[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
are. We must set up some more rational arrangement for me to be able to carry
them out."
Page 41
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Galeni did not seem to realize that when Miles had, however inadvertantly,
entered his chain of command, it had expanded not by one but by five thousand.
Yet if he did awake to the fact, might he start messing with the Dendarii?
Miles s
file:///F|/rah/Lois%20McMaster%20Bujold/Lois%...20Bujold%20--%2009%20Brothers%
20In%20Arms.txt (71 of 308) [1/21/03 10:44:26 PM]
file:///F|/rah/Lois%20McMaster%20Bujold/Lois%20McMaster%20Bujold%20--%2009%20B
rothers%20In%20Arms.txt teeth closed on the impulse to point out this
possibility in any way. A hot flash of jealousy? shot through him. Let Galeni
continue, please God, to think of the Dendarii as Miles s personal affair. . .
.
"Hm." Galeni rubbed his forehead. "Yes, well in the meantime, when Admiral
Naismith s duties call, you come to me first, Lieutenant Vorkosigan." He
sighed. "Consider yourself on probation. I would order you confined to
quarters, but the ambassador has specifically requested your presence for
escort duties this afternoon. But be aware that I could have made serious
charges. Disobeying a direct order, for instance."
"I m . . . keenly aware of that, sir. Uh . . . and Ivan?"
"We ll see about Ivan." Galeni shook his head, apparently contemplating Ivan.
Miles couldn t blame him.
"Yes, sir," said Miles, deciding he d pushed as hard as he dared, for now.
"Dismissed."
Great, thought Miles sardonically, exiting Galeni s office. First he thought I
was insubordinate.
Now he just thinks I m crazy. Whoever I am.
The afternoon s political-social event was a reception and dinner in honor of
a visit to Earth of the Baba of Lairouba. The
Baba, hereditary head-of-state of his planet, was combining political and
religious duties. After completing his pilgrimage to
Mecca he had come to London for participation in the right-of-passage talks
for the Western Orion
Arm group of planets. Tau
Ceti was the hub of this nexus, and Komarr connected to it through two routes,
hence Barrayar s interest.
Miles s duties were the usual. In this case he found himself partnering one of
the Baba s four wives. He wasn t sure whether to classify her as a dread
dowager or not her bright brown eyes and smooth chocolate hands were pretty
enough, but the rest of her was swathed in yards of creamy silk edged with
gold embroidery that suggested a zaftig pulchritude, like a
file:///F|/rah/Lois%20McMaster%20Bujold/Lois%...20Bujold%20--%2009%20Brothers%
20In%20Arms.txt (72 of 308) [1/21/03 10:44:26 PM]
file:///F|/rah/Lois%20McMaster%20Bujold/Lois%20McMaster%20Bujold%20--%2009%20B
rothers%20In%20Arms.txt very enticing mattress.
Her wit he could not gauge, as she spoke neither English, French, Russian nor
Greek, in their
Barrayaran dialects or any other, and he spoke neither Lairouban nor Arabic.
The box of keyed translator earbugs had unfortunately been mis-delivered to an
unknown address on the other side of London, leaving half the diplomats
present able only to stare at their counterparts and smile. Miles and the lady
communicated basic needs by mime salt, ma am? with good will through dinner,
and he made her laugh twice. He wished he knew why.
Even more unfortunately, before the after-dinner speeches could be cancelled a
box of replacement ear-bugs was delivered by a panting caterer s assistant.
There followed several speeches in a variety of tongues for the benefit of the
press corps. Things broke up, the zaftig lady was swept off Miles s hands by
two of her co-wives, and he began to make his way across the room back to the
Page 42
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Barrayaran ambassador s party. Hounding a soaring alabaster pillar holding up
the arched ceiling, he came face to face with the lady journalist from
Euronews Network.
"Mon Dieu, it s the little admiral," she said cheerfully. "What are you doing
here?"
Ignoring the anguished scream inside his skull, Miles schooled his features to
an exquisitely polite blankness. "I beg your pardon, ma am?"
"Admiral Naismith Or . . ." She took in his uniform, her eyes lighting with
interest. "Is this some mercenary covert operation, Admiral?"
A beat passed. Miles allowed his eyes to widen, his hand to stray to his
weaponless trouser seam and twitch there. "My
God," he choked in a voice of horror not hard, that "Do you mean to tell me
Admiral Naismith has been seen on Earth?"
Her chin lifted, and her lips parted in a little half-smile of disbelief. "In
your mirror, surely."
file:///F|/rah/Lois%20McMaster%20Bujold/Lois%...20Bujold%20--%2009%20Brothers%
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]