Miles Vorkosigan—Captain Quinn Relationship

Miles Vorkosigan and Elli Quinn’s relationship is left open at a moment when Miles has lost his place with the Dendarii but has not relinquished his desire for her. Asked by Simon Illyan whether Quinn might take an interest in Lord Vorkosigan, Miles acknowledges that he has never managed to persuade her before—and still wants to try again.

A Question Asked Delicately

During a quiet fishing outing, Simon Illyan raises the possibility that Miles might persuade Captain Quinn to take an interest in Lord Vorkosigan. His hesitation and careful phrasing make the question more than casual advice. Miles understands it as Illyan’s attempt to apologize for having damaged his love life, connecting the conversation to the personal cost of the events that have separated Miles from the Dendarii.

Miles’s Wish to Try Again

Miles does not present Quinn’s affection as something he has already won, or pretend that his earlier efforts succeeded. He says he was never able to persuade her before, but that he wants to try one more time. The admission is deliberate: thinking about Quinn hurts, as does allowing himself to think about the Dendarii, yet he names the wish rather than dismissing it. His hope is therefore real but uncertain, and the scene offers no assurance that Quinn will reciprocate.

Love, Loss, and the Unfinished Choice

The exchange frames Miles’s desire as a renewed attempt to be known in a different role. Illyan’s question specifically distinguishes Captain Quinn’s possible interest in Lord Vorkosigan from Miles’s life among the Dendarii; it is not a declaration that the two identities or their claims on Quinn have been reconciled. Nearby, Miles reflects that he has become too clever in his recent work and admits how much he liked winning. Against that history of achievement, the wish to try again with Quinn is a personal hope rather than a victory already secured. Their relationship remains unresolved: Miles intends to make another effort, while Quinn’s response and the outcome are left unstated.