“I know,” said Jole. “We did a lot of it from orbit.”
“Their biosphere needs someone to go take a closer look.”
“More than one someone. Five thousand years, Gamelin once guessed, and it took me a while to realize that wasn’t a joke. This bay alone could keep an explorer busy for half a lifetime.” And close to home—right out the researcher’s front door, perhaps. “Beyond the harbor mouth—well, a man would run out of breath long before he ran out of questions.” The extensive and intricate reeflike structures along the northerly coast of this very continent were already getting some attention, but practical needs were still drawing most resources to the land. “Finding funding for a proper research vessel could be a stretch.”
“Mm, I might know a couple of people who are adept at finding funding. Don’t give up on that idea too soon.”
“Hadn’t planned to. It’s a grand buffet, but no one could eat it all at once.”
Cordelia’s grin widened. “God I’ve missed the sound of scientific greed. You could almost be—”
“Betan?”
“I was going to say, Betan Survey. We lot were always, mm, not as good a fit back in the home tunnels as some.”
Her hand stole into his, and he gripped it back.
After a little, she said, “I know where you might find a navigator for that boat, for cheap. She’d probably work for foot rubs. And lab access.”
“It’s a deal,” he said, and they stood a while longer, looking to the horizon line where a new sun would rise tomorrow.
BOOKS by LOIS McMASTER BUJOLD
Shards of Honor • Barrayar
The Warrior’s Apprentice • The Vor Game
Cetaganda • Borders of Infinity
Brothers in Arms • Mirror Dance
Memory • Komarr
A Civil Campaign • Diplomatic Immunity
Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance • Cryoburn
Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen
Falling Free • Ethan of Athos
Cordelia’s Honor • Young Miles
Miles, Mystery & Mayhem • Miles Errant
Miles, Mutants & Microbes • Miles in Love
The Curse of Chalion • Paladin of Souls
The Hallowed Hunt
Volume 1: Beguilement • Volume 2: Legacy
Volume 3: Passage • Volume 4: Horizon
The Spirit Ring
ALSO AVAILABLE FROM BAEN BOOKS
The Vorkosigan Companion, edited by Lillian Stewart Carl and John Helfers
This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 by Lois McMaster Bujold
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.
A Baen Books Original
Baen Publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471
www.baen.com
ISBN: 978-1-4767-8122-8
Cover art by David Seeley
First printing, February 2016
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
Printed in the United States of America