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〃I'm surprised they didn't have you hanged。〃
〃There was a great uproar； behind closed doors；〃 he admitted reminiscently； fingering his collar tabs。 〃But a Vorkosigan can't be made to disappear in the night； not yet。 I did make some powerful enemies。〃
〃I'll bet。〃 This bald story； told without adornment or apology； had the ring of truth to her inner ear； although she had no logical reason to trust him。 〃Did you； uh； happen to turn your back on one of those enemies yesterday？〃
He glanced at her sharply。 〃Possibly；〃 he said slowly。 〃There are some problems with that theory； however。〃
〃Like what？〃
〃I'm still alive。 I wouldn't have thought they'd risk starting the job without finishing it。 To be sure； they'd be tempted by the opportunity to blame my death on you Betans。〃
〃Whew。 And I thought I had mand troubles just keeping a bunch of Betan intellectual prima donnas working together for months on end。 God keep me from politics。〃
Vorkosigan smiled slightly。 〃From what I've heard of Betans； that's no easy task either。 I don't think I should care to trade mands。 It would irritate me to have every order argued over。〃
〃They don't argue every order。〃 She grinned； as his crack ferreted up some particular memories。 〃You learn how to coax them along。〃
〃Where do you suppose your ship is now？〃
Wariness dropped across her amusement like a portcullis。 〃I suppose that depends on where your ship is。〃
Vorkosigan shrugged and stood； hitching his pack more securely to his shoulders。 〃Then perhaps we should waste no more time finding out。〃 He gave her a hand to pull her up； the soldier…mask repossessing his features。
It took all the long day to descend the great mountain to the red…soiled plains。 A closer view found them cut and channeled by watercourses running turbid from the recent rains； and confused by outcrops of rocky badlands。 They caught glimpses of groups of hexapedal grazers。 Cordelia deduced from their wary herd behavior that associated predators must lurk nearby。
Vorkosigan would have pushed on； but Dubauer was seized by a serious and prolonged convulsion followed by lethargy and sleepiness。 Cordelia insisted adamantly on a halt for the night。 They made camp； if one could so describe stopping and sitting down； in an open gap in the trees perhaps three hundred meters above the levels。 They shared their simple supper of oatmeal and blue cheese dressing in a beaten…down silence。 Vorkosigan cracked another cold light as the last colors of a gaudy sunset drained from the sky； and seated himself on a large flat boulder。 Cordelia lay down and watched the Barrayaran watching until sleep relieved her of her aching legs and head。
He woke her past the middle of the night。 Her muscles seemed to screech and creak as she rose stiffly to take her watch。 This time Vorkosigan gave her the stunner。
〃I haven't seen anything close；〃 he mented； 〃but something out there makes a hellish racket from time to time。〃 It seemed an adequate explanation for the gesture of trust。
She checked Dubauer； then took her place on the boulder； leaning back and staring up at the dark bulk of the mountain。 Up there Rosemont lay in his deep grave； safe from the beaks and bellies of the carrion eaters； but still doomed to slow deposition。 She bent her night…wandering thoughts instead to Vorkosigan； lying nearly invisible in his camouflage fatigues in the border of the blue…green light。
A puzzle within a puzzle； he was。 Clearly； he must be one of the Barrayaran warrior aristocrats of the old school； at odds with the rising new men of the bureaucracy。 The militarists of both parties maintained a bastard； uneasy alliance that controlled both government policy and the armed forces； but at heart they were natural enemies。 The Emperor subtly stabilized the delicate balance of power between them； but there was not much doubt that on the clever old man's death Barrayar was destined for a period of political cannibalism； if not outright civil war； unless his successor showed more strength than was currently expected。 She wished she knew more about the matrix of blood relationships and power on Barrayar。 She could give the Emperors family name； Vorbarra； it being associated with the name of the planet； but beyond that she was quite vague。
She absently fingered the little stunner； and tantalized herself： who now was the captive； and who the captor？ But it would be nearly impossible to care for Dubauer in this wilderness by herself。 She had to have supplies for him； and since Vorkosigan had been careful not to say exactly where his cache lay； she needed the Barrayaran to take her there。 Besides； she had given her parole。 It was a curious insight into Vorkosigan that he should so automatically accept her bare word as binding； he evidently thought along the same lines himself。
The east began to grow grey at last； then peach； green； and gold in a pastel repeat of last night's spectacular sunset。 Vorkosigan stirred and sat up； and helped her take Dubauer down to the stream to wash。 They had another breakfast of oatmeal and blue cheese dressing。 Vorkosigan tried mixing his together this time； for variety。 Cordelia tried alternating bites； to see if that would help。 Neither mented aloud on the menu。
Vorkosigan led northwest across the sandy； brick…colored plain。 In the dry season it would have been near…desert。 Now it was brightly decorated with fresh green and yellow growth； and dozens of varieties of low…growing wildflowers。 Dubauer did not seem to notice them； Cordelia saw sadly。
After about three hours at a brisk pace they came to their first check of the day； a steep rocky valley with a coffee…and…cream…colored river rushing through it。 They walked along the edge of the escarpment looking for a ford。
〃That rock down there moved；〃 Cordelia observed suddenly。
Vorkosigan pulled his field scope from his belt and took a closer look。 〃You're right。〃
Half a dozen coffee…and…cream…colored lumps that looked like rocks on a sandbar proved to be low…slung； thick…limbed hexapeds； basking in the morning sun。
〃They seem to be some sort of amphibian。 I wonder if they're carnivores？〃 said Vorkosigan。
〃I wish you hadn't interrupted my survey so soon；〃 Cordelia plained。 〃Then I could have answered all those questions。 There go some more of those soap…bubble things…goodness； I wouldn't have thought they could grow so big and still fly。〃
A flock of a dozen or so large radials； transparent as wineglasses and fully a foot across； came floating like a flight of lost balloons above the river。 A few of them drifted over to the hexapeds and settled gently on their backs； flattening over their withers like weird berets。 Cordelia borrowed the scope for a closer look。
〃Do you suppose they could be like those birds from Earth； that pick the parasites off the cattle？ Oh。 No； I guess not。〃
The hexapeds roused themselves with hisses and whistles； humping their bodies in a kind of obese bucking； and slid into the river。 The radials； colored now like wineglasses filled with burgundy； inflated themselves and retreated into the air。
〃Vampire balloons？〃 asked Vorkosigan。
〃Apparently。〃
〃What appalling creatures。〃
Cordelia almost laughed at his revolted look。 〃As a carnivore yourself； you can't really condemn them。〃
〃Condemn； no； avoid； yes。〃
〃I'll go along with that。〃
They continued upstream past a frothing； opaque tan waterfall。 After about a kilometer and a half they came to a place where two tributaries joined； and stumbled across at the shallowest place they could find。 Crossing the second branch； Dubauer lost his footing as a rock turned under him； and went down with a wordless cry。
Cordelia tightened her grip on his arm convulsively； and perforce went with him； slipping into a deeper area。 Terror shook her； that he might be swept downstream beyond her reach…those amphibious hexapeds； sharp rocks…the waterfall！ Careless of the water filling her mouth； she grabbed him with both hands。 Here they went…no。
Something pulled her bodily with a tremendous counter…surge against the rush of waters。 Vorkosigan had grabbed her by the back of the belt； and was hauling them both toward the shallows with the strength and style of a stevedore。
Feeling undignified； but grateful； she scrambled to her feet and pushed the coughing Dubauer up the far bank。
〃Thanks；〃 she gasped to Vorkosigan。
〃What； did you think I'd let you drown？〃 he inquired wryly； emptying his boots。
Cordelia shrugged； embarrassed。 〃Well…at least we wouldn't be delaying you。〃
〃Hm。〃 He cleared his throat； but said no more。 They found a rocky place to sit； eat their cereal and salad dressing； and dry awhile before moving on。
Kilometers fell behind them； while their view of the great mountain to their right scarcely seemed to change。 At some point Vorkosigan took a bearing known only to himself； and led them more westerly； with the mountain at their backs and the sun beginning to slant into their eyes。
They crossed another watercourse。 ing up over the lip of its valley； Cordelia nearly stumbled over a red…coated hexaped； lying quite still in a depression and blending perfectly with its background。 It was a delicately formed thing； as big as a middle…sized do