[ So. Now it becomes even more urgent to seduce you away from them. Before she has chance to train more people in this technology - before she has a chance to help the Cetagandans in this small thing that could provide them with a crucial advantage over their quarry. The question is how to do it. How could he draw her away? Cut her off from them? Stop her cooperation?

I could always kill her. That is...That is a possibility, yes. A...possibility that...Well. A possibility that Piotr surely would not be so dishonorable as to order. A possibility that he will not undertake of his own volition. His report on her and her technologies, he decides, will be edited to stress the potential advantages to Barrayar if she could come over to them, rather than the dangers if she does not. ]

How altogether marvelous.

[ In spite of his frenzied, nervous, anxious thoughts, his smile is easy and warm. ]

I've never even heard of such a thing. And - [ Byerly does not normally think much about proles, the poor, but she clearly does. And he is very good about getting into others' points of view. ] How good that must be for people in need. Why, you must be able to build houses for them, no? I know many people on Barrayar who could use something like that.