[ all in all, tony's quite polite about the whole thing, to miles' mild but pleasant surprise. granted, where he comes from the cultural attitude toward genetic mutations is so severely negative that in some rural parts of the planet infanticide is still practiced on infants perceived to have such. miles' body isn't the result of genes, but he looks close enough to a mutant that he's gotten quite used to being looked at like he's some kind of unclean abomination at worst -- and, usually, a novel curiosity at best. thanks for the nice change of pace, tony. ]

Oh -- no, that's not why I do it, the mercenary work. Those accounts have long since been settled. [ miles gives him another ironic grin. ] Would you take "because I like it" as an answer?