Ugh. He's not surprised - and it's better than getting outright attacked - but goddam he hates that look on Yuri's face. Can't help but twitch slightly in response to it, to take a moment to calm himself first. The man is a product of his time. Piotr is the progressive one, for god's sake ... He'd always known that in theory, but now he's starting to believe it.

The prospect of staying in this version of Barrayar the rest of his life is looking worse by the second.

He can't defend himself, really, but the implied insult to Lakshmi makes him twitch a bit more. Subtly, a muscle jumping in his jaw before he quells it. "The women are entirely capable," he says firmly. "I think you'd find that most of them can best any man in a trial by combat." Lakshmi and Carolina, definitely. Completely badass. "This camp would be worse off without them."