He's about to answer when someone walks in carrying a pitcher of water and two glasses. The young officer sets everything down on Duv's desk and ducks out as quickly as he had come in. Duv's thankful he didn't stick around to gawk. If there isn't a gaggle of troops waiting to hear the unclassified version of this, he would be surprised.

"Portugal, that's on Earth isn't it?" The country sounded familiar from his stationing there. There had been too much history for him to learn among his other duties. "You've met several Barrayarans on your journey to my office. Water?" he offers, pouring some in both of their glasses.