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nd look in different places。 I believe he calls it honor。 I guess I'd call it the grace of God。 We both e up empty； mostly。〃
〃Ah； yes。 I recall from your file that you are some sort of theist；〃 said the Emperor。 〃I am an atheist； myself。 A simple faith； but a great fort to me； in these last days。〃
〃Yes； I have often felt the pull of it myself。〃
〃Hm。〃 He smiled at that。 〃A very interesting answer； in light of what Vorkosigan said about you。〃
〃What was that； sir？〃 asked Cordelia； her curiosity piqued。
〃You must get him to tell you。 It was in confidence。 Very poetic； too。 I was surprised。〃 He waved her away； as if satisfied； and motioned Vorkosigan closer。 Vorkosigan stood in a kind of aggressive parade rest。 His mouth was sardonic but his eyes； Cordelia saw； were moved。
〃How long have you served me； Aral？〃 asked the Emperor。
〃Since my mission； twenty…six years。 Or do you mean body and blood？〃
〃Body and blood。 I always counted it from the day old Yuri's death squad slew your mother and uncle。 The night your father and Prince Xav came to me at Green Army Headquarters with their peculiar proposition。 Day One of Yuri Vorbarra's Civil War。 Why is it never called Piotr Vorkosigan's Civil War； I wonder？ Ah； well。 How old were you？〃
〃Eleven； sir。〃
〃Eleven。 I was just the age you are now。 Strange。 So body and blood you have served me…damn； you know this thing is starting to affect my brain； now。。。〃
〃Thirty…three years； sir。〃
〃God。 Thank you。 Not much time left。〃
From the cynical expression on his face Cordelia gathered that Vorkosigan was not in the least convinced of the Emperor's self…proclaimed senility。
The old man cleared his throat again。 〃I always meant to ask what you and old Yuri said to each other； that day two years later when we finally butchered him in that old castle。 I've developed a particular interest in Emperors' last words； lately。 Count Vorhalas thought you were playing with him。〃
Vorkosigan's eyes closed briefly； in pain or memory。 〃Hardly。 Oh； I thought I was eager for the first cut； until he was stripped and held before me。 Then…I had this impulse to strike suddenly at his throat； and end it cleanly； just be done with it。〃
The Emperor smiled sourly； eyes closed。 〃What a riot that would have started。〃
〃Mm。 I think he knew by my face I was funking out。 He leered at me。 'Strike； little boy。 If you dare while you wear my uniform。 My uniform on a child。' That was all he said。 I said； 'You killed all the children in that room；' which was fatuous； but it was the best I could e up with at the time； then took my cut out of his stomach。 I often wished I'd said…said something else； later。 But mostly I wished I'd had the guts to follow my first Impulse。〃
〃You looked pretty green； out on the parapet in the rain。〃
〃He'd started screaming by then。 I was sorry my hearing had e back。〃
The Emperor sighed。 〃Yes； I remember。〃
〃You stage…managed it。〃
〃Somebody had to。〃 He paused； resting； then added； 〃Well； I didn't call you here to chat over old times。 Did my Prime Minister tell you my purpose？〃
〃Something about a post。 I told him I wasn't interested； but he refused to convey the message。〃
Vorbarra closed his eyes wearily and addressed； apparently； the ceiling。 〃Tell me…Lord Vorkosigan…who should be Regent of Barrayar？〃
Vorkosigan looked as if he'd just bitten into something vile； but was too polite to spit it out。 〃Vortala。〃
〃Too old。 He'd never last sixteen years。〃
〃The Princess； then。〃
〃The General Staff would eat her alive。〃
〃Vordarian？〃
The Emperor's eyes snapped open。 〃Oh； for God's sake！ Gather your wits； boy。〃
〃He does have some military background。〃
〃We will discuss his drawbacks at length…if the doctors give me another week to live。 Have you any other jokes； before we get down to business？〃
〃Quintillan of the Interior。 And that is not a joke。〃
The Emperor grinned yellowly。 〃So you do have something good to say for my Ministers after all。 I may die now； I've heard everything。〃
〃You'd never get a vote of consent out of the Counts for anyone without a Vor in front of his name；〃 said Vortala。 〃Not even if he walked on water。〃
〃So； make him one。 Give him a rank to go with the job。〃
〃Vorkosigan；〃 said Vortala； aghast； 〃he's not of the warrior caste！〃
〃Neither are many of our best soldiers。 We're only Vor because some dead Emperor declared one of our dead ancestors so。 Why not start the custom up again； as a reward for merit？ Better yet； declare everybody a Vor and be done with the whole bloody nonsense forever。〃
The Emperor laughed； then choked and coughed； sputtering。 〃Wouldn't that pull the rug out from under the People's Defense League？ What an attractive counterproposal to assassinating the aristocracy！ I don't believe the most wild…eyed of them could e up with a more radical proposal。 You're a dangerous man； Lord Vorkosigan。〃
〃You asked for my opinion。〃
〃Yes； indeed。 And you always give it to me。 Strange。〃 The Emperor sighed。 〃You can quit wriggling； Aral。 You shall not wriggle out of this。
〃Allow me to put it in a capsule。 What the Regency requires is a man of impeccable rank； no more than middle…aged； with a strong military background。 He should be popular with his officers and men； well…known to the public； and above all respected by the General Staff。 Ruthless enough to hold near…absolute power in this madhouse for sixteen years； and honest enough to hand over that power at the end of those sixteen years to a boy who will no doubt be an idiot…I was； at that age； and as I recall； so were you…and； oh yes； happily married。 Reduces the temptation of being bedroom Emperor via the Princess。 In short； yourself。〃
Vortala grinned。 Vorkosigan frowned。 Cordelia's stomach sank。
〃Oh； no；〃 said Vorkosigan whitely。 〃You're not going to lay that thing on me。 It's grotesque。 Me； of all men； to step into his father's shoes； speak to him with his father's voice； bee his mother's advisor…it's worse than grotesque。 It's obscene。 No。〃
Vortala looked puzzled at his vehemence。 〃A little decent reticence is one thing； Aral； but let's not go overboard。 If you're worried about the vote； it's already bagged。 Everyone can see you're the man of the hour。〃
〃Everyone most certainly will not。 Vordarian will bee my instant enemy； and so will the Minister of the West。 And as for absolute power； you sir； know what a false chimera that notion is。 A shaky illusion； based on…God knows what。 Magic。 Sleight of hand。 Believing your own propaganda。〃
The Emperor shrugged； carefully； cautious of dislodging his tubing。 〃Well； it won't be my problem。 It will be Prince Gregor's； and his mother's。 And that of…whatever individual can be persuaded to stand by them； in their hour of need。 How long do you think they could last； without help？ One year？ Two？〃
〃Six months；〃 muttered Vortala。
Vorkosigan shook his head。 〃You pinned me with that 'what if' argument before Escobar。 It was false then…although it took me some time to realize it…and it's false now。〃
〃Not false；〃 the Emperor denied。 〃Either then or now。 I must so believe。〃
Vorkosigan yielded a little。 〃Yes。 I can see that you must。〃 His face tensed in frustration； as he contemplated the man in the bed。 〃Why must it be me？ Vortala has more political acuity。 The Princess has a better right。 Quintillan has a better grasp of internal affairs。 You even have better military strategists。 Vorlakial。 Or Kanzian。〃
〃You can't name a third； though；〃 murmured the Emperor。
〃Well…perhaps not。 But you must see my point。 I am not the irreplaceable man which for some reason you choose to imagine me。〃
〃On the contrary。 You have two unique advantages； from my point of view。 I have kept them in mind from the day we killed old Yuri。 I always knew I wouldn't live forever…too many latent poisons in my chromosomes； absorbed when I was fighting the Cetagandans as your father's military apprentice； and careless about my clean techniques； not expecting to live to grow old。〃 The Emperor smiled again； and focused on Cordelia's intent； uncertain face。 〃Of the five men with a better right by blood and law to the Imperium of Barrayar than mine； your name heads the list。 Ha…〃 he added； 〃I was right。 Didn't think you'd told her that。 Tricky； Aral。〃
Cordelia； faint； turned wide grey eyes to Vorkosigan。 He shook his head irritably； 〃Not true。 Salic descent。〃
〃A debate we shall not continue here。 Be that as it may； anyone who wishes to dislodge Prince Gregor using argument based on blood and law must first either get rid of you； or offer you the Imperium。 We all know how hard you are to kill。 And you are the one man…the only man on that list who I am absolutely certain； by the scattered remains of Yuri Vorbarra； truly does not wish to be Emperor。 Others may believe you coy。 I know better。〃
〃Thank you for that； sir。〃 Vorkosigan looked extremely saturnine。
〃As an inducement； I point out that you can be no better placed to prevent that eventuality than as Regent。 Gregor is your lifeline； boy。 Gregor is all that stands between you； and being targeted。 Your hope of heaven。〃
Count Vortala turned to Cordelia。 〃Lady Vorkosigan。 Won't you lend us your vote？ You seem to have e to know him very well。 Tell