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 all afternoon。 e to think of it； I never did get it started that way。 I lit it by dissecting a municator for the power pack。〃
He was searching through his belt and pockets。 〃The instructor was furious。 I think it must have been his municator。〃
〃No chemical starters？〃 Cordelia asked； with a nod to his ongoing inventory of his utility belt。
〃It's assumed if you want heat； you can fire your plasma arc。〃 He tapped his fingers on the empty holster。 〃I have another idea。 A bit drastic； but I think it will be effective。 You'd better go sit with your botanist。 This is going to be loud。〃
He removed a useless plasma arc power cartridge from a row on the back of his belt。
〃Uh； oh；〃 said Cordelia； moving away。 〃Won't that be overkill？ And what are you going to do with the crater？ It'll be visible from the air for kilometers。〃
〃Do you want to sit there and rub two sticks together？ I suppose I had better do something about the crater； though。〃
He thought a moment； then trotted away over the edge of the little valley。 Cordelia sat down beside Dubauer； putting an arm around his shoulders and hunching in anticipation。
Vorkosigan shot back over the rim at a dead run； and hit the ground rolling。 There was a brilliant blue…white flash； and a boom that shook the ground。 A large column of smoke； dust； and steam rose into the air； and pebbles； dirt； and bits of melted sand began to patter down like rain all around。 Vorkosigan disappeared over the edge again； and returned shortly with a fine flaming torch。
Cordelia went for a peek at the damage。 Vorkosigan had placed the short…circuited cartridge upstream about a hundred meters； at the outer edge of a bend where the swift little river curved away to the east。 The explosion had left a spectacular glass…lined crater some fifteen meters wide and five deep that was still smoking。 As she watched； the stream eroded its edge and poured in； billowing steam。 In an hour it would be scoured into a natural…looking backwater。
〃Not bad；〃 she murmured approvingly。 By the time the fire burned down to a bed of coals they had cubes of dark red meat on sticks ready to broil。
〃How do you like yours？〃 Vorkosigan asked。 〃Rare？ Medium？〃
〃I think it had better be well done；〃 suggested Cordelia。 〃We hadn't pleted the parasite survey yet。〃
Vorkosigan glanced at his cube with a new dubiousness。 〃Ah。 Quite；〃 he said faintly。
They cooked it thoroughly； then sat by the fire and tore into the smoking meat with happy savagery。 Even Dubauer managed to feed himself with small chunks。 It was gamey and tough； burned on the outside and with a bitter undertaste； but no one suggested a side dish of either oatmeal or blue cheese dressing。
Cordelia's humor was touched。 Vorkosigan's fatigues were filthy； damp； and splashed with dried blood from hacking up their dinner； as were her own。 He had a three…day growth of beard； his face glistened in the firelight with hexaped grease； and he reeked with dried sweat。 Barring the beard； she suspected she looked no better； and she knew she smelled no better。 She found herself disquietingly aware of his body； muscular； pact； wholly masculine； stirring senses she thought she had suppressed。 Best think of something else。。。
〃From spaceman to caveman in three days；〃 she meditated aloud。 〃How we imagine our civilization is in ourselves； when it's really in our things。〃
Vorkosigan glanced with a twisted smile at the carefully tended Dubauer。 〃You seem able to carry your civilization on the inside。〃
Cordelia flushed unfortably； glad for the camouflaging firelight。 〃One does one's duty。〃
〃Some people find their duty more elastic。 Or…were you in love with him？〃
〃With Dubauer？ Heavens； no！ I'm no cradle snatcher。 He was a good kid； though。 I'd like to get him home to his family。〃
〃Do you have a family？〃
〃Sure。 My mom and brother； back home on Beta Colony。 My dad used to be in the Survey too。〃
〃Was he one of those who never came back？〃
〃No； he died in a shuttleport accident； not ten kilometers from home。 He'd been home on leave； and was just reporting back。〃
〃My condolences。〃
〃Oh； that was years and years ago。〃 Getting a little personal； isn't he？ she thought。 But it was better than trying to deflect military interrogation。 She hoped fervently that the subject； say； of the latest Betan equipment would not e up。 〃How about you？ Do you have a family？〃 It suddenly occurred to her that this phrase was also a polite way of asking； Are you married？
〃My father lives。 He is Count Vorkosigan。 My mother was half Betan； you know；〃 he offered hesitantly。
Cordelia decided that if Vorkosigan； full of military curtness； was formidable； Vorkosigan trying to make himself pleasant was truly terrifying。 But curiosity overcame the urge to cut the conversation short。 〃That's unusual。 How did that happen？〃
〃My maternal grandfather was Prince Xav Vorbarra； the diplomat。 He held the post of ambassador to Beta Colony for a time； in his youth； before the First Cetagandan War。 I believe my grandmother was in your Bureau for Interstellar Trade。〃
〃Did you know her well？〃
〃After my mother…died； and Yuri Vorbarra's Civil War was brought to an end； I spent some school vacations at the Prince's home in the capital。 He was at odds with my father； though； before and after that war； being of different political parties。 Xav was the leading light of the progressives in his day； and of course my father was…is…part of the last stand of the old military aristocracy。〃
〃Was your grandmother happy on Barrayar？〃 Cordelia estimated Vorkosigan's school days were perhaps thirty years ago。
〃I don't think she ever adjusted pletely to our society。 And of course； Yuri's War。。。〃 He trailed off； then began again。 〃Outsiders…you Betans particularly…have this odd vision of Barrayar as some monolith； but we are a fundamentally divided society。 My government is always fighting these centrifugal tendencies。〃
Vorkosigan leaned forward and tossed another piece of wood onto the fire。 Sparks cascaded upward like a stream of little orange stars flowing home to the sky。 Cordelia felt a sharp longing to fly away with them。
〃What party has your allegiance？〃 she asked； hoping to keep the conversation on a less unnervingly personal plane。 〃Do you stand with your father？〃
〃While he lives。 I always wanted to be a soldier； and avoid all parties。 I have an aversion to politics； they've been death on my family。 But it's past time someone took on those damned bureaucrats and their pet spies。 They imagine they're the wave of the future； but it's only sewage flowing downhill。〃
〃If you express those opinions that forcibly at home； it's no wonder politics e looking for you。〃 She poked at the fire with a stick； freeing more sparks for their journey。
Dubauer； sedated by the painkiller； fell asleep quickly； but Cordelia lay long awake； replaying the disturbing conversation in her mind。 Still； what did she care if this Barrayaran chose to run his head into nooses？ No reason for her to get involved。 None at all。 Surely not。 Even if the shape of his square strong hands was a dream of power in form。。。
She awakened deep in the