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〃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 for himself。
Vorkosigan returned to the spring。 〃I found this。〃 He handed her a small geologist's shovel about a meter long； used for digging soil samples。 〃It's a poor tool for the purpose； but I've found nothing better yet。〃
〃It was Reg's；〃 Cordelia said； taking it。 〃It will do。〃
She led Dubauer to a spot near her next job and settled him。 She wondered if some bracken from the forest might provide some insulation for him； and resolved to get some later。 She marked out the dimensions of a grave near the place where Rosemont had fallen； and began hacking away at the heavy turf with the little shovel。 The sod was tough； wiry； and resistant； and she ran out of breath quickly。
Vorkosigan appeared out of the night。 〃I found some cold lights。〃 He cracked one pencil…sized tube and laid it on the ground beside the grave； where it gave off an eerie but bright blue…green glow。 He watched her critically as she worked。
She stabbed away at the dirt； resentful of his scrutiny。 Go away； you； she thought； and let me bury my friend in peace。 She grew self…conscious as a new thought struck her…maybe he won't let me finish…I'm taking too long。。。 She dug harder。
〃At this rate； we'll be here until next week。〃
If she moved fast enough； she wondered irritably； could she succeed in hitting him with the shovel？ Just once。。。
〃Go sit down with your botanist。〃 He was holding out his hand； it dawned on her at last that he was volunteering to help dig。
〃Oh。。。〃 She relinquished the tool。 He drew his bat knife and cut through the grasses' roots where she had marked her rectangle； and began to dig； far more efficiently than she had。
〃What kind of scavengers have you found around here？〃 he asked between tosses。 〃How deep does this have to be？〃
〃I'm not sure；〃 she replied。 〃We'd only been downside three days。 It's a pretty plex ecosystem； though； and most imaginable niches seem to be filled。〃
〃Hm。〃
〃Lieutenant Stuben； my chief zoologist； found a couple of those browser hexapeds killed and pretty well consumed。 He caught a glimpse of something he called a fuzzy crab at one of the kills。〃
〃How big were they？〃 asked Vorkosigan curiously。
〃He didn't say。 I've seen pictures of crabs from Earth； and they don't seem very large…as big as your hand； perhaps。〃
〃A meter may be enough。〃 He continued the excavation with short powerful bites of the inadequate shovel。 The cold light illuminated his face from below； casting shadows upward from heavy jaw； straight broad nose； and thick brows。 He had an old faded L…shaped scar； Cordelia noticed； on the left side of his chin。 He reminded her of a dwarf king in some northern saga； digging in a fathomless deep。
〃There's a pole over by the tents；〃 she offered。 〃I could fix that light up in the air so it shines on your work。〃
〃That would help。〃
She returned to the tents； beyond the circle of cold light； and found her pole where she had dropped it that morning。 Returning to the gravesite； she spliced the light to t