those histories I've been reading imply, ninety percent nez sex net of the people on
this planet must have Vor blood by now. Who knows nez sex net who your relatives are on
your father's side?"
Vorkosigan bit his linen napkin absently, his eyes gone crinkly with much
the same expression as the footman, and murmured, "Cordelia, you can't. you
nez sex net really can't sit at the breakfast table and imply my ancestors were
bastards. It's a mortal insult here."
Where should I sit? "Oh. I'll never understand that, I guess. Oh, never
mind. Koudelka, and Bothari."
"Quite. Go on, duty officer."
"Yes, sir. Well, sir, they were coming back, I was told, about an hour
after midnight, when they were set on by a gang of nez sex net area toughs. Evidently
Lieutenant Koudelka was too well dressed, and besides there's that
walk of
his, and the stick. anyway, he attracted attention. I don't know the
details, sir, nez sex net but there were four deaths and three in the hospital this
morning, in addition to the ones nez sex net that got away."
Vorkosigan whistled, very faintly, through his teeth. "What was the
extent of Bothari's and Koudelka's injuries?"
"They. I don't nez sex net have an official report, sir. Just hearsay."
"Say, nez sex net then.&nez sex net quot;
The duty officer swallowed a little. "Sergeant Bothari has a broken arm,
some broken ribs, internal injuries, nez sex net and a concussion. Lieutenant Koudelka,
both legs broken, and a lot of, uh. shock burns.&nez sex net quot; His voice trailed nez sex net off.
"What?"
" Evidently-I heard-their nez sex net assailants had a couple of high-voltage shock
sticks, and they discovered they could get some. peculiar effects on his
prosthetic nerves with them. After they'd broken nez sex net his legs they spent. quite
a long time working him over. That's how it was Commander Illyan's men
nez sex net caught up with them. They didn't clear off in time."
Cordelia pushed nez sex net her plate away and sat trembling. "Hearsay, eh? Very
well. Dismissed. See that Commander Illyan is nez sex net sent to me immediately he
arrives." Vorkosigan's expression was introspective and grim.
Piotr's was sourly triumphant. "Vermin,&
quot; he asserted. "You ought to burn
them all out."
Vorkosigan sighed. &nez sex net quot;Easier nez sex net to start a war than finish it. Not this
week,
sir."
Illyan attended on Vorkosigan within the hour, in the library, with his
informal verbal report. Cordelia trailed in after them, to sit and nez sex net listen.
"Sure you want to hear this?" Vorkosigan nez sex net asked her quietly.
She shook her head. "