Чужой
VI
Thetubewasnotmoving,merelysittingthere.
Morethananythingelse,thispartoftheinternalviewmadeDallasfeelsick.
’It’sgotsomethingdownhisgoddamnthroat.’Hishandsclenched,unclenchedwithmurderousregularity.’Whatthehellkindofthingisthattodotoaperson?It’snotafairwaytofight.Damnit,Ash,it’snot..clean!’
’Wedon’tknowthatit’sfightingwithhim,orevenharminghim.’Ashconfessedtobeingconfusedbythewholesituation.’Accordingtothemedicalmonitors,he’sfine.Merelyunabletoreacttous.Iknowthissoundssillyrightnow,butthinkaminute.Maybethecreature’sabenignsymbioteofsomekind.Perhaps,initsownparticular,confusedway,it’sdonethistotrytohelphim.’
Dallaslaughedhumorlessly.’It’sfondofhim,allright.Itwon’tletgo.’
’Thattubeorwhatevermustbehowit’ssupplyingoxygentohim.’Thescienceofficeradjustedacontrol,switchedtoatighterviewandfinerresolution.ThescreenshowedKane’slungsworkingsteadily,atanormalpace,andseeminglywithouteffortdespitetheobstructioninhisthroat.Ashswitchedbacktothefirstview.
’Whatoxygen?’Dallaswantedtoknow.’Hecameallthewaybacktotheshipwithabustedfaceplate.Thecreature’snotattachedtohissuittankssoallhissuitairmusthavebledoutthroughtheopenregulatorinthefirstcoupleofminutes.’
Ashlookedthoughtful.’Icanimaginesomepossibilities.There’salittlefreeoxygenintheatmospherehere.Notmuch,butsome.
