lmb.shardsofhonor-第23章

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nd　cannulae　to　his　headset　and　settled　more　fortably　into　his　padded　chair；　ready　for　the　neurological　control　of　the　uping　wormhole　jump。
　Her　new　mand　was　a　slow　bulk　freighter；　unarmed；　a　steady　workhorse　of　the　Beta　Colony　Escobar　trade　run。　But　there　had　been　no　direct　munication　with　Escobar　for　over　sixty　days　now；　since　the　Barrayaran　invasion　fleet　had　plugged　the　Escobaran　side　of　the　exit　as　effectively　as　a　cork　in　a　bottle。　At　last　word　the　Barrayaran　and　Escobaran　fleets　were　still　maneuvering　in　a　deadly　gavotte　for　tactical　position；　with　little　actual　engagement。　The　Barrayarans　were　not　expected　to　mit　their　ground　forces　until　their　control　of　Escobaran　space　was　secure。
　Cordelia　intered　engineering。　〃Naismith　here。　You　about　ready　down　there？〃
　The　face　of　her　engineer；　a　man　she　had　first　met　but　two　days　ago；　appeared　on　the　screen。　He　was　young；　and　pulled　from　Survey　like　herself。　No　point　in　wasting　experienced　and　knowledgeable　military　personnel　on　this　excursion。　Like　Cordelia　he　wore　Survey　fatigues。　The　Expeditionary　Force　uniforms　were　rumored　to　be　in　the　works；　but　no　one　had　seen　them　yet。
　〃All　set；　Captain。〃
　No　fear　trembled　his　voice。　Well；　she　reflected；　perhaps　he　was　not　old　enough　yet　to　have　really　e　to　believe　in　death　after　life。　She　took　one　last　look　around；　settled　herself；　and　drew　a　breath。　〃Pilot；　the　ship　is　yours。〃
　〃Ship　accepted；　ma'am；〃　he　replied　formally。
　A　few　seconds　ticked　by。　An　unpleasant　wave　of　nausea　passed　over　her；　and　she　had　the　gluey；　unsettling　sensation　of　just　waking　up　from　a　bad　dream　she　could　not　remember。　The　jump　was　over。
　〃Ship　is　yours；　ma'am；〃　muttered　the　pilot　wearily。　The　few　seconds　she　had　experienced　translated　to　several　subjective　hours　for　him。
　〃Ship　accepted；　Pilot。〃　She　grabbed　for　the　console　and　began　punching　up　a　look　at　the　tactical　situation　into　which　they　had　popped。　There　had　been　nothing　through　this　passage　for　a　month；　she　hoped　fervently　the　Barrayaran　crews　would　be　bored　and　slow　on　the　uptake。
　There　they　were。　Six　ships；　two　of　them　starting　to　move　already。　So　much　for　slow　on　the　uptake。
　〃Right　through　the　middle　of　'em；　Pilot；〃　she　ordered；　keying　data　to　him。　〃It's　best　if　we　can　draw　'em　all　off　their　stations。〃
　The　two　moving　ships　neared　rapidly；　and　began　firing　with　leisurely　accuracy。　They　were　taking　their　time；　and　making　every　shot　count。　Just　a　little　target　practice；　that's　all　we　are；　she　thought。　I'll　give　you　target　practice。　All　non…shield　power　systems　dimmed；　and　the　ship　seemed　to　groan　as　the　plasma　fire　engulfed　it。　Then　they　cut　across　the　tickling　limit　of　the　Barrayarans'　range。
　She　called　engineering。　〃Projection　ready？〃
　〃Ready　and　steady。〃
　〃Go。〃
　Twelve　thousand　kilometers　behind　them；　as　if　just　emerged　from　the　wormhole；　a　Betan　dreadnought　sprang　into　being。　It　accelerated　astonishingly　for　so　large　a　craft；　indeed；　its　speed　matched　their　own。　It　followed　them　like　an　arrow。
　〃Aha！〃　She　clapped　her　hands　in　delight；　and　cried　into　the　inter；　〃We've　fetched　'em！　They're　all　moving　now。　Oh；　better　and　better！〃
　Their　pursuit　ships　slowed；　preparing　to　turn　and　attack　this　much　bigger　prize。　The　four　ships　that　had　previously　remained　properly　on　station　began　to　wheel　away　also。　Minutes　sped　by　as　they　jockeyed　for　position。　The　last　Barrayaran　ships　wasted　little　fire　on　them；　scarcely　more　than　a　salute；　their　attention　all　drawn　to　big　brother　behind　them。　The　Barrayaran　manders　undoubtedly　felt　themselves　to　be　in　a　fine　tactical　position；　spread　out　in　a　gauntlet　and　beginning　a　withering　fire。　The　little　ship　preceding　the　warship　was　on　the　far　side　of　them　from　Escobar；　with　nowhere　to　go。　They　could　pick　it　off　at　their　leisure。
　Her　own　shields　were　down　now；　and　acceleration　failing　as　the　ghastly　power　drain　of　the　projector　took　its　toll。　But　minute　by　precious　minute　the　Barrayaran　blockaders　were　being　drawn　farther　from　their　assigned　mousehole。
　〃We　can　keep　this　up　for　about　ten　more　minutes；〃　the　engineer　called　up。
　〃All　right。　Save　enough　power　to　slag　it　when　you're　done。　If　we're　captured　mand　doesn't　want　one　molecule　left　connected　to　another　for　the　Barrayarans　to　puzzle　back　together。〃
　〃What　a　crime。　It's　such　a　beautiful　machine。　I'm　dying　for　a　look　inside。〃
　You　might；　too；　if　the　Barrayarans　capture　us；　she　thought。　She　directed　all　her　ship's　eyes　back　along　their　route。　Far；　far　back　at　the　wormhole　exit；　the　first　real　Betan　freighter　winked　into　existence　and　began　to　boost　for　Escobar；　unopposed。　It　was　the　newest　addition　to　the　merchant　fleet；　stripped　of　weapons　and　shields；　rebuilt　to　do　two　things　only　now；　carry　a　heavy　payload　and　go　like　hell。　Then　the　second；　and　the　third。　That　was　it。　They　were　away；　and　with　a　start　the　Barrayarans　could　never　hope　to　close。
　The　Betan　dreadnought　exploded　with　a　spectacular　radioactive　light　show。　Unfortunately；　there　was　no　way　to　fake　debris。　I　wonder　how　long　it　will　take　the　Barrayarans　to　figure　out　they've　been　had？　she　thought。　I　sincerely　hope　they　have　a　sense　of　humor。。。
　Her　ship　drifted　dead　in　space　now；　its　power　nearly　depleted。　She　felt　light　in　the　head；　and　realized　it　wasn't　psychosomatic。　The　artificial　gravity　was　failing。
　They　rendezvoused　with　the　engineer　and　his　two　assistants　at　the　shuttle　hatch；　traveling　with　gazelle…like　leaps　that　turned　into　bird…like　swoops　as　the　gravity　gave　up　the　ghost。　The　shuttle　which　was　to　be　their　lifeboat　was　a　stripped…down　model；　cramped　and　fortless。　Into　it　they　floated　and　sealed　the　hatch。　The　pilot　slid　into　the　control　chair　and　lowered　his　headset；　and　the　shuttle　kicked　away　from　the　side　of　their　dying　ship。
　The　engineer　floated　to　her　and　handed　her　a　little　black　box。　〃I　thought　you　ought　to　do　the　honors；　Captain。〃
　〃Ha。　I　bet　you　wouldn't　kill　your　own　dinner；　either；〃　she　replied；　trying　to　lighten　the　mood。　They　had　served　their　ship　together　for　barely　five　hours；　but　it　still　hurt。　〃Are　we　out　of　range；　Parnell？〃
　〃Yes；　Captain。〃
　〃Gentlemen；〃　she　said；　and　paused；　gathering　them　in　by　eye；　〃I　thank　you　all。　Look　away　from　the　left　port；　please。〃
　She　pulled　the　lever　on　the　box。　There　was　a　soundless　flash　of　brilliant　blue　light；　and　a　general　rush　for　the　tiny　port　immediately　after　to　see　the　last　red　glow　as　the　ship　folded　into　itself；　carrying　its　military　secrets　to　a　wandering　grave。
　They　shook　hands　solemnly　all　around；　some　right　side　up；　some　upside　down；　some　floating　at　other　angles；　then　secured　themselves。　Cordelia　pulled　herself　into　the　navigation　station　beside　Parnell；　strapped　in；　and　ran　a　quick　check　of　its　systems。
　〃Now　es　the　tricky　part；〃　murmured　Parnell。　〃I'd　still　be　happier　with　a　straight　max　boost　and　try　to　outrun　'em。〃
　〃We　could　get　away　from　those　fat　battlewagons；　maybe；〃　Cordelia　conceded。　〃But　their　fast　couriers　would　eat　us　alive。　At　least　we　look　like　a　rock；〃　she　added；　thinking　of　the　artistic；　probe…reflective　camouflage　that　encased　the　lifeboat　like　a　shell。
　Several　minutes　of　silence　followed；　as　she　concentrated　on　her　work。　〃All　right；〃　she　spoke　at　last；　〃let's　sneak　out　of　this　neighborhood。　It's　going　to　be　overcrowded　very　soon。〃
　She　did　not　fight　the　acceleration；　but　let　it　press　her　back　into　her　seat。　Tired。　She　hadn't　thought　it　possible　to　be　more　tired　than　she　was　afraid。　This　war　nonsense　was　a　great　psychological　education。　That　chronometer　had　to　be　wrong。　Surely　it　had　been　a　year；　and　not　an　hour。。。　A　small　light　blinked　on　her　control　panel。　Fear　washed　the　weariness　back　out　of　her　body　with　a　rush。
　〃Kill　everything；〃　she　ordered；　tapping　controls　herself；　and　was　instantly　plunged　into　weightless　darkness。　〃Parnell；　give　us　a　little　realistic　tumble。〃　Her　inner　ear　and　a　greasy　queasiness　in　her　belly　told　her　she　was　obeyed。
　Now　her　sense　of　time　began　to　be　truly　disordered。　Darkness　and　silence　reigned；　but　for　an　occasional　whisper　of　movement；　fabric　on　plastic；　as　someone　stirred　in　his　seat。　In　her　imagination　she　felt　the　Barrayaran　probes　touching　her　ship；　touching　her；　icy　fingers　up　her　back。　I　am　a　rock。　I　am　a　void。　I　am　a　silence。。。　In　the　rear　the　silence　was