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s。 Her men were led away separately。 In spite of her words to Parnell; she was sickened by dread of them being peeled; layer by layer; for information they did not hold。 Gently now; reason argued; surely the Barrayarans would save them for prisoner exchange。
The guards snapped to attention。 Turning; she saw a high…ranking Barrayaran officer enter the processing chamber。 The bright yellow of the collar tabs on his dark green dress uniform marked a rank she had not seen before; and with a shock she identified it as the color for a vice…admiral。 Knowing what he was; she knew at once who he was; and studied him with grave interest。
Vorrutyer; that was his name。 Co…mander of the Barrayaran armada; along with Crown Prince Serg Vorbarra。 She supposed he was the one who did the real work; she'd heard he was slated to be the Barrayarans' next Minister of War。 So that was what a rising star looked like。
In a way he was a little like Vorkosigan; a bit taller; about the same weight but less of it in bone and muscle and more of it in fat。 He had dark hair too; curlier than Vorkosigan's and with less grey in it; was a similar age; and rather more handsome。 His eyes were quite different; a deep velvet brown fringed by long black lashes; by far the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen in a man's face。 They triggered a small subliminal wailing deep in her mind; crying; you thought you had faced fear earlier today; but you were mistaken; here is the real thing; fear without exhilaration or hope; which was strange; for they ought to have attracted her。 She broke eye contact; telling herself firmly the unease and instant dislike were mere nerves; and waited。
〃Identify yourself; Betan;〃 he growled。 It gave her a disjointed sense of deja…vu。
She fought for equilibrium; giving him a snappy salute and saying smartly; 〃Captain Cordelia Naismith; Betan Expeditionary。 We are a military party。 batants。〃 This private joke of course passed by him。
〃Hah。 Strip her; and turn her about。〃
He stepped back; watching。 The two grinning soldiers guarding her obeyed。 I don't like the way this is starting out。。。 She forced her face to blandness; holding on to all her secret sources of serenity。 Calm。 Calm。 This one wants to rattle you。 You can see it in his eyes; his hungry eyes。 Calm。
〃A little old; but she'll do。 I'll send for her later。〃
The guard shoved the pajamas back at her。 She dressed slowly; to annoy them; like a striptease in reverse; with precise controlled motions of the sort suitable for a Japanese tea ceremony。 One growled; and the other shoved her roughly in the back toward her cell。 She smiled sourly at her success; thinking; well; at least I have that much control over my destiny。 Should I award myself points if I can goad them into beating me up?
They bundled her into a bare metal room; and left her。 She continued the ploy; for her own thin amusement; by kneeling gracefully on the floor with the same sort of movements; right toe crossed correctly over the left; hands resting motionless upon her thighs。 The touch reminded her of the patch on her left leg that was devoid of all sensation; heat; cold; pain; pressure; legacy of her last encounter with the armies of Barrayar。 She half…closed her eyes and let her mind drift; hoping to give her captors an unsettling impression of deep and possibly dangerous psychic meditations。 Pretend aggression was better than nothing。
After an hour or so of stillness; by which time her unaccustomed muscles were protesting the kneeling position most painfully; the guard returned。
〃Admiral wants you;〃 he said laconically。 〃e along。〃 She had a guard at each elbow again for the trip through the ship。 One grinned and undressed her with his eyes。 The other looked at her with pity; far more disturbing。 She began to wonder just how much her time with Vorkosigan had led her to discount the risks of capture。 They came to officer's country; and stopped before an oval metal door in a row of identical ones。 The grinning guard knocked; and was bidden to enter。
This admiral's quarters were very different from her austere cabin aboard the General Vorkraft。 For one thing; the bulkheads had been knocked out of the two adjoining chambers; giving a triple share of space。 It was full of personal furnishings of a most luxurious order。 Admiral Vorrutyer rose from a velvet…covered seat as she entered; but she did not mistake it for a gesture of courtesy。
He walked slyly around her as she stood silent; watching her gaze travel around the room。 〃A step up from that cell; eh?〃 he probed。
For the guards' benefit she replied; 〃Looks like a whore's boudoir。〃
The grinning guard choked; and the other one laughed outright; but cut it off quickly at a glare from Vorrutyer。 Didn't think it was that funny; she puzzled。 Some of the details of the decor began to penetrate; and she realized she'd spoken more truly than she knew。 What an extremely odd little statuette in that corner; for instance。 Although it had a certain redeeming artistic merit; she supposed。 〃One with very unusual customers;〃 she added。
〃Buckle her in;〃 ordered Vorrutyer; 〃and return to your posts。 I'll call you when I'm done。〃
She was placed on her back across his wide; non…regulation bed; arms and legs stretched to the four corners and tautly attached by soft bracelets to short chains; attached in turn to the bedframe。 Simple; chilling; quite beyond her strength to break。
The guard who pitied whispered to her under his breath as he buckled a wrist strap; hidden almost inaudibly in a sigh; 〃Sorry。〃
〃It's all right;〃 she breathed back。 Their eyes passed over each other; hiding the secret transaction from the watching Vorrutyer。
〃Ha。 That's what you think now;〃 murmured the other through his grin; fastening the other strap。
〃Shut up;〃 muttered the first; and shot him a fierce look。 An unclean silence filled the room until the guards withdrew。
〃Looks like a permanent installation;〃 she observed to Vorrutyer; horribly fascinated。 It was like a sick joke e to life。 〃What do you do when you can't catch Betans? Call for volunteers?〃
A frown appeared between his eyes briefly; then smoothed。 〃Keep it up;〃 he encouraged。 〃It amuses me。 It will make the ultimate denouement so much more piquant。〃
He loosened his uniform collar; poured himself a glass of wine from a very non…regulation portable bar in one corner; and seated himself on the bed beside her with the chatty air of a man visiting a sick friend。 He looked her over minutely; beautiful brown eyes liquid with anticipation。
She tried to string herself along; maybe he's only a rapist。 It might be possible to handle a simple rapist。 Such direct; childlike souls; hardly offensive at all。 Even vileness has a relative range。。。
〃I don't know any military secrets worth a thing;〃 she fenced。 〃This isn't really worth your time。〃
〃I didn't think you did;〃 he replied easily。 〃Although you will undoubtedly insist on telling me everything you know over the next few weeks。 Quite tedious; I'm not in the least interested。 If I want your information; my medical staff can have it out of you in a trice。〃 He sipped his wine。 〃Although it's curious you should bring up the subject…perh