[Honestly, someone recognising him as someone other than Miles, even by the name he's been stuck with, really pulls the rug out from under him. For a moment he can't quite think how to respond, at least until he finally recognises who he's talking to.
He'd studied this man, once. Not as much as he'd studied Miles, obviously, but enough; he'd been expected to know all his eventual targets, all the corpses he'd have left for Galen's plan. Somehow, it's... hard to reconcile Emperor of Barrayar, Galen's tyrannical dictator, with the person he's looking at, without the context of palace and ImpSec and clothing that isn't the same uniform as everyone else is wearing.
The emperor seems to have some idea who he is, which he supposes isn't entirely unexpected- but then, if he does know about Galen's plot, why the offer of help? A trap? His eyes narrow, trying to run through the possibilities, but that kind of rapid thinking is not Mark's speciality.
Warily, he stands his ground, but that doesn't mean he isn't assessing chances of a quick getaway, or just... completing part of his mission, if he has to.]
Miles told you who I am? What I am? Why would you ever offer to help me?
Gregor no
He'd studied this man, once. Not as much as he'd studied Miles, obviously, but enough; he'd been expected to know all his eventual targets, all the corpses he'd have left for Galen's plan. Somehow, it's... hard to reconcile Emperor of Barrayar, Galen's tyrannical dictator, with the person he's looking at, without the context of palace and ImpSec and clothing that isn't the same uniform as everyone else is wearing.
The emperor seems to have some idea who he is, which he supposes isn't entirely unexpected- but then, if he does know about Galen's plot, why the offer of help? A trap? His eyes narrow, trying to run through the possibilities, but that kind of rapid thinking is not Mark's speciality.
Warily, he stands his ground, but that doesn't mean he isn't assessing chances of a quick getaway, or just... completing part of his mission, if he has to.]
Miles told you who I am? What I am? Why would you ever offer to help me?