She was as sleek as the groundcar, if considerably more delicate.  Her long black hair was drawn back and bundled with enameled combs in an elegant construction that Miles was sure Raven must envy.  Kibou natives wore a variety of fashions both local and galactic-inspired; Miles had been here just long enough to decode her garb as business-traditional, female version.  A skin-skimming top, a fitted undercoat, and the loose cord-fastened outer coat might be worn by either men or women, but then, instead of the wide trousers tied in at the ankles adopted by men, she showed off trim calves with a short skirt and leggings.  All in subtle autumnal shades that set off her deep brown eyes.  The overall effect was simultaneously upper-class and sexy, like a very expensive courtesan—Miles had once had the geisha tradition explained to him on a visit to Earth itself, on its island of origin, a side-benefit of having a bride with a mania for gardens.  The sense that this woman was a weapon aimed directly at him came mainly from her diminutive height, which nearly matched his own, and the fact that she wore flat sandals.

"Good morning, ohayo gozaimasu."  She favored them all with a formal bow, but her smile zeroed in on Miles.  "Lord Vorkosigan, Consul Vorlynkin, Durona-sensei, Roic-san.  Wonderful, you're all here.  I am Aida, Mr. Ron Wing's personal assistant for today.  I will escort you to WhiteChrys's new facility, and answer any questions you may have along the way."

I'll bet not mine, thought Miles, but returned appropriate greetings and allowed the pretty young lady to shepherd them all into the spacious groundcar.  Miles wondered how much her boss had scrambled to find a hostess of that height on such short, as it were, notice.

Ron Wing was the man Miles had been holding out for yesterday, while Vorlynkin fielded oblique messages and visibly refrained from tearing his hair.  Wing's official title was Head of Development; he was one of WhiteChrys's chief operating officers, and the man in ultimate charge of the Komarr expansion effort.  It was his underlings who had spent so much effort cultivating Miles, and vice versa, during the cryonics conference.  Now we'll see what's on the other end of their string.

Roic, Aida, and Raven took the rear-facing seat; Miles and Vorlynkin settled opposite.  No one even risked bumping heads with each other in the shuffle.

"Reminds me of my Da's old groundcar," Miles murmured to Roic.

"Nah," Roic whispered back, as the driver in the front compartment, who had not been introduced, set them smoothly in motion.  "This isn't even half the mass.  No armor plating."