The Vor Game_Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold
Author:Lois McMaster Bujold [Bujold, Lois McMaster]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Spectrum Literary Agency, Inc.
Published: 2013-12-03T05:00:00+00:00
* * *
After Mayhew had docked the cargo shuttle at its assigned loading niche at the Aslundersâ transfer station, Miles, Gregor, and Elena lay low, locked in the pilotâs compartment. Tung and Mayhew went off âto see what we can do,â as Tung put it, rather airily to Milesâs mind. Miles sat and nibbled his knuckles nervously, and tried not to jump with each thump, clink, or hiss of the robotic loaders placing supplies for the mercenaries on the other side of the bulkhead. Elenaâs steady profile did not twitch at every little noise, Miles noticed enviously. I loved her once. Who is she now?
Could one choose not to fall in love all over again with this new person? A chance to choose. She seemed tougher, more willing to speak her mindâthis was goodâyet her thoughts had a bitter tang. Not good. That bitterness made him ache.
âHave you been all right?â he asked her hesitantly. âApart from this command structure mess, that is. Tung treating you right? He was supposed to be your mentor. On-the-job, for you, the training I was getting in the classroom.â
âOh, heâs a good mentor. He stuffs me with military information, tactics, history. . . . I can run every phase of a combat drop patrol now, logistics, mapping, assault, withdrawal, even emergency shuttle take-offs and landings, if you donât mind a few bumps. Iâm almost up to really handling my fictional rank, at least on fleet equipment. He likes teaching.â
âIt seemed to me you were a little tense, with him.â
She tossed her head. âEverything is tense, just now. Itâs not possible to be âapart fromâ this command structure mess, thank you. Although . . . I suppose I havenât quite forgiven Tung for not being infallible about it. I thought he was, at first.â
âYeah, well, thereâs a lot of fallibility going around these days,â Miles said uncomfortably. âUh . . . howâs Baz?â Is your husband treating you right? he wanted to demand, but didnât.
âHeâs well,â she replied, not looking happy, âbut discouraged. This power struggle was alien to him, repugnant, I think. Heâs a tech at heart, he sees a job that needs doing, he does it. Tung hints that if Baz hadnât buried himself in Engineering he might have foreseenâpreventedâfought the takeover, but I think it was the other way around. He couldnât lower himself to fight on Oserâs back-stabbing level, so he withdrew to where he could keep his own standards of honesty . . . for a little while longer. This schismâs affected morale all up and down the line.â
âIâm sorry,â said Miles.
âYou should be.â Her voice cracked, steadied, harshened. âBaz felt heâd failed you, but you failed us first, when you never came back. You couldnât expect us to keep up the illusion forever.â
âIllusion?â said Miles. âI knew it would be difficult, but I thought you might grow into your roles. Make the mercenaries your own.â
âThe mercenaries may be enough for Tung. I thought they might be for me, too, till we came to the killing.
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