ornamental flower show

[middlingalong]

Destang isn't too thrilled with Ivan, but since his lack of thrill takes the form of sending Ivan to a flower show to be out of the commodore's hair rather than, say, confining him to quarters like poor Galeni, Ivan isn't going to rock the boat. He leaves the half-commlink with Galeni in case Miles suddenly has an emergency and goes off as directed to meet the lady he's escorting.

He finds her at the University of London's Horticulture Hall, shepherds her around, makes comments of limited sophistication but genuine enthusiasm regarding the pretty flowers, and excuses himself a couple hours into the affair for a bathroom break.

Comments

[unmarred]

"I live in hope," says Mark, with a smile that is very briefly his own.

[middlingalong]

"What are you going to do? Go home to Aunt Cordelia and...?"

[thisvorlunatic]

"I have no idea," says Mark.

"There's still that hundred thousand Betan dollars," says Miles. "If you need... space. To figure out how to be yourself. Whoever that is."

"I might take you up on that," says Mark.

"Of course I'd like it if you could just come home to Mother," says Miles, "but God knows I understand what the weight of expectations can do to a person."

Mark laughs softly. After a moment, so does Miles.

[isthisart]

"Cordelia is fairly pleasant to show up as an unexpected relative to," Linya mentions. "Her surroundings - vary."

[thisvorlunatic]

"Barrayar... is the way it is," says Miles.

"I've heard," says Mark.

They reach the Tower Seven lift tube and begin ascending.

[alicornucopia]

The Cetagandans have been brisk about clearing out the tower of their presence. They encounter none in it. When they exit the tower, there is a ghem-lieutenant, wandering around, looking unhappy. He startles when he sees Linya, politely averts his eyes, notes Miles and Mark with bewilderment, recognizes Ivan and Galeni, and appears quite paralyzed by all of them put together.

[thisvorlunatic]

"Ghem-Lieutenant Tabor," greets Mark-as-Vorkosigan. "How's your bonsai?"

[alicornucopia]

"Tedious," says Tabor.

"Sorry if you were hoping to collect Naismith for a feather in your cap," remarks Galeni. "At least on this planet."

[thisvorlunatic]

"Admiral Naismith is temporarily under our protection," says Mark-as-Vorkosigan.

"A mercenary gets it where he can," Miles-as-Naismith says brightly. Mark-as-Vorkosigan shoots him a mildly disgusted look. Miles-as-Naismith ignores him and inquires of his wristcom, "Quinn, can we get an aircar to Tower Seven for pickup?"

[spacetobreathe]

"On its way, sir," says Quinn.

[thisvorlunatic]

"Great." Miles stands next to Mark and smiles tauntingly at Tabor; Mark looks caught between exasperation and amusement.

[alicornucopia]

Tabor shuffles off in response to some quiet comm message, with half a badly-behaved glance at Linya on his way.

[thisvorlunatic]

How badly behaved of him.

The Dendarii aircar descends; Miles eyes it to check its capacity, then nods, satisfied.

"Well, who wants a ride?"

"I'll take one," volunteers Mark, with a wry glance in the direction of Tower Six.

[middlingalong]

"I think I prefer the tubeway," murmurs Galeni.

"What're you going to do with the body?" wonders Ivan.

[thisvorlunatic]

"It'll be taken care of," Miles says in the direction of his wristcom.

[spacetobreathe]

"Yes it will, sir."

[isthisart]

"I think I'll take the tubeway myself. Try to catch the rest of that nice flower show. Miles, at some point there is going to need to be a prolonged conversation where the ceiling isn't watching, but it can wait."

[middlingalong]

"You were at the flower show?" snorts Ivan. "I didn't see you."

[isthisart]

"Yes. Are you coming back to it too or putting in an appearance at the embassy right away?"

[middlingalong]

"I think I'd better go with Captain Galeni."

[spacetobreathe]

And here's an aircar with an Elli in it.

"Looks like that went well," she comments.

[thisvorlunatic]

"It does, doesn't it?" says Miles-as-Naismith. Mark, still as Vorkosigan, snorts. With a not-quite-unison general nod of farewell, they both pile into the aircar. There is a brief moment of awkwardness as they try to use the same door at the same time, but it sorts itself out quickly. They each take a seat; Miles pulls the door closed behind them.

Mark glances sideways at Miles and, smirking, holds something up between his first two fingers. Miles's hand goes to his jacket, where he was keeping that hundred-thousand-Betan-dollar credit chit. Empty.

"Did you just pick my pocket?" he demands incredulously.

"You were going to give it to me anyway," Mark points out. "I was just having fun."

"God save us all from your definition of 'fun'. Lift off, Elli. Where to, Mark?"

Mark shrugs. "Any tubeway stop that probably doesn't contain any assassins is good enough for me."

"The simple things are too easily taken for granted," Miles agrees.

[spacetobreathe]

Elli snorts and lifts off. When the aircar's stable in the air she scans them both and peers at the results.

[thisvorlunatic]

The one wearing a jacket and using the Betan accent is Miles; the jacketless pickpocket with the Barrayaran accent is Mark. As implied by their conversation.

[spacetobreathe]

Just checking.

She lands at the nearest tube station. It is free of assassins.