lmb.shardsofhonor-第28章

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an　torture。　She　had　begun　to　think；　in　the　past　months；　that　their　separation　must　eventually　diminish　her　heart…hunger　for　him；　but　seeing　him　live　and　intense　before　her　made　it　ravenous。　No　telling　what　he　felt；　though。　Right　now　he　looked　tired；　uncertain；　and　strained。　Wrong；　all　wrong。。。
　〃Ah；　permit　me　to　introduce　Lieutenant　Simon　Illyan；　of　the　Emperors　personal　security　staff。　He's　my　spy。　Lieutenant　Illyan；　mander　Naismith。〃
　〃It's　Captain　Naismith　now；〃　she　put　in　automatically。　The　lieutenant　shook　her　hand　with　a　bland　calm　innocence　wholly　at　odds　with　the　bizarre　scene　they　had　just　left。　He　might　have　been　at　an　embassy　reception。　Her　touch　left　a　streak　of　blood　on　his　palm。　〃Who　do　you　spy　on？〃
　〃I　prefer　the　term；　'surveillance；'　〃　he　said。
　〃Bureaucratic　weaselwording；〃　put　in　Vorkosigan。　He　added　to　Cordelia；　〃The　lieutenant　spies　on　me。　He　represents　a　promise　between　the　Emperor；　the　Ministry　of　Political　Education；　and　myself。〃
　'The　phrase　the　Emperor　used；〃　said　Illyan　distantly；　〃was　'cease…fire。'　〃
　〃Yes。　Lieutenant　Illyan　also　has　an　eidetic　memory　biochip。　You　may　think　of　him　as　a　recording　device　with　legs；　which　the　Emperor　may　play　back　at　will。〃
　Cordelia　stared　covertly　at　him。　〃It's　too　bad　we　couldn't　meet　again　under　more　auspicious　circumstances；〃　she　said　carefully　to　Vorkosigan。
　〃There　are　no　auspicious　circumstances　here。〃
　Lieutenant　Illyan　cleared　his　throat；　glancing　at　Bothari；　who　stood　twining　and　untwining　his　fingers　and　staring　at　the　wall。　〃What　now；　sir？〃
　〃Hm。　There　is　entirely　too　much　physical　evidence　in　that　room；　not　to　mention　witnesses　as　to　who　went　in　and　when；　to　attempt　to　monkey　with　the　scenario。　Personally；　I　should　prefer　for　Bothari　not　to　have　been　there　at　all。　The　fact　that　he　is　clearly　non　pos　mentis　will　carry　no　weight　with　the　Prince　when　he　gets　wind　of　this。〃　He　stood；　thinking　furiously。　〃You　will　simply　have　to　have　escaped；　before　Illyan　and　I　arrived　on　the　scene。　I　don't　know　how　long　it　will　be　possible　to　hide　Bothari　in　here…maybe　I　can　get　some　sedatives　for　him。〃　His　eye　fell　on　Illyan。　〃How　about　the　Emperor's　staff　agent　in　the　medical　section？〃
　Illyan　looked　nonmittal。　〃It's　possible　something　might　be　arranged。〃
　〃Good　man。〃　He　turned　to　Cordelia。　〃You're　going　to　have　to　stay　in　here　and　keep　Bothari　under　control。　Illyan　and　I　must　go　at　once；　or　there　will　be　too　many　unaccounted　minutes　between　the　time　we　left　Vorhalas　and　the　time　we　sound　the　alarm。　The　Prince's　security　men　will　be　going　over　that　room　thoroughly；　and　everyone's　movements　as　well。〃
　〃Were　Vorrutyer　and　the　Prince　in　the　same　party？〃　she　asked；　feeling　for　footing　in　the　riptides　of　Barrayaran　politics。
　Vorkosigan　smiled　bitterly。　〃They　were　just　good　friends。〃
　And　he　was　gone；　leaving　her　alone　with　Bothari　and　utter　confusion。
　
　She　had　Bothari　sit　down　in　Vorkosigan's　desk　chair；　where　he　fidgeted　silently　and　incessantly。　She　sat　cross…legged　on　the　bed；　trying　to　radiate　an　air　of　calm　control　and　good　cheer。　Not　easy；　from　a　spirit　filled　with　panic　frenzied　for　expression。
　Bothari　stood　and　began　to　pace　about　the　room；　talking　to　himself。　No；　not　to　himself；　she　realized。　And　most　certainly　not　to　her。　The　choppy　whispered　flow　of　words　made　no　sense　to　her　at　all。　Time　flowed　by　slowly；　viscous　with　fear。
　Both　she　and　Bothari　jumped　when　the　door　clicked　open；　but　it　was　only　Illyan。　Bothari　fell　into　a　knife…fighter's　crouch　as　he　slipped　in。
　〃Servants　of　the　beast　are　the　beast's　hands；〃　he　said。　〃He　feeds　them　on　the　wife's　blood。　Bad　servants。〃
　Illyan　eyed　him　nervously；　and　pressed　some　ampules　into　her　hand。　〃Here。　You　give　it　to　him。　One　of　these　would　knock　out　a　charging　elephant。　Can't　stay。〃　He　slipped　back　out　again。
　〃Coward；〃　she　muttered　after　him。　But　he　was　probably　right。　She　might　well　have　a　better　chance　than　he　of　getting　it　into　the　Sergeant。　Bothari's　agitation　was　approaching　an　explosive　level。
　She　set　the　bulk　of　the　ampules　aside；　and　approached　him　with　a　sunny　smile。　Its　effect　was　diminished　by　her　eyes；　large　with　fear。　Bothari's　eyes　were　flickering　slits。　〃modore　Vorkosigan　wants　you　to　rest　now。　He　sent　some　medicine　to　help　you。〃
　He　backed　warily　before　her；　and　she　stopped；　cautious　of　forcing　him　into　a　corner。　〃It's　just　a　sedative；　see？〃
　〃The　beast's　drugs　made　the　demons　drunk。　They　sang　and　shouted。　Bad　medicine。〃
　〃No；　no。　This　is　good　medicine。　It　will　make　the　demons　go　to　sleep；〃　she　promised。　This　was　walking　a　tightrope　in　the　dark。　She　tried　another　tack。
　〃e　to　attention；　soldier；〃　she　said　sharply。　〃Inspection。〃
　It　was　a　wrong　move。　He　batted　the　ampule　nearly　out　of　her　hand　as　she　tried　to　stick　it　in　his　arm；　and　his　hand　closed　around　her　wrist　like　a　hot　iron　band。　Her　breath　hissed　inward　at　the　pain；　but　she　just　managed　to　twist　her　fingers　around　and　press　the　administrative　spray　end　of　the　ampule　against　the　inside　of　his　wrist；　before　he　picked　her　up　bodily　and　flung　her　across　the　room。
　She　landed　on　her　back；　skidding　across　the　friction　matting　with　what　seemed　to　her　a　dreadful　amount　of　noise；　fetching　up　with　a　bang　against　the　door。　Bothari　lunged　after　her。　Can　he　kill　me　before　the　stuff　cuts　in？　she　wondered　wildly；　and　forced　herself　to　go　limp；　as　if　unconscious。　Surely　unconscious　people　were　very　non…threatening。
　Evidently　not　to　Bothari；　for　his　hands　closed　around　her　neck。　One　knee　pressed　into　her　rib　cage；　and　she　felt　something　go　painfully　wrong　in　the　region。　She　popped　her　eyes　open　in　time　to　see　his　eyes　roll　back。　His　hands　slackened　in　their　twisting；　and　he　rolled　off　her　to　his　hands　and　knees；　head　wagging　dizzily；　then　slumped　to　the　deck。
　She　sat　up；　leaning　against　the　wall。　〃I　want　to　go　home；〃　she　muttered。　〃This　wasn't　in　my　job　description。〃　The　feeble　joke　did　nothing　to　dissolve　the　clot　of　hysteria　rising　in　her　throat；　so　she　fell　back　on　an　older　and　more　serious　discipline；　whispering　its　words　aloud。　By　the　time　she　finished　self…control　had　returned。
　She　could　not　lift　Bothari　to　the　bunk。　She　raised　his　heavy　head　and　slipped　the　pillow　under　it；　and　pulled　his　arms　and　legs　into　a　more　fortable…looking　position。　When　Vorkosigan　and　his　shadow　returned　they　could　have　a　go　at　it。
　The　door　opened　at　last；　and　Vorkosigan　and　Illyan　entered；　closing　it　quickly　and　walking　carefully　around　Bothari。
　〃Well？〃　said　Cordelia。　〃How　did　it　go？〃
　〃With　machine…like　precision；　like　a　wormhole　jump　to　hell；〃　Vorkosigan　replied。　He　turned　his　hand　palm　upward　in　a　familiar　gesture　that　caught　her　heart　like　a　hook。
　She　looked　her　puzzlement　at　him。　〃You're　as　baffling　as　Bothari。　How　did　they　take　the　murder？〃
　〃It　went　just　fine。　I'm　under　arrest　and　confined　to　quarters；　for　suspicion　of　conspiracy。　The　Prince　thinks　I　put　Bothari　up　to　it；〃　he　explained。　〃God　knows　how。〃
　〃Uh；　I　know　I'm　very　tired；〃　she　said；　〃and　not　thinking　too　clearly。　But　you　did　say；　'Just　fine？'　〃
　〃modore　Vorkosigan；　sir；〃　interrupted　Illyan。　〃Keep　in　mind　that　I'm　going　to　have　to　report　this　conversation。〃
　〃What　conversation？〃　said　Vorkosigan。　〃You　and　I　are　alone　in　here；　remember？　You're　not　required　to　observe　me　when　I'm　alone；　as　everyone　knows。　They'll　start　wondering　why　you're　lingering　in　here　before　long。〃
　Lieutenant　Illyan　frowned　over　this　Jesuitry。　〃The　Emperor's　intention…〃
　〃Yes？　Tell　me　all　about　the　Emperor's　intention。〃　Vorkosigan　looked　savage。
　'The　Emperor's　intention；　as　municated　to　me；　was　that　you　be　discouraged　from　incriminating　yourself。　I　cannot　edit　my　report；　you　know。〃
　〃That　was　your　argument　four　weeks　ago。　You　saw　the　result。〃
　Illyan　looked　perturbed。
　Vorkosigan　spoke　low　and　controlled。　〃Everything　the　Emperor　requires　of　me　will　be　acplished。　He's　a　great　choreographer；　and　he　shall　have　his　dance　of　dreamers　down　to　the　last　step。〃　Vorkosigan's　hand　closed　in　a　fist；　and　opened　again。　〃I　have　withheld　nothing　that　is　mine　from　his　service。　Not　my　life。　Not　even　my　honor。　Grant　me　this。〃　He　pointed　at　Cordelia。　〃You　gave　me　your　word　on　it　then。　Do　you　intend　to　take　it　back？〃
　〃Will　someone　please　tell　me　what　you　are　talking　about