按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃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 dog； and it rippled over the red plains in graceful bounds。
Cordelia woke up abruptly。 〃That things edible！〃
〃The stunner； the stunner！〃 cried Vorkosigan。 She pressed it hastily into his hand。 He fell to one knee； took aim； and dropped the creature in one burst。
〃Oh； good shot！〃 cried Cordelia ecstatically。
Vorkosigan grinned like a boy over his shoulder at her； and jogged after his prize。
〃Oh；〃 she murmured； stunned herself by the effect of the grin。 It had lit his face like the sun for that brief instant。 Oh； do that again； she thought； then shook off the thought。 Duty。 Stick to duty。
She followed him to where the animal lay。 Vorkosigan had his knife out； puzzling over where to begin。 He could not cut its throat； for it had no neck。
〃The brain is located right behind the eyes。 Maybe you could pith it going in between the first set of shoulder blades；〃 Cordelia suggested。
〃That would be quick enough；〃 Vorkosigan agreed； and did so。 The creature shivered； sighed； and died。 〃It's early to make camp； but there's water here； and driftwood from the river for a fire。 It will mean extra kilometers tomorrow； though；〃 he warned。
Cordelia eyed the carcass； thinking of roast meat。 〃That's all right。〃
Vorkosigan hoisted it to his shoulder； and stood。 〃Where's your ensign？〃
Cordelia looked around。 Dubauer was not in sight。 〃Oh； lord；〃 she inhaled； and ran back to the spot where they had been standing when Vorkosigan had shot dinner。 No Dubauer。 She approached the rim of the watercourse。
Dubauer was standing by the stream； arms hanging by his sides； gazing upward blank and entranced。 Floating softly down toward his upturned face was a large transparent radial。
〃Dubauer； no！〃 shrieked Cordelia； and scrambled down the bank toward him。 Vorkosigan passed her with a bound； and they raced for the waterside。 The radial settled over Dubauer's face and began to flatten； and he flung up his hands with a cry。
Vorkosigan arrived first。 He grabbed the half…limp thing with his bare hand and pulled it away from Dubauer's face。 A dozen dark； tendril…like appendages were hooked into Dubauer's flesh； and they stretched and snapped as the creature was ripped off its prey。 Vorkosigan flung it to the sand and stamped on it as Dubauer fell to the ground and curled up on his side。 Cordelia tried to pull his hands away from his face。 He was making strange； hoarse noises； and his body shook。 Another seizure； she thought…but then realized with a shock that he was weeping。
She held his head on her lap to stop the wild rocking。 The spots where the tendrils had penetrated his skin were black in the center； surrounded by rings of red flesh that were beginning to swell alarmingly。 There was a particularly nasty one at the corner of his eye。 She plucked one of the remaining embedded tendrils out of his skin； and found it burned her fingers acidly。 Apparently the creature had been coated all over with a similar poison； for Vorkosigan was kneeling with his hand in the stream。 She quickly pulled the rest of them； and called the Barrayaran over to her side。
〃Have you got anything in your kit that will help this？〃
〃Only the antibiotic。〃 He handed her a tube； and she smeared some on Dubauer's face。 It was not really a proper burn ointment； but it would have to do。 Vorkosigan stared at Dubauer a moment； then reluctantly produced a small white pill。
〃This is a powerful analgesic。 I have only four。 It should carry him through the evening。〃
Cordelia placed it on the back of Dubauer's tongue。 It evidently tasted bitter； for he tried to spit it out； but she caught it and forced him to swallow it。 In a few minutes she was able to get him to his feet and take him to the campsite Vorkosigan chose overlooking the sandy channel。
Vorkosigan meanwhile made a handsome collection of driftwood for a fire。
〃How are you going to light it？〃 inquired Cordelia。
〃When I was a small boy； I had to learn to start a fire by friction；〃 Vorkosigan reminisced。 〃Military school summer camp。 It wasn't easy。 Took