The eight of them crammed into the pavilion overlooking the lake. The food was splendid even by Ma Kosti's standards, to make up for their breakfast cut short. Miles noted that Raina nibbled at her food, and even then, it was just to be polite. Alex didn't seem to be eating much more, as occupied as he was with watching his sister.

They ate the first two courses in companionable silence. Then Ekaterin said, "Cora. I've been meaning to ask you. Before we separated at the dining room, you and Raina talked about genetic samples. What did you mean?"

Cora swallowed a mouthful. "Oh, our trump card? Well, ImpSec took samples from each of us, when they tested our genes against yours. You know ImpSec, they store everything, like a bunch of pack rats. Ow!" Alex had kicked her on the shin. Cora threatened him with a dumpling.

"Anyway," continued Raina, "We figured if Sebastian succeeded in mangling the timeline, someone might think of taking those genetic samples and… starting all over again."

At Ekaterin's astonished look, Alex said, "Allegre and I included that in our plans. We took a tissue sample from baby Leo, as well. True, the upbringing might be different in many ways, but at least we would have had a fighting chance at the key turning points."

The Count nodded. "Clever. Even if the timeline had broken off, you'd still have a better chance of winning the Imperial War."

"Among other things," said Raina.

Like my daughter falling in love with Gregor's son? Miles grimaced despite himself.

Raina must have caught his look. "Speaking of family, is your Lady Jeanne in charge of the reunion, Alex?" she asked.

Alex favored his sister with an inscrutable glance. "She's handling the local details, here at the Surleau. She said Mother and Dad are taking over the meeting-and-greeting at Vorbarr Sultana."

"What's this about a reunion?" put in Cordelia.

"Well, Milady, every five years we have a family reunion of sorts. Extended family reunion, really. Every Vorkosigan, Koudelka, Jesek, most of Uncle Ivan's clan, some of our Vorrutyer and Vorvayne and Vorthys cousins. The Csuriks and Karals ride down from the hills. Several Naismiths, this year. A large delegation from Marilac, too."

Cora continued, "Vor'obyevs, Duronas, Tungs, Tuomonens, Parques--- oh, you don't know them. And I heard a rumor, before we were taken, that some of the Quinn brood had been persuaded to attend."

"No," said Felice, eyes widening. "That's a leap. And I thought the arrivals from Orient IV would set 'em straight. This must be the biggest ever."

Miles gulped down some sweet wine. Dizzily he tried to mentally fit all his friends and chance acquaintances and all their offspring---good God!---into Vorkosigan House. Or the Surleau. Can't be done… what a power magnet! No wonder the future House Vorkosigan has so much influence. They probably come for the food. He silently toasted Ma Kosti and all her recipes.

Raina said, coolly, "It's held on the anniversary of your first meeting, m'lord, m'lady, on Sergyar. As we figure it, that's when it all changed." At Aral and Cordelia's pleased grins, she added, "We've always paid attention to turning points."

Alex sighed. "It takes months of planning… security alone…" he shook his head. "What a nightmare for Rachel. The event itself takes a week. And every night, we have our own 'storytime,' recounting the whole history of the Vorkosigan clan. We start with Time of Isolation legends for the kids, at sundown. By midnight, past the youngests' bedtimes, the old-timers have broken out the good wine and are well into, ah, more recent yarns."

Raina twirled some pasta on her fork. "Like that little escapade of yours, at Hogarth Canyon, when we were kids? And I'd always thought the desert floor was cold at night."

Alex stopped eating. There was a sly gleam in his eye. "All right," he said in a soft, dangerous voice. "That's it. Right here. Right now."

"Right now?" said Raina, half-incredulous, half-amused. "In front of them?"

Alex gave a low laugh as he rose. It sent a chill down Miles's spine. This is the man who killed Kapas. The twins stepped out into the sun.

"I'll break both your arms," he promised. He shed his tunic and shirt on the grass. Ekaterin raised her brows. Between the ImpSec conditioning and the Cetagandan improvements, he'd give Ivan a run for his money.

"You haven't been able to do that since we were twelve!" said Raina, taking off her blouse and shift. She was down to her swimsuit and shorts. They both kicked off their respective footwear.

"I broke 'em one at a time, after that."

Without warning, they connected. After a furious round of blows, Raina gained a hold on Alex's knees and flipped him over her head. He landed heavily on his shoulder. After a few moments, they went at it again. Their eyes glittered with a deathly light. No quarter was given; only through skill and luck did they evade serious injury.

Cora sat back, a half-smile on her face. Felice was dimpling madly. "Are you sure this is safe?" asked Miles.

"Safe? No, of course not," said Cora. "I'll probably have to mend someone's bones or close up a gash before it's over. But this is how they get it out of their system. About time, too."

The Countess answered her husband's surprised look with a thoroughly Betan explanation. "They've spent weeks battling their nightmares, day and night, with very few outlets for release. Lots of pent-up stress to be worked off."

Aral rubbed his lips. "Combat fatigue. I suppose."

Ekaterin winced as Alex knocked Raina to the ground. Despite Cora and Felice's nonchalance, Miles was getting nervous. The bout had rapidly progressed from a set of well-practiced martial arts moves to a full-contact brawl. They struggled like animals, only pausing to catch their breath during stalemated holds.

Finally Alex pinned Raina to the ground. They were panting, their faces slick with sweat. Suddenly Raina choked out a sob.

"God, Alex. Last night… that string of beads on the wall… to hang little children with… I didn't know if it was a nightmare or not!" Her eyes were wide, and frightened. "I didn't mean to---"

"It was a nightmare," said Alex firmly. Then he lowered his face towards hers.

"If you pin me next, I'll quit ImpSec."

With a yell, Raina broke his hold. The fight went on, but now it was different. The blows were still unorthodox. This time, though, Miles was aware of a smooth choreography, a body language whose rules they made up as they went. Even Ekaterin sensed it, and relaxed a little. They both know the outcome of this round. Raina exploited every possible opening. Alex was on the defensive, easily dodging and twisting for a better chance. They grinned… like madmen.

Finally Raina had Alex flat on the grass. "Yield?" she breathed. Blood ran down her chin.

Alex tried to break free, but couldn't. "A fair fight. I yield."

She stood up, and pulled her brother to his feet. They stood there a moment under the sun, arms clasped, disheveled and gleaming with sweat. Triumphant. Miles felt a rush of pride for these two strangers, his progeny…

Cora's beeper went off. Everyone groaned, then had to suppress bouts of laughter as Cora waved them quiet.

Suddenly there was a young man standing before them. Or rather, a holo of a young man. Prince Regent Nikolai Vorbarra. My grandson-to-be.

He beamed. "It's time we got you home."

"So soon," Ekaterin murmured.

Raina came up, wiping her face with her shift. "Where's your father?"

The prince noted their state of disarray with an arched eyebrow. "The Guardians will restore Dad after you've returned, when this time fragment settles back into its natural course. We must go about this carefully. The nexus repairs are not yet completed; We don't want to risk another Time of Isolation." Raina accepted this glumly.

Cora popped on her headset. The air began to shimmer.

"What will happen to our timeline, then?" asked Miles.

Felice pursed her lips. "From what I understand, it will reset. We will certainly remember all this, but you, right now, will return to… well, whenever you were before. Unfortunately, due to Sebastian's damage to the continuum, it's no longer certain if this timeline will revert to our future. But it doesn't matter, Miles. You'll have a future, and we'll still have a past."

"All right," said Cora. "The temporal tags have been removed. But before the Guardians can lift the quarantine, we have to be certain that this fragment will realign correctly. The easiest way of doing that is tagging the last person through the portal."

"Youngest to eldest," said Raina. "Do it. Tag me."

Cora tapped the transceiver. "They already have. Really, Nikolai," she clicked her tongue at her nephew. "Clean work, eh? It's unnoticeable. Later we'll have to work on an early warning system, in case some other Guardian faction gets ideas."

Behind her, the shimmering glare of the long lake erupted into a sapphire nimbus. Just beyond the pavilion, the light converged into a fiery threshold. With a bow, the holo of Prince Nikolai disappeared.

"Temporal locks in place," said Cora. She took off the headset. "It's time."

Felice embraced Miles, and Ekaterin. She kissed the Countess on the cheek, and without hesitation, did the same to Count Vorkosigan. Miles watched her step to the edge of the pavilion, following her snappy salute with a fervent wave. Then she was gone.

Cora was next. She went around, exchanging a whispered word with the Countess. Her tears glistened in the brightness.

She paused at the edge, her long hair streaming free. "Take care of my gardens," called Ekaterin.

"As always, Milady." Then she too vanished.

Alex had shrugged on his shirt and tunic. Now he stood at the threshold, a tall figure casting no shadows. "For all the things I've accomplished," he said in a hoarse voice, "I never knew if I'd have it in me to be the thirteenth Count Vorkosigan."

"It is something to grow into, Alex," said Aral. "Much better to beat your own road than try to follow your forebears." He nodded at Miles.

"I know that now. Thank you." He dashed off an ImpSec salute. With one last glance at Raina, he stepped through. The light flared, blotting out the sun.

Now there was only Raina. Empress Admiral Raina Katerina Vorkosigan Vorbarra. It's just like her, too much at one go. She embraced them each in turn. When she came to Miles, a smile flickered on her lips.

"You never did answer my question, Miles. Do you notice anything?"

He looked up at her. He could taste the warm, musk smell of her body. As the light grew even brighter, her brown hair seemed to be on fire. A fine-boned face, traced with pain-lines and scars. Grey eyes that could peer into every hollow of his soul. She was so immense, this beautiful valkyrie.

"You can't be real," Miles found himself saying.

She laughed. "Father once told us that madmen, and heroes, are more ordinary than most think. Reality is what one makes of it--- they simply make it their way." Then, to his surprise, she kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Goodbye, Miles. Goodbye, Ekaterin. I won't be real to you for a long time. While I live, and remember, you will always be real to me."

The blue light was overwhelming now. Miles couldn't see in front of his face, though he still felt Ekaterin's hand in his. Just before he closed his eyes, he let fly an answering thought:

And so shall you be, Milady.