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〃I don't know。 Doc Mac got his uniform。 Hey； Mac…what's the name on your pocket？〃
〃Uh； let me see if I can sound out their alphabet。〃 His lips moved silently。 〃Kou…Koudelka。〃
Cordelia bowed her head。 〃Was he killed？〃
〃He wasn't dead when we left； but he sure didn't look very healthy。〃
〃What were you doing all that time aboard the General？〃 asked Stuben。
〃Paying off a debt。 Of honor。〃
〃All right； be like that。 I'll get the story later。〃 He was silent； then added with a short nod； 〃I hope you got the bastard good； whoever he was。〃
〃Look； Stu…I appreciate all you've done。 But I've really got to be alone for a few minutes。〃
〃Sure； Captain。〃 He gave her a look of concern； and moved off muttering； 〃Damned monsters；〃 under his breath。
Cordelia leaned her forehead against the cold window； and wept silently for her enemies。
CHAPTER SEVEN
Captain Cordelia Naismith； Betan Expeditionary Force； fed the last normal space navigational observations into her ship's puter。 Beside her； Pilot Officer Parnell adjusted the leads and cannulae to his headset and settled more fortably into his padded chair； ready for the neurological control of the uping wormhole jump。
Her new mand was a slow bulk freighter； unarmed； a steady workhorse of the Beta Colony Escobar trade run。 But there had been no direct munication with Escobar for over sixty days now； since the Barrayaran invasion fleet had plugged the Escobaran side of the exit as effectively as a cork in a bottle。 At last word the Barrayaran and Escobaran fleets were still maneuvering in a deadly gavotte for tactical position； with little actual engagement。 The Barrayarans were not expected to mit their ground forces until their control of Escobaran space was secure。
Cordelia intered engineering。 〃Naismith here。 You about ready down there？〃
The face of her engineer； a man she had first met but two days ago； appeared on the screen。 He was young； and pulled from Survey like herself。 No point in wasting experienced and knowledgeable military personnel on this excursion。 Like Cordelia he wore Survey fatigues。 The Expeditionary Force uniforms were rumored to be in the works； but no one had seen them yet。
〃All set； Captain。〃
No fear trembled his voice。 Well； she reflected； perhaps he was not old enough yet to have really e to believe in death after life。 She took one last look around； settled herself； and drew a breath。 〃Pilot； the ship is yours。〃
〃Ship accepted； ma'am；〃 he replied formally。
A few seconds ticked by。 An unpleasant wave of nausea passed over her； and she had the gluey； unsettling sensation of just waking up from a bad dream she could not remember。 The jump was over。
〃Ship is yours； ma'am；〃 muttered the pilot wearily。 The few seconds she had experienced translated to several subjective hours for him。
〃Ship accepted； Pilot。〃 She grabbed for the console and began punching up a look at the tactical situation into which they had popped。 There had been nothing through this passage for a month； she hoped fervently the Barrayaran crews would be bored and slow on the uptake。
There they were。 Six ships； two of them starting to move already。 So much for slow on the uptake。
〃Right through the middle of 'em； Pilot；〃 she ordered； keying data to him。 〃It's best if we can draw 'em all off their stations。〃
The two moving ships neared rapidly； and began firing with leisurely accuracy。 They were taking their time； and making every shot count。 Just a little target practice； that's all we are； she thought。 I'll give you target practice。 All non…shield power systems dimmed； and the ship seemed to groan as the plasma fire engulfed it。 Then they cut across the tickling limit of the Barrayarans' range。
She called engineering。 〃Projection ready？〃
〃Ready and steady。〃
〃Go。〃
Twelve thousand kilometers behind them； as if just emerged from the wormhole； a Betan dreadnought sprang into being。 It accelerated astonishingly for so large a craft； indeed； its speed matched their own。 It followed them like an arrow。
〃Aha！〃 She clapped her hands in delight； and cried into the inter； 〃We've fetched 'em！ They're all moving now。 Oh； better and better！〃
Their pursuit ships slowed； preparing to turn and attack this much bigger prize。 The four ships that had previously remained properly on station began to wheel away also。 Minutes sped by as they jockeyed for position。 The last Barrayaran ships wasted little fire on them； scarcely more than a salute； their attention all drawn to big brother behind them。 The Barrayaran manders undoubtedly felt themselves to be in a fine tactical position； spread out in a gauntlet and beginning a withering fire。 The little ship preceding the warship was on the far side of them from Escobar； with nowhere to go。 They could pick it off at their leisure。
Her own shields were down now； and acceleration failing as the ghastly power drain of the projector took its toll。 But minute by precious minute the Barrayaran blockaders were being drawn farther from their assigned mousehole。
〃We can keep this up for about ten more minutes；〃 the engineer called up。
〃All right。 Save enough power to slag it when you're done。 If we're captured mand doesn't want one molecule left connected to another for the Barrayarans to puzzle back together。〃
〃What a crime。 It's such a beautiful machine。 I'm dying for a look inside。〃
You might； too； if the Barrayarans capture us； she thought。 She directed all her ship's eyes back along their route。 Far； far back at the wormhole exit； the first real Betan freighter winked into existence and began to boost for Escobar； unopposed。 It was the newest addition to the merchant fleet； stripped of weapons and shields； rebuilt to do two things only now； carry a heavy payload and go like hell。 Then the second； and the third。 That was it。 They were away； and with a start the Barrayarans could never hope to close。
The Betan dreadnought exploded with a spectacular radioactive light show。 Unfortunately； there was no way to fake debris。 I wonder how long it will take the Barrayarans to figure out they've been had？ she thought。 I sincerely hope they have a sense of humor。。。
Her ship drifted dead in space now； its power nearly depleted。 She felt light in the head； and realized it wasn't psychosomatic。 The artificial gravity was failing。
They rendezvoused with the engineer and his two assistants at the shuttle hatch； traveling with gazelle…like leaps that turned into bird…like swoops as the gravity gave up the ghost。 The shuttle which was to be their lifeboat was a stripped…down model； cramped and fortless。 Into it they floated and sealed the hatch。 The pilot slid into the control chair and lowered his headset； and the shuttle kicked away from the side of their dying ship。
The engineer floated to her and handed her a little black box。 〃I thought you ought to do the honors； Captain。〃
〃Ha。 I bet you wouldn't kill your own dinner； either；〃 she replied； trying to lighten the mood。 They had served their ship together for barely five hours； but it still hurt。 〃Are we out of range； Parnell？〃
〃Yes； Captain。〃
〃Gentlemen；〃 she said； and paused； gathering them in by eye； 〃I thank you all。 Look away f