"You have no money," he answers simply. In many ways, Jackson's Whole is actually quite a lot more egalitarian than Barrayar, then Cetaganda - honestly, by some measures, it's even more egalitarian than Beta. No prejudices about age, gender, background, none of it - the only rule being that if you have the gold, you make the rules. But if you don't... "Anyone who lingers in Jacksonian space runs the risk of being kidnapped and sold into a work gang, unless they can pay more than the work gang would. It's an old smugglers' colony, and it has no laws at all. If you're wealthy, you can run the place. If you're not - " He waves his hand. "You're vulnerable to every predator in your vicinity."

He cocks an eyebrow at her. "Unless, of course, you're a deadlier predator than the others. The very clever and vicious do find the Whole to their tastes, at times. But forgive me - you don't exactly seem the sort."