lmb.shardsofhonor-第4章

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　Vorkosigan　shrugged　and　wandered　away　to　continue　his　search　in　the　gathering　darkness；　and　she　began　to　feed　Dubauer。　He　seemed　voraciously　hungry；　but　unable　to　manage　for　himself。
　Vorkosigan　returned　to　the　spring。　〃I　found　this。〃　He　handed　her　a　small　geologist's　shovel　about　a　meter　long；　used　for　digging　soil　samples。　〃It's　a　poor　tool　for　the　purpose；　but　I've　found　nothing　better　yet。〃
　〃It　was　Reg's；〃　Cordelia　said；　taking　it。　〃It　will　do。〃
　She　led　Dubauer　to　a　spot　near　her　next　job　and　settled　him。　She　wondered　if　some　bracken　from　the　forest　might　provide　some　insulation　for　him；　and　resolved　to　get　some　later。　She　marked　out　the　dimensions　of　a　grave　near　the　place　where　Rosemont　had　fallen；　and　began　hacking　away　at　the　heavy　turf　with　the　little　shovel。　The　sod　was　tough；　wiry；　and　resistant；　and　she　ran　out　of　breath　quickly。
　Vorkosigan　appeared　out　of　the　night。　〃I　found　some　cold　lights。〃　He　cracked　one　pencil…sized　tube　and　laid　it　on　the　ground　beside　the　grave；　where　it　gave　off　an　eerie　but　bright　blue…green　glow。　He　watched　her　critically　as　she　worked。
　She　stabbed　away　at　the　dirt；　resentful　of　his　scrutiny。　Go　away；　you；　she　thought；　and　let　me　bury　my　friend　in　peace。　She　grew　self…conscious　as　a　new　thought　struck　her…maybe　he　won't　let　me　finish…I'm　taking　too　long。。。　She　dug　harder。
　〃At　this　rate；　we'll　be　here　until　next　week。〃
　If　she　moved　fast　enough；　she　wondered　irritably；　could　she　succeed　in　hitting　him　with　the　shovel？　Just　once。。。
　〃Go　sit　down　with　your　botanist。〃　He　was　holding　out　his　hand；　it　dawned　on　her　at　last　that　he　was　volunteering　to　help　dig。
　〃Oh。。。〃　She　relinquished　the　tool。　He　drew　his　bat　knife　and　cut　through　the　grasses'　roots　where　she　had　marked　her　rectangle；　and　began　to　dig；　far　more　efficiently　than　she　had。
　〃What　kind　of　scavengers　have　you　found　around　here？〃　he　asked　between　tosses。　〃How　deep　does　this　have　to　be？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure；〃　she　replied。　〃We'd　only　been　downside　three　days。　It's　a　pretty　plex　ecosystem；　though；　and　most　imaginable　niches　seem　to　be　filled。〃
　〃Hm。〃
　〃Lieutenant　Stuben；　my　chief　zoologist；　found　a　couple　of　those　browser　hexapeds　killed　and　pretty　well　consumed。　He　caught　a　glimpse　of　something　he　called　a　fuzzy　crab　at　one　of　the　kills。〃
　〃How　big　were　they？〃　asked　Vorkosigan　curiously。
　〃He　didn't　say。　I've　seen　pictures　of　crabs　from　Earth；　and　they　don't　seem　very　large…as　big　as　your　hand；　perhaps。〃
　〃A　meter　may　be　enough。〃　He　continued　the　excavation　with　short　powerful　bites　of　the　inadequate　shovel。　The　cold　light　illuminated　his　face　from　below；　casting　shadows　upward　from　heavy　jaw；　straight　broad　nose；　and　thick　brows。　He　had　an　old　faded　L…shaped　scar；　Cordelia　noticed；　on　the　left　side　of　his　chin。　He　reminded　her　of　a　dwarf　king　in　some　northern　saga；　digging　in　a　fathomless　deep。
　〃There's　a　pole　over　by　the　tents；〃　she　offered。　〃I　could　fix　that　light　up　in　the　air　so　it　shines　on　your　work。〃
　〃That　would　help。〃
　She　returned　to　the　tents；　beyond　the　circle　of　cold　light；　and　found　her　pole　where　she　had　dropped　it　that　morning。　Returning　to　the　gravesite；　she　spliced　the　light　to　the　pole　with　a　few　tough　grass　stems　and　fixed　it　upright　in　the　dirt；　flinging　the　circle　of　light　wider。　She　remembered　her　plan　to　collect　bracken　for　Dubauer；　and　turned　to　make　for　the　forest；　then　stopped。
　〃Did　you　hear　that？〃　she　asked　Vorkosigan。
　〃What？〃　Even　he　was　beginning　to　breathe　heavily。　He　paused；　up　to　his　knees　in　the　hole；　and　listened　with　her。
　〃A　sort　of　scuttling　noise；　ing　from　the　forest。〃
　He　waited　a　minute；　then　shook　his　head　and　continued　his　work。
　〃How　many　cold　lights　are　there？〃
　〃Six。〃
　So　few。　She　hated　to　waste　them　by　running　two　at　once。　She　was　about　to　ask　him　if　he　would　mind　digging　in　the　dark　for　a　while；　when　she　heard　the　noise　again；　more　distinctly。
　〃There　is　something　out　there。〃
　〃You　know　that；〃　said　Vorkosigan。　〃The　question　is…〃
　The　three　creatures　made　a　concerted　rush　into　the　ring　of　light。　Cordelia　caught　a　glimpse　of　fast　low　bodies；　entirely　too　many　hairy　black　legs；　four　beady　black　eyes　set　in　neckless　faces；　and　razor…sharp　yellow　beaks　that　clacked　and　hissed。　They　were　the　size　of　pigs。
　Vorkosigan　reacted　instantly；　smashing　the　nearest　accurately　across　its　face　with　the　blade　of　the　shovel。　A　second　one　flung　itself　across　Rosemont's　body；　biting　deep　into　the　flesh　and　cloth　of　one　arm；　and　attempting　to　drag　it　away　from　the　light。　Cordelia　grabbed　her　pole　and　ran　full　tilt　upon　it；　getting　in　a　hard　blow　between　its　eyes。　Its　beak　snapped　the　end　off　the　aluminum　rod。　It　hissed　and　retreated　before　her。
　By　this　time　Vorkosigan　had　his　bat　knife　out。　He　vigorously　attacked　the　third；　shouting；　stabbing；　and　kicking　with　his　heavy　boots。　Blood　spattered　as　claws　plowed　his　leg；　but　he　got　in　a　blow　with　his　knife　that　sent　the　creature　shrieking　and　hissing　back　to　the　shelter　of　the　forest　along　with　its　pack　mates。　With　a　moment　to　breathe；　he　dug　out　her　stun　gun　from　the　bottom　of　the　too…large　disruptor　holster　where；　judging　from　his　muttered　swearing；　it　had　slipped　down　and　stuck；　and　peered　into　the　night。
　〃Fuzzy　crabs；　huh？〃　Cordelia　panted。　〃Stuben；　I'm　going　to　scrag　you。〃　Her　voice　squeaked　upward　and　she　clamped　her　teeth。
　Vorkosigan　wiped　the　dark　blood　from　his　blade　in　the　grass　and　returned　it　to　its　sheath。　〃I　think　your　grave　had　better　be　a　full　two　meters；〃　he　said　seriously。　〃Maybe　a　little　more。〃
　Cordelia　sighed　in　agreement；　and　returned　the　shortened　pole　to　its　original　position。　〃How's　your　leg？〃
　〃I　can　take　care　of　it。　You'd　better　see　to　your　ensign。〃
　Dubauer；　drowsing；　had　been　aroused　by　the　uproar　and　was　attempting　to　crawl　away　again。　Cordelia　tried　to　soothe　him；　then　found　herself　having　to　deal　with　another　seizure；　after　which；　to　her　relief；　he　went　to　sleep。
　Vorkosigan；　in　the　meanwhile；　had　patched　his　scratch　using　the　small　emergency　medical　kit　on　his　belt；　and　returned　to　digging；　slowing　down　only　a　little。　Getting　down　to　shoulder　depth；　he　pressed　her　into　hauling　dirt　up　out　of　the　grave　using　the　emptied…out　botanical　specimen　box　as　a　makeshift　bucket。　It　was　near　midnight　before　he　called　from　the　dark　pit；　〃That　should　be　the　last；〃　and　clambered　out。　〃Could　have　done　that　in　five　seconds　with　a　plasma　arc；〃　he　panted；　recovering　his　wind。　He　was　dirty　and　sweating　in　the　cold　night　air。　Tendrils　of　fog　writhed　up　from　the　ravine　and　the　spring。
　Together　they　dragged　Rosemont's　body　to　the　lip　of　the　grave。　Vorkosigan　hesitated。
　〃Do　you　want　his　clothes　for　your　ensign？〃
　It　was　an　unavoidably　practical　suggestion。　Cordelia　loathed　the　indignity　of　lowering　Rosemont　naked　into　the　earth；　but　wished　at　the　same　time　she　had　thought　of　it　earlier；　when　Dubauer　was　so　cold。　She　horsed　the　uniform　off　over　the　stiffened　limbs　with　the　macabre　sensation　of　undressing　a　giant　doll；　and　they　tipped　him　into　the　grave。　He　landed　on　his　back　with　a　muffled　thump。
　〃Just　a　minute。〃　She　dug　out　Rosemont's　handkerchief　from　his　uniform　pocket　and　jumped　down　into　the　grave；　slipping　on　the　body。　She　spread　the　handkerchief　over　his　face。　It　was　a　small；　reality…defying　gesture；　but　she　felt　better　for　it。　Vorkosigan　grasped　her　hand　and　pulled　her　up。
　〃All　right。〃　They　shoveled　and　pushed　the　dirt　back　into　the　hole　far　more　quickly　than　it　had　been　excavated；　and　packed　it　down　as　best　they　could　by　walking　on　it。
　〃Is　there　some　ceremony　you　wish　to　perform？〃　Vorkosigan　asked。
　Cordelia　shook　her　head；　not　feeling　up　to　reciting　the　vague；　official　funeral　service。　But　she　knelt　by　the　grave　for　a　few　minutes　making　a　more　serious；　less　certain　inward　prayer　for　her　dead。　It　seemed　to　fly　upward　and　vanish　in　the　void；　echoless　as　a　feather。
　Vorkosigan　waited　patiently　until　she　arose。　〃It's　rather　late；〃　he　said；　〃and　we　have　just　seen　three　good　reasons　not　to　go　stumbling　around　in　the　dark。　We　may　as　well　rest　here　until　dawn。　I'll　take　the　first　watch。　Do　you　still　want　to　bash　my　head　in　with　a　rock？〃
　〃Not　at　the　moment；〃　she　said　sincerely。
　〃Very　well。　I'll　wake　you　later。〃
　Vorkosigan　began　his　watch　with　a　patr