lmb.shardsofhonor-第18部分

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　〃Five　down；　five　to　go；〃　Cordelia　said；　dropping　to　the　floor。　Her　left　leg　buckled；　it　wasn't　moving　quite　right。　〃Odds　are　getting　better　all　the　time。〃
　〃It　had　better　be　quick；　if　it's　going　to　work　at　all；〃　warned　Tafas。
　〃Suits　me。〃
　They　slid　out　the　door　and　ran　lightly　across　the　engineering　bay；　which　continued　its　automatic　tasks；　indifferent　to　its　masters'　identity。　Some　black…uniformed　bodies　were　piled　carelessly　to　one　side。　Tafas　held　up　his　hand　for　caution　as　they　rounded　the　corner；　jabbing　a　finger　significantly。　Cordelia　nodded。　Tafas　walked　around　the　corner　quietly；　and　Cordelia　pinned　herself　to　its　very　edge；　waiting。　As　Tafas　raised　his　stunner　she　oozed　around；　searching　for　a　target。　The　chamber　narrowed　in　this　L；　ending　in　the　main　entrance　to　the　deck　above。　Five　men　stood　with　their　attention　riveted　to　the　clanks　and　hisses　penetrating　dimly　through　a　hatch　at　the　top　of　some　metal　stairs。
　〃They're　getting　ready　to　storm；〃　said　one。　〃It's　time　to　let　their　air　out。〃
　Famous　last　words；　she　thought；　and　fired；　once　and　twice。　Tafas　fired　too；　rapidly　fanning　the　group；　and　it　was　over。　And　I　will　never；　she　pledged　silently；　call　one　of　Stuben's　stunts　harebrained　again。　She　wanted　to　throw　down　her　stunner　and　howl　and　roll　in　reaction；　but　her　own　job　was　not　finished。
　〃Tafas；〃　she　called。　〃I've　got　to　do　one　more　thing。〃
　He　came　to　her　side；　looking　shaky　himself。
　〃I've　gotten　you　out　of　this；　and　I　need　a　favor　in　return。　How　can　I　cut　control　to　the　long…range　plasma　weapons　so　you　can't　get　it　back　for　an　hour　and　a　half？〃
　〃Why　do　you　want　to　do　that？　Did　the　Captain　order　it？〃
　〃No；〃　she　said　honestly。　〃The　Captain　didn't　order　any　of　this；　but　he'll　like　it　when　he　sees　it；　don't　you　think？〃
　Tafas；　confused；　agreed。　〃If　you　short　this　panel；〃　he　suggested；　〃it　should　slow　things　down　quite　a　bit。〃
　〃Give　me　your　plasma　arc。〃
　Need　I？　she　wondered；　looking　over　the　section。　Yes。　He　would　fire　on　us；　just　as　surely　as　I'm　cutting　for　home。　Trust　is　one　thing；　treason　another。　I　have　no　wish　to　test　him　to　destruction。
　Now；　if　Tafas　isn't　fooling　me　by　pointing　out　the　controls　to　the　toilets　or　something。。。　She　blasted　the　panel；　and　stared　with　a　moment's　primitive　fascination　as　it　popped　and　sparked。
　〃Now；〃　she　said；　handing　the　plasma　arc　back；　〃I　want　a　couple　of　minutes　head　start。　Then　you　can　open　the　door　and　be　a　hero。　I　suggest　you　call　first　and　warn　them；　Sergeant　Bothari's　in　front。〃
　〃Right。　Thanks。〃
　She　glanced　up　at　the　main　entry　hatch。　About　three　meters　away；　he　is　now；　she　thought。　An　uncrossable　gulf。　So　in　the　physics　of　the　heart；　distance　is　relative；　it's　time　that's　absolute。　The　seconds　spun　like　spiders　down　her　spine。
　She　chewed　her　lip；　eyes　devouring　Tafas。　Last　chance　to　leave　a　message　for　Vorkosigan…no。　The　absurdity　of　transmitting　the　words；　〃I　love　you〃　through　Tafas'　mouth　shook　her　with　painful　inward　laughter。　〃My　pliments〃　sounded　rather　swelled…headed；　under　the　circumstances：　〃my　regards；〃　too　cold；　as　for　the　simplest　of　all；　〃yes〃。。。
　She　shook　her　head　silently　and　smiled　at　the　puzzled　soldier；　then　ran　back　to　the　storeroom　and　scrambled　back　up　the　ladder。　She　beat　a　rhythmic　tattoo　upon　the　hatch。　In　a　moment　it　opened。　She　found　herself　nose　to　nose　with　a　plasma　arc　held　by　Yeoman　Nilesa。
　〃I've　got　some　new　terms　to　carry　back　to　your　Captain；〃　she　said　glibly。　〃They're　a　little　screwy；　but　I　think　he'll　like　them。〃
　Nilesa；　surprised；　let　her　out　and　resealed　the　hatch。　She　walked　away　from　him；　glancing　down　the　main　corridor　as　she　passed。　Several　dozen　men　were　assembled　in　it。　A　technical　team　had　half　the　panels　off　the　walls；　sparks　flared　from　a　tool。　She　could　just　see　Sergeant　Bothari's　head　on　the　far　side　of　the　crowd；　and　knew　him　to　be　standing　next　to　Vorkosigan。　She　reached　the　ladder　at　the　end　of　the　corridor；　ascended　it；　and　began　to　run；　threading　her　way　level　by　level　through　the　maze　of　the　ship。
　Laughing；　crying；　out　of　breath　and　shaking　violently；　she　arrived　at　the　shuttle　hatch　corridor。　Dr。　McIntyre　stood　guard；　trying　to　appear　grim　and　Barrayaran。
　〃Is　everybody　here？〃
　He　nodded；　looking　at　her　with　delight。
　〃Pile　in；　let's　go。〃
　They　sealed　the　doors　behind　them　and　fell　into　their　seats　as　the　shuttle　pulled　away　at　maximum　acceleration　with　a　crunch　and　a　jerk。　Pete　Lightner　was　piloting　manually；　for　his　Betan　pilot's　neurological　implant　would　not　interface　to　the　Barrayaran　control　system　without　an　interpreter　coupler；　and　Cordelia　braced　herself　for　a　terrifying　ride。
　She　lay　back　in　her　seat；　still　gasping；　lungs　raw　from　her　mad　dash。　Stuben　joined　her；　seething；　and　staring　worriedly　at　her　uncontrollable　trembling。
　〃It's　a　crime　what　they　did　to　Dubauer；〃　he　said。　〃I　wish　we　could　blow　up　their　whole　damn　ship。　Is　Radnov　still　covering　us；　do　you　know？〃
　〃Their　long…range　weapons　will　be　out　for　a　while；〃　she　reported；　not　volunteering　details。　Could　she　ever　make　him　understand？　〃Oh。　I　meant　to　ask…who　was　the　Barrayaran　hit　by　disruptor　fire；　planetside？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Doc　Mac　got　his　uniform。　Hey；　Mac…what's　the　name　on　your　pocket？〃
　〃Uh；　let　me　see　if　I　can　sound　out　their　alphabet。〃　His　lips　moved　silently。　〃Kou…Koudelka。〃
　Cordelia　bowed　her　head。　〃Was　he　killed？〃
　〃He　wasn't　dead　when　we　left；　but　he　sure　didn't　look　very　healthy。〃
　〃What　were　you　doing　all　that　time　aboard　the　General？〃　asked　Stuben。
　〃Paying　off　a　debt。　Of　honor。〃
　〃All　right；　be　like　that。　I'll　get　the　story　later。〃　He　was　silent；　then　added　with　a　short　nod；　〃I　hope　you　got　the　bastard　good；　whoever　he　was。〃
　〃Look；　Stu…I　appreciate　all　you've　done。　But　I've　really　got　to　be　alone　for　a　few　minutes。〃
　〃Sure；　Captain。〃　He　gave　her　a　look　of　concern；　and　moved　off　muttering；　〃Damned　monsters；〃　under　his　breath。
　Cordelia　leaned　her　forehead　against　the　cold　window；　and　wept　silently　for　her　enemies。
　
　CHAPTER　SEVEN
　Captain　Cordelia　Naismith；　Betan　Expeditionary　Force；　fed　the　last　normal　space　navigational　observations　into　her　ship's　puter。　Beside　her；　Pilot　Officer　Parnell　adjusted　the　leads　and　cannulae　to　his　headset　and　settled　more　fortably　into　his　padded　chair；　ready　for　the　neurological　control　of　the　uping　wormhole　jump。
　Her　new　mand　was　a　slow　bulk　freighter；　unarmed；　a　steady　workhorse　of　the　Beta　Colony　Escobar　trade　run。　But　there　had　been　no　direct　munication　with　Escobar　for　over　sixty　days　now；　since　the　Barrayaran　invasion　fleet　had　plugged　the　Escobaran　side　of　the　exit　as　effectively　as　a　cork　in　a　bottle。　At　last　word　the　Barrayaran　and　Escobaran　fleets　were　still　maneuvering　in　a　deadly　gavotte　for　tactical　position；　with　little　actual　engagement。　The　Barrayarans　were　not　expected　to　mit　their　ground　forces　until　their　control　of　Escobaran　space　was　secure。
　Cordelia　intered　engineering。　〃Naismith　here。　You　about　ready　down　there？〃
　The　face　of　her　engineer；　a　man　she　had　first　met　but　two　days　ago；　appeared　on　the　screen。　He　was　young；　and　pulled　from　Survey　like　herself。　No　point　in　wasting　experienced　and　knowledgeable　military　personnel　on　this　excursion。　Like　Cordelia　he　wore　Survey　fatigues。　The　Expeditionary　Force　uniforms　were　rumored　to　be　in　the　works；　but　no　one　had　seen　them　yet。
　〃All　set；　Captain。〃
　No　fear　trembled　his　voice。　Well；　she　reflected；　perhaps　he　was　not　old　enough　yet　to　have　really　e　to　believe　in　death　after　life。　She　took　one　last　look　around；　settled　herself；　and　drew　a　breath。　〃Pilot；　the　ship　is　yours。〃
　〃Ship　accepted；　ma'am；〃　he　replied　formally。
　A　few　seconds　ticked　by。　An　unpleasant　wave　of　nausea　passed　over　her；　and　she　had　the　gluey；　unsettling　sensation　of　just　waking　up　from　a　bad　dream　she　could　not　remember。　The　jump　was　over。
　〃Ship　is　yours；　ma'am；〃　muttered　the　pilot　wearily。　The　few　seconds　she　had　experienced　translated　to　several　subjective　hours　for　him。
　〃Ship　accepted；　Pilot。〃　She　grabbed　for　the　console　and　began　punching　up　a　look　at　the　tactical　situation　into　which　they　had　popped。　There　had　been　nothing　through　this　passage　for　a　month；　she　hoped　fervently　the　Barrayaran　crews　would　be　bored　and　slow　on　the　uptake。
　There　they　were。　Six　ships；　two　of　them　starting　to　move　already。　So　much　for　slow　on　the　uptake。
　〃Right　through　the　middle　of　'em；　Pilot；〃　she　ordered；　keying　data　to　him。　〃It's　best　if　we　can　draw　'em　all　off　their　stations。〃
　The　two　moving　ships　neared　rapidly；　and　began　firing　with　leisurely　accuracy。　They　were　taking　their　time；　and　making　every　shot　count。　Just　a　little　target　practice；　that's　all　we　are；　she　thought。　I'll　give　you　target　practice。　All　non…shield　power　systems　dimmed；　and　the　ship　seemed　to　groan　as　the　plasma　fire　engulfed　it。　Then　they　cut　across　the　tickling　limit　of　the　Barrayarans'　range。
　She　called　engineering。　〃Projection　ready？〃
　〃Ready　and　steady。〃
　〃Go。〃
　Twelve　thousand　kilometers　behind　them；　as　if　just　emerged　from　the　wormhole；　a　Betan　dreadnought　sprang　into　being。　It　accelerated　astonishingly　for　so　large　a　craft；　indeed；　its　speed　matched　their　own。　It　followed　them　like　an　arrow。
　〃Aha！〃　She　clapped　her　hands　in　delight；　and　cried　into　the　inter；　〃We've　fetched　'em！　They're　all　moving　now。　Oh；　better　and　better！〃
　Their　pursuit　ships　slowed；　preparing　to　turn　and　attack　this　much　bigger　prize。　The　four　ships　that　had　previously　remained　properly　on　station　began　to　wheel　away　also。　Minutes　sped　by　as　they　jockeyed　for　position。　The　last　Barrayaran　ships　wasted　little　fire　on　them；　scarcely　more　than　a　salute；　their　attention　all　drawn　to　big　brother　behind　them。　The　Barrayaran　manders　undoubtedly　felt　themselves　to　be　in　a　fine　tactical　position；　spread　out　in　a　gauntlet　and　beginning　a　withering　fire。　The　little　ship　preceding　the　warship　was　on　the　far　side　of　them　from　Escobar；　with　nowhere　to　go。　They　could　pick　it　off　at　their　leisure。
　Her　own　shields　were　down　now；　and　acceleration　failing　as　the　ghastly　power　drain　of　the　projector　took　its　toll。　But　minute　by　precious　minute　the　Barrayaran　blockaders　were　being　drawn　farther　from　their　assigned　mousehole。
　〃We　can　keep　this　up　for　about　ten　more　minutes；〃　the　engineer　called　up。
　〃All　right。　Sa