lmb.shardsofhonor-第32章

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r。〃　It　was　not　a　question。
　〃I？〃　His　fingers　worked　the　keys　of　his　console；　and　reflections　of　colored　light　from　the　readouts　played　over　his　impassive　face。　〃I'm　merely　waiting　in　hope　of　some　reasonable　opportunity。　When　the　Prince　leaves　for　Escobar　most　of　his　own　security　people　will　go　with　him。　Patience；　Illyan。〃
　He　keyed　his　console　again。　〃Vorkosigan　to　Tactics　Room。〃
　〃mander　Venne　here；　sir。〃
　〃Oh；　good。　Venne；　I'd　like　hourly　updates　piped　down　here　from　the　time　the　Prince　and　Admiral　Vorhalas　leave。　And　let　me　know　immediately；　regardless　of　time；　if　you　start　getting　anything　unusual；　anything　not　in　the　plans。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　The　Prince　and　Admiral　Vorhalas　are　leaving　now；　sir。〃
　〃Very　good。　Carry　on。　Vorkosigan　out。〃
　He　sat　back　and　drummed　his　fingers　on　the　desk。　〃Now　we　wait。　It　will　be　about　twelve　hours　before　the　Prince　reaches　Escobar　orbit。　They'll　be　starting　landings　soon　after　that。　An　hour　for　signals　to　reach　us　from　Escobar。　An　hour　for　signals　to　return。　So　much　lag。　A　battle　can　be　over　in　two　hours。　We　could　cut　the　lag　by　three…quarters　if　the　Prince　would　let　us　move　off　station。〃
　His　casual　tone　barely　masked　his　tension；　in　spite　of　his　advice　to　Illyan。　The　room　in　which　he　sat　scarcely　seemed　to　exist　for　him。　His　mind　moved　with　the　armada　wheeling　in　a　tightening　constellation　around　Escobar；　fast　glittering　couriers；　grim　cruisers；　sluggish　troop　carriers；　bellies　crammed　with　men。　A　light　pen　turned；　forgotten；　in　his　fingers；　around　and　over；　around　and　over。
　〃Hadn't　you　better　eat；　sir？〃　suggested　Illyan。
　〃What？　Oh；　yes；　I　suppose。　And　you；　Cordelia…you　must　be　hungry。　Go　ahead；　Illyan。〃
　Illyan　left　to　forage。　Vorkosigan　worked　at　his　desk　console　for　a　few　more　minutes　before　shutting　it　down　with　a　sigh。　〃I　suppose　I'd　better　think　about　sleep；　too。　Last　time　I　slept　was　on　board　the　General　Vorhartung；　closing　on　Escobar…a　day　and　a　half　ago；　I　guess。　About　the　time　you　were　being　captured。〃
　〃We　were　captured　a　bit　before　that。　We　were　in　tow　for　almost　a　day。〃
　〃Yes。　Congratulations；　by　the　way；　on　a　very　successful　maneuver。　That　wasn't　a　real　battle　cruiser；　I　take　it？〃
　〃I　really　can't　say。〃
　〃Somebody　wants　to　claim　it　as　a　kill。〃
　Cordelia　suppressed　a　grin。　〃Fine　by　me。〃　She　braced　herself　for　more　questioning；　but；　strangely；　he　turned　the　subject。
　〃Poor　Bothari。　I　wish　the　Emperor　might　give　him　a　medal。　I'm　afraid　the　best　I'll　be　able　to　do　for　him　is　get　him　properly　hospitalized。〃
　〃If　the　Emperor　disliked　Vorrutyer　so；　why　did　he　put　him　in　charge？〃
　〃Because　he　was　Grishnov's　man；　and　widely　famous　as　such；　and　the　Princes　favorite。　Putting　all　the　bad　eggs　in　one　basket；　so　to　speak。〃　He　cut　himself　off　with　a　fist…closing　gesture。
　〃He　made　me　feel　like　I'd　met　the　ultimate　in　evil。　I　don't　think　anything　will　really　scare　me；　after　him。〃
　〃Ges　Vorrutyer？　He　was　just　a　little　villain。　An　old…fashioned　craftsman；　making　crimes　one…off。　The　really　unforgivable　acts　are　mitted　by　calm　men　in　beautiful　green　silk　rooms；　who　deal　death　wholesale；　by　the　shipload；　without　lust；　or　anger；　or　desire；　or　any　redeeming　emotion　to　excuse　them　but　cold　fear　of　some　pretended　future。　But　the　crimes　they　hope　to　prevent　in　that　future　are　imaginary。　The　ones　they　mit　in　the　present…they　are　real。〃　His　voice　fell；　as　he　spoke；　so　that　by　the　end　he　was　almost　whispering。
　〃modore　Vorkosigan…Aral…what's　eating　you？　You're　so　keyed　up　I　expect　you　to　start　pacing　the　ceiling　any　minute。〃　Hag…ridden；　she　thought。
　He　laughed　a　little。　〃I　feel　like　it。　It's　the　waiting；　I　expect。　I'm　bad　at　waiting。　Not　a　good　thing；　in　a　soldier。　I　envy　your　ability　to　wait　in　patience。　You　seem　calm　as　moonlight　on　the　water。〃
　〃Is　that　pretty？〃
　〃Very。〃
　〃It　sounds　nice。　We　don't　have　either　one　at　home。〃　She　was　absurdly　pleased　by　the　implied　pliment。
　Illyan　returned　with　a　tray；　and　she　got　no　more　out　of　Vorkosigan。　They　ate；　and　Vorkosigan　took　a　turn　at　sleeping；　or　at　least　lying　on　the　bed　with　his　eyes　shut；　but　getting　up　every　hour　to　view　the　new　tacticals。
　Lieutenant　Illyan　watched　over　his　shoulder；　and　Vorkosigan　pointed　out　salient　features　of　the　strategy　to　him　as　they　came　up。
　〃It　looks　pretty　good　to　me；〃　Illyan　mented　once。　〃I　don't　see　why　you're　so　anxious。　We　really　could　carry　it　off；　in　spite　of　the　Esco's　superior　mand　of　resources　in　the　long　run。　Won't　do　them　any　good　if　it's　all　over　in　the　short　run。〃
　Afraid　to　put　Bothari　back　into　a　deep　a；　they　let　him　return　to　near…consciousness。　He　sat　in　the　corner　in　a　miserable　knot；　drifting　in　and　out　of　sleep　with　bad　dreams　in　both　states。
　Eventually　Illyan　took　himself　off　to　his　own　cabin　to　sleep；　and　Cordelia　had　another　nap　herself。　She　slept　a　long　time；　not　waking　until　Illyan　returned　with　another　tray　of　food。　She　was　being　disoriented　with　respect　to　time；　locked　in　this　changeless　room。　Vorkosigan；　however；　was　tracking　time　by　the　minute　now。　After　they　ate　he　vanished　into　the　bathroom　to　wash　and　shave；　and　returned　in　fresh　dress　greens；　as　neat　as　though　ready　for　a　conference　with　the　Emperor。
　He　checked　through　the　last　tactical　update　for　the　second　time。
　〃Have　they　started　landing　troops　yet？〃　Cordelia　asked。
　He　checked　his　chronometer。　〃Almost　an　hour　ago。　We　should　be　getting　the　first　reports　through　any　minute。〃　He　sat　now　without　fidgeting；　like　a　man　in　deep　meditation；　face　like　stone。
　That　hour's　tactical　update　arrived；　and　he　began　sorting　through　its　reports；　apparently　checking　key　items。　In　the　middle　of　it　his　screen　was　overridden　by　the　face　of　mander　Venne。
　〃modore　Vorkosigan？　We're　getting　something　very　strange　here。　Do　you　want　me　to　shunt　a　copy　of　raw　ining　straight　down　there？〃
　〃Yes；　please。　Immediately。〃
　Vorkosigan　searched　through　an　assortment　of　chatter　of　all　kinds；　and　picked　out　a　verbal　from　a　ship　mander；　a　dark　and　heavy…set　man　who　spoke　into　his　log　with　a　guttural　accent　tinged　by　fear。
　Here　it　es；　moaned　Cordelia　inwardly。
　〃…attacking　with　shuttles！　They're　returning　our　fire　shot　by　shot。　Plasma　shields　at　maximum　now…we　can't　put　more　power　into　them　and　still　keep　firing。　We　must　either　drop　shields　and　try　to　increase　our　firepower；　or　give　up　the　attack。。。〃　The　transmission　was　interrupted　by　static。　〃…don't　know　how　they're　doing　it。　They　can't　possibly　have　packed　enough　engine　in　those　shuttles　to　generate　this。。。〃　More　static。　The　transmission　abruptly　broke　off。
　Vorkosigan　selected　another。　Illyan　leaned　over　his　shoulder　anxiously。　Cordelia　sat　on　the　bed；　silent；　head　bowed；　listening。　The　cup　of　victory；　bitter　on　the　tongue；　heavy　in　the　stomach；　sad　as　defeat。。。
　〃…the　flagship　is　under　heavy　fire；〃　reported　another　mander。　Cordelia　recognized　the　voice　with　a　start；　and　craned　her　neck　for　a　view　of　his　face。　It　was　Gottyan；　evidently　he　had　his　captaincy　at　last。　〃I'm　going　to　drop　shields　altogether　and　attempt　to　knock　one　out　with　a　maximum　burst。〃
　〃Don't　do　it；　Korabik！〃　Vorkosigan　shouted　hopelessly。　The　decision；　whatever　it　was；　had　been　made　an　hour　ago；　its　consequences　ineradicably　fixed　in　time。
　Gottyan　turned　his　head　to　one　side。　〃Ready；　mander　Vorkalloner？　We　are　attempting…〃　he　began；　and　was　drowned　by　static；　then　silence。
　Vorkosigan　struck　his　fist　on　the　desk；　hard。　〃Damn！　How　the　hell　long　is　it　going　to　take　them　to　figure。。。〃　He　stared　into　the　snow；　then　reran　the　transmission；　transfixing　it　with　a　frightening　expression；　grief　and　rage　and　nausea　mixed。　He　then　selected　another　band；　this　time　a　puter　graphic　of　the　space　around　Escobar；　and　the　ships　as　little　colored　lights　winking　and　diving　through　it。　It　looked　tiny；　and　bright；　and　simple；　like　a　child's　game。　He　shook　his　head　at　it；　lips　tight　and　bloodless。
　Venne's　face　interrupted　again。　He　was　pale；　with　peculiar　lines　of　tension　running　down　to　the　corners　of　his　mouth。
　〃Sir；　I　think　you'd　better　e　to　the　Tactics　Room。〃
　〃I　can't；　Venne；　without　breaking　arrest。　Where's　modore　Helski；　or　modore　Couer？〃
　〃Helski　went　forward　with　the　Prince　and　Admiral　Vorhalas；　sir。　modore　Couer　is　here　now。　You're　the　ranking　flag　officer　aboard　now。〃
　〃Th