For a moment, Consul Vorlynkin frowned, as if worrying whether to try to look decorative or functional, but settled on diplomatic, which suited him better anyway.

Raven-sensei returned from admiring the spider family, and Jin, at a nod from his mother, gave up his chair to the new guest.  This wasn't so bad, as Jin then went to lean on her shoulder, and she slipped her arm around his waist.  Lucky, with a grumpy noise at the loss of the petting hand, jumped down.

"I thought you would like the word at once, Madame Sato," said Raven-sensei.  "We retrieved Mr. Kang and Ms. Khosla last night, and I did both revivals this morning.  Entirely uneventfully, I'm pleased to report.  Both spoke briefly, and about as lucidly as could be expected, before I put them back to sleep.  As soon as your head cold passes off, you may come down to the facility and see them."

Jin felt his mother's body tremble; her eyes squeezed shut in brief thanksgiving.  "Thank you for your excellent work, doctor."

"Truly," said Consul Vorlynkin.  He tilted his head in concern at Jin's mother, but eased back in his chair again when she dabbed her eyes and relaxed.  "How soon will they be able to speak to the lawyers and the police detectives?"

"They will, of course, have to stay in biological isolation for a few days, but I'd expect their recoveries to be almost as swift as Madame Sato's.  They may be coherent enough to give depositions through the booth intercoms as early as tomorrow evening, but I told the authorities to come the following morning, to be sure."

"And their physical security, meantime?"

"Miss Koudelka has arranged that, as part of setting up security for the new clinic.  She turns out to have a knack for that sort of thing.  Did you know her mother used to be a bodyguard to the emperor of Barrayar, when he was a child?  ImpSec trained, I gather, and she passed it along in the family."

"Yes, I believe Lord Vorkosigan did say something about that, before he left.  He does seem to know the most extraordinary range of people.  Only to be expected, given his background."

"What is this Lord Unpronounceable you keep talking about, anyway?" asked Aunt Lorna.

"What, or who?" said Raven-sensei.  "Although I gather that for him, the two are nearly inextricable."

"Either.  Both."

"He investigates insurance fraud for somebody," Jin supplied.  "His boss is named Gregor.  He talks about him a lot."

Vorlynkin blinked; Raven-sensei laughed, and Jin twisted his toes in unease.  "Isn't that right?" he asked.

"Well, yes," said Vorlynkin, smiling again.  "Emperor Gregor Vorbarra, that is.  But a Lord Auditor investigates all kinds of fraud and, er, other difficult situations that may arise that affect the Imperium, on the emperor's direct orders.  At the highest levels, generally, and with very little oversight."