lmb.shardsofhonor-第16章

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ces。　They　can　find　out　how　they　like　spending　a　few　nights　in　the　woods。〃　His　eyes　glinted　at　the　vision。　〃We　can　pick　them　up　later。　They've　nowhere　to　go。〃
　Cordelia　pushed　Dubauer　ahead　of　her　into　the　shuttle；　a　bare　and　rather　decrepit　troop　transport；　and　settled　him　in　a　free　seat。　With　the　arrival　of　the　last　patrol　the　shuttle　seemed　crammed　with　Barrayarans；　including　the　huddled　and　subdued　prisoners；　hapless　subordinates　of　the　escaped　ringleaders；　bound　in　back。　They　all　seemed　such　large　and　muscular　young　men。　Indeed；　Vorkosigan　was　the　shortest　one　she'd　seen　so　far。
　They　stared　at　her　curiously；　and　she　caught　snatches　of　conversation　in　two　or　three　languages。　It　wasn't　hard　to　guess　their　content；　and　she　smiled　a　bit　grimly。　Youth；　it　appeared；　was　full　of　illusions　as　to　how　much　sexual　energy　two　people　might　have　to　spare　while　hiking　forty　or　so　kilometers　a　day；　concussed；　stunned；　diseased；　on　poor　food　and　little　sleep；　alternating　caring　for　a　wounded　man　with　avoiding　being　dinner　for　every　carnivore　within　range…and　with　a　coup　to　plan　for　at　the　end。　Old　folks；　too；　of　thirty…three　and　forty　plus。　She　laughed　to　herself；　and　closed　her　eyes；　shutting　them　out。
　Vorkosigan　returned　from　the　forward　pilot's　partment；　and　slid　in　beside　her。　〃Are　you　doing　all　right？〃
　She　gave　him　a　nod。　〃Yes。　Rather　overwhelmed　by　all　these　herds　of　boys。　I　think　you　Barrayarans　are　the　only　ones　who　don't　carry　mixed　crews。　Why　is　that；　I　wonder？〃
　〃Partly　tradition；　partly　to　maintain　an　aggressive　outlook。　They　haven't　been　annoying　you？〃
　〃No；　amusing　me　only。　I　wonder　if　they　realize　how　they　are　used？〃
　〃Not　a　bit。　They　think　they　are　the　emperors　of　creation。〃
　〃Poor　lambs。〃
　〃That's　not　how　I'd　describe　them。〃
　〃I　was　thinking　of　animal　sacrifice。〃
　〃Ah。　That's　closer。〃
　The　shuttle's　engines　began　to　whine；　and　they　rose　into　the　air。　They　circled　the　cratered　mountain　once；　then　struck　east　and　upward　to　the　sky。　Cordelia　watched　out　the　window　as　the　land　they　had　so　painfully　traversed　on　foot　swept　under　them　in　as　many　minutes　as　they　had　taken　days。　They　soared　over　the　great　mountain　where　Rosemont　lay　rotting；　close　enough　to　see　the　snowcap　and　glaciers　gleaming　orange　in　the　setting　sun。　They　passed　on　east　through　nightrise；　and　dead　of　night；　the　horizon　curved　away；　and　they　broke　into　the　perpetual　day　of　space。
　As　they　approached　the　General　Vorkraft's　parking　orbit　Vorkosigan　left　her　again　to　go　forward　and　supervise。　He　seemed　to　be　receding　from　her；　absorbed　back　into　the　matrix　of　men　and　duty　from　which　he　had　been　torn。　Well；　surely　they　would　have　some　quiet　times　together　in　the　months　ahead。　Quite　a　few　months；　by　what　Gottyan　had　said。　Pretend　you're　an　anthropologist；　she　told　herself；　studying　the　savage　Barrayarans。　Think　of　it　as　a　vacation…you　wanted　a　long　vacation　after　this　Survey　tour　anyway。　Well；　here　it　is。　Her　fingers　were　picking　loose　threads　from　the　seat；　and　she　stilled　them　with　a　slight　frown。
　They　made　their　docking　very　cleanly；　and　the　mob　of　hulking　soldiers　rose；　gathered　their　equipment；　and　clattered　out。　Koudelka　appeared　at　her　elbow；　and　informed　her　he　was　assigned　as　her　guide。　Guard；　more　likely…or　babysitter…she　did　not　feel　very　dangerous　this　moment。　She　gathered　Dubauer　and　followed　him　aboard　Vorkosigan's　ship。
　It　smelled　different　from　her　Survey　ship；　colder；　full　of　bare　unpainted　metal　and　cost…effective　shortcuts　taken　out　of　fort　and　decor；　like　the　difference　between　a　living　room　and　a　locker　room。　Their　first　destination　was　sickbay；　to　drop　off　Dubauer。　It　was　a　clean；　austere　series　of　rooms；　much　larger　even　proportionally　than　her　Survey　ship's；　prepared　to　handle　plenty　of　pany。　It　was　nearly　deserted　now；　but　for　the　chief　surgeon　and　a　couple　of　corpsmen　whiling　away　their　duty　hours　doing　inventory；　and　a　lone　soldier　with　a　broken　arm　kicking　his　heels　and　kibitzing。　Dubauer　was　examined　by　the　doctor；　whom　Cordelia　suspected　was　more　expert　at　disruptor　injuries　than　her　own　surgeon；　and　turned　over　to　the　corpsmen　to　be　washed　and　bedded　down。
　〃You're　going　to　have　another　customer　shortly；〃　Cordelia　told　the　surgeon；　who　was　one　of　Vorkosigan's　four　men　over　forty。　〃Your　captain　has　a　really　filthy　infection　going　on　his　shin。　It's　gone　systemic。　Also；　I　don't　know　what　those　little　blue　pills　are　you　fellows　have　in　your　medkits；　but　by　what　he　said　the　one　he　took　this　morning　ought　to　be　running　out　just　about　now。〃
　〃That　damned　poison；〃　the　doctor　bitched。　〃Sure；　it's　effective；　but　they　could　find　something　less　wearing。　Not　to　mention　the　trouble　we　have　hanging　on　to　them。〃
　Cordelia　suspected　this　last　was　the　crux　of　the　matter。　The　doctor　busied　himself　setting　up　the　antibiotic　synthesizer　and　preparing　it　for　programming。　Cordelia　watched　the　expressionless　Dubauer　put　to　bed；　the　start；　she　saw；　of　an　endless　series　of　hospital　days　as　straight　and　same　as　a　tunnel　to　the　end　of　his　life。　The　cold　whispering　doubt　of　whether　she　had　done　him　a　service　would　be　forever　added　to　her　inventory　of　night　thoughts。　She　dawdled　around　him　for　a　while；　covertly　waiting　for　the　arrival　of　her　other　ex…charge。
　Vorkosigan　came　in　at　last；　acpanied；　in　fact　supported；　by　a　couple　of　other　officers　she　had　not　yet　met；　and　giving　orders。　He　had　obviously　cut　his　timing　too　fine；　for　he　looked　frighteningly　bad。　He　was　white；　sweating；　and　trembling；　and　Cordelia　thought　she　could　see　where　the　lines　on　his　face　would　be　when　he　was　seventy。
　〃Haven't　you　been　taken　care　of　yet？〃　he　asked　when　he　saw　her。　〃Where's　Koudelka？　I　thought　I　told　him…oh；　there　you　are。　She's　to　have　the　Admiral's　cabin。　Did　I　say　that？　And　stop　by　stores　and　get　her　some　clothes。　And　dinner。　And　a　new　charge　for　her　stunner。〃
　〃I'm　fine。　Hadn't　you　better　lie　down　yourself？〃　said　Cordelia　anxiously。
　Vorkosigan；　still　on　his　feet；　was　wandering　around　in　circles　like　a　wind…up　toy　with　a　damaged　mainspring。　〃Got　to　let　Bothari　out；〃　he　muttered。　〃He'll　be　hallucinating　by　now。〃
　〃You　just　did　that；　sir；〃　reminded　one　of　the　officers。　The　surgeon　caught　his　eye；　and　jerked　his　head　meaningfully　toward　the　examining　table。　Together　they　intercepted　Vorkosigan　in　his　orbit；　propelled　him　semi…forcibly　to　it；　and　made　him　lie　down。
　〃It's　those　damned　pills；〃　the　surgeon　explained　to　Cordelia；　taking　pity　on　her　alarmed　look。　〃He'll　be　all　right　in　the　morning；　except　for　lethargy　and　a　hell　of　a　headache。〃
　The　surgeon　turned　back　to　his　task；　to　cut　the　taut　trouser　away　from　the　swollen　leg；　and　swear　under　his　breath　at　what　he　found　beneath。　Koudelka　glanced　over　the　surgeon's　shoulder；　and　turned　back　to　Cordelia　with　a　false　smile　pinned　over　a　green　face。
　Cordelia　nodded　and　reluctantly　withdrew；　leaving　Vorkosigan　in　the　hands　of　his　professionals。　Koudelka；　seeming　to　enjoy　his　role　as　courier　even　though　it　had　caused　him　to　miss　the　show　of　his　captain's　return　on　board；　led　her　off　to　stores　for　clothing；　disappeared　with　her　stunner；　and　dutifully　returned　it　fully　charged。　It　seemed　to　go　against　his　grain。
　〃There's　not　a　whole　lot　I　could　do　with　it　anyway；〃　she　said　at　the　dubious　look　on　his　face。
　〃No；　no；　the　old　man　said　you　were　to　have　it。　I'm　not　going　to　argue　with　him　about　prisoners。　It's　a　sensitive　subject　with　him。〃
　〃So　I　understand。　I　might　point　out；　if　it　will　help　your　perspective；　that　our　two　governments　are　not　at　war　as　far　as　I　know；　and　that　I　am　being　unlawfully　detained。〃
　Koudelka　puzzled　over　this　attempted　readjustment　of　his　point…of…view；　then　let　it　bounce　harmlessly　off　his　impermeable　habits　of　thought。　Carrying　her　new　kit；　he　led　her　to　her　quarters。
　
　CHAPTER　FIVE
　Stepping　out　of　her　cabin　door　next　morning　she　found　a　guard　posted。　The　top　of　her　head　was　level　with　his　broad　shoulders；　and　his　face　reminded　her　of　an　overbred　borzoi；　narrow；　hook…nosed；　with　his　eyes　too　close　together。　She　realized　at　once　where　she　had　seen　him　before；　at　a　distance　in　a　dappled　wood；　and　had　a　moment　of　residual　fear。
　〃Sergeant　Bothari？〃　she　hazarded。
　He　saluted　her；　the　first　Barrayaran　to　have　done　so。　〃Ma'am；〃　he　said；　and　fell　si