lmb.shardsofhonor-第14章

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　He　finished　securing　Gottyan's　legs　with　it；　gagged　him；　then　stood　a　moment　looking　up；　then　down　the　path。
　〃All　Cretans　are　liars；〃　murmured　Cordelia；　then　more　loudly；　〃North　or　south？〃
　〃An　interesting　question。　How　would　you　answer　it？〃
　〃I　had　a　teacher　who　used　to　reflect　back　my　questions　that　way。　I　thought　it　was　the　Socratic　method；　and　it　impressed　me　immensely；　until　I　found　out　he　used　it　whenever　he　didn't　know　the　answer。〃　Cordelia　stared　at　Gottyan；　whom　they　had　placed　in　the　spot　that　had　so　effectively　concealed　her；　wondering　whether　his　directions　marked　a　return　to　loyalty　or　a　last…ditch　effort　to　plete　Vorkosigan's　botched　assassination。　He　stared　back　in　puzzlement　and　hostility。
　〃North；〃　she　said　reluctantly　at　last。　She　and　Vorkosigan　exchanged　a　look　of　understanding；　and　he　nodded　briefly。
　〃e　on　then。〃
　They　started　quietly　up　the　path；　over　a　rise　and　through　a　hollow　dense　with　grey…green　thickets。　〃Have　you　known　Gottyan　long？〃
　〃We　served　together　for　the　last　four　years；　since　my　demotion。　He　was　a　good　career　officer；　I　thought。　Apolitical；　thorough。　He　has　a　family。〃
　〃Do　you　think　you　could…get　him　back；　later？〃
　〃Forgive　and　forget？　I　gave　him　a　chance　at　that。　He　turned　me　down。　Twice；　if　you're　right　in　your　choice　of　directions。〃　They　were　climbing　another　slope。　〃The　sentry　post　is　at　the　top。　Whoever's　there　will　be　able　to　scope　us　in　a　moment。　Drop　back　here　and　cover　me。　If　you　hear　firing…〃　he　paused；　〃use　your　initiative。〃
　Cordelia　smothered　a　short　laugh。　Vorkosigan　loosed　his　disruptor　in　its　holster　and　walked　openly　up　the　path；　making　plenty　of　noise。
　〃Sentry；　report；〃　she　heard　his　voice　call　firmly。
　〃Nothing　new　since…good　God；　it's　the　Captain！〃　followed　by　the　most　honestly　delighted　laugh　she　felt　she'd　heard　in　centuries。　She　leaned　against　a　tree；　suddenly　weak。　And　just　when　was　it；　she　asked　herself；　that　you　stopped　being　afraid　of　him　and　started　being　afraid　for　him？　And　why　is　this　new　fear　so　much　more　gut…wrenching　than　the　first？　You　don't　seem　to　have　e　out　ahead　on　the　trade；　have　you？
　〃You　can　e　out　now；　mander　Naismith；〃　Vorkosigan's　voice　carried　back　to　her。　She　rounded　the　last　stand　of　underbrush　and　climbed　a　grassy　knoll。　Camped　upon　it　were　two　young　men　looking　very　neat　and　military　in　their　clean　fatigues。　One；　taller　than　Vorkosigan　by　a　head；　with　a　boy's　face　on　a　man's　body；　she　recognized　from　her　view　through　the　scope　as　Koudelka。　He　was　shaking　his　Captain's　hand　with　unabashed　enthusiasm；　assuring　himself　of　its　unghostly　reality。　The　other　man's　hand　went　to　his　disruptor　when　he　saw　her　uniform。
　〃We　were　told　the　Betans　killed　you；　sir；〃　he　said　suspiciously。
　〃Yes；　it's　a　rumor　I've　had　difficulty　living　down；〃　said　Vorkosigan。　〃As　you　can　see；　it's　not　true。〃
　〃Your　funeral　was　splendid；〃　said　Koudelka。　〃You　should　have　been　there。〃
　〃Next　time；　perhaps；〃　Vorkosigan　grinned。
　〃Oh。　You　know　I　didn't　mean　it　that　way；　sir。　Lieutenant　Radnov　made　the　best　speech。〃
　〃I'm　sure。　He'd　probably　been　working　on　it　for　months。〃
　Koudelka；　a　little　quicker　on　the　uptake　than　his　panion；　said　〃Oh。〃　His　fellow　merely　looked　puzzled。
　Vorkosigan　went　on。　〃Permit　me　to　introduce　mander　Cordelia　Naismith；　of　the　Betan　Astronomical　Survey。　She　is。。。〃　he　paused；　and　Cordelia　waited　interestedly　to　hear　what　status　she　was　to　be　assigned；　〃ah。。。〃
　〃Sounds　like？〃　she　murmured　helpfully。
　Vorkosigan　closed　his　lips　firmly；　pressing　a　smile　out　straight。　〃My　prisoner；〃　he　chose　finally。　〃On　parole。　Except　for　access　to　classified　areas；　she　is　to　be　extended　every　courtesy。〃
　The　two　young　men　looked　impressed；　and　wildly　curious。　〃She's　armed；〃　Koudelka's　panion　pointed　out。
　〃And　a　good　thing；　too。〃　Vorkosigan　did　not　enlarge　on　this；　but　went　on　to　more　urgent　affairs。　〃Who　is　in　the　landing　party？〃
　Koudelka　rattled　off　a　list　of　names；　his　memory　jogged　occasionally　by　his　cohort。
　〃All　right；〃　Vorkosigan　sighed。　〃Radnov；　Darobey；　Sens；　and　Tafas　are　to　be　disarmed；　as　quietly　and　cleanly　as　possible；　and　placed　under　arrest　on　a　charge　of　mutiny。　There　will　be　some　others　later。　I　don't　want　any　munication　with　the　General　Vorkraft　until　they're　under　lock　and　key。　Do　you　know　where　Lieutenant　Buffa　is？〃
　〃In　the　caverns。　Sir？〃　Koudelka　was　starting　to　look　a　little　miserable；　as　he　began　to　deduce　what　was　happening。
　〃Yes？〃
　〃Are　you　sure　about　Tafas？〃
　〃Nearly。〃　Vorkosigan　gentled　his　voice。　〃They'll　be　tried。　That's　the　purpose　of　a　trial；　to　separate　the　guilty　from　the　innocent。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　Koudelka　accepted　this　limited　guarantee　for　the　welfare　of　a　man　Cordelia　guessed　must　be　his　friend　with　a　little　bow　of　his　head。
　〃Do　you　begin　to　see　why　I　said　the　statistics　about　civil　war　conceal　the　most　reality？〃　said　Vorkosigan。
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　Koudelka　met　his　eye　squarely；　and　Vorkosigan　nodded；　sure　of　his　man。
　〃All　right。　You　two　e　with　me。〃
　They　started　off；　Vorkosigan　taking　her　arm　again　and　scarcely　limping；　neatly　concealing　how　much　weight　he　was　putting　on　her。　They　followed　another　path　through　the　woodlands；　up　and　down　uneven　ground；　ing　out　within　sight　of　the　camouflaged　door　to　the　cache　caverns。
　The　waterfall　that　spun　down　beside　it　ended　in　a　little　pool；　spilling　over　into　a　pretty　stream　which　ran　off　into　the　woods。　A　strange　group　was　assembled　beside　it。　Cordelia　could　not　at　first　make　out　what　they　were　doing。　Two　Barrayarans　stood　watching　while　two　more　knelt　by　the　water。　As　they　approached　the　two　kneelers　stood；　hauling　a　dripping；　tan…clad　figure；　hands　tied　behind　his　back；　from　a　prone　position　to　his　feet。　He　coughed；　struggling　for　breath　in　sobbing　gasps。
　〃It's　Dubauer！〃　cried　Cordelia。　〃What　are　they　doing　to　him？〃
　Vorkosigan；　who　seemed　to　know　instantly　just　what　they　were　doing　to　him；　muttered　〃Oh；　hell；〃　and　started　forward　at　a　jerky　jog。　〃That's　my　prisoner！〃　he　roared　out　as　they　neared　the　group。　〃Hands　off　him！〃
　The　Barrayarans　braced　so　fast　it　looked　like　a　spinal　reflex。　Dubauer；　released；　fell　to　his　knees；　still　drawing　breath　in　long　sobs。　Cordelia；　running　past　them　to　Dubauer；　thought　she　had　never　seen　a　more　astonished…looking　array　of　men。　Dubauer's　hair；　swollen　face；　scanty　new　beard；　and　collar　were　soaking　wet；　his　eyes　were　red；　and　he　continued　to　cough　and　sneeze。　Horrified；　she　finally　realized　the　Barrayarans　had　been　holding　his　head　underwater　by　way　of　torture。
　〃What　is　this；　Lieutenant　Buffa？〃　Vorkosigan　pinned　the　senior　of　the　group　with　a　thunderous　frown。
　〃I　thought　the　Betans　killed　you；　sir！〃　said　Buffa。
　〃They　didn't；〃　Vorkosigan　said　shortly。　〃What　are　you　doing　with　this　Betan？〃
　〃Tafas　captured　him　in　the　woods；　sir。　We've　been　trying　to　question　him…find　out　if　there's　any　more　around…〃　he　glanced　at　Cordelia；　〃but　he　refuses　to　talk。　Hasn't　said　a　word。　And　I　always　thought　Betans　were　soft。〃
　Vorkosigan　rubbed　his　hand　over　his　face　for　a　moment；　as　if　praying　for　strength。
　〃Buffa；〃　he　said　patiently；　〃this　man　was　hit　by　disruptor　fire　five　days　ago。　He　can't　talk；　and　if　he　could　he　wouldn't　know　anything　anyway。〃
　〃Barbarians！〃　cried　Cordelia；　kneeling　on　the　ground。　Dubauer　had　recognized　her；　and　was　clutching　her。　〃You　Barrayarans　are　nothing　but　barbarians；　scoundrels；　and　assassins！〃
　〃And　fools。　Don't　leave　out　fools。〃　Vorkosigan　withered　Buffa　with　a　glare。　A　couple　of　the　men　had　the　good　grace　to　look　rather　ill；　as　well　as　ill　at　ease。　Vorkosigan　let　out　his　breath　with　a　sigh。　〃Is　he　all　right？〃
　〃Seems　to　be；〃　she　admitted　reluctantly。　〃But　he's　pretty　shaken　up。〃　She　was　shaking　herself　in　her　outrage。
　〃mander　Naismith；　I　apologize　for　my　men；〃　said　Vorkosigan　formally；　and　loudly；　so　that　no　one　there　could　mistake　that　their　Captain　humbled　himself　before　his　prisoner　because　of　them。
　〃Don't　click　your　heels　at　me；〃　muttered　Cordelia　savagely；　for　his　ear　alone。　At　his　bleak　look　she　relented　a　little；　and　said　more　loudly；　〃It　was　an　error　in　interpretation。〃　Her　eye　fell　on　Lieutenant　Buffa；　attempting　to　make　his　considerable　height　appear　to　melt　into　the　ground。　〃Any　blind　man　could　have　made　it。　Oh；　hell；〃　she　added；　for　Dub