lmb.shardsofhonor-第20章

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　Stuben；　anticipating　a　warmer　reception；　was　momentarily　nonplussed。　〃We　took　a　vote；〃　he　said　simply；　as　though　it　explained　everything。
　Cordelia　shook　her　head　helplessly。　〃You　would。　A　vote。　Right。〃　She　buried　her　face　in　her　hands　a　moment；　and　sobbed　a　laugh。　〃Why？〃　she　asked　through　her　fingers。
　〃We　identified　the　Barrayaran　ship　as　the　General　Vorkraft…looked　it　up　and　found　out　who　was　in　mand。　We　just　couldn't　leave　you　in　the　hands　of　the　Butcher　of　Komarr。　It　was　unanimous。〃
　She　was　momentarily　diverted。　〃How　the　devil　did　you　get　a　unanimous　vote　out　of…no；　never　mind；〃　she　cut　him　off　as　he　began　to　answer；　a　self…satisfied　gleam　starting　in　his　eye。　I　shall　beat　my　head　against　the　wall…no。　Got　to　have　more　information。　And　so　does　he。
　〃Do　you　realize；〃　she　said　carefully；　〃that　the　Barrayarans　were　planning　to　bring　an　invasion　fleet　through　here；　to　attack　Escobar　by　surprise？　If　you　had　reached　home　and　reported　this　planets　existence；　their　chance　of　surprise　would　have　been　destroyed。　Now　all　bets　are　off。　Where　is　the　Rene　Magritte　now；　and　how　did　you　ever　get　in　here？〃
　Lieutenant　Stuben　looked　astonished。　〃How　did　you　find　all　that　out？〃
　〃Time；　time；〃　Lieutenant　Lai　reminded　him　anxiously；　tapping　his　wrist　chronometer。
　Stuben　went　on。　〃Let　me　tell　you　on　the　way　to　the　shuttle。　Do　you　know　where　Dubauer　is？　He　wasn't　in　the　brig。〃
　〃Yes；　what　shuttle？　No…begin　at　the　beginning。　I've　got　to　know　everything　before　we　set　foot　in　the　corridor。　I　take　it　they　know　you're　aboard？〃　The　beat　of　the　klaxon　still　sounded　outside；　and　she　cringed　in　expectation　of　her　door　bursting　inward　at　any　moment。
　〃No；　they　don't。　That's　the　beauty　of　it；〃　said　Stuben　proudly。　〃We　had　the　greatest　piece　of　luck。
　〃They　pursued　us　for　two　days　when　we　first　ran　off。　I　didn't　put　on　full　power…just　enough　to　stay　out　of　their　range　and　keep　them　trailing　us。　I　thought　we　might　still　get　a　chance　to　circle　back　and　pick　you　up；　somehow。　Then　all　of　a　sudden　they　stopped；　turned　around；　and　started　back　here。
　〃We　waited　until　they　were　well　away；　then　turned　around　ourselves。　We　hoped　you　were　still　hiding　in　the　woods。〃
　〃No；　I　was　captured　the　first　night。　Go　on。〃
　〃We　got　everything　lined　up；　put　on　max　boost；　then　cut　everything　we　could　think　of　that　made　electromagnetic　noise。　The　projector　worked　fine　as　a　muffler；　by　the　way；　just　like　Ross's　simulation　last　month。　We　waltzed　right　past　'em　and　they　never　blinked…〃
　〃For　God's　sake；　Stu；　stick　to　the　point；〃　muttered　Lai。　〃We　haven't　got　all　day。〃　He　bounced　on　his　heels　in　impatience。
　〃If　that　projector　falls　into　Barrayaran　hands…〃　began　Cordelia　in　rising　tones。
　〃It　won't；　I　tell　you。　Anyway；　the　Rene　Magritte's　making　a　parabola　around　the　sun…as　soon　as　they　get　close　enough　to　be　masked　by　its　noise；　they're　supposed　to　brake　and　boost；　then　shoot　back　through　here　for　a　pickup。　We'll　have　a　two…hour　time　window　to　match　velocities　starting…well；　starting　about　ten　minutes　ago。〃
　〃Too　chancey；〃　criticized　Cordelia；　all　the　possible　disasters　inherent　in　this　scenario　parading　through　her　imagination。
　〃It　worked；〃　defended　Stuben。　〃…at　least；　it's　going　to　work。　Then　we　struck　it　lucky。　We　found　these　two　Barrayarans　wandering　in　the　woods　while　we　were　looking　for　you　and　Dubauer…〃
　Cordelia's　stomach　tightened。　〃Radnov　and　Darobey；　by　chance？〃
　Stuben　stared。　〃How　did　you　know？〃
　〃Go　on；　just　go　on。〃
　〃They　were　the　ringleaders　of　a　conspiracy　to　unseat　that　homicidal　maniac　Vorkosigan。　Vorkosigan　was　after　them；　so　they　were　glad　to　see　us。〃
　〃I'll　bet。　Just　like　manna　from　heaven。〃
　〃A　Barrayaran　patrol　shuttled　down　after　them。　We　set　up　an　ambush…stunned　them　all；　except　for　one　Radnov　shot　with　a　nerve　disruptor。　Those　guys　really　play　for　keeps。〃
　〃Do　you　happen　to　know　which…no；　never　mind。　Go　on。〃　Her　stomach　churned。
　〃We　took　their　uniforms；　took　their　shuttle；　and　slid　on　up　to　the　General　as　neat　as　you　please。　Radnov　and　Darobey　between　'em　knew　all　the　countersigns。　We　made　it　to　the　brig…that　was　easy；　it　was　where　they　were　expecting　their　patrol　to　go　anyway…we　thought　you　and　Dubauer　would　be　there。　Radnov　and　Darobey　let　all　their　buddies　out；　and　went　to　take　over　the　engine　room。　They　can　cut　off　any　system　from　there；　weapons；　life　support；　anything。　They're　supposed　to　cut　weapons　when　we　make　our　break　with　the　shuttle。〃
　〃I　wouldn't　count　on　that；〃　Cordelia　warned。
　〃No　matter；〃　said　Stuben　cheerfully。　〃The　Barrayarans　will　be　so　busy　fighting　each　other　we　can　walk　right　through。　Think　of　the　splendid　irony！　The　Butcher　of　Komarr；　shot　by　his　own　men！　Now　I　know　how　judo　is　supposed　to　work。〃
　〃Splendid；〃　she　echoed　hollowly。　His　head；　she　thought…I'm　going　to　beat　his　head　against　the　wall；　not　mine。　〃How　many　of　us　are　aboard？〃
　〃Six。　Two　at　the　shuttle；　two　looking　for　Dubauer；　and　we　two　to　get　you。〃
　〃Nobody　left　planetside？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃All　right。〃　She　rubbed　her　face　tensely；　ravenous　for　inspiration　that　would　not　e。　〃What　a　mess。　Dubauer's　in　sickbay；　by　the　way。　Disruptor　damage。〃　She　decided　not　to　detail　his　condition　just　then。
　〃Filthy　killers；〃　said　Lai。　〃I　hope　they　choke　each　other。〃
　She　turned　to　the　library　interface　by　her　bed；　and　dialed　up　the　crude　schematic　map　of　the　General　Vorkraft；　minus　technical　data；　that　the　library　was　programmed　to　allow　her。　〃Study　this；　and　figure　out　your　route　to　sickbay　and　the　shuttle　hatch。　I'm　going　to　find　something　out。　Stay　here　and　don't　answer　the　door。　Who　are　the　other　two　wandering　around　out　there？〃
　〃McIntyre　and　Big　Pete。〃
　〃Well；　at　least　they　have　a　better　chance　of　passing　for　Barrayarans　close　up　than　you　two　do。〃
　〃Captain；　where　are　you　going？　Why　can't　we　just　go？〃
　〃I'll　explain　it　when　I　have　a　week　to　spare。　This　time　follow　your　damned　orders。　Stay　here！〃
　She　slipped　out　the　door　and　dog…trotted　toward　the　bridge。　Her　nerves　screamed　to　run；　but　it　would　draw　too　much　attention。　She　passed　a　group　of　four　Barrayarans　hurrying　somewhere；　they　barely　spared　her　a　glance。　She　had　never　been　more　glad　to　be　a　wallflower。
　She　found　Vorkosigan　on　the　bridge　with　his　officers；　clustered　intently　around　the　inter　from　engineering。　Bothari　was　there　too；　looming　like　Vorkosigan's　sad　shadow。
　〃Who's　that　guy　on　the　m？〃　she　whispered　to　Vorkalloner。　〃Radnov？〃
　〃Yes。　Sh。〃
　The　face　was　speaking。　〃Vorkosigan；　Gottyan；　and　Vorkalloner；　one　by　one；　at　two…minute　intervals。　Unarmed；　or　all　life　support　systems　will　be　cut　off　throughout　the　ship。　You　have　fifteen　minutes　before　we　start　letting　in　the　vacuum。　Ah。　Have　you　patched　it　in？　Good。　Better　not　waste　time；　Captain。〃　His　inflection　made　the　rank　a　deadly　insult。
　The　face　vanished；　but　the　voice　returned　ghost…like　over　the　loudspeaker　system。　〃Soldiers　of　Barrayar；〃　it　blared。　〃Your　Captain　has　betrayed　the　Emperor　and　the　Council　of　Ministers。　Don't　let　him　betray　you　too。　Turn　him　over　to　the　proper　authority；　your　Political　Officer；　or　we　will　be　forced　to　slay　the　innocent　with　the　guilty。　In　fifteen　minutes　we　will　cut　life　support…〃
　〃Cut　that　off；〃　said　Vorkosigan　irritably。　〃Can't　sir；〃　said　a　technician。　Bothari；　more　direct；　unslung　his　plasma　arc　and　with　a　negligent　gesture　fired　from　the　hip。　The　speaker　exploded　off　the　wall　and　several　men　ducked　the　molten　fragments。
　〃Hey；　we　might　need　that　ourselves；〃　began　Vorkalloner　indignantly。
　〃Never　mind；〃　Vorkosigan　waved　him　down。　〃Thank　you；　Sergeant。〃　A　distant　echo　of　the　voice　continued　from　loudspeakers　all　over　the　ship。
　〃There's　no　time　for　anything　more　elaborate；　I'm　afraid；〃　Vorkosigan　said；　apparently　winding　up　a　planning　session。　〃Go　ahead　with　your　engineering　idea；　Lieutenant　Saint　Simon；　if　you　can　get　it　in　place　in　time；　so　much　the　better。　I'm　sure　we'd　all　rather　be　clever　than　brave。〃　The　lieutenant　nodded　and　hurried　out。　〃If　he　can't；　I'm　afraid　we'll　have　to　rush　them；〃　Vorkosigan　went　on。　〃They　are　perfectly　capable　of　killing　everyone　aboard　and　re…recording　the　log　to　prove　anything　they　please。　Between　Darobey　and　Tafas　they　have　the　technical　know…how。　I　want　volunteers。　Myself　and　Bothari；　of　course。〃
　A　unanimous　choru