lmb.shardsofhonor-第31节

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　〃Who？〃
　〃Never　mind。〃
　The　shuttle　landed　at　last；　and　the　hatch　was　opened。　A　shaft　of　sunlight　and　a　breath　of　summer…scented　air　fell　through　it；　sweet　green　air　that　made　them　suddenly　realize　they　had　been　breathing　reek　for　days。
　〃Wow；　where　is　this　place？〃　said　the　technician；　awed；　as　he　stepped　through　the　hatch；　prodded　by　the　guards。　〃It's　beautiful。〃
　Cordelia　followed　him；　and　laughed　out　loud；　although　not　happily；　in　instant　recognition。
　The　prison　camp　was　a　triple　row　of　Barrayaran　field　shelters；　ugly　grey　half…cylinders　surrounded　by　a　force　screen；　set　at　the　bottom　of　a　kilometers…wide　amphitheater　of　dry　woodland　and　waterfall；　beneath　a　turquoise　sky。　It　was　a　hazy；　warm；　quiet　afternoon　that　made　Cordelia　feel　she　had　never　left。
　Yes；　there　was　even　the　entrance　to　the　underground　depot；　not　camouflaged　anymore；　but　widened；　with　a　great　paved　area　for　landing　and　loading　gouged　out　before　it；　alive　with　shuttles　and　activity。　The　waterfall　and　pool　were　gone。　She　turned　about；　as　they　walked；　gazing　at　her　planet。　Now　that　she　thought　about　it；　it　seemed　inevitable　that　they　should　end　up　here；　quite　logical　really。　She　shook　her　head　helplessly。
　She　and　her　young　Escobaran　panion　were　signed　in　by　a　neat　and　expressionless　guard　and　directed　to　a　shelter　halfway　down　one　row。　They　entered；　to　find　it　occupied　by　eleven　women　in　a　space　meant　for　fifty。　They　had　their　choice　of　bunks。
　They　were　pounced　upon　by　the　older　prisoners；　frantic　for　news。　A　plump　woman　of　about　forty　restored　order；　and　introduced　herself。
　〃I'm　Lieutenant　Marsha　Alfredi。　I'm　ranking　officer　in　this　shelter。　Insofar　as　there　is　order　in　this　cess　pit。　Do　you　know　what　the　hell　is　going　on？〃
　〃I'm　Captain　Cordelia　Naismith。　Betan　Expeditionary。〃
　〃Thank　God。　I　can　dump　it　on　you。〃
　〃Oh；　my。〃　Cordelia　braced　herself。　〃Fill　me　in。〃
　〃It's　been　hell。　The　guards　are　pigs。　Then；　all　of　a　sudden　yesterday　afternoon；　this　bunch　of　high…ranking　Barrayaran　officers　came　trooping　through。　At　first　we　thought　they　were　shopping　for　rapees；　like　the　last　bunch。　But　this　morning　about　half　the　guards　had　disappeared…the　worst　of　the　lot…and　been　replaced　by　a　crew　that　look　like　they're　on　parade。　And　the　Barrayaran　camp　mandant…I　couldn't　believe　it。　They　paraded　him　out　on　the　shuttle　tarmac　this　morning　and　shot　him！　In　full　view　of　everyone！〃
　〃I　see；〃　said　Cordelia；　rather　tonelessly。　She　cleared　her　throat。　〃Uh…have　you　heard　yet？　The　Barrayarans　have　been　run　pletely　out　of　Escobaran　local　space。　They're　probably　sending　around　the　long　way　for　a　formal　truce　and　some　sort　of　negotiated　settlement　by　now。〃
　There　was　a　stunned　silence；　then　jubilation。　Some　laughed；　some　cried；　some　hugged　each　other；　and　some　sat　alone。　Some　broke　away　to　spread　the　news　to　neighboring　shelters　and　from　there　up　and　down　the　whole　camp。　Cordelia　was　pressed　for　details。　She　gave　a　brief　precis　of　the　fighting；　leaving　out　her　own　exploits　and　the　source　of　her　information。　Their　joy　made　her　a　little　happier；　for　the　first　time　in　days。
　〃Well；　that　explains　why　the　Barrayarans　have　straightened　up　all　of　a　sudden；〃　said　Lieutenant　Alfredi。　〃I　guess　they　didn't　expect　to　be　held　accountable；　before。〃
　〃They've　got　a　new　mander；〃　explained　Cordelia。　〃He's　got　a　thing　about　prisoners。　Win　or　lose；　there'd　have　been　changes　with　him　in　charge。〃
　Alfredi　didn't　look　convinced。　〃Oh？　Who　is　he？〃
　〃A　modore　Vorkosigan；〃　Cordelia　said　neutrally。
　〃Vorkosigan；　the　Butcher　of　Komarr？　My　God；　we're　in　for　it　now。〃　Alfredi　looked　genuinely　afraid。
　〃I　should　think　you　had　an　adequate　pledge　of　good　faith　on　the　shuttle　pad　this　morning。〃
　〃I　should　think　it　just　proves　he's　a　lunatic；〃　said　Alfredi。　〃The　mandant　didn't　even　participate　in　those　abuses。　He　wasn't　the　worst　by　a　long　shot。〃
　〃He　was　the　man　in　charge。　If　he　knew　about　them；　he　should　have　stopped　them。　If　he　didn't　know；　he　was　inpetent。　Either　way；　he　was　responsible。〃　Cordelia；　hearing　herself　defending　a　Barrayaran　execution；　stopped　abruptly。　〃I　don't　know。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃I'm　not　Vorkosigan's　keeper。〃
　The　noise　of　near…riot　penetrated　from　outside；　and　their　shelter　was　invaded　by　a　deputation　of　fellow　prisoners；　all　eager　to　hear　the　rumors　of　peace　confirmed。　The　guards　withdrew　to　the　perimeter　and　let　the　excitement　play　itself　out。　She　had　to　repeat　her　precis；　twice。　Her　own　crew　members；　led　by　Parnell；　came　over　from　the　men's　side。
　Parnell　jumped　up　on　a　bunk　to　address　the　orange…clad　crowd；　shouting　over　the　glad　babble。　〃This　lady　isn't　telling　you　everything。　I　had　the　real　story　from　one　of　the　Barrayaran　guards。　After　we　were　taken　aboard　the　flagship；　she　escaped　and　personally　assassinated　the　Barrayaran　mander；　Admiral　Vorrutyer。　That's　why　their　advance　collapsed。　Let's　hear　it　for　Captain　Naismith！〃
　〃That's　not　the　real　story；〃　she　objected；　but　was　drowned　out　by　shouts　and　cheers。　〃I　didn't　kill　Vorrutyer。　Here！　Put　me　down！〃　Her　crew；　ring…led　by　Parnell；　hoisted　her　to　their　shoulders；　for　an　impromptu　parade　around　the　camp。　〃It's　not　true！　Stop　this！　Awk！〃
　It　was　like　trying　to　turn　back　the　tide　with　a　teacup。　The　story　had　too　much　innate　appeal　to　the　battered　prisoners；　too　much　wish…fulfillment　e　to　life。　They　took　it　in　like　balm　for　their　wounded　spirits；　and　made　it　their　own　vicarious　revenge。　The　story　was　passed　around；　elaborated；　built　up；　sea…changed；　until　within　twenty…four　hours　it　was　as　rich　and　unkillable　as　legend。　After　a　few　days　she　gave　up　trying。
　The　truth　was　too　plicated　and　ambiguous　to　appeal　to　them；　and　she　herself；　suppressing　everything　in　it　that　had　to　do　with　Vorkosigan；　was　unable　to　make　it　sound　convincing。　Her　duty　seemed　drained　of　meaning；　dull　and　discolored。　She　longed　for　home；　and　her　sensible　mother　and　brother；　and　quiet；　and　one　thought　that　would　connect　to　another　without　making　a　chain　of　secret　horror。
　
　CHAPTER　ELEVEN
　Camp　returned　to　routine　soon；　or　what　routine　should　always　have　been。　There　followed　weeks　of　waiting　for　the　slow　negotiations　for　prisoner　exchange　to　be　pleted；　with　everyone　honing　elaborate　plans　for　what　they　would　do　when　they　got　home。　Cordelia　gradually　came　to　a　nearly　normal　relationship　with　her　shelter　mates；　although　they　still　tried　to　give　her　special　privileges　and　services。　She　heard　nothing　from　Vorkosigan。
　She　was　lying　on　her　bunk　one　afternoon；　pretending　to　sleep；　when　Lieutenant　Alfredi　roused　her。
　〃There's　a　Barrayaran　officer　out　here　who　says　he　wants　to　talk　to　you。〃　Alfredi　trailed　her　to　the　door；　suspicion　and　hostility　in　her　face。　〃I　don't　think　we　should　let　them　take　you　away　by　yourself。　We're　so　close　to　going　home。　They've　surely　got　it　in　for　you。〃
　〃Oh。　It's　all　right；　Marsha。〃
　Vorkosigan　stood　outside　the　shelter；　in　the　dress　greens　worn　daily　by　the　Staff；　acpanied　as　usual　by　Illyan。　He　seemed　tense；　deferential；　weary；　and　closed。
　〃Captain　Naismith；〃　he　said　formally；　〃may　I　speak　with　you？〃
　〃Yes；　but…not　here。〃　She　was　acutely　conscious　of　the　eyes　of　her　fellows　upon　her。　〃Can　we　take　a　walk　or　something？〃
　He　nodded；　and　they　started　off　in　shared　silence。　He　clasped　his　hands　behind　his　back。　She　shoved　hers　into　the　pockets　of　her　orange　smock　top。　Illyan　trailed　them；　dog…like；　impossible　to　shake。　They　left　the　prison　pound；　and　headed　into　the　woods。
　〃I'm　glad　you　came；〃　said　Cordelia。　〃There　are　some　things　I've　been　meaning　to　ask　you。〃
　〃Yes。　I　wanted　to　see　you　sooner；　but　winding　this　thing　up　properly　has　been　keeping　me　rather　busy。〃
　She　nodded　toward　his　yellow　collar　tabs。　〃Congratulations　on　your　promotion。〃
　〃Oh；　that。〃　He　touched　one　briefly。　〃It's　meaningless。　Just　a　formality；　to　expedite　the　work　I'm　doing　now。〃
　〃Which　is　what？〃
　〃Dismantling　the　armada；　guarding　the　local　space　around　this　planet；　shuffling　politicians　back　and　forth　between　Barrayar　and　Escobar。　General　housecleaning；　now　the　party's　over。　Supervising　prisoner　exchange。〃
　They　were　following　a　wide　beaten　path　through　the　grey…green　woods；　up　the　slope　out　of　the　crater's　bowl。
　〃I　wanted　to　apologize　for　questioning　you　under　drugs。　I　know　it　offended　you　deeply。　Need　drove　me。　It　was　a　military　necessity。〃
　〃You　have　nothing　to　apologize　for。〃　She　glanced　back　at　Illyan。　I　must　know。。。　〃Quite　literally　nothing；　I　eventually　realized。〃
　He　was　silent。　〃I　see；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃You　are　very　acute。〃
　〃On　the　contrary；　I　am　very　baffled。〃
　He　swung　to　face　Illyan。　〃Lieutenant；　I　crave　a　boon　from　you。　I　wish　a　few　minutes　alone　with　this　lady　to　discuss　a　very　personal　matter。〃
　〃I　shouldn't；　sir。　You　know　that。〃
　〃I　once　asked　her　to　marry　me。　She　never　gave　me　her　answer。　If　I　give　you　my　word　that　we　will　discuss　nothing　but　what　touches　on　that；　may　we　have　a　few　moments'　privacy？〃
　〃Oh。。。〃　Illyan　frowned。　〃Your　word；　sir？〃
　〃My　word。　As　Vorkosigan。〃
　〃Well…I　guess　it's　all　right　then。〃　Illyan　seated　himself　glumly　on　a　fallen　log　to　wait；　and　they　walked　on　up　the　path。
　They　came　out；　at　the　top；　on　a　familiar　promontory　overlooking　the　crater；　the　very　spot　where　Vorkosigan　had　planned　the　repossession　of　his　ship；　so　long　ago。