video;

[lets_see_what_happens]

Hello. This is Gregor Vorbarra, Senior Arbitration Officer on the ship, and I wanted to reach out to the inhabitants of the Moira new and old, to let you know that murder is not, has never been, and will never be an officially sanctioned method of arbitrating disputes either between crewmembers or officers. If you have any difficulties, please feel free to refer them to me and I will assist you as best I am able.

Have a good day.

Comments

[hostessing]

[ She's studying Gregor's face throughout this tale, searching for any signs that this is some sort of childish prank. But no, Gregor is still that serious-faced boy that she left behind, grown fully and knowing far better than to dump a fairy tale on her.

It's technology she knows exists, but far from a Barrayar still getting used to the idea of uterine replicators, technology Cordelia insists is commonplace everywhere else. If this was some terrorist plot, it sounds as if it's backfired horribly on the conspirators and it's no surprise with Cordelia at the helm they've chosen to go by Betan laws for settling the familial ties.

Her lips tighten into a tight line as she nods confirmation that yes, her discretion can be trusted. Of all the things to learn here. Still, it's hard to keep the surprise out of her voice when she asks, ] A clone brother?

[ But she heard Gregor the first time and settles on a much better follow-up question. ] Dare I ask what his interactions with my son have been?

[lets_see_what_happens]

Yes. Cordelia and Aral took legal custody instead of Miles, which is... probably for the best, all things carefully considered--Betan law can go either way.

[Gregor swallows a sigh and considers for a moment, but even if she wouldn't likely get the story from her son later, he can't bear to be anything less than honest with Alys, particularly when asked a direct question.] Ivan was on Earth with Miles and the terrorists when, er. When everything happened. [When the shit hit the fan is an astonishingly apt turn of phrase for what happened on Earth, if Duv Galeni's reports were entirely correct, and Gregor rather thought that they were, but a lecture on barracks language would interrupt the flow of his explanation so he declines to invite it.] Everyone was shot at quite a lot by everyone else, with some Cetagandan assassins tossed randomly into the mix courtesy of Miles' ImpSec work, and Ivan was... kidnapped briefly. By Mark. He ended up physically no worse for wear, but harbors some exceedingly understandable resentment after the whole affair. This was when Mark was still clawing his way free from control of the terrorist group who created him, it was... very trying for everyone involved, from what I gather.

At any rate, I don't think it's a mistake Mark intends to make again, and he is trying. He's just... rough around the edges. To put it mildly.

[hostessing]

[ She listens quietly. Cetaganda and Komarr both involved. Somehow she's not surprised and the fact that anyone made it out of there alive is astonishing. She considers asking how, but decides that's a concern for a future her. No, the important thing is that they made it out alive, her son didn't end up dead.

That still leaves the question of Mark and she's not sure what to make of the man she has yet to meet.

Carefully she asks, ] Have Mark and Ivan made their amends since then?