. Bel doesn't mind an early captaincy at all, either. Or leaving Auson out of the picture entirely. Of course, if not for that interminable blockade run, the real first meeting might never have happened....
"The oldest story!" Bel snickers. "Dashing rescuee sweeps intrepid mercenary captain off their feet, and thanks to the brave courier's inside knowledge, there's no loss of life. It probably involved a heroic standoff. You made a big impression.~"
The voice again -- Bel listens in fascination. The name sounds different on Miles's tongue than in Ky's Earthly accent. What would his given name sound like? If they had really met like that... Bel has few illusions; Barrayar tries hard, but it's still a backward, barbaric world, rich in resources but largely lacking even basic systemic support for the bulk of its population. And it's a tossup whether they'd beat me to death as a mutant or as a perverted abomination.... no, Barrayaran courtliness holds no charms for a progressive, democratic Betan, but damned if Miles doesn't lend it enough of his own to make it count. That's always the way with you, isn't it?
Smiling in amusement and no little genuine appreciation, Bel reflects that they might as well do it right. In a way, one of them really is meeting the other for the first time.
"If they think we're embellishing, so much the better; makes it that much harder to check up on. 'Lieutenant Lord Vorkosigan'--" a valiantly sincere try at the foreign syllables -- "the Ariel and her captain are at your service."
/THE MOST INNOCENT FACE~~~
It sounds good. Uncheckable, believable, accounting for everything. And the sequel wins a delighted laugh; of course Miles wouldn't cast himself as a helpless victim if he didn't have to. Bel doesn't mind an early captaincy at all, either.
Or leaving Auson out of the picture entirely. Of course, if not for that interminable blockade run, the real first meeting might never have happened...."The oldest story!" Bel snickers. "Dashing rescuee sweeps intrepid mercenary captain off their feet, and thanks to the brave courier's inside knowledge, there's no loss of life. It probably involved a heroic standoff. You made a big impression.~"
The voice again -- Bel listens in fascination. The name sounds different on Miles's tongue than in Ky's Earthly accent. What would his given name sound like? If they had really met like that... Bel has few illusions; Barrayar tries hard, but it's still a backward, barbaric world, rich in resources but largely lacking even basic systemic support for the bulk of its population. And it's a tossup whether they'd beat me to death as a mutant or as a perverted abomination.... no, Barrayaran courtliness holds no charms for a progressive, democratic Betan, but damned if Miles doesn't lend it enough of his own to make it count. That's always the way with you, isn't it?
Smiling in amusement and no little genuine appreciation, Bel reflects that they might as well do it right. In a way, one of them really is meeting the other for the first time.
"If they think we're embellishing, so much the better; makes it that much harder to check up on. 'Lieutenant Lord Vorkosigan'--" a valiantly sincere try at the foreign syllables -- "the Ariel and her captain are at your service."