lmb.shardsofhonor-第3部分

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ot　you？〃
　That's　fetched　him；　she　thought；　as　the　stunner　with　which　he　had　been　absently　gesturing　was　swiveled　back　to　aim　on　her。　But　he　said　only；　〃That　is　not　your　concern。　Have　you　another　m　link？〃
　Oh　ho…was　this　stern　Barrayaran　mander　dealing　with　a　mutiny？　Well；　confusion　to　the　enemy！　〃No。　Your　soldiers　trashed　everything。〃
　〃No　matter；〃　muttered　Vorkosigan。　〃I　know　where　to　get　another。　Are　you　able　to　walk　yet？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure。〃　She　pushed　herself　to　her　feet；　then　pressed　her　hand　to　her　head　to　contain　the　shooting　pains。
　〃It's　only　a　concussion；〃　Vorkosigan　said　unsympathetically。　〃A　walk　will　do　you　good。〃
　〃How　far？〃　she　gasped。
　〃About　two　hundred　kilometers。〃
　She　fell　back　to　her　knees。　〃Have　a　nice　trip。〃
　〃By　myself；　two　days。　I　suppose　you　will　take　longer；　being　a　geologist；　or　whatever。〃
　〃Astrocartographer。〃
　〃Get　up；　please。〃　He　unbent　so　far　as　to　help　her　with　a　hand　under　her　elbow。　He　seemed　curiously　reluctant　to　touch　her。　She　was　chilled　and　stiff；　she　could　feel　the　heat　from　his　hand　through　the　heavy　cloth　of　her　sleeve。　Vorkosigan　pushed　her　determinedly　up　the　side　of　the　ravine。
　〃You're　stone　serious；〃　she　said。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　a　prisoner　on　a　forced　march？　Suppose　I　bash　in　your　head　with　a　rock　while　you　sleep？〃
　〃I'll　take　my　chances。〃
　They　cleared　the　top。　Cordelia　draped　herself　around　one　of　the　little　trees；　winded。　Vorkosigan　wasn't　even　breathing　hard；　she　noticed　enviously。　〃Well；　I'm　not　going　anywhere　till　I've　buried　my　officers。〃
　He　looked　irritated。　〃Its　a　waste　of　time　and　energy。〃
　〃I　won't　leave　them　to　the　scavengers　like　dead　animals。
　Your　Barrayaran　thugs　may　know　more　about　killing；　but　not　one　of　them　could　have　died　a　more　soldierly　death。〃
　He　stared　at　her　a　moment；　face　unreadable；　then　shrugged。　〃Very　well。〃
　Cordelia　began　to　make　her　way　along　the　side　of　the　ravine。　〃I　thought　it　was　here；〃　she　said；　puzzled。　〃Did　you　move　him？〃
　〃No。　But　he　can't　have　crawled　far；　in　his　condition。〃
　〃You　said　he　was　dead！〃
　〃So　he　is。　His　body；　however；　was　still　animate。　The　disruptor　must　have　missed　his　cerebellum。〃
　Cordelia　traced　the　trail　of　broken　vegetation　over　a　small　rise；　Vorkosigan　following　silently。
　〃Dubauer！〃　She　ran　to　the　tall　clad　figure　curled　up　in　the　bracken。　As　she　knelt　beside　him　he　turned　and　stretched　out　stiffly；　then　began　to　shake　all　over　in　slow　waves；　his　lips　drawn　back　in　a　strange　grin。　Cold？　she　thought　wildly；　then　realized　what　she　was　seeing。　She　yanked　her　handkerchief　from　her　pocket；　folded　it；　and　forced　it　between　his　teeth。　His　mouth　was　already　bloody　from　a　previous　convulsion。　After　about　three　minutes　he　sighed　and　went　limp。
　She　blew　out　her　breath　in　distress　and　examined　him　anxiously。　He　opened　his　eyes；　and　seemed　to　focus　on　her　face。　He　clutched　ineffectually　at　her　arm　and　made　noises；　all　moans　and　clotted　vowels。　She　tried　to　soothe　his　animal　agitation　by　gently　stroking　his　head；　and　wiping　the　bloody　spittle　from　his　mouth；　he　quieted。
　She　turned　to　Vorkosigan；　tears　of　fury　and　pain　blurring　her　vision。　〃Not　dead！　Liar！　Only　injured。　He　must　have　medical　help。〃
　〃You　are　being　unrealistic；　mander　Naismith。　One　does　not　recover　from　disruptor　injuries。〃
　〃So？　You　can't　tell　the　extent　of　the　damage　your　filthy　weapon　has　done　from　the　outside。　He　can　still　see　and　hear　and　feel…you　can't　demote　him　to　the　status　of　a　corpse　for　your　convenience！〃
　His　face　seemed　a　mask。　〃If　you　wish；〃　he　said　carefully。　〃I　can　put　him　out　of　his　suffering。　My　bat　knife　is　quite　sharp。　Used　quickly；　it　would　cut　his　throat　almost　painlessly。　Or　should　you　feel　it　is　your　duty　as　his　mander；　I'll　lend　you　the　knife　and　you　may　use　it。〃
　〃Is　that　what　you'd　do　for　one　of　your　men？〃
　〃Certainly。　And　they'd　do　the　same　for　me。　No　man　could　wish　to　live　on　like　that。〃
　She　stood　and　looked　at　him　very　steadily。　〃It　must　be　like　living　among　cannibals；　to　be　a　Barrayaran。〃
　A　long　silence　fell　between　them。　Dubauer　broke　it　with　a　moan。　Vorkosigan　stirred。　〃What；　then；　do　you　propose　to　do　with　him？〃
　She　rubbed　her　temples　tiredly；　ransacking　for　an　appeal　that　would　penetrate　that　expressionless　front。　Her　stomach　undulated；　her　tongue　was　woolly；　her　legs　trembled　with　exhaustion；　low　blood　sugar；　and　reaction　to　pain。　〃Just　where　is　it　you're　planning　to　go？〃　she　asked　finally。
　〃There　is　a　supply　cache　located…in　a　place　I　know。　Hidden。　It　contains　munications　equipment；　weapons；　food…possession　of　it　would　put　me　in　a　position　to；　ah；　correct　the　problems　in　my　mand。〃
　〃Does　it　have　medical　supplies？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　admitted　reluctantly。
　〃All　right。〃　Here　goes　nothing。　〃I　will　cooperate　with　you…give　you　my　parole；　as　a　prisoner…assist　you　in　any　way　I　can　that　does　not　actually　endanger　my　ship…if　I　can　take　Ensign　Dubauer　with　us。〃
　〃That's　impossible。　He　can't　even　walk。〃
　〃I　think　he　can；　if　he's　helped。〃
　He　stared　at　her　in　baffled　irritation。　〃And　if　I　refuse？〃
　〃Then　you　can　either　leave　us　both　or　kill　us　both。〃　She　glanced　away　from　his　knife；　lifted　her　chin；　and　waited。
　〃I　do　not　kill　prisoners。〃
　She　was　relieved　to　hear　the　plural。　Dubauer　was　evidently　promoted　back　to　humanity　in　her　strange　captor's　mind。　She　knelt　down　to　try　to　help　Dubauer　to　his　feet；　praying　this　Vorkosigan　would　not　decide　to　end　the　argument　by　stunning　her　and　killing　her　botanist　outright。
　〃Very　well；〃　he　capitulated；　giving　her　an　odd　intent　look。　〃Bring　him　along。　But　we　must　travel　quickly。〃
　She　managed　to　get　the　ensign　up。　With　his　arm　draped　heavily　over　her　shoulder；　she　guided　him　on　a　shambling　walk。　It　seemed　he　could　hear；　but　not　decode　meaning　from　the　noises　of　speech。　〃You　see；〃　she　defended　him　desperately；　〃he　can　walk。　He　just　needs　a　little　help。〃
　They　reached　the　edge　of　the　glade　as　the　last　level　light　of　early　evening　was　striping　it　with　long　black　shadows；　like　a　tiger's　skin。　Vorkosigan　paused。
　〃If　I　were　by　myself；〃　he　said；　〃I'd　travel　to　the　cache　on　the　emergency　rations　in　my　belt。　With　you　two　along；　we'll　have　to　risk　scavenging　your　camp　for　more　food。　You　can　bury　your　other　officer　while　I'm　looking　around。〃
　Cordelia　nodded。　〃Look　for　something　to　dig　with；　too。　I've　got　to　tend　to　Dubauer　first。〃
　He　acknowledged　this　with　a　wave　of　his　hand　and　started　toward　the　wasted　ring。　Cordelia　was　able　to　excavate　a　couple　of　half…burned　bedrolls　from　the　remains　of　the　women's　tent；　but　no　clothes；　medicine；　soap；　or　even　a　bucket　to　carry　or　heat　water。　She　finally　coaxed　the　ensign　over　to　the　spring　and　washed　him；　his　wounds；　and　his　trousers　as　best　she　could　in　the　plain　cold　water；　dried　him　with　one　bedroll；　put　his　undershirt　and　fatigue　jacket　back　on　him；　and　wrapped　the　other　bedroll　around　him　sarong　style。　He　shivered　and　moaned；　but　did　not　resist　her　makeshift　ministrations。
　Vorkosigan　in　the　meanwhile　had　found　two　cases　of　ration　packs；　with　the　labels　burned　off　but　otherwise　scarcely　damaged。　Cordelia　tore　open　one　silvery　pouch；　added　spring　water；　and　found　that　it　was　soya…fortified　oatmeal。
　〃That's　lucky；〃　she　mented。　〃He's　sure　to　be　able　to　eat　that。　What's　the　other　case？〃
　Vorkosigan　was　conducting　his　own　experiment。　He　added　water　to　his　pouch；　mixed　it　by　squeezing；　and　sniffed　the　result。
　〃I'm　not　really　sure；〃　he　said；　handing　it　to　her。　〃It　smells　rather　strange。　Could　it　be　spoiled？〃
　It　was　a　white　paste　with　a　pungent　aroma。　〃It's　all　right；〃　Cordelia　assured　him。　〃It's　artificial　blue　cheese　salad　dressing。〃　She　sat　back　and　contemplated　the　menu。　〃At　least　it's　high　in　calories；〃　she　encouraged　herself。　〃We'll　need　calories。　I　don't　suppose　you　have　a　spoon　in　that　utility　belt　of　yours？〃
　Vorkosigan　unhooked　an　object　from　his　belt　and　handed　it　to　her　without　ment。　It　turned　out　to　be　several　small　useful　utensils　folded　into　a　handle；　including　a　spoon。
　〃Thanks；〃　Cordelia　said；　absurdly　pleased；　as　if　granting　her　mumbled　wish　had　been　a　conjuror's　trick。
　Vorkosigan　shrugged　and　wandered　away　to　continue　his　search　in　the　gathering　darkness；　and　she　began　to　feed　Dubauer。　He　seemed　voraciously　hungry；　but　unable　to　manage　fo