lmb.shardsofhonor-第24部分

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　〃Things　going　well　for　your　side；　are　they？〃　she　asked；　oppressed。
　〃We're　being　nicely　overextended。　Some　people　regard　that　as　progress。〃　He　entered　some　new　data；　then　shut　down　the　interface。
　She　sought　to　turn　the　subject　from　the　dangerous　present。　〃I　take　it　you　didn't　get　charged　with　treason　after　all？〃　she　asked；　thinking　back　to　their　last　conversation；　long　ago　and　far　away　above　another　world。
　〃Ah；　that　turned　out　something　of　a　draw。　I　was　recalled　back　to　Barrayar　after　you　escaped。　Minister　Grishnov…he's　head　of　Political　Education；　and　third　in　real　power　after　the　Emperor　and　Captain　Negri…was　practically　drooling　on　himself；　he　was　so　convinced　he'd　got　me　at　last。　But　my　case　against　Radnov　was　air…tight。
　〃The　Emperor　stepped　in　before　we　could　draw　blood；　and　forced　a　promise；　or　more　correctly；　an　abeyance。　I　haven't　actually　been　cleared；　the　charges　are　still　pending　in　some　legal　limbo。〃
　〃How'd　he　do　it？〃
　〃Sleight　of　hand。　He　was　giving　Grishnov　and　the　whole　war　party　everything　they'd　asked　for；　the　entire　Escobar　scheme　on　a　platter；　and　more。　He　gave　them　the　Prince。　And　all　the　credit。　After　the　conquest　of　Escobar；　Grishnov　and　the　Prince　each　think　they're　going　to　be　the　de　facto　ruler　of　Barrayar。
　〃He　even　made　Vorrutyer　swallow　my　promotion。　Pointed　out　he'd　have　me　directly　under　his　mand。　Vorrutyer　saw　the　light　at　once。〃　Vorkosigan's　teeth　set　at　some　searing　memory；　his　hand　opening　and　closing　once；　unconsciously。
　〃How　long　have　you　known　him？〃　she　asked　cautiously；　thinking　of　the　bottomless　well　of　hatred　she　had　fallen　down。
　His　eyes　slid　away　from　her。　〃We　were　in　school；　and　lieutenants　together；　back　when　he　was　only　a　mon　voyeur。　He　grew　worse；　I　understand；　in　recent　years；　since　he　started　associating　with　Prince　Serg；　and　thinking　he　could　get　away　with　anything。　God　help　us；　he　was　nearly　right。　Bothari　has　done　a　great　public　service。〃
　You　knew　him　better　than　that；　my　breath；　thought　Cordelia。　Was　that　your　infection　of　the　imagination；　so　hard　to　fight　off？　Bothari　has　done　a　great　private　service；　too；　it　seems。。。　〃Speaking　of　Bothari…next　time；　you　sedate　him。　He　went　wild　when　I　came　at　him　with　the　ampule。〃
　〃Ah。　Yes。　I　think　I　understand　why。　It　was　in　one　of　Captain　Negri's　reports。　Vorrutyer　was　in　the　habit　of　drugging　his；　uh；　players；　with　a　variety　of　concoctions；　when　he　wanted　a　better　show。　I'm　fairly　certain　Bothari　was　one　of　his　victims　that　way。〃
　〃Vile。〃　She　felt　sick。　Her　muscles　cramped　around　the　ache　in　her　side。　〃Who's　this　Captain　Negri　you　keep　talking　about？〃
　〃Negri？　He　does　keep　a　low　profile；　but　he's　hardly　secret。　He　heads　the　Emperor's　personal　security　staff。　Illyan's　boss。　They　call　him　Ezar　Vorbarra's　familiar。
　〃If　you　think　of　the　Ministry　of　Political　Education　as　the　Emperor's　right　hand；　then　Negri　is　his　left；　the　one　the　right　is　not　permitted　to　know。　He　watches　internal　security　on　the　highest　levels…the　Ministry　heads；　the　Counts；　the　Emperor's　family…the　Prince。。。〃　Vorkosigan　frowned　introspectively。　〃I　came　to　know　him　rather　well　during　the　preparations　for　this　strategist's　nightmare。　Curious　fellow。　He　could　have　any　rank　he　wanted。　But　forms　are　meaningless　to　him。　He's　only　interested　in　substance。〃
　〃Is　he　a　good　guy　or　bad　guy？〃
　〃What　an　absurd　question！〃
　〃I　just　thought　he　might　be　the　power　behind　the　throne。〃
　〃Hardly。　If　Ezar　Vorbarra　said；　'You're　a　frog；'　he'd　hop　and　croak。　No。　There　is　only　one　Emperor　on　Barrayar；　and　he　permits　no　one　to　get　behind　him。　He　still　remembers　how　he　came　to　power。〃
　She　stretched；　and　winced　at　the　pain　in　her　side。
　〃Something　wrong？〃　he　asked；　instantly　concerned。
　〃Oh；　Bothari　got　me　with　his　knee；　when　we　had　that　go…round　about　the　sedative。　I　thought　for　sure　they'd　hear　us。　Scared　me　to　death。〃
　〃May　I　see？〃　His　fingers　slid　gently　along　her　ribs。　It　was　only　in　her　imagination　that　they　left　a　trail　of　rainbow　light。
　〃Ow。〃
　〃Yes。　You　have　two　cracked　ribs。〃
　〃Thought　so。　I'm　lucky　it　wasn't　my　neck。〃　She　lay　hack；　and　he　made　shift　to　tape　them　with　strips　of　cloth；　then　sat　beside　her　on　his　bunk。　〃Have　you　ever　considered　chucking　it　all；　and　moving　someplace　nobody　ever　bothers　with？〃　Cordelia　asked。　〃Earth；　for　example。〃
　He　smiled。　〃Often。　I　even　had　a　little　fantasy　about　emigrating　to　Beta　Colony；　and　turning　up　on　your　doorstep。　Do　you　have　a　doorstep？〃
　〃Not　as　such；　but　go　on。〃
　〃I　can't　imagine　what　I'd　do　for　a　living　there。　I'm　a　strategist；　not　a　technician　or　navigator　or　pilot；　so　I　couldn't　go　into　your　merchant　fleet。　They　would　scarcely　take　me　in　your　military；　and　I　can't　see　myself　being　elected　to　office。〃
　Cordelia　snorted。　〃Wouldn't　that　startle　Steady　Freddy？〃
　〃Is　that　what　you　call　your　President？〃
　〃I　didn't　vote　for　him。〃
　〃The　only　employment　I　can　think　of　would　be　as　a　teacher　of　martial　arts；　for　sport。　Would　you　marry　a　judo　instructor；　dear　Captain？　But　no；〃　he　sighed。　〃Barrayar　is　bred　in　my　bones。　I　cannot　shake　it；　no　matter　how　far　I　travel。　This　struggle；　God　knows；　has　no　honor　in　it。　But　exile；　for　no　other　motive　than　ease…that　would　be　to　give　up　all　hope　of　honor。　The　last　defeat；　with　no　seed　of　future　victory　in　it。〃
　She　thought　of　the　deadly　cargo　she　had　convoyed；　now　safe　on　Escobar。　pared　to　all　the　lives　that　hung　on　it；　her　own　and　Vorkosigan's　weighed　less　than　a　feather。　He　misread　the　grief　in　her　face；　she　thought；　for　fear。　〃It　isn't　exactly　like　waking　from　the　nightmare；　to　see　your　face。〃　He　touched　it　gently；　fingertips　on　the　curve　of　her　jaw；　thumb　laid　a　moment　across　her　lips；　lighter　than　a　kiss。　〃More　like；　knowing；　while　dreaming　still；　that　beyond　the　dream　there　is　a　waking　world。　I　mean　to　join　you　in　that　waking　world；　someday。　You'll　see。　You'll　see。〃　He　squeezed　her　hand　and　smiled　reassuringly。　On　the　floor　Bothari　stirred；　and　groaned。　〃I'll　take　care　of　him；〃　Vorkosigan　said。　〃Get　some　sleep；　while　you　can。〃
　
　CHAPTER　NINE
　She　woke　to　movement；　and　voices。　Vorkosigan　was　rising　from　his　chair；　and　Illyan　was　standing　before　him　taut　as　a　bowstring；　saying　〃Vorhalas　and　the　Prince！　Here！　Now！〃
　〃Son…of…a。。。〃　Vorkosigan　turned　on　his　heel；　eyes　raking　the　little　room。　〃It'll　have　to　be　the　bathroom。　Fold　him　into　the　shower。〃
　Swiftly；　Vorkosigan　took　Bothari's　shoulders　and　Illyan　his　feet；　bumping　through　the　narrow　door　and　dumping　him　pell…mell　into　the　fixture。
　〃Should　he　have　more　sedative？〃　asked　Illyan。
　〃Maybe　he'd　better。　Cordelia；　give　him　another　ampule。　It's　too　early；　but　it's　death　for　you　both　if　he　makes　a　noise　now。〃　He　bundled　her　into　the　closet…sized　room；　shoving　the　drug　into　her　hand　and　killing　the　light。　〃No　noise；　no　movement。〃
　〃Door　shut？〃　asked　Illyan。
　〃Partway。　Lean　on　the　frame；　look　casual；　and　don't　let　the　Princes　bodyguard　wander　into　your　psychological　space。〃
　Cordelia；　feeling　her　way　in　the　dimness；　knelt　and　pressed　another　shot　of　sedative　into　the　unconscious　Sergeant's　arm。　Seating　herself　in　the　logical　spot；　she　found　she　could　just　see　a　slice　of　Vorkosigan's　cabin　in　the　mirror；　reversed　and　disorienting。　She　heard　the　cabin　door　open；　and　new　voices。
　〃…unless　you　mean　to　officially　relieve　him　of　his　duties　as　well；　I　will　continue　to　follow　standard　procedure。　I　saw　that　room。　Your　charge　is　nonsensical。〃
　〃We　will　see；〃　replied　the　second　voice；　tight　and　angry。
　〃Hello；　Aral。〃　The　owner　of　the　first　voice；　an　officer　of　perhaps　fifty　in　dress　greens；　shook　Vorkosigan's　hand　and　presented　him　with　a　packet　of　data　disks。　〃We're　off　to　Escobar　within　the　hour。　Courier　just　brought　these…the　latest　hard…copy　updates。　I've　ordered　you　to　be　kept　up　on　events。　The　Escos　are　falling　back　through　the　whole　volume。　They've　even　abandoned　that　slugging　match　for　the　wormhole　jump　to　Tau　Ceti。　We've　got　them　on　the　run。〃　The　owner　of　the　second　voice　also　wore　dress　greens；　more　heavily　encrusted　with　gilt　than　any　she　had　ever　seen。　Jeweled　decorations　on　his　breast　glinted　and　winked　like　lizards'　eyes　in　the　light　from　Vorkosigan's　desk　lamp。　He　was　about　thirty；　black　haired；　with　a　rectangular　tense　face；　hooded　eyes；　and　thin　lips　pressed　now　with　annoyance。　〃You're　not　both　going；　are　you？〃　said　Vorkosigan。　〃The　senior　officer　ought　properly　to　stay　with　the　flag。　Now　that　Vorrutyer　is　dead；　his　duties　devolve　on　the　Prince。　That　dog…and…pony　show　you　had　planned　was　based　on　the　assumption　that　he　would　still　be　at　his　post。〃
　Prince　Serg　went　stiff　with　outrage。　〃I　will　lead　my　troops　on　Escobar！　Let　my　father　and　his　cronies　try　to　say　I　am　no　soldier　now！〃
　〃You　will；〃　said　Vorkosigan　wearily；　〃sit　in　that　fortified　palace　that　half　the　engineers　are　going　to　be　tied　up　constructing；　and　party　in　it；　and　let　your　men　do　your　dying　for　you；　until　you've　bought　your　ground　by　the　sheer　weight　of　the　corpses　piled　on　it；　because　that's　the　kind　of　soldiering　your　mentor　has　taught　you。　And　then　send　bulletins　home　about　your　great　victory。　Maybe　you　can　have　the　casualty　lists　declared　top　secret。〃
　〃Aral；　careful；〃　warned　Vorhalas；　shocked。
　〃You　go　too　far；〃　the　Prince　snarled。　〃Especially　for　a　man　who　will　get　no　closer　to　the　fighting　than　clinging　to　the　wormhole　exit　for　home。　If　you　want　to　talk　of…undue　caution。〃　His　tone　clearly　made　the　phrase　a　euphemism　for　an　uglier　term。
　〃You　can　hardly　order　me　confined　to　quarters　and　then　accuse　me　of　cowardice　for　not　being　at　the　front。　Sir。　Even　Minister　Grishnov's　propaganda　has　to　simulate　logic　better　than　that。〃
　〃You'd　just　love　that；　wouldn't　you；　Vorkosigan；〃　hissed　the　Prince。　〃Stick　me　back　here；　and　grab　all　the　glory　for　yourself　and　that　wrinkled　clown　Vortala　and　his　phoney　progressives。　Over　my　dead　body！　You're　going　to　sit　in　here　till　you　grow　mold。〃
　Vorkosigan's　teeth　were　clenched；　his　eyes　narrowed　and　unreadable。　His　lips　curled　back　on　a　white　smile；　but　closed　again　instantly。　〃I　must　formally　protest。　By　landing　with　the　ground　troops　on　Escobar　you　are　leaving　your　proper　post。〃
　〃Protest　away。〃　The　Prince　approached　him　closely；　leaning　into　his　face　and　dropping　his　voice。　〃But　even　my　father　can't　live　forever。　And　when　that　day　es；　your　father　won't　be　ab