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〃Then you can either leave us both or kill us both。〃 She glanced away from his knife； lifted her chin； and waited。
〃I do not kill prisoners。〃
She was relieved to hear the plural。 Dubauer was evidently promoted back to humanity in her strange captor's mind。 She knelt down to try to help Dubauer to his feet； praying this Vorkosigan would not decide to end the argument by stunning her and killing her botanist outright。
〃Very well；〃 he capitulated； giving her an odd intent look。 〃Bring him along。 But we must travel quickly。〃
She managed to get the ensign up。 With his arm draped heavily over her shoulder； she guided him on a shambling walk。 It seemed he could hear； but not decode meaning from the noises of speech。 〃You see；〃 she defended him desperately； 〃he can walk。 He just needs a little help。〃
They reached the edge of the glade as the last level light of early evening was striping it with long black shadows； like a tiger's skin。 Vorkosigan paused。
〃If I were by myself；〃 he said； 〃I'd travel to the cache on the emergency rations in my belt。 With you two along； we'll have to risk scavenging your camp for more food。 You can bury your other officer while I'm looking around。〃
Cordelia nodded。 〃Look for something to dig with； too。 I've got to tend to Dubauer first。〃
He acknowledged this with a wave of his hand and started toward the wasted ring。 Cordelia was able to excavate a couple of half…burned bedrolls from the remains of the women's tent； but no clothes； medicine； soap； or even a bucket to carry or heat water。 She finally coaxed the ensign over to the spring and washed him； his wounds； and his trousers as best she could in the plain cold water； dried him with one bedroll； put his undershirt and fatigue jacket back on him； and wrapped the other bedroll around him sarong style。 He shivered and moaned； but did not resist her makeshift ministrations。
Vorkosigan in the meanwhile had found two cases of ration packs； with the labels burned off but otherwise scarcely damaged。 Cordelia tore open one silvery pouch； added spring water； and found that it was soya…fortified oatmeal。
〃That's lucky；〃 she mented。 〃He's sure to be able to eat that。 What's the other case？〃
Vorkosigan was conducting his own experiment。 He added water to his pouch； mixed it by squeezing； and sniffed the result。
〃I'm not really sure；〃 he said； handing it to her。 〃It smells rather strange。 Could it be spoiled？〃
It was a white paste with a pungent aroma。 〃It's all right；〃 Cordelia assured him。 〃It's artificial blue cheese salad dressing。〃 She sat back and contemplated the menu。 〃At least it's high in calories；〃 she encouraged herself。 〃We'll need calories。 I don't suppose you have a spoon in that utility belt of yours？〃
Vorkosigan unhooked an object from his belt and handed it to her without ment。 It turned out to be several small useful utensils folded into a handle； including a spoon。
〃Thanks；〃 Cordelia said； absurdly pleased； as if granting her mumbled wish had been a conjuror's trick。
Vorkosigan shrugged and wandered away to continue his search in the gathering darkness； and she began to feed Dubauer。 He seemed voraciously hungry； but unable to manage for himself。
Vorkosigan returned to the spring。 〃I found this。〃 He handed her a small geologist's shovel about a meter long； used for digging soil samples。 〃It's a poor tool for the purpose； but I've found nothing better yet。〃
〃It was Reg's；〃 Cordelia said； taking it。 〃It will do。〃
She led Dubauer to a spot near her next job and settled him。 She wondered if some bracken from the forest might provide some insulation for him； and resolved to get some later。 She marked out the dimensions of a grave near the place where Rosemont had fallen； and began hacking away at the heavy turf with the little shovel。 The sod was tough； wiry； and resistant； and she ran out of breath quickly。
Vorkosigan appeared out of the night。 〃I found some cold lights。〃 He cracked one pencil…sized tube and laid it on the ground beside the grave； where it gave off an eerie but bright blue…green glow。 He watched her critically as she worked。
She stabbed away at the dirt； resentful of his scrutiny。 Go away； you； she thought； and let me bury my friend in peace。 She grew self…conscious as a new thought struck her…maybe he won't let me finish…I'm taking too long。。。 She dug harder。
〃At this rate； we'll be here until next week。〃
If she moved fast enough； she wondered irritably； could she succeed in hitting him with the shovel？ Just once。。。
〃Go sit down with your botanist。〃 He was holding out his hand； it dawned on her at last that he was volunteering to help dig。
〃Oh。。。〃 She relinquished the tool。 He drew his bat knife and cut through the grasses' roots where she had marked her rectangle； and began to dig； far more efficiently than she had。
〃What kind of scavengers have you found around here？〃 he asked between tosses。 〃How deep does this have to be？〃
〃I'm not sure；〃 she replied。 〃We'd only been downside three days。 It's a pretty plex ecosystem； though； and most imaginable niches seem to be filled。〃
〃Hm。〃
〃Lieutenant Stuben； my chief zoologist； found a couple of those browser hexapeds killed and pretty well consumed。 He caught a glimpse of something he called a fuzzy crab at one of the kills。〃
〃How big were they？〃 asked Vorkosigan curiously。
〃He didn't say。 I've seen pictures of crabs from Earth； and they don't seem very large…as big as your hand； perhaps。〃
〃A meter may be enough。〃 He continued the excavation with short powerful bites of the inadequate shovel。 The cold light illuminated his face from below； casting shadows upward from heavy jaw； straight broad nose； and thick brows。 He had an old faded L…shaped scar； Cordelia noticed； on the left side of his chin。 He reminded her of a dwarf king in some northern saga； digging in a fathomless deep。
〃There's a pole over by the tents；〃 she offered。 〃I could fix that light up in the air so it shines on your work。〃
〃That would help。〃
She returned to the tents； beyond the circle of cold light； and found her pole where she had dropped it that morning。 Returning to the gravesite； she spliced the light to the pole with a few tough grass stems and fixed it upright in the dirt； flinging the circle of light wider。 She remembered her plan to collect bracken for Dubauer； and turned to make for the forest； then stopped。
〃Did you hear that？〃 she asked Vorkosigan。
〃What？〃 Even he was beginning to breathe heavily。 He paused； up to his knees in the hole； and listened with her。
〃A sort of scuttling noise； ing from the forest。〃
He waited a minute； then shook his head and continued his work。
〃How many cold lights are there？〃
〃Six。〃
So few。 She hated to waste them by running two at once。 She was about to ask him if he would mind digging in the dark for a while； when she heard the noise again； more distinctly。
〃There is something out there。〃
〃You know that；〃 said Vorkosigan。 〃The question is…〃
The three creatures made a concerted rush into the ring of light。 Cordelia caught a glimpse of fast low bodies； entirely too many hairy black legs； four beady black eyes set in neckless faces； and razor…sharp