lmb.shardsofhonor-第38章

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started。〃
　〃But　what　do　I　do　with　them？〃　he　muttered　again。　She　had　never　seen　him　more　at　a　loss。
　〃What　do　you　usually　do　with　soldier's　by…blows？　Surely　the　situation　has　e　up　before；　not　on　this　scale；　maybe。〃
　〃We　usually　abort　bastards。　In　this　case；　it　seems　to　have　already　been　done；　in　a　sense。　So　much　trouble…do　they　expect　us　to　keep　them　alive？　Floating　fetuses…babies　in　cans。。。〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃　Cordelia　sighed　thoughtfully。　〃What　a　thoroughly　rejected　little　group　of　humanity　they　are。　Except…but　for　the　grace　of　God　and　Sergeant　Bothari；　one　of　those　canned　kids　might　have　been　mine；　and　Vorrutyer's。　Or　mine　and　Bothari's；　for　that　matter。〃
　He　looked　quite　ill　at　the　thought。　He　lowered　his　voice　almost　to　a　whisper；　and　began　again。　〃But　what　do　I…what　would　you　have　me　do　with　them？〃
　〃You're　asking　me　for　orders？〃
　〃I've　never…Cordelia；　please…what　honorable。。。〃
　It　must　be　quite　a　shock　to　suddenly　find　out　you're　pregnant；　seventeen　times　over…at　your　age；　too；　she　thought。　She　squelched　the　black　humor…he　was　so　clearly　out　of　his　depth…and　took　pity　on　his　real　confusion。　〃Take　care　of　them；　I　suppose。　I　have　no　idea　what　that　will　entail；　but…you　did　sign　for　them。〃
　He　sighed。　〃Quite。　Pledged　my　word；　in　a　sense。〃　He　set　the　problem　up　in　familiar　terms；　and　found　his　balance　therein。　〃My　word　as　Vorkosigan；　in　fact。　Right。　Good。　Objective　defined；　plan　of　attack　proposed…we're　in　business。〃
　The　surgeon　entered；　and　was　taken　aback　at　the　sight　of　the　float　pallet。　〃What　the　hell…oh；　I　know　what　they　are。　I　never　thought　I'd　see　one。。。〃　He　ran　his　fingers　over　one　canister　in　a　sort　of　technical　lust。　〃Are　they　ours？〃
　〃All　ours；　it　seems；〃　replied　Vorkosigan。　〃The　Escobarans　sent　them　down。〃
　The　surgeon　chuckled。　〃What　an　obscene　gesture。　One　can　see　why；　I　suppose。　But　why　not　just　flush　them？〃
　〃Some　unmilitary　notion　about　the　value　of　human　life；　perhaps；〃　said　Cordelia　hotly。　〃Some　cultures　have　it。〃
　The　surgeon　raised　an　eyebrow；　but　was　quelled；　as　much　by　the　total　lack　of　amusement　on　his　mander's　face　as　by　her　words。
　〃There　are　the　instructions。〃　Vorkosigan　handed　him　the　disk。
　〃Oh；　good。　Can　I　empty　one　out　and　take　it　apart？〃
　〃No；　you　may　not；〃　said　Vorkosigan　coldly。　〃I　pledged　my　word…as　Vorkosigan…that　they　would　be　cared　for。　All　of　them。〃
　〃How　the　devil　did　they　maneuver　you　into　that？　Oh；　well；　I'll　get　one　later；　maybe。。。〃　He　returned　to　his　examination　of　the　glittering　machinery。
　〃Have　you　the　facilities　here　to　handle　any　problems　that　may　arise？〃　asked　Vorkosigan。
　〃Hell；　no。　Imp　Mil　would　be　the　only　place。　And　they　don't　even　have　an　obstetrics　department。　But　I　bet　Research　would　love　to　get　hold　of　these　babies。。。〃
　It　took　Cordelia　a　dizzy　moment　to　realize　he　was　referring　to　the　uterine　replicators；　and　not　their　contents。
　〃They　have　to　be　serviced　in　a　week。　Can　you　do　it　here？〃
　〃I　don't　think。。。〃　The　surgeon　set　the　disk　into　the　monitor　at　the　clerk's　station；　and　began　flashing　through　it。　〃There　must　be　ten　written　kilometers　of　instructions…ah。　No。　We　don't　have…no。　Too　bad；　Admiral。　I'm　afraid　you'll　have　to　eat　your　word　this　time。〃
　Vorkosigan　grinned；　wolfishly　and　without　humor。　〃Do　you　recall　what　happened　to　the　last　man　who　called　me　on　my　word？〃
　The　surgeon's　smile　faded　into　uncertainty。
　〃These　are　your　orders；　then；〃　Vorkosigan　went　on；　clipped。　〃In　thirty　minutes　you；　personally；　will　lift　off　with　these…things；　for　the　fast　courier。　And　it　will　arrive　in　Vorbarr　Sultana　in　less　than　a　week。　You　will　go　to　the　Imperial　Military　Hospital　and　requisition；　by　whatever　means　necessary；　the　men　and　equipment　needed　to…plete　the　project。　Get　an　Imperial　order　if　you　have　to。　Directly；　not　through　channels。　I'm　sure　our　friend　Negri　will　put　you　in　touch。　See　them　set　up；　serviced；　and　report　back　to　me。〃
　〃We　can't　possibly　make　it　in　under　a　week！　Not　even　in　the　courier！〃
　〃You'll　make　it　in　five　days；　boosting　six　points　past　emergency　max　the　whole　way。　If　the　engineer's　been　doing　his　job；　the　engines　won't　blow　until　you　hit　eight。　Quite　safe。〃　He　glanced　over　his　shoulder。　〃Couer；　scramble　the　courier　crew；　please。　And　get　their　captain　on　the　line；　I　want　to　give　him　his　orders　personally。〃
　modore　Couer's　eyebrows　rose；　but　he　moved　to　obey。
　The　surgeon　lowered　his　voice；　glancing　at　Cordelia。　〃Is　this　Betan　sentimentality　at　work；　sir？　A　little　odd　in　the　Emperor's　service；　don't　you　think？〃
　Vorkosigan　smiled；　narrow…eyed；　and　matched　his　tone。　〃Betan　insubordination；　Doctor？　You　will　oblige　me　by　directing　your　energies　to　carrying　out　your　orders　instead　of　evolving　excuses　why　you　can't。〃
　〃Hell　of　a　lot　easier　just　to　open　the　stopcocks。　And　what　are　you　going　to　do　with　them　once　they're…pleted；　born；　whatever　you　call　it？　Who's　going　to　take　responsibility　for　them　then？　I　can　sympathize　with　your　wish　to　impress　your　girlfriend；　but　think　ahead；　sir！〃
　Vorkosigan's　eyebrows　snapped　together；　and　he　growled；　down　in　his　throat。　The　surgeon　recoiled。　Vorkosigan　buried　the　growl　in　a　throat…clearing　noise；　and　took　a　breath。
　〃That　will　be　my　problem。　My　word。　Your　responsibility　will　end　there。　Twenty…five　minutes；　Doctor。　If　you're　on　time　I　may　let　you　ride　up　on　the　inside　of　the　shuttle。〃　He　grinned　a　small　white　grin；　eloquently　aggressive。　〃You　can　have　three　days　home　leave　after　they're　in　place　at　ImpMil；　if　you　wish。〃
　The　surgeon　shrugged　wry　defeat；　and　vanished　to　collect　his　things。
　Cordelia　looked　after　him　doubtfully。　〃Will　he　be　all　right？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　it　just　takes　him　a　while　to　turn　his　thinking　around。　By　the　time　they　get　to　Vorbarr　Sultana；　he'll　be　acting　like　he　invented　the　project；　and　the…uterine　replicators。〃　Vorkosigan's　gaze　returned　to　the　float　pallet。　〃Those　are　the　damndest　things。。。〃
　A　guard　entered。　〃Pardon　me；　sir；　but　the　Escobaran　shuttle　pilot　is　asking　for　Captain　Naismith。　They're　ready　to　lift。〃
　Couer　spoke　from　the　munications　monitor。　〃Sir；　I　have　the　courier　captain　on　line。〃
　Cordelia　gave　Vorkosigan　a　look　of　helpless　frustration；　acknowledged　by　a　small　shake　of　his　head；　and　each　turned　wordlessly　to　the　demands　of　duty。　She　left　meditating　on　the　doctor's　parting　shot。　And　we　thought　we　were　being　so　careful。　We　really　must　do　something　about　our　eyes。
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　TWELVE
　She　traveled　home　with　about　200　others；　mostly　Escobarans；　on　a　Tau　Cetan　passenger　liner　hastily　converted　for　the　purpose。　There　was　a　lot　of　time　spent　exchanging　stories　and　sharing　memories　among　the　ex…prisoners；　sessions　subtly　guided；　she　realized　shortly；　by　the　heavy　sprinkling　of　psych　officers　the　Escobarans　had　sent　with　the　ship。　After　a　while　her　silence　about　her　own　experiences　began　to　stand　out；　and　she　learned　to　spot　the　casual…looking　roundup　techniques　for　the　only…apparently…impromptu　group　therapy；　and　make　herself　scarce。
　It　wasn't　enough。　She　found　herself　quietly　but　implacably　pursued　by　a　bright…faced　young　woman　named　Irene；　whom　she　deduced　must　be　assigned　to　her　case。　She　popped　up　at　meals；　in　the　corridors；　in　the　lounges；　always　with　a　novel　excuse　for　starting　a　conversation。　Cordelia　avoided　her　when　she　could；　and　turned　the　conversation　deftly；　or　sometimes　bluntly；　to　other　topics　when　she　couldn't。
　After　another　week　the　girl　disappeared　back　into　the　mob；　but　Cordelia　returned　to　her　cabin　one　day　to　discover　her　roommate　gone　and　replaced　by　another；　a　steady…eyed；　easygoing　older　woman　in　civilian　dress　who　was　not　one　of　the　ex…prisoners。　Cordelia　lay　on　her　bed　glumly　and　watched　her　unpacking。
　〃Hi；　I'm　Joan　Sprague；〃　the　woman　introduced　herself　sunnily。
　Time　to　get　explicit。　〃Good　afternoon；　Dr。　Sprague。　I　am　correct；　I　think；　in　identifying　you　as　Irene's　boss？〃
　Sprague　paused。　〃You're　quite　right。　But　I　prefer　to　keep　things　on　a　casual　basis。〃
　〃No；　you　don't。　You　prefer　to　keep　things　looking　like　they're　on　a　casual　basis。　I　appreciate　the　difference。〃
　〃You　are　a　very　interesting　person；　Captain　Naismith。〃
　〃Yes；　well；　there's　more　of　you　than　there　are　of　me。　Suppose　I　agree　to　talk　to　you。　Will　you　call　off　the　rest　of　your　dogs？〃
　〃I'm　here　for　y