“Your uncle just called. He’s landed at the shuttleport. I’ll get him.”

“I’ll get Nikolai, and go with you.”

“Don’t bother, I’m just going to meet him at the West Station locks. He said to tell you, he’s bringing a guest. Another Auditor, some sort of assistant to him, it sounded like. But he said not to worry, they’ll both take pot luck. He seemed to imagine we’d feed them in the kitchen or something. Eh! Two Imperial Auditors. Why ever did you have to invite him, anyway?”

She stared at him in dismay. “How can my Uncle Vorthys come to Komarr and not see us? Besides, you can’t say your department isn’t affected by what he’s investigating. Naturally he wants to see it. I thought you liked him.”

He slapped his hand arrhythmically on his thigh. “Back when he was just the old weird Professor, sure. Eccentric Uncle Vorthys, the Vor tech. This Imperial appointment of his took the whole family by surprise. I can’t imagine what favors he called in to get it.”

Is that your only idea of how men advance? But she did not speak the weary thought aloud. “Of all political appointments, surely Imperial Auditor is the least likely to be gained that way,” she murmured.

“Naive Kat.” He smiled shortly, and hugged her around the shoulders. “No one gets something for nothing in Vorbarr Sultana. Except, perhaps, your uncle’s assistant, whom I gather is closely related to the Vorkosigan. He apparently got his appointment for breathing. Incredibly young for the job, if he’s the one I heard about who was sworn in at Winterfair. A lightweight, I presume, although all your Uncle Vorthys said was that he was sensitive about his height and not to mention it. At least some part of this mess promises to be a show.”