Чужой

           Hehadtobepreparedtopullawayfastandcarefullyifitreacted.AwrongmoveandhecouldseverKane’sheadfromhisshouldersaseasilyasabadreportcouldcutaman’spension.

           Thecreaturedidn’tmove.Dallastouchedthebeamtogreyskin,moveditamillimetreortwodownwarduntilhewassurehewasactuallycuttingflesh.Thebeamtravelledeffortlesslydownthecreature’sback.

           Stillthesubjectofthispreliminarybiopsydidnotmove,nordiditshowanysignofpainfromthecontinuingcut.Atthetopofthewoundayellowishfluidbegantodrip,flowdownthesmoothside.

           ’Startingtobleed,’Ashnotedprofessionally.

           TheliquidflowedontothebeddingnexttoKane’shead.AsmallwispofwhatDallasfirstthoughtmightbesteamrosefromthepallet.Thedarkgaswasnotfamiliar.Thehissingnoisethatbegantoissuefromthebeddingwas.

           Hestopped,removedtheblade,andstaredatthesizzlingspot.Thehissinggrewlouder,deeper.Helookeddownward.

           Theliquidhadalreadyeatenthroughthebeddingandthemetalmedicalplatform.Itwaspoolingandsizzling,aminiaturehell,nearhisfeetasitbegantoeatintothedeck.Metalbubbledsteadily.Gasproducedasaby-productstartedtofilltheinfirmary.ItsearedDallas’sthroat,remindinghimofpolice-controlgas,whichwasonlymildlypainfulbutimpossibletostomach.Hepanickedatthethoughtofwhatthisstuffmightbedoingtohisownlungs.