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[shipmaster]

Threads, continuations and TDM INSIDE

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[shipmaster]

[ Ah, that argument stings. Strikes right between the armor and wedges into the heart as if designed for it. The herm deflates some sympathy edging out the disbelief.

They don't answer immediately, scraping the last crunchy bits of dessert from the edges of the fine white bowl in rumination. ]

I begin to see, yes.

What are you going to do about her with this change you're planning? [ Of all of them, timing could affect her the most. ]

[dendarii]

[ Miles relaxes incrementally. He'll accept judgment; he knows how the whole situation looks. But he still feels as though he did what was best in the moment, for both Taura and himself. Refusing her would have done far more harm, he thinks.

There's a flare of stubbornness at Bel's next comment. ]

Rescue her still. Earlier if I can. She'll still have a home in the Dendarii, no matter how planetbound I become. Mark is in the same situation.

[shipmaster]

Well, Mark. [ Bel waves a dismissive hand. ]

... At least we know where she is. You'll need to come up with a different argument this time, I imagine.

[dendarii]

Naturally. But I'll manage something, dammit. There's no way I'm leaving her.

[shipmaster]

Good. ... Earlier is better. [ They aim the spoon definitively. ] For Nicol too.

[dendarii]

[ He nods firmly at that. ]

For Nicol tool. We'll free them both, I swear it.

[shipmaster]

[ They nod, more than satisfied by that. Even the youngest Miles Bel had known would stand by his word. ... Even with the confession to the contrary moments ago. ]

Good, back to the more entertaining bits. Elena?

[dendarii]

[ Ah, Elena. He warms a bit. ]

An old friend. My first romantic interest, though she never really returned it. She's the daughter of my bodyguard, Bothari.

[shipmaster]

I'd wondered...

[ Well, there was one they were sure about, but their sense of entertainment couldn't NOT ask. ]

Baz?

[dendarii]

Coincidence. Ran into him on Beta Colony. Dragged him along.

[ Much to his own dismay, though Elena was happy in the end... ]

[shipmaster]

I was talking about bedding, but that's interesting. What was a Barrayaran deserter doing there?

[dendarii]

[ Miles makes a face. ]

Bed him? Like hell. It took me forever to adjust to being bisexual even with the range here. Never Baz.

[ He shake his head sharply. ]

Hiding, mostly.

[shipmaster]

Well, there WERE rumors. It's good to explore all of them. [ THERE we go. Bel laughs, tapping the spoon against the side of the dish in some light, cheerful tempo.

They sober after a moment.]

To pick Beta of all places to hide... That's a hell of a grid, I didn't even know there were places off it.

Is the service that bad, there?

[dendarii]

[ Dammit, Bel. Despite the fancy atmosphere, Miles flicks a bit of raspberry at them. ]

I have standards, dammit.

[ But - well, that's a real question, isn't it. Miles has to think for a long moment. ]

It ... can be. The choice between doing something terrible and doing what your CO wants to do is all the more pressuring on Barrayar. A choice between death and dishonor, with desertion meaning both. Remember my story about Kyril Island?

[shipmaster]

I do. [ They frown... if that was some standard... No wonder. ]

Why did you want that more than us?

[dendarii]

[ A helpless shrug. ]

Barrayar is my home. I love the Dendarii with all my heart, but ...

[shipmaster]

[ They didn't need, nor care for, the rest of that sentence. More than anything else, sealed the nature of this dalliance more than anything. The Dendarii were a young man's pasttime, but home was a man's passion. For a while, they align.

In a way, it was refreshing. It set definitions and limits where they'd been fuzzy since they'd set down across from each other. It wasn't diminished, merely defined.

They tug Miles' hand and give a winsome smile, bright and anticipatory. ]

Come, lets enjoy tonight. You said Heropa?

[dendarii]

[ There is a division there. And while Miles has been conflicted - will be more conflicted - Gregor has swung him back firmly to Barrayar. As has his duties as Ambassador ...

But tonight is a confluence, oh yes. Miles eyes brighten again as he stands, squeezing Bel's hand. ]

That's right. Something really special.

[shipmaster]

Lead on, my dear.

AND NOW we leave game canon for PSL-land

[dendarii]

[ Miles is happy to do so. In actual game canon, they go to a few bars, bang up some supervillains, probably make out. It makes Bel's departure a few weeks later all the more painful, and his promise to give Kitty all the details a strained, hollow one, but ... It's a good night. Miles will treasure the memory for as long as he's still in game.

But in this not-in-the-slightest-bit-canonical version of events ... Miles bypasses the fun, hip parts of town. No bars, no drinking, no superpowered fights. Instead, he takes them right back to the government building that houses the Porter. Pulls out his ID, confirms his identity as Ambassador Vorkosigan, and gains them entry.

So it's not typical date night material. But, as always, Miles is determined to go over the top with this. And he thinks Bel will appreciate it. ]

Ah, we're right on time.

[shipmaster]

[ Things slid into place a little slower than usual for the normally quick herm. Perhaps the months here had dulled their sense of the wild and impossible on the usual scale when dragons, elves and faster than light travel were just the norms.

But recognition of the military facility (seen just once, briefly, in that chaotic arrival all imPorts go through) opened the door for old friends like predatory anticipation and the thrumming thrill of curiosity about to be sated.

Beside Miles, Bel seemed little more than a fancy tourist on his arm, eyes wide but composed. The shift in body language (to the balls of their feet, the tension in their shoulders, the way their eyes danced across the panels and guards, checking the exits and vents) was more than obvious for one who knew them well. ]

Oh good. I'd hate for us to be late. It seems important.

[dendarii]

[ Miles keeps glancing up at Bel for their reaction. He knows that look of keen interest ... And he's deeply gratified to see it. Yes, he's made the right choice tonight. This is probably a gross abuse of his authority, but - eh.

Once they're inside the facility, their escorts permit them a carefully monitored tour. That's all Miles' influence is able to get them, and even that was a hell of a stretch. They wind up in a room with a glass panel that looks out into the actual chamber with the forbidden Porter in it. Here they have a few moments of relative privacy; the guards are posted by the exit, and there's no way to get to the Porter from here.

Well ... almost. The line of sight is clear enough, and there's no power dampening in this specific room. And there's a small crack in the wall, unnoticed, that feeds out into the adjacent chamber ...

Miles isn't quite thinking about that part yet, though. ]

This is as close as I can get us, alas.

[shipmaster]

[ If Miles is thinking what Bel thinks he's thinking... the audacity of this was absolutely astounding. And exactly what they had come to expect. What could even come of this? ... Who knows, actually. That blank unknown was certainly the point.

Still... it's as good as tendering his resignation. ]

This close is fine, certainly. I can see damn near every inch of the room.

It's incredible, though. There are those who would give up a lot to be here.

[ The message is easy enough to decode. I can do it. Are you sure? ]

[dendarii]

[ There's no way they'll let him continue as Ambassador after this. He's blowing it on a date with Bel, and not something more practical. But ... hell. There will be other opportunities. Probably he can convince Baelish later - the man is twisty enough to appreciate Miles' wiles.

(And if this were canon, he wouldn't - sorry Bel. But since it's not, all bets are off.)

His grin spreads slowly as Bel confirmed what he figured was true already. He reaches for their hand, taking it firmly as he looks up at them. ]

I wouldn't have brought you here otherwise. Something only we get to do.

[ Do it, Bel. He's ready. ]

[shipmaster]

[ Bel gives a ferocious grin and their hand closes over Miles. The stomach wrenching sensation of a jump envelops Miles, little shreds of dreams and unprocessed consciousness float before, around, and through him, before they're dropped perfectly in the middle of the Porter room, a scant step in either direction from the panels or the platform.

A stunner forms in Bel's hand no sooner than the shimmering glow the jump leaves them. Heaving exhaustion runs through the herm, but adrenaline battles it back as they take aim, firing two smart shots at the guards IN the room. ]

Orders!