lmb.shardsofhonor-第27章

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o　of　the　hair；　and　Vorrutyer　dropped　between　her　legs　and　slithered　down　out　of　sight　over　the　end　of　the　bed。
　The　Sergeant　stood　hulkingly；　breathing　heavily；　by　the　end　of　the　bed。　Cordelia　could　not　remember　if　she'd　screamed。　No　matter；　odds　were　no　one　paid　much　attention　to　screams　ing　out　of　this　room　anyway。　She　felt　frozen　and　bloodless　in　her　hands；　face；　feet；　her　heart　hammered。
　She　cleared　her　throat。　〃Uh；　thank　you；　Sergeant　Bothari。　That　was　a　very；　uh；　knightly　deed。　Do　you　suppose　you　could　unbuckle　me；　too？〃　Her　voice　squeaked　uncontrollably；　and　she　swallowed；　irritated　at　it。
　She　regarded　Bothari　with　terrorized　fascination。　There　was　absolutely　no　way　of　predicting　what　he　might　do　next。　Muttering　to　himself；　with　a　look　of　bewilderment　on　his　face；　he　fumbled　apart　the　buckle　on　her　left　wrist。　Swiftly；　stiffly；　she　rolled　over　and　loosed　the　right　wrist；　then　sat　up　and　undid　the　ankles。　She　sat　cross…legged　a　moment　in　the　center　of　the　bed；　stark　naked　and　dripping　with　blood；　rubbing　ankles　and　wrists　and　trying　to　get　her　paralyzed　brain　into　motion。
　〃Clothes。　Clothes；〃　she　muttered　to　herself。　She　peeked　over　the　end　of　the　bed　at　the　crumpled　form　of　the　late　Admiral　Vorrutyer；　pants　about　his　ankles　and　his　last　look　of　surprise　frozen　on　his　face。　The　great　brown　eyes　had　lost　their　liquid　glow；　and　were　already　beginning　to　film　over。
　She　slipped　out　of　the　side　of　the　bed　away　from　Bothari　and　began　searching　frantically　through　the　metal　drawers　and　cupboards　that　lined　the　room。　A　couple　of　the　drawers　contained　his　toy　collection；　and　she　shut　them　hastily；　nauseated；　finally　understanding　what　he'd　meant　by　his　last　words。　The　man's　taste　in　perversions　had　certainly　had　remarkable　scope。　Some　uniforms；　all　with　too　much　yellow　insignia。　At　last　she　found　a　set　of　plain　black　fatigues。　She　wiped　the　blood　from　her　body　with　a　soft　dressing　gown；　and　flung　them　on。
　Sergeant　Bothari　meanwhile　had　sat　on　the　floor；　curled　up　with　his　head　resting　on　his　knees；　talking　under　his　breath。　She　knelt　beside　him。　Was　he　starting　to　hallucinate？　She　had　to　get　him　to　his　feet；　and　out　of　here。　They　could　not　count　on　being　undiscovered　much　longer。　Yet　where　could　they　hide？　Or　was　it　adrenaline；　not　reason；　that　demanded　flight？　Was　there　a　better　option？
　As　she　hesitated；　the　door　slammed　suddenly　open。　She　cried　out　for　the　first　time。　But　the　man　standing　white…faced　in　the　aperture　with　the　plasma　arc　in　his　hand　was　Vorkosigan。
　
　CHAPTER　EIGHT
　She　sighed　shakily　at　the　sight　of　him；　and　the　paralyzing　panic　streamed　out　of　her　in　that　long　breath。　〃My　God；　you　almost　gave　me　heart　failure；〃　she　managed　in　a　small　tight　voice。　〃e　in；　and　close　the　door。〃
　His　lips　moved　silently　around　the　shape　of　her　name；　and　he　entered；　a　sudden　panic　in　his　face　almost　matching　her　own。　Then　she　saw　he　was　followed　by　another　officer；　a　lieutenant　with　brown　hair　and　a　bland　puppy　face。　So　she　did　not　fling　herself　upon　him　and　shriek　into　his　shoulder；　as　she　passionately　wished；　but　said　instead　cautiously；　〃There's　been　an　accident。〃
　〃Close　the　door；　Illyan；〃　said　Vorkosigan　to　the　lieutenant。　His　features　became　tightly　controlled　as　the　young　man　came　even　with　him。　〃You're　going　to　have　to　witness　this　with　the　greatest　attention。〃
　His　lips　pressed　to　a　white　slit；　Vorkosigan　walked　slowly　around　the　room；　noting　the　details；　some　of　which　he　pointed　out　silently　to　his　panion。　The　lieutenant　said；　〃Er；　ah；〃　at　the　first　gesture；　which　was　with　the　plasma　arc。　Vorkosigan　stopped　before　the　body；　looked　at　the　weapon　in　his　hand　as　though　seeing　it　for　the　first　time；　and　put　it　in　its　holster。
　〃Been　reading　the　Marquis　again；　have　you？〃　he　addressed　the　corpse　with　a　sigh。　He　turned　it　over　with　the　toe　of　his　boot；　and　a　little　more　blood　ran　out　of　the　meaty　slice　in　its　neck。　〃A　little　learning　is　a　dangerous　thing。〃　He　glanced　up　at　Cordelia。　〃Which　of　you　should　I　congratulate？〃
　She　moistened　her　lips。　〃I'm　not　sure。　How　annoyed　is　everyone　going　to　be　about　this？〃
　The　lieutenant　was　going　through　Vorrutyer's　drawers　and　cupboards　also；　using　a　handkerchief　to　open　them；　and　from　his　expression　finding　that　his　cosmopolitan　education　was　not　so　plete　as　he　had　supposed。　He　remained　staring　for　a　long　time　into　the　drawer　that　Cordelia　had　shut　so　hastily。
　〃The　Emperor；　for　one；　will　be　delighted；〃　said　Vorkosigan。　〃But…strictly　in　private。〃
　〃In　fact；　I　was　tied　up　at　the　time。　Sergeant　Bothari；　uh；　did　the　honors。〃
　Vorkosigan　glanced　at　Bothari；　still　sitting　curled　up　on　the　floor。　〃Hm。〃　He　gazed　around　the　room　one　last　time。　〃There's　something　about　this　that　reminds　me　forcibly　of　that　remarkable　scene　when　we　broke　into　my　engine　room。　It　has　your　personal　signature。　My　grandmother　had　a　phrase　for　it…something　about　late；　and　a　dollar。。。〃
　〃A　day　late　and　a　dollar　short？〃　suggested　Cordelia　involuntarily。
　〃Yes；　that　was　it。〃　He　bit　an　ironic　twist　from　his　lips。　〃A　very　Betan　remark…I　begin　to　see　why。〃　His　face　maintained　a　mask　of　cool　neutrality；　but　his　eyes　searched　her　in　secret　agony。　〃Was　I；　ah；　short？〃
　〃Not　at　all；〃　she　reassured　him。　〃You're；　um；　very　timely。　I　was　just　dithering　around　in　a　panic；　wondering　what　to　do　next。〃
　He　was　facing　away　from　Illyan；　and　a　quickly　suppressed　grin　crinkled　his　eyes　briefly。　〃It　seems　I　am　rescuing　my　fleet　from　you；　then；〃　he　murmured　between　his　teeth。　〃Not　exactly　what　I　had　in　mind　when　I　came　up　here；　but　I'm　glad　to　rescue　something。〃　He　raised　his　voice。　〃As　soon　as　you're　done；　Illyan；　I　suggest　we　adjourn　to　my　cabin　for　further　discussion。〃
　Vorkosigan　knelt　by　Bothari；　studying　him。　〃That　bloody　bastard　has　about　ruined　him　again；〃　he　growled。　〃He　was　almost　well；　after　his　time　with　me。　Sergeant　Bothari；〃　he　said　more　gently；　〃can　you　walk　a　little　way　with　me？〃
　Bothari　muttered　something　unintelligible　into　his　knees。
　〃e　here；　Cordelia；〃　said　Vorkosigan。　It　was　the　first　time　she　had　heard　her　first　name　in　his　mouth。　〃See　if　you　can　get　him　up。　I　don't　think　I'd　better　touch　him；　just　now。〃
　She　got　down　into　the　line　of　his　sight。　〃Bothari。　Bothari；　look　at　me。　You've　got　to　get　up；　and　walk　a　little　way。〃　She　took　his　blood…coated　hand；　and　tried　to　think　of　a　line　of　reason；　or　more　likely　unreason；　that　might　reach　him。　She　tried　a　smile。　〃Look。　See？　You're　washed　in　blood。　Blood　washes　away　sin；　right？　You're　going　to　be　all　right　now。　Uh；　the　bad　man　is　gone；　and　in　a　little　while　the　bad　voices　will　go　away　too。　So　you　e　along　with　me；　and　I'll　take　you　where　you　can　rest。〃
　During　this　speech　he　gradually　focused　on　her；　and　at　the　end　he　nodded；　and　stood。　Still　holding　his　hand；　she　followed　Vorkosigan　out；　Illyan　bringing　up　the　rear。　She　hoped　her　psychological　band…aid　would　hold；　an　alarm　of　any　sort　might　touch　him　off　like　a　bomb。
　She　was　astonished　when　Vorkosigan's　cabin　proved　to　be　just　one　door　down；　across　the　corridor。
　〃Are　you　captain　of　this　ship？〃　she　asked。　His　collar　tabs；　now　that　she　got　a　better　look　at　them；　proclaimed　him　a　modore　now。　〃Were　you　here　all　the　time？〃
　〃No；　I'm　on　the　Staff。　My　courier　just　got　in　from　the　front　a　few　hours　ago。　I've　been　in　conference　with　Admiral　Vorhalas　and　the　Prince　ever　since。　It　just　broke　up。　I　came　up　straight　away　when　the　guard　told　me　about　Vorrutyer's　new　prisoner。　You…in　my　foulest　nightmare；　I　never　dreamed　it　might　be　you。〃
　Vorkosigan's　cabin　seemed　tranquil　as　a　monk's　cell　pared　to　the　carnage　they　had　left　across　the　hall。　Everything　regulation；　a　proper　soldier's　room。　Vorkosigan　locked　the　door　behind　them。　He　rubbed　his　face　and　sighed；　drinking　her　in。　〃Are　you　sure　you're　all　right？〃
　〃Just　shaken　up。　I　knew　I　was　running　risks；　when　I　was　selected；　but　I　wasn't　expecting　anything　quite　like　that　man。　He　was　a　classic。　I'm　surprised　you　served　him。〃
　His　face　became　shuttered。　〃I　serve　the　Emperor。〃
　She　became　conscious　of　Illyan；　standing　silent　and　watchful。　What　would　she　say　if　Vorkosigan　asked　her　about　the　convoy？　He　was　a　greater　danger　to　her　duty　than　torture。　She　had　begun　to　think；　in　the　past　months；　that　their　separation　must　eventually　dimini