"Sequencing," he replies, with a slight narrowing of his eyes. Gene-sequencing has been a technology for centuries - not on benighted Barrayar, of course, but elsewhere in the galaxy. Did she not have it? "We know what genes do what, of course. Granted, Barrayar has presented the Galactics with some new and exciting sequences, thanks to our mutations, but still, you can isolate most of what's going on."

A hesitation, and then with a little gesture of his hand - "I'll grant that mental conditions are a little harder to isolate than, say, what causes one to have six fingers. For example, the sixth Countess Vorrutyer no doubt had issues with her genome that made her want to bathe in human blood, but also she probably wouldn't have gone quite so insane if she hadn't watched her family killed in front of her. I'll grant you that. But still, it's something. Anyway, please bring up the prospect of democracy in front of Piotr Vorkosigan, and please invite me along to watch. That would be a sight to see."