lmb.shardsofhonor-第6部分

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　He　thought　a　moment；　then　trotted　away　over　the　edge　of　the　little　valley。　Cordelia　sat　down　beside　Dubauer；　putting　an　arm　around　his　shoulders　and　hunching　in　anticipation。
　Vorkosigan　shot　back　over　the　rim　at　a　dead　run；　and　hit　the　ground　rolling。　There　was　a　brilliant　blue…white　flash；　and　a　boom　that　shook　the　ground。　A　large　column　of　smoke；　dust；　and　steam　rose　into　the　air；　and　pebbles；　dirt；　and　bits　of　melted　sand　began　to　patter　down　like　rain　all　around。　Vorkosigan　disappeared　over　the　edge　again；　and　returned　shortly　with　a　fine　flaming　torch。
　Cordelia　went　for　a　peek　at　the　damage。　Vorkosigan　had　placed　the　short…circuited　cartridge　upstream　about　a　hundred　meters；　at　the　outer　edge　of　a　bend　where　the　swift　little　river　curved　away　to　the　east。　The　explosion　had　left　a　spectacular　glass…lined　crater　some　fifteen　meters　wide　and　five　deep　that　was　still　smoking。　As　she　watched；　the　stream　eroded　its　edge　and　poured　in；　billowing　steam。　In　an　hour　it　would　be　scoured　into　a　natural…looking　backwater。
　〃Not　bad；〃　she　murmured　approvingly。　By　the　time　the　fire　burned　down　to　a　bed　of　coals　they　had　cubes　of　dark　red　meat　on　sticks　ready　to　broil。
　〃How　do　you　like　yours？〃　Vorkosigan　asked。　〃Rare？　Medium？〃
　〃I　think　it　had　better　be　well　done；〃　suggested　Cordelia。　〃We　hadn't　pleted　the　parasite　survey　yet。〃
　Vorkosigan　glanced　at　his　cube　with　a　new　dubiousness。　〃Ah。　Quite；〃　he　said　faintly。
　They　cooked　it　thoroughly；　then　sat　by　the　fire　and　tore　into　the　smoking　meat　with　happy　savagery。　Even　Dubauer　managed　to　feed　himself　with　small　chunks。　It　was　gamey　and　tough；　burned　on　the　outside　and　with　a　bitter　undertaste；　but　no　one　suggested　a　side　dish　of　either　oatmeal　or　blue　cheese　dressing。
　Cordelia's　humor　was　touched。　Vorkosigan's　fatigues　were　filthy；　damp；　and　splashed　with　dried　blood　from　hacking　up　their　dinner；　as　were　her　own。　He　had　a　three…day　growth　of　beard；　his　face　glistened　in　the　firelight　with　hexaped　grease；　and　he　reeked　with　dried　sweat。　Barring　the　beard；　she　suspected　she　looked　no　better；　and　she　knew　she　smelled　no　better。　She　found　herself　disquietingly　aware　of　his　body；　muscular；　pact；　wholly　masculine；　stirring　senses　she　thought　she　had　suppressed。　Best　think　of　something　else。。。
　〃From　spaceman　to　caveman　in　three　days；〃　she　meditated　aloud。　〃How　we　imagine　our　civilization　is　in　ourselves；　when　it's　really　in　our　things。〃
　Vorkosigan　glanced　with　a　twisted　smile　at　the　carefully　tended　Dubauer。　〃You　seem　able　to　carry　your　civilization　on　the　inside。〃
　Cordelia　flushed　unfortably；　glad　for　the　camouflaging　firelight。　〃One　does　one's　duty。〃
　〃Some　people　find　their　duty　more　elastic。　Or…were　you　in　love　with　him？〃
　〃With　Dubauer？　Heavens；　no！　I'm　no　cradle　snatcher。　He　was　a　good　kid；　though。　I'd　like　to　get　him　home　to　his　family。〃
　〃Do　you　have　a　family？〃
　〃Sure。　My　mom　and　brother；　back　home　on　Beta　Colony。　My　dad　used　to　be　in　the　Survey　too。〃
　〃Was　he　one　of　those　who　never　came　back？〃
　〃No；　he　died　in　a　shuttleport　accident；　not　ten　kilometers　from　home。　He'd　been　home　on　leave；　and　was　just　reporting　back。〃
　〃My　condolences。〃
　〃Oh；　that　was　years　and　years　ago。〃　Getting　a　little　personal；　isn't　he？　she　thought。　But　it　was　better　than　trying　to　deflect　military　interrogation。　She　hoped　fervently　that　the　subject；　say；　of　the　latest　Betan　equipment　would　not　e　up。　〃How　about　you？　Do　you　have　a　family？〃　It　suddenly　occurred　to　her　that　this　phrase　was　also　a　polite　way　of　asking；　Are　you　married？
　〃My　father　lives。　He　is　Count　Vorkosigan。　My　mother　was　half　Betan；　you　know；〃　he　offered　hesitantly。
　Cordelia　decided　that　if　Vorkosigan；　full　of　military　curtness；　was　formidable；　Vorkosigan　trying　to　make　himself　pleasant　was　truly　terrifying。　But　curiosity　overcame　the　urge　to　cut　the　conversation　short。　〃That's　unusual。　How　did　that　happen？〃
　〃My　maternal　grandfather　was　Prince　Xav　Vorbarra；　the　diplomat。　He　held　the　post　of　ambassador　to　Beta　Colony　for　a　time；　in　his　youth；　before　the　First　Cetagandan　War。　I　believe　my　grandmother　was　in　your　Bureau　for　Interstellar　Trade。〃
　〃Did　you　know　her　well？〃
　〃After　my　mother…died；　and　Yuri　Vorbarra's　Civil　War　was　brought　to　an　end；　I　spent　some　school　vacations　at　the　Prince's　home　in　the　capital。　He　was　at　odds　with　my　father；　though；　before　and　after　that　war；　being　of　different　political　parties。　Xav　was　the　leading　light　of　the　progressives　in　his　day；　and　of　course　my　father　was…is…part　of　the　last　stand　of　the　old　military　aristocracy。〃
　〃Was　your　grandmother　happy　on　Barrayar？〃　Cordelia　estimated　Vorkosigan's　school　days　were　perhaps　thirty　years　ago。
　〃I　don't　think　she　ever　adjusted　pletely　to　our　society。　And　of　course；　Yuri's　War。。。〃　He　trailed　off；　then　began　again。　〃Outsiders…you　Betans　particularly…have　this　odd　vision　of　Barrayar　as　some　monolith；　but　we　are　a　fundamentally　divided　society。　My　government　is　always　fighting　these　centrifugal　tendencies。〃
　Vorkosigan　leaned　forward　and　tossed　another　piece　of　wood　onto　the　fire。　Sparks　cascaded　upward　like　a　stream　of　little　orange　stars　flowing　home　to　the　sky。　Cordelia　felt　a　sharp　longing　to　fly　away　with　them。
　〃What　party　has　your　allegiance？〃　she　asked；　hoping　to　keep　the　conversation　on　a　less　unnervingly　personal　plane。　〃Do　you　stand　with　your　father？〃
　〃While　he　lives。　I　always　wanted　to　be　a　soldier；　and　avoid　all　parties。　I　have　an　aversion　to　politics；　they've　been　death　on　my　family。　But　it's　past　time　someone　took　on　those　damned　bureaucrats　and　their　pet　spies。　They　imagine　they're　the　wave　of　the　future；　but　it's　only　sewage　flowing　downhill。〃
　〃If　you　express　those　opinions　that　forcibly　at　home；　it's　no　wonder　politics　e　looking　for　you。〃　She　poked　at　the　fire　with　a　stick；　freeing　more　sparks　for　their　journey。
　Dubauer；　sedated　by　the　painkiller；　fell　asleep　quickly；　but　Cordelia　lay　long　awake；　replaying　the　disturbing　conversation　in　her　mind。　Still；　what　did　she　care　if　this　Barrayaran　chose　to　run　his　head　into　nooses？　No　reason　for　her　to　get　involved。　None　at　all。　Surely　not。　Even　if　the　shape　of　his　square　strong　hands　was　a　dream　of　power　in　form。。。
　She　awakened　deep　in　the　night　with　a　start。　But　it　was　only　the　fire　flaring　up　as　Vorkosigan　added　an　unusually　large　armload　of　wood。　She　sat　up；　and　he　came　over　to　her。
　〃I'm　glad　you're　awake。　I　need　you。〃　He　pressed　his　bat　knife　into　her　hand。　〃That　carcass　seems　to　be　attracting　something。　I'm　going　to　pitch　it　into　the　river。　Will　you　hold　a　torch？〃
　〃Sure。〃　She　stretched；　got　up；　and　selected　a　suitable　brand。　She　followed　him　down　into　the　watercourse；　rubbing　her　eyes。　The　flickering　orange　light　made　jumpy　black　shadows　that　were　almost　harder　to　see　into　than　plain　starlight。　As　they　reached　the　waters　edge　she　caught　movement　out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye；　and　heard　a　scrambling　among　the　rocks　and　a　familiar　hiss。
　〃Uh；　oh。　There's　a　group　of　those　scavengers　just　upstream　to　the　left。〃
　〃Right。〃　Vorkosigan　flung　the　remains　of　their　dinner　to　the　middle　of　the　river；　where　they　vanished　with　a　dim　gurgle。　There　was　an　extra　splash；　a　loud　one；　not　an　echo。　Aha！　Cordelia　thought…I　saw　you　jump　too；　Barrayaran。　But　whatever　had　splashed　didn't　show　above　the　surface；　and　its　ripples　were　lost　in　the　current。　There　came　some　more　hisses；　and　a　shattering　shriek；　from　downstream。　Vorkosigan　drew　the　stunner。
　〃There's　a　whole　herd　of　them　out　there；〃　Cordelia　mented　nervously。　They　stood　back　to　back；　trying　to　penetrate　the　blackness。　Vorkosigan　rested　the　stunner　across　one　wrist；　and　let　off　a　carefully　aimed　burst。　It　buzzed　quietly；　and　one　of　the　dark　shapes　slumped　to　the　ground。　Its　rades　sniffed　it　curiously；　and　moved　in　closer。
　〃I　wish　your　gun　had　more　of　a　bang。〃　He　aimed　again　and　dropped　two　more；　without　any　effect　on　the　rest。　He　cleared　his　throat。　〃You　know；　your　stunner's　almost　out　of　charge。〃
　〃Not　enough　to　flatten　the　rest　of　them；　eh？〃
　〃No。〃
　One　of　the　scavengers；　bolder　than　the　rest；　darted　forward。　Vorkosigan　met　its　charge　with　a　shout　and　a　rush　of　his　own。　It　retreated　temporarily。　The　breed　of　scavengers　that　ranged　the　plains　was　slightly　larger　than　its　mountain　cousins；　and　if　possible；　uglier。　Obviously；　it　also　traveled　in　larger　groups。　The　ring　of　beasts　closed　tighter　as　they　attempted　to　retreat　toward　the　valley　rim。
　〃Oh；　hell；〃　said　Vorkosigan。　〃That　does　it。〃　A　dozen　silent；　ghostly　globes　were　drifting　in　from　above。　〃What　a　foul　way　to　die。　Well；　let's　take　as　many　with　us　as　possible。〃　He　glanced　at　her；　seemed　about　to　say　more；　but　then　only　shook　his　head　and　braced　for　the　rush。
　Cordelia；　heart　lurching；　gazed　up　at　the　descending　radials　and　was　illuminated　by　an　idea　of　awesome　brilliance。
　〃Oh；　no；〃　she　breathed。　〃That's　not　the　last　straw。　That's　the　home　fleet；　ing　to　the　rescue。　e；　my　pretties；〃　she　coaxed。　〃e　to　Mama。〃
　〃Have　you　lost　your　mind？〃　asked　Vorkosigan。
　〃You　wanted　a　bang？　I'll　give　you　a　bang。　What　do　you　think　holds　those　things　up？〃
　〃Hadn't　thought　about　it。　But　of　course　it　would　almost　have　to　be…〃
　〃Hydrogen！　Bet　you　anything　those　darling　little　chemistry　sets　are　electrolyzing　water。　Notice　how　they　hang　around　rivers　and　streams？　Wish　I　had　some　gloves。〃
　〃Allow　me。〃　His　grin　winked　out　of　the　fire…streaked　dark　at　her。　He　jumped　up　and　hooked　a　radial　out　of　the　air　by　its　writhing　maroon　tendrils；　and　flung　it　to　earth　before　the　approaching　scavengers。　Cordelia；　holding　her　torch　like　a　fencer's　foil；　thrust　toward　it　at　full　extension。　Sparks　scattered　as　she　jabbed　two；　then　three　times。
　The　radial　exploded　in　a　ball　of　blinding　flame　that　singed　her　eyebrows；　with　a　great　bass　whoom　and　an　astonishing　stench。　Orange　and　green　afterimages　danced　across　her　retinas。　She　repeated　the　trick　at　Vorkosigan's　next　snatch。　One　of　the　scavengers'　fur　caught　fire；　and　it　led　a　general　retreat；　screeching　and　hissing。　She　poked　again　at　a　radial　in　the　air。　It　went　off　with　a　flash　that　illuminated　the　whole　reach　of　the　river　valley　and　the　humping　backs　of　the　fleeing　pack　of　scavengers。
　Vorkosigan　was　frantically　patting　her　on　the　back；　it　wasn't　until　the　smell　caught　her　that　she　realized　she'd　set　her　own　ha