Linya beams and hugs him.

"I love you," he says, hugging back.

"I love you too. I feel much better about this now," she says contently.

"Me too." He kisses her cheek.

"Elli," he says, smiling back. "How do you feel about smuggling rebels?"

"I feel very much in favor of it today, sir."

"Good! Because that's what we're - " His hand moves abortively towards his trouser pocket. He looks at the hand, looks at the pocket, sighs, and continues on a different tack. "Actually, before I get into that, there's a little errand I'd like you to run - not necessarily now or soon, but ideally before the next time I personally run a mission. I don't suppose you've heard of the new holo-pens coming out of Barrayar? They haven't come very far out of Barrayar just yet."

"Uh - maybe? But I might be thinking of something else. Do they have them on Escobar? Pol maybe?"

"I'm not sure if they've reached that far yet. They only got to Komarr relatively recently. It's basically a full comconsole - a little cut down, but not much - in the shape of a pen about yea big." He measures the distance between his fingers. "They can't output sound without a peripheral, but they can record it, and record and display visual holos. The storage capacity is a little cramped, but they have extra data space in their charging stations. They're magnificently convenient, I have one at home, I want one out here, and they were developed by Lady Linyabel Vorkosigan, who doesn't yet have clearance to know about Admiral Naismith. I can't carry my usual model around with me in my Naismith hat because it's a custom job in the Vorkosigan colours. I can't buy an extra pen myself, directly, because I don't want her investigating and finding one or the other of me at the end of the paper trail. Therefore, I charge you with the task of subtly acquiring me a pen. Standard model, no customizations, let's go with white for the colour."

"Sure. They sound nifty, maybe I want one too."

"Feel free. They're nifty as hell."

"I knew you got married but I don't think I ever congratulated you. Congratulations. I assume Admiral Naismith continues to be single?"

"Admiral Naismith may admit to those who know him pretty well that he has a spouse waiting for him in an undisclosed location that may or may not be Beta Colony. But to all others he prefers to keep his private life private."

"Right then. Let's go smuggle some rebels, and I'll have a pen for you next time we see each other."

They go. They smuggle. The operation goes off without a hitch. Miles returns triumphant to Barrayar about six weeks later.

"God, I know," sighs Miles. "Pick me up and carry me upstairs, I don't even care right now."

Linya is more than happy to oblige. Up they go, him snuggled in her arms. There is nuzzling.

He snuggles up and flomps his head on her shoulder until they are back in their suite.

Here is their suite. Is that a reason to put him down? Of course not. It is a reason to acquire a lap on which to snuggle him further.

"I missed you too." Squeeze. "I don't suppose at some point they move you into something with day-job hours?"

"Ha," he says without humour. "Afraid not, no. Not anytime soon, that's for damn sure..."

"Alas." Nuzzle.