lmb.shardsofhonor-第34章

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lbow　painfully　on…a　wall？　the　floor；　the　ceiling？　She　spun　in　midair；　crying　out。　Friendly　fire；　she　thought　hysterically…I'm　going　to　be　killed　by　friendly　fire。　The　perfect　end　to　my　military　career。。。　She　clamped　her　jaw　and　listened　with　fierce　concentration。
　Too　much　silence。　Had　they　lost　air？　She　had　a　nasty　vision　of　herself　as　the　only　one　left　alive；　trapped　in　this　black　box　and　doomed　to　float　until　either　slow　suffocation　or　slow　freezing　squeezed　out　her　life。　The　cell　would　be　her　coffin；　to　be　unsealed　months　later　by　some　salvage　crew。
　And；　more　horribly：　could　the　hit　have　been　on　the　bridge？　The　nerve　center　where　Vorkosigan　would　surely　be；　on　which　the　Escobarans　would　surely　concentrate　their　fire…was　he　smashed　by　flying　debris；　flash　frozen　in　vacuum；　burned　up　in　plasma　fire；　pinned　somewhere　between　crushed　decks？
　Her　fingers　found　a　surface　at　last；　and　scrabbled　for　a　hold。　A　corner：　good。　She　braced　herself　in　it；　curled　up　on　the　floor；　breath　firing　in　and　out　of　her　lungs　in　uneven　gasps。
　An　unknowable　time　passed　in　the　Stygian　dark。　Her　arms　and　legs　trembled　with　the　effort　of　bracing　herself　in　place。　Then　the　ship　groaned　about　her；　and　the　lights　came　back　on。
　Oh　hell；　she　thought；　this　is　the　ceiling。
　The　gravity　returned　and　smashed　her　to　the　floor。　Pain　flashed　up　her　left　arm；　and　numbness。　She　scrambled　back　to　the　bunk；　taking　a　white…knuckle　grip　on　its　rigid　bars　with　her　right　hand；　sticking　one　foot　through　as　well；　bracing　herself　again。
　Nothing。　She　waited。　There　was　a　wetness　soaking　her　orange　shirt。　She　looked　down　to　see　a　shard　of　pinkish…yellow　bone　poking　through　the　skin　of　her　left　forearm；　and　blood　welling　around　it。　She　slipped　awkwardly　out　of　her　smock　top；　wrapping　it　around　one　arm　and　trying　to　stanch　the　flow。　The　pressure　woke　the　pain。　She　tried；　rather　experimentally；　calling　out　for　help。　Surely　the　cell　was　monitored。
　No　one　came。　Over　the　next　three　hours　she　varied　the　experiment　with　screaming；　speaking　reasonably；　banging　on　the　door　and　walls　endlessly　with　her　good　hand；　or　simply　sitting　on　the　bunk　crying　in　pain。　The　gravity　and　lights　flip…flopped　several　more　times。　Finally　she　had　the　familiar　sensation　of　being　pulled　inside…out　through　a　pot　of　glue；　marking　a　wormhole　jump；　and　the　environment　steadied。
　When　the　door　of　the　cell　opened　at　last；　it　startled　her　so　she　recoiled　into　the　wall；　banging　her　head。　But　it　was　the　lieutenant　in　charge　of　the　brig；　with　a　medical　corpsman。　The　lieutenant　had　an　interesting　reddish…purple　bruise　the　size　of　an　egg　on　his　forehead；　the　corpsman　looked　harried。
　〃This　is　the　next　worst　one；〃　said　the　lieutenant　to　the　corpsman。　〃After　that　you　can　just　go　down　the　row　in　order。〃
　White…faced　and　exhausted　into　silence；　she　unwrapped　her　arm　for　examination　and　repair。　The　corpsman　was　petent；　but　lacked　the　delicacy　of　touch　of　the　chief　surgeon。　She　nearly　fainted　before　the　plastic　cast　was　at　last　applied。
　There　were　no　more　signs　of　attack。　A　clean　prisoner's　uniform　was　delivered　through　a　wall　slot。　Two　ration　packs　later　she　felt　another　wormhole　jump。　Her　thought　revolved　endlessly　on　the　wheel　of　her　fears；　her　sleep　was　all　dreams　and　her　dreams　were　all　nightmares。
　It　was　Lieutenant　Illyan　who　came　to　escort　her　at　last；　along　with　an　ordinary　guard。　She　nearly　kissed　him；　in　her　joy　at　seeing　a　familiar　face。　Instead　she　cleared　her　throat　diffidently；　and　asked　with　what　she　hoped　would　pass　for　nonchalance；　〃Was　modore　Vorkosigan　all　right；　after　that　attack？〃
　His　eyebrows　rose；　and　he　shot　her　a　look　of　bemused　study　from　beneath　them。　〃Of　course。〃
　Of　course。　Of　course。　That　〃of　course〃　even　suggested；　uninjured。　Her　eyes　puddled　with　relief；　which　she　attempted　to　mask　with　an　expression　of　cool　professional　interest。　〃Where　are　you　taking　me？〃　she　asked　him；　as　they　left　the　brig　and　started　down　the　corridor。
　〃Shuttle。　You're　to　be　transferred　to　the　POW　camp　planetside；　until　the　exchange　arrangements　are　made；　and　they　begin　shipping　you　all　home。〃
　〃Home！　What　about　the　war？〃
　〃It's　over。〃
　〃Over！〃　She　assimilated　that。　〃Over。　That　was　quick。　Why　aren't　the　Escobarans　pursuing　their　advantage？〃
　〃They　can't。　We've　blocked　the　wormhole　exit。〃
　〃Blocked？　Not　blockaded？〃
　He　nodded。
　〃How　the　devil　do　you　block　a　wormhole？〃
　〃In　a　way；　it's　a　very　old　idea。　Fireships。〃
　〃Huh？〃
　〃Send　a　ship　in；　set　up　a　major　matter…antimatter　explosion　at　a　midpoint　between　nodes。　It　sets　up　a　resonance…nothing　else　can　get　through　for　weeks；　until　it　dies　down。〃
　Cordelia　whistled。　〃Clever…why　didn't　we　think　of　that？　How　do　you　get　the　pilot　out？〃
　〃Maybe　that's　why　you　didn't　think　of　it。　We　don't。〃
　〃God…what　a　death。〃　Her　vision　of　it　was　clear　and　instant。
　〃They　were　volunteers。〃
　She　shook　her　head　numbly。　〃Only　a　Barrayaran。。。〃　She　probed　for　some　less　horrifying　subject。　〃Did　you　take　many　prisoners？〃
　〃Not　very。　Maybe　a　thousand　in　all。　We　left　over　eleven　thousand　ground　troops　behind　on　Escobar。　It　makes　you　rather　valuable；　if　we　have　to　try　to　trade　you　more　than　ten　for　one。〃
　The　prisoners'　shuttle　was　a　windowless　craft；　and　she　shared　it　with　only　two　others；　one　of　her　own　engineer's　assistants；　and　the　dark…haired　Escobaran　girl　who　had　been　in　her　cell。　Her　tech　was　eager　to　exchange　stories；　although　he　didn't　have　much　to　trade。　He　had　spent　the　whole　time　locked　in　one　cell　with　his　other　three　shipmates；　who　had　been　taken　downside　yesterday。
　The　beautiful　Escobaran；　a　young　ensign　who　had　been　captured　when　her　ship　was　disabled　in　the　fighting　for　the　wormhole　jump　to　Beta　Colony　over　two　months　ago；　had　even　less　to　tell。
　〃I　must　have　lost　track　of　time；　somewhere；〃　she　said　uneasily。　〃Not　hard　to　do　in　that　cell；　seeing　no　one。　Except　that　I　woke　up　in　their　sickbay；　yesterday；　and　couldn't　remember　how　I'd　e　there。〃
　And　if　that　surgeon's　as　good　as　he　looked；　you　never　will；　thought　Cordelia。　〃Do　you　remember　Admiral　Vorrutyer？〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃Never　mind。〃
　The　shuttle　landed　at　last；　and　the　hatch　was　opened。　A　shaft　of　sunlight　and　a　breath　of　summer…scented　air　fell　through　it；　sweet　green　air　that　made　them　suddenly　realize　they　had　been　breathing　reek　for　days。
　〃Wow；　where　is　this　place？〃　said　the　technician；　awed；　as　he　stepped　through　the　hatch；　prodded　by　the　guards。　〃It's　beautiful。〃
　Cordelia　followed　him；　and　laughed　out　loud；　although　not　happily；　in　instant　recognition。
　The　prison　camp　was　a　triple　row　of　Barrayaran　field　shelters；　ugly　grey　half…cylinders　surrounded　by　a　force　screen；　set　at　the　bottom　of　a　kilometers…wide　amphitheater　of　dry　woodland　and　waterfall；　beneath　a　turquoise　sky。　It　was　a　hazy；　warm；　quiet　afternoon　that　made　Cordelia　feel　she　had　never　left。
　Yes；　there　was　even　the　entrance　to　the　underground　depot；　not　camouflaged　anymore；　but　widened；　with　a　great　paved　area　for　landing　and　loading　gouged　out　before　it；　alive　with　shuttles　and　activity。　The　waterfall　and　pool　were　gone。　She　turned　about；　as　they　walked；　gazing　at　her　planet。　Now　that　she　thought　about　it；　it　seemed　inevitable　that　they　should　end　up　here；　quite　logical　really。　She　shook　her　head　helplessly。
　She　and　her　young　Escobaran　panion　were　signed　in　by　a　neat　and　expressionless　guard　and　directed　to　a　shelter　halfway　down　one　row。　They　entered；　to　find　it　occupied　by　eleven　women　in　a　space　meant　for　fifty。　They　had　their　choice　of　bunks。
　They　were　pounced　upon　by　the　older　prisoners；　frantic　for　news。　A　plump　woman　of　about　forty　restored　order；　and　introduced　herself。
　〃I'm　Lieutenant　Marsha　Alfredi。　I'm　ranking　officer　in　this　shelter。　Insofar　as　there　is　order　in　this　cess　pit。　Do　you　know　what　the　hell　is　going　on？〃
　〃I'm　Captain　Cordelia　Naismith。　Betan　Expeditionary。〃
　〃Thank　God。　I　can　dump　it　on　you。〃
　〃Oh；　my。〃　Cordelia　braced　herself。　〃Fill　me　in。〃
　〃It's　been　hell。　The　guards　are　pigs。　Then；　all　of　a　sudden　yesterday　afternoon；　this　bunch　of　high…ranking　Barrayaran　officers　came　trooping　through。　At　first　we　thought　they　were　shopping　for　rapees；　like　the　last　bunch。　But　this　morning　about　half　the　guards　had　disappeared…the　worst　of　the　lot…and　bee