"I wonder what his handlers have on him. Brute psychological force, maybe."

"I shudder to think."

"Well. He did apologize. Insofar as one can do so sincerely while firing a stunner."

"What I wouldn't give for a close reading of his psychology." Miles reflects on this a moment, then amends, "As long as gaining such an understanding wouldn't make me any crazier than I already am, which I'm not sure I'm willing to take for granted. His upbringing must have been... something."

"Medically monstrous at a bare minimum, and a spectacular quantity of information crammed into less lifetime than you've had. He had an excuse for not using your pen; it might be that they weren't able to get one for him to practice on, but he can't have reasons like that to avoid everything you'd be able to do."

"Also, I had the dubious privilege of a halfway civil conversation with the man in charge of this plot. He, um... didn't seem like he'd pass the qualifications for a Betan parenting license. If you see what I mean."

"Oh, does he do things other than shout and hit people? Yes. I don't have much expectation he'll be able to hold onto Mark, although I don't guarantee it'll be any good for anybody when he loses him."

"I agree with your assessment. On all counts."

Linya eyes the hinges on the door, then sighs again and gives up, apparently finding that avenue useless.

"I had a look around when I got here. Of course, that was before you arrived, with copious clothing and ropes and a chair. Want to block the sink with a spare garment and see what happens?"

"How much do you think they value us having access to water?"

"Point."

"I could try to improvise something with the ropes, but they'd see me doing it and stun us both as soon as they open the door, I expect. And if we park over there," she gestures at the part of the room that is concealed by the door when the door is open, "they can tell we're doing it and, say, opt not to feed us or leave Galeni in a state to need confinement - this when I'm reasonably sure they didn't believe me when I told them how much I eat to begin with and am none too sure that they haven't already killed him." She eyes the half-plate of food that she left him. "It's going to take me a few hours to get hungry enough to eat that considering how poorly it's aged. I should've finished it but I've never seen you fast-penta hungover before and didn't know if you'd want it."

"Well, thanks. But yeah, you can have it. I'll probably regain my appetite sometime in the next twenty-four hours."

"I don't, ordinarily. I studied it once in school - chose it over Richard III, for reasons that are probably obvious if you've read Richard III."

"I've read them all." Pause. "When I was five I was Second Witch."

"I will cherish this mental image forever."

That startles a smile out of her.

"I hope they haven't wrecked my pen. Taking it was obvious, but it's got several hours' work on it that isn't backed up in the charger."

"Yeah," says Miles. "Well - I can't imagine what they'd get out of taking it apart, so there's that."

"At least they can't use it unless they've cloned me too."

"Which I find exceedingly unlikely."

"Yes, quite. All the obvious ways to do it would have the clone still be very young and then she'd be unable to use the pen because her grip would be wrong."