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。 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 you to talk to…but when you are ready。〃
〃So； ask me what you want to know。 Let's get this over with； so we can both relax。〃 I could use a little therapy； at that； Cordelia thought wistfully。 I feel so lousy。。。
Sprague seated herself on the bed； a mild smile on her face and the utmost attention in her eyes。 〃I want to try and help you remember what happened during the time you were a prisoner aboard the Barrayaran flagship。 Getting it into your consciousness； however horrible it was； is your first step to healing。〃
〃Um； I think we may be at cross…purposes。 I remember everything that happened during that time with the utmost clarity。 I have no trouble getting it into my consciousness。 What I would like is to get it out； at least long enough to sleep now and then。〃
〃I see。 Go on。 Why don't you describe what happened？〃
Cordelia gave an account of events； from the time of the wormhole jump from Beta Colony until after the murder of Vorrutyer； but ended it before Vorkosigan's entrance； saying vaguely； 〃I moved around to different hiding places on the ship for a couple of days； but they caught me in the end and put me back in the brig。〃
〃So。 You don't remember being tortured or raped by Admiral Vorrutyer； and you don't remember killing him。〃
〃I wasn't。 And I didn't。 I thought I made that clear。〃
The doctor shook her head sorrowfully。 〃It's reported you were taken away from camp twice by the Barrayarans。 Do you remember what happened during those times？〃
〃Yes； of course。〃
〃Can you describe it？〃
She balked。 〃No。〃 The secret of the Prince's assassination would be nothing to the Escobarans…they could hardly dislike the Barrayarans any more than they did already…but the mere rumor of the truth could be devastating to civil order on Barrayar。 Riots； military mutiny； the downfall of Vorkosigan's Emperor…those were just the beginnings of the possible consequences。 If there was a civil war on Barrayar； could Vorkosigan be killed in it？ God； please； thought Cordelia wearily； no more death。。。
Spr