The kitchen of the consulate seemed homey, if spacious by Jin's standards.  Maybe it was the cool dusk falling in the back garden that made it so warm and bright.  Maybe it was all the dishes piled in the sink that made it look so, well, kitchen-y, as if a fellow could wander in and out to snack at will without being yelled at, even.  But the noise of all the footsteps clumping up from the basement made Jin shift uneasily, and when Mina's little hand stole into his and clutched hard, he didn't shake her off.

Jin's timid knock had been answered by Lieutenant Johannes, who'd taken one look, cried You! and hustled them both inside, though he'd looked askance at Mina; added  Wait right there, don't move; and thumped downstairs before Jin could get three words into his much-rehearsed explanation of how the police had taken Miles-san's money.  So Jin was expecting the fierce-eyed Consul Vorlynkin, but behind him loomed the biggest Barrayaran Jin had seen yet, half a head taller than the tall consul.  He wore clothes that reminded Jin of a military uniform, had short wavy brown hair and a firm square-jawed face, and looked older than Johannes but younger than the consul.  Mina stared up at him with her mouth hanging open.

The big Barrayaran so filled up what had, till just before, seemed a wide doorway that it took a moment for Jin to notice the slim fellow with his hair in a neat dark braid who followed him, and another moment to spot Miles-san in their wake.

The little man shouldered past them all, coming face to face with Jin.  He looked so different all cleaned up, more grownup, more . . . daunting, that it was a couple of heartbeats before Jin, recovering from his shock, inhaled and cried, "My creatures!  You promised you'd look after them!"

Miles-san held up a hand.  "They're all right, Jin!  When you didn't come back by midnight, I copied out your instructions and gave them to Ako.  When I implied I was going to look for you, she was very willing to help out."

"But how did you get here?"

"Walked.  Took me all that night."

From behind Jin, Mina asked interestedly, "Did you get lost, too?"

"We weren't lost, exactly," Jin denied, harassed.  "Just turned around a little."

"And who are you, young lady?" Miles-san addressed Mina.  "I don't believe we've been introduced."

"Sister," muttered Jin.  "It wasn't my idea to bring her."

"I have a name," Mina pointed out.  "It's Mina.  Want to see my blisters?"

Miles-san didn't even blink.  "Sure!  Are they good ones?  Have they popped yet?"

"Oh, yes—they made my socks all bloody, too."