Чужой
VI
Hepausedlongenoughtolettheimagedominateeveryone’smind.
’Evenifwhoeverwasdoingtheactualcuttingcouldsomehowescapeseriousinjuryfromtheflyingliquid,IwouldnotcaretobetheoneresponsibleforwhatwouldbeleftofKane’sface.Orhead.’
’Allright.’Ripleysoundedabitresentful.’Somaybeitwasn’tsuchabrilliantidea.Whatdoyousuggestinstead?’Shejerkedathumbtowardtheinfirmaryabove.’Tryingtohaulhimallthewayhomewiththatthingsittingonhisskull?’
’Iseenodangerinthat.’Ashwasunimpressedbyhersarcasm.’Aslongashisvitalsignsremainstable,Iconsiderthataviablealternative.Iftheyshowsignsoffailing,naturallywe’llhavetotrysomethingelse.ButatthistimeIhavetosaythatIthinkremovingthecreatureforciblypresentsgreaterpotentialforinjurytoKanethanitdoesimprovement.’
Anewfaceappearedatthetopofthenearbycompanionway.’Stillnosignofthestuff.It’sstoppedbleeding?’ParkerswitchedhisgazefromthesullenRipleytoDallas.
’Yeah.Afteritatethroughtwolevels.’Hewasstillabitstunnedbythepotencyofthealienfluid.
Ripleycametolife,lookedaround.’We’realldownhere.WhataboutKane?Noone’swatchinghim..orthealien.’
Therewasaconcertedrushforthestairs.
Dallaswasthefirstonebackattheinfirmary.Aquickglanceinsideshowedhimthatnothinghadchanged.Kanestilllayasthey’dlefthim,immobileontheplatform,thealiensecuredtohisface.
Ripleycametolife,lookedaround.
