singing open the great gates

[middlingalong]

The following day, very little happens, except for Vorreedi mentioning that Yenaro has been arrested (by the civil police, for theft, on charges from a ghem-lord Miles has never heard of, as opposed to by Cetagandan security for treason).

Also, Ivan gets bored - with all the bodyguards Vorreedi now requires for them after the incident at the bioestheties exhibition, the possible spontaneity of going out with his ghem girlfriends is much reduced.

But the next day they get to attend the Singing Open of the Great Gates.

And oh, is there ever singing.

Comments

[alicornucopia]

A float-car, driven by the usual little bald ba, approaches the paviliion. When it sees Miles, it swings closer and halts; the door opens. There is a bubble and an empty seat.

"Sir," says a red-clad guard, intent on making a nuisance of himself. "Galactic guests may not wander the Celestial Garden unaccompanied -"

"I require this man's attendance," says Linyabel's voice sharply from her bubble.

The guard doesn't look happy about it, but - nods.

[thisvorlunatic]

Miles detects a smirk from the little bald ba as he climbs aboard.

[alicornucopia]

The float-car is off as soon as he's aboard.

"Nadina didn't come back with her gene bank," Linyabel murmurs. "But her bubble did. The person in it was being watched but not closely enough, apparently."

[thisvorlunatic]

Miles keeps his mouth shut on his first few responses, all more profane than practical; after a few seconds he manages, "Haut Vio, do we still presume? The hell's she want with Ivan?"

[alicornucopia]

"Vio is a reasonable guess, yes, and I have no idea what she imagined she'd do with your cousin."

They find, as they approach their destination, five bubbles herding - four surrounding, one on top of - a sixth. The force-fields make unpleasant noises when they jostle. The ba drives the float car in after them, the door shuts behind the lot.

[exerce_imperia]

Standing in the Star Creche loading bay, on the inlaid stone floor that is the room's only concession to haut aesthetics, is Lisbet Serise in flowing white robes and out of her haut-chair. She looks calm and unruffled.

The five haut-herders retreat away from their prisoner, settle to the floor, and disembubble to reveal five consorts, haut Pel among them. The sixth bubble stays where it is, force-screen still stubbornly engaged.

"I suggest that you surrender now," says Lisbet. "Currently, you have a chance at mercy."

[thisvorlunatic]

Miles disembarks from the float-car and circles the assembled consorts to stand closer to Lisbet; he gets the sense that the bubble is facing her, and if and when it opens, he would rather be looking at the occupant(s) than at the back of a float-chair.

[exerce_imperia]

The haut Lisbet waits for a few more seconds, then pulls a pen-like object engraved with the red screaming-bird seal from her sleeve. When she points it at the recalcitrant bubble, the force-screen winks out and the float-chair within drops like a large expensive rock. Lisbet tucks the override control back in her sleeve and steps forward.

[isthisart]

Vio is in there, and with Ivan in her arms, supported awkwardly in one arm while the other holds a knife to his throat.

"Move against me," she hisses, "and your Barrayaran servitor dies."

Linyabel, debubbled but still in her silently floating chair, exits the float-car, out of sight of Vio. She makes a gesture at Miles that could be interpreted as, perhaps, stall, and makes for a door.

[thisvorlunatic]

Miles, half in obedience to this directive and half out of conveniently genuine indignation, squawks.

"Ivan? For heaven's sake! Ivan's not the man you want!"

[isthisart]

Linyabel gets out of the room without alerting Vio.

"What?" asks Vio darkly.

[thisvorlunatic]

"Agh!" he exclaims, pacing agitatedly next to Lisbet. "What did you think? That because he's taller, and, and cuter, he had to be running the damn show? It's the haut way, isn't it? You bloody Cetagandan nincompoops, I'm the brains of this outfit! I've been onto you from Day One! But no, of course it had to be Ivan. Nobody ever takes me seriously!" He throws up his hands. "So you went and kidnapped the wrong man - you just blew your cover for the sake of grabbing the expendable one!"

[alicornucopia]

Vio seems transfixed, nearly as paralyzed as the Vorpatril in her arms. Her erstwhile sheepdogs nearly as much so.

[thisvorlunatic]

Great, now where the hell is Linyabel? Miles keeps going.

"It's been like this since we were little kids, y'know? Whenever the two of us were together, they'd always talk to him first, like I was some kind of idiot alien who needed an interpreter. And I! Am! Sick of it!"

[isthisart]

And at this climactic juncture, Linyabel reappears and stuns Vio neatly. The knife twitches spasmodically in her hand.

[thisvorlunatic]

Miles bolts forward to catch Ivan as he slumps out of the unconscious haut-woman's lap, caught by the nimbus of the stun. The alarming red line along Ivan's neck proves to be just a surface cut; Miles presses his handkerchief to it and asks of whoever might be listening, "Stun on top of whatever drug-mist she knocked him out with - is he in medical danger?"

[isthisart]

"I think not," opines the haut Pel, getting up from her chair to examine the contents of Vio's sleeves. She wafts fumes from the bulb of mist to her face to check by way of the smell, then says, "Ah - no, he's in no danger. It will wear off harmlessly. He'll be very sick when he wakes up, though."

"I'll get him some synergine," volunteers Linyabel, and she floats away again.

[thisvorlunatic]

Miles takes a few deep breaths and turns to Lisbet.

"Right. Now what?"

[exerce_imperia]

"Now... we consider our response," she says, staring meditatively down at the unconscious Vio. "And question haut Vio. But you need not be involved in that part."

[thisvorlunatic]

"No," he agrees. "I should be—"

He blinks, and stares at haut Vio's stolen float-chair as though seeing it for the first time.

"—I should be infiltrating Kety's ship," he breathes. "Oh yes. It's perfect. Listen - would I be right in saying that the Celestial Lady keys these float-chairs to their operators? Could you key them to anyone?"

[exerce_imperia]

"To any haut-woman," says Lisbet. "What - you propose to sneak aboard as Vio's prisoner, letting some other person play the part of Vio?"

[thisvorlunatic]

"Yes. That is exactly what I propose."

[exerce_imperia]

Lisbet smiles.

"I like it."

[isthisart]

Linyabel reappears, synergine-loaded hypospray in hand.

[exerce_imperia]

"I believe this mission will require an unusual degree of practicality," says Lisbet. "Haut Linyabel, how do you feel about impersonating Vio to smuggle Lord Vorkosigan aboard Kety's ship in this bubble?"