Чужой

           ’Whatcanweputunderit?’Ashwasconsideringtheproblemwithhisusualdetachment,thoughfullyawarethatinafewminutestheNostromomightbehulled.Thatwouldmeansealingallcompartmentsuntilthedestructioncouldberepaired.Anditcouldbeworse.Alargeamountofcriticalhyperdrivecircuitryranthroughthemainhull.Iftheliquidruinedit,itwasquitepossibletheresultingdamagemightbebeyondthemeagercapabilityoftheship’sengineeringstafftorepair.Muchofthatcircuitrywasintegraltotheship’sconstructionandnotdesignedtobeworkedonoutsideofamajorzero-geeshipyard.

           Nooneofferedanysuggestionsastowhattheymightemploytocatchthesteadyleak.

           Below,ParkerandRipleymovedcautiouslyalongthenarrower,darkerconfinesofCcorridor.Theirattentionremainedfixedtotheceiling.

           ’Don’tgetunderit,’Parkerwarned.’Ifitcaneatthroughdeckalloylikethat,Idon’tcaretothinkwhatitcoulddotoyourprettyface.’

           ’Don’tworry.I’lltakegoodcareofmyprettyface.Youwatchoutforyourown.’

           ’Seemstobelosingsomeactivity.’Dallaspeeredattheholeinthefloor,hardlydaringtohope.

           BrettandAshstoodopposite,crouchingoverthedarkdepressioninthedeck.Ashfishedastylusfromoneofhistunicpockets,probedthehole.Theoutermetalliningofthewritinginstrumentbubbledweakly,lookinglikecarbonatedquicksilver.Thebubblingstopped,peteringoutafterbarelymarringtheshinyfinish.Thescienceofficercontinuedtopokeatthehole.