lmb.shardsofhonor-第17章

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　〃Sergeant　Bothari？〃　she　hazarded。
　He　saluted　her；　the　first　Barrayaran　to　have　done　so。　〃Ma'am；〃　he　said；　and　fell　silent。
　〃I　want　to　go　to　sickbay；〃　she　said　uncertainly。
　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃　His　voice　was　a　deep　bass；　monotonous　in　its　cadence。　He　executed　a　neat　turn　and　led　off。　（Guessing　that　he　had　relieved　Koudelka　as　her　guide　and　keeper；　she　pattered　after　him。　She　was　not　quite　ready　to　attempt　light　conversation　with　him；　so　asked　him　no　questions　en　route。　He　offered　her　only　silence。　Watching　him；　it　occurred　to　her　that　a　guard　on　her　door　might　be　as　much　to　keep　others　out　as　her　in。　Her　stunner　seemed　suddenly　heavy　on　her　hip。
　At　sickbay　she　found　Dubauer　sitting　up　and　dressed　in　insignialess　black　fatigues　like　the　ones　she　had　been　issued。　His　hair　had　been　cut　and　he　had　been　shaved。　There　was　certainly　nothing　wrong　with　the　physical　care　he　was　receiving。　She　spoke　to　him　a　while；　until　her　own　voice　began　to　sound　inane　in　her　ears。　He　looked　at　her；　but　gave　little　other　reaction。
　She　caught　a　glimpse　of　Vorkosigan　in　a　private　chamber　off　the　main　ward；　and　he　motioned　her　to　enter。　He　was　dressed　in　plain　green　pajamas　of　the　standard　design；　and　was　sitting　up　in　bed　stabbing　away　with　a　light　pen　at　a　puter　interface　swung　over　it。　Curiously；　although　he　was　clothed　almost　civilian　style；　bootless　and　weaponless；　her　impression　of　him　was　unchanged。　He　seemed　a　man　who　could　carry　on　stark　naked；　and　only　make　those　around　him　feel　overdressed。　She　smiled　a　little　at　this　private　image；　and　greeted　him　with　a　sketchy　wave。　One　of　the　officers　who　had　escorted　him　to　sickbay　last　night　was　standing　by　the　bed。
　〃mander　Naismith；　this　is　Lieutenant　mander　Vorkalloner；　my　second　officer。　Excuse　me　a　moment；　captains　may　e　and　captains　may　go；　but　the　administration　goes　on　forever。〃
　〃Amen。〃
　Vorkalloner　looked　very　much　the　professional　Barrayaran　soldier；　he　might　have　stepped　out　of　a　recruiting　advertisement。　Yet　there　was　a　certain　underlying　humor　in　his　expression　that　made　her　think　him　a　tolerable　preview　of　Ensign　Koudelka　in　ten　or　twelve　years　time。
　〃Captain　Vorkosigan　speaks　highly　of　you；〃　said　Vorkalloner；　making　small　talk。　A　slight　frown　from　his　captain　at　this　opening　escaped　his　notice。　〃I　guess　if　we　could　only　catch　one　Betan；　you　were　the　best　choice。〃
　Vorkosigan　winced。　Cordelia　gave　him　a　slight　shake　of　her　head；　signaling　to　let　the　gaffe　pass。　He　shrugged；　and　began　tapping　out　something　on　his　keyboard。
　〃As　long　as　all　my　people　are　safely　on　their　way　home；　I'll　take　it　as　a　fair　trade。　Almost　all　of　them；　anyway。〃　Rosemont's　ghost　breathed　coldly　in　her　ear；　and　Vorkalloner　seemed　suddenly　less　amusing。　〃Why　were　you　all　so　anxious　to　put　us　in　a　bottle；　anyway？〃
　〃Why；　orders；〃　said　Vorkalloner　simply；　like　an　ancient　fundamentalist　who　answers　every　question　with　the　tautology；　〃Because　God　made　it　that　way。〃　Then　a　little　agnostic　doubt　began　to　creep　over　his　face。　〃Actually；　I　thought　we　might　have　been　sent　out　here　on　guard　duty　as　some　kind　of　punishment；〃　he　joked。
　The　remark　caught　Vorkosigan's　humor。　〃For　your　sins？　Your　cosmology　is　too　egocentric；　Aristede。〃　Leaving　Vorkalloner　to　unravel　that；　he　went　on　to　Cordelia；　〃Your　detention　was　intended　to　be　free　of　bloodshed。　It　would　have　been；　too；　but　for　that　other　little　matter　cropping　up　in　the　middle　of　it。　It　is　a　worthless　apology　for　some；〃　and　she　knew　he　shared　the　memory　of　Rosemont's　burial　in　the　cold　black　fog；　〃but　it　is　the　only　truth　I　can　offer　you。　The　responsibility　is　no　less　mine　for　that。　As　I　am　sure　someone　in　the　high　mand　will　point　out　when　this　arrives。〃　He　smiled　sourly　and　continued　typing。
　〃Well；　I　can't　say　I'm　sorry　to　have　messed　up　their　invasion　plans；〃　she　said　daringly。　There；　let's　see　what　that　stirs　up。。。
　〃What　invasion？〃　asked　Vorkalloner；　waking　up。
　〃I　was　afraid　you'd　figure　that　out；　once　you　saw　the　cache　caverns；〃　said　Vorkosigan　to　her。　〃It　was　still　being　hotly　debated　when　we　left；　and　the　expansionists　were　waving　the　advantage　of　surprise　as　a　big　stick　to　beat　the　peace　party。　Speaking　as　a　private　person…well；　I　have　not　that　right　while　in　uniform。　Let　it　go。〃
　〃What　invasion？〃　probed　Vorkalloner　hopefully。
　〃With　luck；　none；〃　answered　Vorkosigan；　allowing　himself　to　be　persuaded　to　partial　frankness。　〃One　of　those　was　enough　for　a　lifetime。〃　He　seemed　to　look　inward　on　private；　unpleasant　memories。
　Vorkalloner　plainly　found　this　a　baffling　attitude　from　the　Hero　of　Komarr。　〃It　was　a　great　victory；　sir。　With　very　little　loss　of　life。〃
　〃On　our　side。〃　Vorkosigan　finished　typing　his　report　and　signed　it　off；　then　entered　a　request　for　another　form　and　began　fencing　at　it　with　the　light　pen。
　〃That's　the　idea；　isn't　it？〃
　〃It　depends　on　whether　you　mean　to　stay　or　are　just　passing　through。　A　very　messy　political　legacy　was　left　at　Komarr。　Not　the　sort　of　thing　I　care　to　leave　in　trust　for　the　next　generation。　How　did　we　get　onto　this　subject？〃　He　finished　the　last　form。
　〃Who　were　they　thinking　of　invading？〃　asked　Cordelia　doggedly。
　〃Why　haven't　I　heard　anything　about　it？〃　asked　Vorkalloner。
　〃In　order；　that　is　classified　information；　and　it　is　not　being　discussed　below　the　level　of　the　General　Staff；　the　central　mittee　of　the　two　Councils；　and　the　Emperor。　That　means　this　conversation　is　to　go　no　farther；　Aristede。〃
　Vorkalloner　glanced　at　Cordelia　pointedly。　〃She's　not　on　the　General　Staff。　e　to　think　of　it…〃
　〃Neither　am　I；　anymore；〃　Vorkosigan　conceded。　〃As　for　our　guest；　I've　told　her　nothing　she　couldn't　deduce　for　herself。　As　for　myself；　my　opinion　was　requested　on…certain　aspects。　They　didn't　like　it；　once　they'd　got　it；　but　they　did　ask　for　it。〃　His　smile　was　not　at　all　nice。
　〃Is　that　why　you　were　shipped　out　of　town？〃　asked　Cordelia　perceptively；　feeling　she　was　beginning　to　get　the　hang　of　how　things　were　done　on　Barrayar。　〃So　Lieutenant　mander　Vorkalloner　was　right　about　pulling　guard　duty。　Was　your　opinion　requested　by；　uh；　a　certain　old　friend　of　your　fathers？〃
　〃It　certainly　wasn't　requested　by　the　Council　of　Ministers；〃　said　Vorkosigan；　but　refused　to　be　drawn　any　further；　and　changed　the　subject　firmly。　〃Have　my　men　been　treating　you　properly？〃
　〃Quite　well；　yes。〃
　〃My　surgeon　swears　he　will　release　me　this　afternoon；　if　I　am　good　and　stay　in　bed　this　morning。　May　I　stop　by　your　cabin　to　speak　with　you　privately　later？　There　are　some　things　I　need　to　make　clear。〃
　〃Sure；〃　she　responded；　thinking　the　request　was　phrased　rather　ominously。
　The　surgeon　came　in；　aggrieved。　〃You're　supposed　to　be　resting；　sir。〃　He　glared　pointedly　at　Cordelia　and　Vorkalloner。
　〃Oh；　very　well。　Send　these　off　with　the　next　courier；　Aristede；〃　he　pointed　to　the　screen；　〃along　with　the　verbals　and　the　formal　charges。〃
　The　doctor　herded　them　out；　as　Vorkosigan　began　typing　again。
　She　wandered　around　the　ship　for　the　rest　of　the　morning；　exploring　the　limits　of　her　parole。　Vorkosigan's　ship　was　a　confusing　warren　of　corridors；　sealable　levels；　tubes；　and　narrow　doors　designed；　she　realized　at　last；　to　be　defensible　from　boarding　parties　in　hand…to…hand　bat。　Sergeant　Bothari　kept　pace　with　slow　strides；　looming　silently　as　the　shadow　of　death　at　her　shoulder；　except　when　she　would　begin　to　make　a　turn　into　some　forbidden　door　or　corridor；　when　he　would　halt　abruptly　and　say；　〃No；　ma'am。〃　She　was　not　permitted　to　touch　anything；　though；　as　she　found　when　she　ran　a　hand　casually　over　a　control　panel；　eliciting　another　monotonous　〃No；　ma'am；〃　from　Bothari。　It　made　her　feel　like　a　two…year…old　being　taken　on　a　toddle。
　She　made　one　attempt　to　draw　him　out。
　〃Have　you　served　Captain　Vorkosigan　long？〃　she　inquired　brightly。
　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃
　Silence。　She　tried　again。　〃Do　you　like　him？〃
　〃No；　ma'am。〃
　Silence。
　〃Why　not？〃　This　at　least　could　not　have　a　yes…or…no　answer。　For　a　while　she　thought　he　wasn't　going　to　answer　at　all；　but　he　finally　came　up　with；　〃He's　a　Vor。〃
　〃Class　conflict？〃　she　hazarded。
　〃I　don't　like　Vors。〃
　〃I'm　not　a　Vor；〃　she　suggested。
　He　stared　through　her　glumly。　〃You're　like　a　Vor；　Ma'am。〃
　Unnerved；　she　gave　up。
　That　afternoon　she　made　herself　fortable