Ghem-Yulang waves this idea off dismissively. "A valid point in theory, but Prince Xav is so far removed from the center of the war effort that it would have little effect. If he is, indeed, off-planet by now, a message could take weeks to reach him, maybe more. His movements have been difficult to track. Even if we were to reach him, any correspondence back would have to go through his father, the Emperor, who would almost certainly reject it out of hand. If there's one thing we know for sure about Dorca, it's that he never lets sentiment override judgment -- by his metric, at any rate."

It's clear from the ghem-major's voice and expression that he considers this entire resistance a case of sentiment overriding judgment -- sentiment to one's planet over the rationale of simply letting a superior world incorporate them.

"Are you saying Grandfather doesn't love me?" Sonia interrupts with a pout. She's swaying side-to-side slightly in her seat, like a flower in the breeze, though she doesn't seem to be aware of it. "Grandfather does so love me. It's why he sent us back to Vorkosigan's District, I'm sure of it. Uncle Yuri was such a bully... Da loves me too. He brought me back a sarong from Beta for birthday."

She beams at all three of them through the haze of fast-penta, and then her voice shifts into something sing-song and jarringly cheerful and her head lolls to the side. "But nobody loves me as much as my sister. She'd do anything for me. I know she already has. She thinks I don't know, but I'm not a child anymore, and I'm not stupid. I know she'd destroy herself for me if she thought it would protect me." She blinks, batting her eyes at them, the cheer unwavering. "Don't I just have the best sister?"