lmb.shardsofhonor-第31章

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d　when　that　day　es；　your　father　won't　be　able　to　protect　you　anymore。　You；　and　Vortala；　and　all　his　cronies　will　be　first　against　the　wall；　I　promise　you。〃　He　looked　up；　remembering　Illyan　leaning　silently　against　the　doorjamb。　〃Or　perhaps　you'll　find　yourself　back　on　the　Leper　Colony；　for　another　five　years　of　patrol　duty。〃
　In　the　bathroom；　Bothari　stirred　unfortably　in　his　semi…a　and；　to　Cordelia's　horror；　began　to　snore。
　Lieutenant　Illyan　was　seized　by　a　spasmodic　coughing　fit。　〃Excuse　me；〃　he　gasped；　and　retreated　into　the　bathroom；　shutting　the　door　firmly。
　He　hit　the　light　and　traded　a　silent　look　of　panic　with　Cordelia　for　an　equally　silent　grimace　of　despair。　With　difficulty；　they　turned　Bothari's　deadweight　to　one　side　in　the　constricted　space；　until　he　breathed　quietly　again。　Cordelia　gave　Illyan　the　thumbs…up　signal；　and　he　nodded　and　squeezed　back　out　the　door。
　The　Prince　had　left。　Admiral　Vorhalas　lingered　a　moment；　to　exchange　a　last　word　with　his　subordinate。
　〃…put　it　in　writing。　I'll　sign　it　before　we　go。〃
　〃At　least　don't　travel　in　the　same　ship；〃　begged　Vorkosigan　seriously。
　Vorhalas　sighed。　〃I　appreciate　your　trying　to　get　him　out　of　my　hair。　But　somebody　has　to　clean　his　cage　for　the　Emperor；　with　Vorrutyer　out；　thank　God。　He　won't　have　you；　so　it　looks　like　I'm　elected。　Why　can't　you　just　lose　your　temper　with　subordinates；　like　normal　men；　instead　of　with　superiors；　like　a　lunatic？　I　thought　you　were　cured　of　that；　after　what　I　saw　you　take　from　Vorrutyer。〃
　〃That's　dead　and　buried　now。〃
　〃Aye。〃　Vorhalas　made　a　superstitious　sign；　automatically；　evidently　a　gestural　relic　from　childhood；　empty　of　belief　but　full　of　habit。
　〃By　the　by…what's　the　Leper　Colony？〃　asked　Vorkosigan　curiously。
　〃You　never　heard　that？　Well…maybe　I　can　see　why　not。　Did　you　never　wonder　why　you　received　such　a　remarkable　percentage　of　screw…ups；　incorrigibles；　and　near…discharges　among　your　crew？〃
　〃I　hadn't　expected　to　get　the　cream　of　the　Service。〃
　〃They　used　to　call　it　Vorkosigan's　Leper　Colony；　at　headquarters。〃
　〃With　myself　as　leper…in…chief；　eh？〃　Vorkosigan　seemed　more　amused　than　offended。　〃Well；　if　they　were　the　worst　the　Service　has　to　offer；　perhaps　we　shall　not　do　so　badly　after　all。　Take　care　of　yourself。　I　don't　fancy　being　his　second…in…mand。〃
　Vorhalas　chuckled；　and　they　shook　hands。　He　started　for　the　door；　then　paused。　〃Do　you　think　they'll　counterattack？〃
　〃My　God；　of　course　they'll　counterattack。　This　isn't　some　trade　outpost。　These　people　are　fighting　for　their　homes。〃
　〃When？〃
　Vorkosigan　hesitated。　〃Sometime　after　you've　started　disembarking　ground　troops；　but　well　before　it's　pleted。　Wouldn't　you？　Worst　time　to　have　to　start　a　retreat。　Shuttles　not　knowing　whether　to　go　up　or　down；　their　mother　ships　scattering　to　hell　and　gone　under　fire；　supplies　needed　not　landed；　supplies　landed　not　needed；　the　chain　of　mand　disrupted…an　inexperienced　mander　in　absolute　control。。。〃
　〃You　give　me　the　shivers。〃
　〃Yes；　well…try　to　hold　the　start　for　as　long　as　possible。　And　make　sure　your　troopship　manders　have　their　contingency　orders　crystal　clear。〃
　〃The　Prince　doesn't　see　it　your　way。〃
　〃Yes；　he's　itching　to　lead　a　parade。〃
　〃What　do　you　advise？〃
　〃I'm　not　your　mander　this　time；　Rulf。〃
　〃Not　my　fault。　I　remended　you　to　the　Emperor。〃
　〃I　know。　I　wouldn't　take　it。　I　remended　you　instead。〃
　〃So　we　ended　up　with　that　sodomizing　son…of…a…bitch　Vorrutyer。〃　Vorhalas　shook　his　head　bleakly。　〃Something　wrong　there。。。〃
　Vorkosigan　chivvied　him　gently　out　the　door；　blew　out　his　breath　with　a　sigh；　and　remained　standing；　caught　up　in　his　vision　of　the　future。　He　looked　up；　and　met　Cordelia's　eyes　with　unhappy　irony。　〃Wasn't　there　some　character；　when　the　old　Romans　held　their　triumphs；　who　rode　along　whispering　in　the　honored　party's　ear　that　he　was　mortal；　and　death　waited　for　him？　The　old　Romans　probably　thought　he　was　a　pain　in　the　neck；　too。〃
　She　held　her　peace。
　Vorkosigan　and　Illyan　went　to　retrieve　Sergeant　Bothari　from　his　makeshift　and　unfortable　hiding　place。　They　were　halfway　through　the　door　with　him　when　Vorkosigan　swore。　〃He's　stopped　breathing。〃
　Illyan　hissed　explosively；　and　they　laid　Bothari　out　quickly　on　the　friction　matting　on　his　back。　Vorkosigan　laid　his　ear　to　his　chest；　and　felt　his　neck　for　a　pulse。
　〃Son…of…a…bitch。〃　He　doubled　his　fists；　and　brought　them　down　sharply　against　the　Sergeant's　sternum；　then　listened　again。　〃Nothing。〃
　He　rolled　back　on　his　heels；　looking　fierce。　〃Illyan。　Whoever　you　got　that　lizard's　piss　from；　go　find　him　and　get　a　shot　of　the　antidote。　Quickly。　And　quietly。　Very　quietly。〃
　〃How　did　you…what　if…shouldn't　you…is　it　worth…〃　began　Illyan。　He　threw　up　his　hands　helplessly；　and　fled　out　the　door。
　Vorkosigan　looked　at　Cordelia。　〃Do　you　want　to　push；　or　blow？〃
　〃Push；　I　guess。〃
　She　knelt　by　Bothari's　side；　and　Vorkosigan　went　to　his　head；　tilted　it　back；　and　gave　him　his　first　breath　of　air。　Cordelia　pressed　the　heels　of　her　hands　on　his　sternum　and　pushed　with　all　her　strength；　setting　up　the　rhythm。　Push；　push；　push；　blow；　over　and　over；　don't　stop。　After　a　short　time　her　arms　were　shaking；　and　sweat　beaded　on　her　hairline。　She　could　feel　her　own　ribs　grind　with　each　push；　screamingly；　and　her　chest　muscles　knotted　spasmodically。
　〃Got　to　switch。〃
　〃Good。　I'm　hyperventilating。〃
　They　changed　places；　Vorkosigan　taking　over　the　heart　massage；　Cordelia　pinching　Bothari's　nostrils　shut　and　closing　her　mouth　over　his。　His　mouth　was　wet　from　Vorkosigan's　saliva。　The　parody　of　a　kiss　was　horrible；　but　to　shrink　from　it　beneath　contempt。　They　went　on；　and　on。
　Lieutenant　Illyan　returned　at　last；　breathless。　He　knelt　and　pressed　the　new　ampule　against　Bothari's　corded　neck　over　the　carotid　artery。　Nothing　happened。　Vorkosigan　kept　pumping。
　Suddenly；　Bothari　shuddered；　then　stiffened；　arching　his　back。　He　took　an　irregular；　gasping　gulp　of　air；　then　stopped　again。
　〃e　on；〃　urged　Cordelia；　half　to　herself。
　With　a　sharp　spasmodic　intake　he　began　to　breathe　again；　raggedly；　but　persistently。　Cordelia　slumped　from　her　knees　to　a　sitting　position　on　the　floor　and　gazed　at　him　in　joyless　triumph。　〃Suffering　bastard。〃
　〃I　thought　you　saw　meaning　in　that　sort　of　thing；〃　said　Vorkosigan。
　〃In　the　abstract。　Most　days　it's　just　stumbling　around　in　the　dark　with　the　rest　of　creation；　smashing　into　things　and　wondering　why　it　hurts。〃
　Vorkosigan　gazed　at　Bothari　too；　sweat　running　down　his　face。　Then　he　jumped　to　his　feet　and　hurried　to　his　desk。
　〃The　protest。　Have　to　get　it　written　and　filed　before　Vorhalas　leaves；　or　it　will　be　no　damned　good。〃　He　slid　into　his　chair　and　began　rapidly　keying　his　console。
　〃What's　so　important　about　it？〃　asked　Cordelia。
　〃Sh。　Later。〃　He　typed　furiously　for　ten　minutes；　then　set　it　electronically　in　pursuit　of　his　mander。
　Bothari　in　the　meanwhile　continued　to　breathe；　although　his　face　retained　a　deathly　greenish　pallor。
　〃What　do　we　do　now？〃　asked　Cordelia。
　〃Wait。　Pray　that　the　dosage　is　right；〃　he　glanced　irritably　at　Illyan；　〃and　that　it　won't　send　him　into　some　kind　of　manic　state。〃
　〃Shouldn't　we　be　thinking　of　some　way　to　get　them　both　out　of　here？〃　protested　Illyan。
　〃Think　away。〃　Vorkosigan　began　plugging　the　new　data　disks　into　his　console　and　viewing　the　tactical　readouts。　〃But　as　a　hiding　place　it　has　two　advantages　not　shared　by　any　other　spot　on　the　ship。　If　you're　as　good　as　you　claim；　it's　not　monitored　by　either　the　Chief　Political　Officer　or　the　Prince's　men…〃
　〃I'm　quite　sure　I　got　them　all。　I'd　stake　my　reputation　on　it。〃
　〃Right　now　you're　staking　your　life　on　it；　so　you'd　better　be　correct。　Second；　there　are　two　armed　guards　in　the　corridor　to　keep　everybody　out。　You　could　scarcely　ask　for　more。　I　admit　it's　a　bit　crowded。〃
　Illyan　rolled　his　eyes　in　exasperation。　〃I've　diddled　the　Security　search　to　the　limit　I　dare。　I　can't　do　any　more　without　drawing　more　attention　than　I　divert。〃
　〃Will　it　hold　twenty…six　more　hours？〃
　〃Maybe。〃　Illyan　frowned　at　his　charge；　baffled　and　bothered。　〃You　have　something　planned；　don't　you；　sir。〃　It　was　not　a　question。
　〃I？〃　His　fingers　worked　the　keys　of　his　console；　and　reflections　of　co