Kaidan pauses as Piotr does, but the answer seems to satisfy him, for he gives a small nod that contains more than simple agreement: there's a bit of approval as well. With figures like Admirals Anderson and Hackett to be measured against, General Count Vorkosigan has a high bar to reach in terms of Kaidan's sense of a good commanding officer, but he's certainly accruing points as time passes. (A certain Commander Shepard is unique, complicated, and really not a fair comparison for anyone's leadership style.)

"Glad to know where you stand, sir," he comments honestly, before a faintly crooked smile ventures out at the mention of Piotr's wife in this context. "Although I've made it a policy to not have opinions about childbirth anywhere near the sex that's doing the, uh, child-birthing. There are some fields of fire that are just too hot."