He frowns. "That is far from my intention. It's an unfortunate side effect of the situation we're in." The fact that she's time traveled and so far removed from home makes this difficult to explain.

He meets her gaze even as he finishes the last bites of his meal. He should offer her more like a good host, but that could come after their question and answer session. Something about the way she held herself told him she'd do just fine on this planet.

"I prefer Komarr," he answers without hesitation. "Barrayar has its merits, but it's not home. Komarr is a recent addition to the Barrayaran Empire. Since the military is the best route for social mobility, I signed up for the Service Academy once it was opened to Komarrans."