"Good genes." Now there is a statement with layers, but he's not consciously dwelling on most of them.
"And the imitation is exquisitely perfect. I expect Mark could fool me even wandering right past me, if I weren't expecting it, he was deeply in character, and he wasn't thinking about Ivan."
"Of course, if he thought about Ivan it would ruin the symmetry, which is hilarious."
"It is not, despite Ivan's own hypothesis, the heroic rescue. Although it is related that Mark does not perceive it to have been possible for Ivan to both be himself and hear of the need for heroic rescue and fail to endeavor to produce one. I was not there when they met, so I have mostly - informed speculation rather than direct knowledge, of other details. I think Ivan's turn of phrase is a feature."
"And a certain irreducible quality of 'he's just Ivan'. Which reminds me of Loel. Again."
"Another prime. Water and blood. Mark's personality that isn't you is a cross between Loel and Sarelle - yet another prime, air and soul. And just for completeness the one who hasn't come up is Patience, earth and flesh."
"I'm afraid not, or believe me we'd get them for you for more extensive comparison. We found this door in my country house; it's sheer luck that Ekador was visiting."
"Well," says Miles. "This has definitely been enlightening. What are the odds I can get a new stunner power pack around here, do you think?" This question directed mainly at Mark, although anyone else with an opinion is welcome to answer.
"Blew yours up, did you?" inquires Mark, with a mental image of the explosion that must have broken Miles's shoulder—
—which matches up to Miles's memory with alarming accuracy considering Mark has never even set foot in the vessel where it happened. "Yeah, what can I say."
I do not typically produce weapons, but have no such restrictions on batteries, says Bar. And there is a price in Betan dollars.
"Thank you," says Miles. "I'll take one. Um. Except I don't have any money on me at the moment. Ivan?"
Of course.
"Can I get the price in marks?"
Bar produces a price in marks.
Ivan performs credit rituals. He obtains a stunner power pack. He hands it to Miles.
He takes his power-packless stunner out of its holster, fits the power pack into it, and checks the indicator lights. All good. Stunner back in holster. He eyes Private Danio's pistol with relieved distaste; he was not looking forward to having to fire that thing, even now that doing so might not shatter his hand.