[Gregor does not often deal with Jacksonians directly, that's for sure, but he has been briefed in it as he's been briefed on every other aspect of intergalactic diplomacy. Time to employ that lesson, then. He's alive to the nuance of that word, to Jacksonians.]

It changes the whole game, if you were Our loyal subject retroactively. You've done nothing against Us yet. If you were my liege-sworn, you would have suffered dearly in Our name, if I've any guess. Suffered until you could come back to Barrayar, no plot raised against us-- neutralizing the plot by your very allegiance, honestly. Your whole life would have been in service. I would owe you... a very large blank check. To be called upon at will.

[It's laughable, honestly. Gregor owes all of Barrayar a blank check, value infinite. This man would be getting no special treatment. But he doesn't imagine he can convince a Jacksonian of how that works, of the true character of loyalty; best to speak to him specifically, to his individual debt to this one individual hypothetical subject.]