Lois Bujold: Komarr

“He has a few chores here yet. ImpSec Komarr sent us out a special squad of boffins and techs to clean up and document that mess you made in the Southport loading bay— ”

“Oh, dear. I’m sorry-” she began automatically.

“No, no, it was a beautiful mess. Couldn’t have made a better one myself, and I’ve made a few. Anyway, he will be overseeing them, and then returning to Komarr to set up a secret scientific commission to study the device, explore its limits and all that. And HQ sent me some high-powered interrogators whom I wanted to personally brief before they took charge of my prisoners. Captain Vorgier wasn’t too happy that I wouldn’t let any of his local people question our conspirators, but I’ve already declared all details of this case need-to-know under my Auditor’s seal, so he’s out of luck.” He cleared his throat. “Your uncle and I have decided I get the job of going straight back to Vorbarr Sultana from here and making the preliminary report to Emperor Gregor in person. He’s only been getting ImpSec digests.”

“Oh,” she said, startled. “Leaving so soon…? What about all your things-you shouldn’t go off without your seizure stimulator, should you?”

Half self-consciously, he rubbed his temple; the white bandages were gone from his wrists, she noticed, leaving only pale red rings of new scars. To add to his collection, presumably. “I had Tuomonen pack up all my kit and send it out here with the crew from HQ. It arrived a couple of hours ago, so I’m all set. Good old ImpSec, they do piss me off sometimes. Tuomonen is going to get a major black mark, because the conspiracy in Serifosa Terraforming took place on his watch, and he never caught it, even though it was really the Imperial Accounting Office which should have been the first line of defense. And that idiot Vorgier is getting a commendation. There is no justice.”

“Poor Tuomonen. I liked him. Isn’t there anything you can do about that?”

“Mm, I turned down a chance to be in charge of ImpSec’s internal affairs, so no, I think I’d better not.”

“Will he keep his post?”

“It’s uncertain at this time. I told him if he finds his military career at a stand, to look me up. I think I’m going to be able to use a good trained assistant in this Auditor job. The work will be irregular, though. The trend of my life.”

He sucked thoughtfully on his lower lip, and glanced across at her. “The reclassification of this case from a peculation scam to something far more serious also affects what you can tell Nikki, I’m afraid. It’s all headed into a security black hole as fast as we can stuff it in there, and it’s going to stay there for quite some time. There will, therefore, be no public prosecutions and no need for you to testify, though ImpSec may be around for another interview or two- not under fast-penta. In retrospect, I’m very relieved I played it as close to my chest as I did. But for Nikki, and all Tien’s relatives, and anyone else, the story is going to have to remain that he died in a simple breath mask accident from being caught outside with a low reservoir, and you don’t know any more details than that. Madame Dr. Vorthys, this is for you, too.”

“I understand,” said the Professora.

“I am both relieved, and disturbed,” said Ekaterin slowly.

“In time, the security considerations will soften. You will have to rejudge the problem then, when, well, when many things may have changed.”

“I did wonder if, for Nikki’s name’s honor, I ought to try to pay back the Imperium all the bribe money Tien received.”

He looked startled. “Good God, no. If anyone owes anything, it’s Foscol. She stole it in the first place. And we certainly won’t be getting anything back from her.”

“Something is owed,” she said gravely.

“Tien settled his debt with his life. He’s quits with the Imperium, I assure you. In the Emperor’s Voice, if necessary.”

She took this in. Death did wipe out debt. It just didn’t erase the memory of pain; time was still required for that healing. Your time is your own, now. That felt strange. She could take all the time she wanted, or needed. Riches beyond dreams. She nodded. “All right.”

“The past is paid. Please notify me about Tien’s funeral, though. I wish to attend, if I can.” He frowned. “I too owe something there.”

She shook her head mutely.

“In any case, do call me when you and your aunt get back to Vorbarr Sultana.” He glanced again at the Professora. “She and Nikki will be staying with you for a time, yes?” Ekaterin was not quite sure if that was phrased as a question or a demand.

“Yes, indeed.” Aunt Vorthys smiled.

“So here are all my addresses.” He spoke again to Ekaterin, and handed her a plastic flimsy. “The numbers for the Vorkosigan residences in Vorbarr Sultana, Hassadar, and Vorkosigan Surleau, for Master Tsipis in Hassadar-my man of business, I believe I mentioned him to you-he usually knows where to get hold of me in a pinch, when I’m out in the District-and a drop-number through the Imperial Residence, which will always know how to reach me. Any time, day or night.”

Aunt Vorthys leaned back, with her finger on her lips, and regarded him with growing bemusement. “Do you think those will be enough, Miles? Perhaps you can think of three or four more, just to be sure?”

To Ekaterin’s surprise, he flushed a little. “I trust these will suffice,” he said. “And of course, I should be able to reach you through your aunt, right?”

“Of course,” murmured Aunt Vorthys.

“I’d like to show you over my District sometime,” he added to Ekaterin, avoiding the Professora’s eye. “There’s a great deal to see there you might find of interest. There’s a major forestry project going on in the Dendarii Mountains, and some radiation reclamation experiments. My family owns several maple syrup and winery operations. There’s botany all over the damn place, in fact; you can hardly move without tripping over a plant.”

“Perhaps later on,” said Ekaterin uncertainly. “What will happen to the Terraforming Project, as a result of all this mess with the Komarrans?”

“Mm, not too much, I now suspect. The security classification is going to limit the immediate public political repercussions.”

“In the long run, too?”

“Though the amount of money that was stolen from Serifosa Sector’s budget was huge from the viewpoint of a private individual, from the standpoint of the bureaucracy it wasn’t that big a bite. There are nineteen other Sectors, after all. The damage to the soletta array is actually going to be the biggest bill.”

“Will the Imperium repair it properly? I’ve so hoped they would.”

He brightened. “I had this great idea about that. I’m going to pitch it to Gregor that we should declare the soletta repair-and enlargement-as a wedding present, from Gregor to Laisa and from Barrayar to Komarr. I’m going to recommend its size be nearly doubled, adding the six new panels the Komarrans have been begging for since forever. I think this mischance can be turned into an absolute propaganda coup, with the right timing. We’ll shove the appropriation through the Council of Counts and Ministers quickly, before Midsummer, while everyone in Vorbarr Sultana is still sentimentally wound up for the Imperial Wedding.”

She clapped her hands in enthusiasm, then paused in doubt. “Will that work? I didn’t think the crusty old Council of Counts was susceptible to what Tien used to call romantic drivel.”

“Oh,” he said airily, “I’m sure they are. I’m a cadet member of the Counts myself-we’re only human, after all. Besides, we can point out that every time a Komarran looks up-well, half the time-they’ll see this Barrayaran gift hanging overhead, and know what it’s doing to create their future. The power of suggestion and all that. It could save us the expense of putting down the next Komarran conspiracy.”