He brushed the damp soil from his fingers, and realized suddenly that he was touching Barrayar. This bit of dirt had come from South Continent, dug up, perhaps, from a tart old Vor ladys backyard. He dragged over the station chair from the comconsole, climbed precariously up onto it, and retrieved what proved to be an empty pan from an upper shelf. Safely on his feet again, he carefully gathered up as much of the soil as he could, and dumped it in the pan.
He stood back, hands on his hips, and studied his work so far. It made a sad pile. Compost, my Barrayaran friend, youre destined to be compost, for all of me. A decent burial may be all I can do for you. Though in your case, that might actually be the answer to your prayers
A faint rustle and an indrawn breath made him suddenly aware that he was not alone. He turned his head to find Ekaterin, on her feet again and pausing in the doorway. Her color looked better now than it had immediately after the interrogation, her skin not so puffy and lined, though she still looked very tired. Her brows were drawn down in puzzlement. What are you doing, Lord Vorkosigan?
Um visiting a sick friend? Reddening, he gestured to his efforts laid out on her work bench. Has the medtech released you?
Yes, shes just left. She was very conscientious.
Miles cleared his throat. I was wondering if there was any way to put your skellytum back together. Seemed a shame not to try, seventy years old and all that. He drew back respectfully as she came up to the bench and turned over a fragment. I know you cant sew it up like a person, but I cant help thinking there ought to be something. Im afraid Im not much of a gardener. My parents let me try, once, when I was a little kid, back behind Vorkosigan House. I was going to grow flowers for my Betan mother. Sergeant Bothari ended up doing the spade work, as I recall. I dug the seeds up twice a day to see if theyd sprouted yet. My plants did not thrive, for some reason. After that we gave up and turned it into a fort.
She smiled, a real smile, not a fast-penta grin. We did not break her after all.
No, you cant put it back together, she said. The only way is to start over. What I could do is take the strongest root fragments-several of them, to make sure, her long hands sorted through his pile, and set them to soak in a hormone solution. And then when it starts to put out new growth, repot it.
I saved the dirt, Miles pointed out hopefully. Idiot. Do you know what an idiot you sound like?
But she merely said, Thank you. Following up on her words, she rummaged in her shelves and found a shallow basin, and filled it with water from the work benchs little sink. Another cupboard yielded a box of white powder; she sprinkled a tiny amount into the water and stirred it with her fingers. Taking a knife from her tool drawer, she trimmed the most promising root fragments and pushed them into the solution. There. Maybe something will come of that. She stretched to set the basin carefully out of the way on the shelf Miles had had to reach by standing on the chair, and shook the pan of dirt into a plastic bag, which she sealed and put next to the basin. She then rolled up the decaying remains in their tarp again, to take over and shake into another bin; the plastic went back into the trash. By the time Id thought of this poor skellytum again, it would have gone out with the organic recycle, and been too late. Id abandoned hope for it last night, when I thought I had to leave with just what I could carry.
I didnt mean to burden you. Will it be awkward, to carry home on the jumpship?
Ill put it in a sealed container. By the time I reach my destination, it should be just about ready to replant. She washed and dried her hands; Miles followed suit.
Damn Tuomonen anyway, for forcing to Miless consciousness a desire his back-brain had known very well was too unripe and out of season for any fruitful result. Time is out of joint, shed said. Now he was going to have to deal with it. Now he was going to have to wait. How long? How about until after Tien is buried, for starters? His intentions were honorable enough, at least some of them were, but his timing was lousy. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets and rocked on his heels.
Ekaterin folded her arms, leaned against the counter, and stared at the floor. I wish to apologize, Lord Vorkosigan, for anything I might have said under fast-penta that was not appropriate.
Miles shrugged. I invited myself along. But I thought you could use a spotter. You did as much for me, after all.
A spotter. She looked up, her expression lightening. I had not thought of it like that.
He opened his hand and smiled hopefully.
She smiled briefly in return, but then sighed. Id been so frantic, all day, for ImpSec to be done so I could go get Nikki. Now I think they were doing me a favor. I dread this part. I dont know what to tell him. I dont know how much I should tell him about Tiens mess. As little as possible? The whole truth? Neither feels right.
Miles said slowly, Were still in the middle of a classified case, here. You cant burden a nine-year-old boy with government secrets, or that kind of judgment call. I dont even know yet how much of this will eventually become public knowledge.
Things not done right away get harder. She sighed. As Im finding now.
Miles drew up the comconsole chair for her, and motioned her into it, and pulled out the stool from under the work bench. He perched on it, and asked, Had you told him you were leaving Tien?
Not even that, yet.
I think that for today, you should only tell him that his father suffered an accident with his breath mask. Leave the Komarrans out of it. If he asks for more details than you know how to deal with, send him to me, and Ill take the job of telling him he cant know, or cant know yet.
Her level look asked, Can I trust you? Take care you dont stir up more curiosity than you quell.
I understand. The problem of the whole truth is as much a question of when as what. But after we both get back to Vorbarr Sultana, I would like, with your permission, to take you to talk with Gr-with a close friend of mine. Hes Vor, too. He had the experience of being in something like Nikkis position. His father died under, ah, grievous circumstances, when he was much too young to be told the details. When he stumbled across some of the uglier facts, in his early twenties, it was pretty traumatic. Ill bet hell have a better feel than either of us for what to tell Nikki and when. He has a fine judgment.
She gave him a provisional nod. That sounds right. I would like that very much. Thank you.
He returned her a half-bow, from his perch. Glad to be of service, Madame. Hed wanted to introduce her to Gregor the man, his foster-brother, not Emperor Gregor the Imperial Icon, anyway. This might serve more than one purpose.
I also have to tell Nikki about his Vorzohns Dystrophy, and I cant put that off. I made an appointment for him at a clinic in Solstice for the day after tomorrow.
He does not know he carries it?
She shook her head. Tien would never let me tell him. She studied him gravely. I think you were in something like Nikkis position, too, when you were a child. Did you have to undergo a great many medical procedures then?
God, yes, years of em. What can I say thats useful? Dont lie about whether its going to hurt. Dont leave him alone for long periods. Or you, either There was finally something he could do for her. Events permitting, may I ride along with you to Solstice and render what assistance I can? I cant spare your uncle to you-hes going to be buried in technical problems by day after tomorrow, if my parts list takes shape.