lmb.shardsofhonor-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　They　knelt　down　in　the　bracken…like　undergrowth　to　try　the　m　link。　The　machine　produced　some　static　and　sad　whining　hoots；　went　dead；　then　coughed　out　the　audio　half　of　its　signal　when　tapped　and　shaken。　She　found　the　right　frequency　and　began　the　blind　call。
　〃mander　Naismith　to　Survey　Ship　Rene　Magritte。　Acknowledge；　please。〃　After　an　agony　of　waiting；　the　faint；　static…scrambled　reply　wavered　in。
　〃Lieutenant　Stuben　here。　Are　you　all　right；　Captain？〃
　Cordelia　breathed　again。　〃All　right　for　now。　What's　your　status？　What　happened？〃
　Dr。　Ullery's　voice　came　on；　senior　officer　in　the　survey　party　after　Rosemont。　〃A　Barrayaran　military　patrol　surrounded　the　camp；　demanding　surrender。　Said　they　claimed　the　place　by　right　of　prior　discovery。　Then　some　trigger…happy　loon　on　their　side　fired　a　plasma　arc；　and　all　hell　broke　loose。　Reg　drew　them　off　with　his　stunner；　and　the　rest　of　us　made　it　to　the　shuttle。　There's　a　Barrayaran　ship　of　the　General　class　up　here　we're　playing　hide…and…seek　with；　if　you　know　what　I　mean…〃
　〃Remember；　you're　broadcasting　in　the　clear；〃　Cordelia　reminded　her　sharply。
　Dr。　Ullery　hesitated；　then　went　on。　〃Right。　They're　still　demanding　surrender。　Do　you　know　if　they　captured　Reg？〃
　〃Dubauer's　with　me。　Is　everybody　else　accounted　for？〃
　〃All　but　Reg。〃
　〃Reg　is　dead。〃
　A　crackle　of　static　hissed　across　Stuben's　swearing。
　〃Stu；　you're　in　mand；〃　Cordelia　cut　in　on　him。　〃Listen　closely。　Those　twitchy　militarists　are　not；　repeat　not；　to　be　trusted。　On　no　account　surrender　the　ship。　I've　seen　the　secret　reports　on　the　General　cruisers。　You're　out…gunned；　out…armored；　and　out…manned；　but　you've　got　at　least　twice　the　legs。　So　get　out　of　his　range　and　stay　there。　Retreat　all　the　way　back　to　Beta　Colony　if　you　have　to；　but　take　no　chances　with　my　people。　Got　that？〃
　〃We　can't　leave　you；　Captain！〃
　〃You　can't　launch　a　shuttle　for　a　pickup　unless　you　get　the　Barrayarans　off　your　neck。　And　if　we　are　captured；　the　chances　are　better　for　getting　us　home　through　political　channels　than　through　some　harebrained　rescue　stunt；　but　only　if　you　make　it　home　to　plain；　is　that　absolutely　clear？　Acknowledge！〃　she　demanded。
　〃Acknowledged；〃　he　replied　reluctantly。　〃But　Captain…how　long　do　you　really　think　you　can　keep　away　from　those　crazy　bastards？　They're　bound　to　get　you　in　the　end；　with　'scopes。〃
　〃As　long　as　possible。　As　for　you…get　going！〃　She　had　occasionally　imagined　her　ship　functioning　without　herself；　never　without　Rosemont。　Got　to　keep　Stuben　from　trying　to　play　soldier；　she　thought。　The　Barrayarans　aren't　amateurs。　〃There　are　fifty…six　lives　depending　on　you　up　there。　You　can　count。　Fifty…six　is　more　than　two。　Keep　it　in　mind；　all　right？　Naismith　out。〃
　〃Cordelia。。。　Good　luck。　Stuben　out。〃　Cordelia　sat　back　and　stared　at　the　little　municator。　〃Whew。　What　a　peculiar　business。〃
　Ensign　Dubauer　snorted。　〃That's　an　understatement。〃
　〃It's　an　exact　statement。　I　don't　know　if　you　noticed…〃　A　movement　in　the　mottled　shade　caught　her　eye。　She　started　to　her　feet；　hand　moving　toward　her　stunner。　The　tall；　hatchet…faced　Barrayaran　soldier　in　the　green　and　grey　splotched　camouflage　fatigues　moved　even　faster。　Dubauer　moved　faster　still；　shoving　her　blindly　behind　him。　She　heard　the　crackle　of　a　nerve　disruptor　as　she　pitched　backward　into　the　ravine；　stunner　and　m　link　flying　from　her　hands。　Forest；　earth；　stream；　and　sky　spun　wildly　around　her；　her　head　struck　something　with　a　sickening；　starry　crack；　and　darkness　swallowed　her。
　The　forest　mold　pressed　against　Cordelia's　cheek。　The　damp　earthy　smell　tickled　her　nostrils。　She　breathed　deeper；　filling　her　mouth　and　lungs；　and　then　the　odor　of　decay　wrung　her　stomach。　She　turned　her　face　from　the　muck。　Pain　exploded　through　her　head　in　radiating　lines。
　She　groaned　inarticulately。　Dark　sparkling　whorls　curtained　her　vision；　then　cleared。　She　forced　her　eyes　to　focus　on　the　nearest　object；　about　half　a　meter　to　the　right　of　her　head。
　Heavy　black　boots；　sunk　in　the　mud　and　topped　by　green　and　grey　splotched　camouflage　trousers；　encased　legs　spread　apart　in　a　patient　parade　rest。　She　suppressed　a　weary　whimper。　Very　gently　she　laid　her　head　back　in　the　black　ooze；　and　rolled　cautiously　onto　her　side　for　a　better　view　of　the　Barrayaran　officer。
　Her　stunner！　She　stared　into　the　little　rectangle　of　its　business　end；　held　steadily　in　a　broad　and　heavy　hand。　Her　eyes　searched　anxiously　for　his　nerve　disruptor。　The　officer's　belt　hung　heavy　with　equipment；　but　the　disruptor　holster　on　his　right　hip　was　empty；　as　was　the　plasma　arc　holster　on　his　left。
　He　was　barely　taller　than　herself；　but　stocky　and　powerful。　Untidy　dark　hair　touched　with　grey；　cold　intent　grey　eyes…in　fact；　his　whole　appearance　was　untidy　by　the　strict　Barrayaran　military　standards。　His　fatigues　were　almost　as　rumpled　and　muddy　and　stained　with　plant　juices　as　her　own；　and　he　had　a　raw　contusion　across　his　right　cheekbone。　Looks　like　he's　had　a　rotten　day　too；　she　thought　muzzily。　Then　the　sparkly　black　whirlpools　expanded　and　drowned　her　again。
　When　her　vision　cleared　again　the　boots　were　gone…no。　There　he　was；　seated　fortably　on　a　log。　She　tried　to　focus　on　something　other　than　her　rebellious　belly；　but　her　belly　won　control　in　a　wrenching　rush。
　The　enemy　captain　stirred　involuntarily　as　she　vomited；　but　remained　sitting。　She　crawled　the　few　meters　to　the　little　stream　at　the　bottom　of　the　ravine；　and　washed　out　her　mouth　and　face　in　its　icy　water。　Feeling　relatively　better；　she　sat　up　and　croaked；　〃Well？〃
　The　officer　inclined　his　head　in　a　shadow　of　courtesy。　〃I　am　Captain　Aral　Vorkosigan；　manding　the　Barrayaran　Imperial　war　cruiser　General　Vorkraft。　Identify　yourself；　please。〃　His　voice　was　baritone；　his　speech　barely　accented。
　〃mander　Cordelia　Naismith。　Betan　Astronomical　Survey。　We　are　a　scientific　party；〃　she　emphasized　accusingly。　〃Non…batants。〃
　〃So　I　noticed；〃　he　said　dryly。　〃What　happened　to　your　party？〃
　Cordelia's　eyes　narrowed。　〃Weren't　you　there？　I　was　up　on　the　mountain；　assisting　my　team　botanist。〃　And　more　urgently；　〃Have　you　seen　my　botanist…my　ensign？　He　pushed　me　into　the　ravine　when　we　were　ambushed…〃
　He　glanced　up　to　the　rim　of　the　gorge　at　the　point　where　she　had　toppled　in…how　long　ago？　〃Was　he　a　brown…haired　boy？〃
　Her　heart　sank　in　sick　anticipation。　〃Yes。〃
　〃There's　nothing　you　can　do　for　him　now。〃
　〃That　was　murder！　All　he　had　was　a　stunner！〃　Her　eyes　burned　the　Barrayaran。　〃Why　were　my　people　attacked？〃
　He　tapped　her　stunner　thoughtfully　in　his　palm。　〃Your　expedition；〃　he　said　carefully；　〃was　to　be　interned；　preferably　peacefully；　for　violation　of　Barrayaran　space。　There　was　an　altercation。　I　was　hit　in　the　back　with　a　stun　beam。　When　I　came　to；　I　found　your　camp　as　you　did。〃
　〃Good。〃　Bitter　bile　soured　her　mouth。　〃I'm　glad　Reg　got　one　of　you；　before　you　murdered　him　too。〃
　〃If　you　are　referring　to　that　misguided　but　admittedly　courageous　blond　boy　in　the　clearing；　he　couldn't　have　hit　the　side　of　a　house。　I　don't　know　why　you　Betans　put　on　soldiers'　uniforms。　You're　no　better　trained　than　children　on　a　picnic。　If　your　ranks　denote　anything　but　pay　scale；　it's　not　apparent　to　me。〃
　〃He　was　a　geologist；　not　a　hired　killer；〃　she　snapped。　〃As　for　my　'children；'　your　soldiers　couldn't　even　capture　them。〃
　His　brows　drew　together。　Cordelia　shut　her　mouth　abruptly。　Oh；　great；　she　thought。　He　hasn't　even　started　to　wrench　my　arms　off；　and　already　I'm　giving　away　free　intelligence。
　〃Didn't　they　now；〃　Vorkosigan　mused。　He　pointed　upstream　with　the　stunner　to　where　the　m　link　lay　cracked　open　in　the　brook。　A　little　sputtering　of　steam　rose　from　the　ruin。　〃What　orders　did　you　give　your　ship　when　they　informed　you　of　their　escape？〃
　〃I　told　them　to　use　their　initiative；〃　she　murmured　vaguely；　groping　for　inspiration　in　a　throbbing　fog。
　He　snorted。　〃A　safe　order　to　give　a　Betan。　At　least　you're　sure　to　be　obeyed。〃
　Oh；　no。　My　turn。　〃Hey；　I　know　why　my　people　left　me　behind…why　did　yours　leave　you？　Isn't　one's　manding　officer；　even　a　Barrayaran　one；　too　important　to　mislay？〃　She　sat　up　straighter。　〃If　Reg　couldn't　hit　the　side　of　a　house；　who　shot　you？〃
　That's　fetched　him；　she　thought；　as　the　stunner　with　whi