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The next class in pre-jump Earth literature occurs.
Frank is early, actually. He sits at his desk with a large smile on his face, greeting students by name despite the slight hints of red around his eyes and the prominent box of tissues that have mysteriously appeared within easy reach.
It is probable that he cried, but hard to prove considering the evidence.
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thisvorlunatic
"He'll be waiting outside the school. He doesn't come in because the school premises are deemed sufficiently safe and it would kind of defeat the purpose of the semi-anonymity for me to go around to all my classes with a bodyguard."
"... I'm sorry, I just got a visual of Sergeant Bothari in an undersized chair in the corner over there looking very gruff and intimidating."
thisvorlunatic
"He does a very good gruff and intimidating, doesn't he? But perhaps not if we crammed him behind one of these desks."
thisvorlunatic
"You don't know the half of it," Miles says cheerfully. "Anyway, this way."
Off through the school they go.
Off through the school they go.
Excellent. Yvette waves, because this seems like the thing to do, but lets Miles do the talking here.
thisvorlunatic
"We're going to an arboretum to meet Yvette's sister," says Miles. Bothari nods, and that seems to be that. "Lead the way, Yvette."
She does! To the arboretum they go.
Yvette's sister isn't in an obvious place. In fact, Yvette doesn't bother to look for her at all near the entrance or on the main path, just walks down a smaller, more out of the way path like she knows exactly where she's going. Which, she does.
It is a very pretty arboretum. Also a rather nice walk.
Yvette's sister isn't in an obvious place. In fact, Yvette doesn't bother to look for her at all near the entrance or on the main path, just walks down a smaller, more out of the way path like she knows exactly where she's going. Which, she does.
It is a very pretty arboretum. Also a rather nice walk.
And sitting on an out of the way bench is a dark haired young woman with jump pilot implants, reading a flimsy.
She glances up at the sound of footsteps, and then smiles and waves.
"Hello," she says, smiling. If there was any question of who she is, her Barrayaran accent makes it quite clear.
She glances up at the sound of footsteps, and then smiles and waves.
"Hello," she says, smiling. If there was any question of who she is, her Barrayaran accent makes it quite clear.
"Miles, meet my sister, Sabine Petra Vorlaine. Sabine, meet my new friend, Miles Naismith." Because she has heard the words 'information security' even if she's not an expert on the subject.
"Nice to meet you," says Sabine, sincerely, giving Bothari a slightly amused glance. She doesn't ask who the large slightly unfriendly shadow is, nor does she need to. For one, it's bloody obvious, and for another, she was paying attention when her sister was mumbling obscenities into her pillow earlier. She's well aware of what house colors Sergeant Bothari should be wearing.
"I don't actually have a plan for this," she says lightly. "How much have you heard about me? Has she been badmouthing me behind my back?"
"I don't actually have a plan for this," she says lightly. "How much have you heard about me? Has she been badmouthing me behind my back?"
thisvorlunatic
"Not at all," says Miles, omitting all mention of sex changes while Bothari is nearby. He's a little traditionally-minded sometimes; he wouldn't get it. "The impression I received was of an exemplary sibling."
'Sibling' - she notes Miles not using the term sister. It might just be a turn of phrase, but if it isn't, that is very interesting. She likes him immediately. Good job, Vorkosigans, you seem to have raised a son that is Not An Asshole. If only more Vor families could say the same.
"Well!" she says, her smile broadening a little. "Excellent job, Yvette, exemplary example of sisterhood, he will never know my terrible character flaws now."
"Well!" she says, her smile broadening a little. "Excellent job, Yvette, exemplary example of sisterhood, he will never know my terrible character flaws now."
thisvorlunatic
"For shame!" says Miles, and holds his reproving look for all of half a second before he cracks up.
"I am ashamed," she agrees, looking desolately at her flimsy. To conceal her smile. "Maybe one day I will outgrow it. But until then..."
She manages a reasonably convincing sniffle.
... And then ruins it with a giggle.
She manages a reasonably convincing sniffle.
... And then ruins it with a giggle.
Sabine attempts another sniffle (more successfully) and puts a hand to her heart. Her affection of sorrow might be more convincing if it weren't so dramatic. Or immediately after a giggle.
"Oh well!" she says brightly, after a few seconds of this. "Hey, anyone else hungry?"
"Oh well!" she says brightly, after a few seconds of this. "Hey, anyone else hungry?"
"Excellent. Then we can fix this. Any preferences for the type of food, or should we wander around looking for something delicious? I don't care, personally."