I can imagine the look. Sort of weird horrible smile, right? Damn.

He has quite a repertoire of weird horrible smiles.

Yep.

"Do you want me to run downstairs and pitch the idea? ...I'm not sure Vivienne will leave without her sweater, though. Which is in her room. And I don't know what it looks like so I can't just get a fake from Bar."

"We have all the time in the world, let's think about it some more."

"Send Miles to climb in the window for it. Ask Bar if she can correctly guess the sweater," are Mark's first two suggestions.

I would describe my feeling on that subject as 'amused resignation'.

"This does involve setting foot on Barrayar."

"Only briefly."

Mark offers to go for the window in your place.

I'm torn between wanting to let him to get out of it myself and wanting him nowhere near my planet in the mood he's been in.

He seems to be fine moodwise, although I suppose your and Stalas's presence could rile him back up.

I might want to verify that 'fine' for myself. There are many degrees of 'fine'.

Reasonable.

I don't think I'd make him any worse. It seems like he finds annoying me an effective form of stress relief.

That is almost funny.

I find it pretty hilarious when I'm not in the middle of being annoyed. And when he's not trying to get Stalas to stab him.

If Stalas tries to stab him here security will intervene.

I didn't see any security. And I looked. Do they just pop out of the ground when there's trouble?

They have an office, which as nonmembers of the security staff we can't go into, so I have no idea who's on duty right now and can't find out without punching someone.

I don't think I trust these unseen forces to stop Mark getting himself stabbed if Mark wants to be stabbed.

I wouldn't care to count on it either.