Чужой
VI
’We’realldownhere.WhataboutKane?Noone’swatchinghim..orthealien.’
Therewasaconcertedrushforthestairs.
Dallaswasthefirstonebackattheinfirmary.Aquickglanceinsideshowedhimthatnothinghadchanged.Kanestilllayasthey’dlefthim,immobileontheplatform,thealiensecuredtohisface.
Dallaswasangryathimself.He’dactedlikeadamnkid.Theliquidhaddemonstratedunexpectedanddangerousproperties,sure,buthardlyenoughtojustifythetotalpanicthathadensued.Heshouldfirsthavedelegatedoneortwomembersofthecrewtoremainbehindandkeepaneyeonthecreature.
Fortunately,nothinghadchangedduringtheirabsence.Thethinghadn’tmoved,nor,fromthelooksofit,hadKane.Fromnowon,regardlessofanyproblemthatmightariseelsewhere,therewouldbesomeoneassignedtotheinfirmaryatalltimes.Thesituationwasseriousenoughwithoutofferingthealientheopportunitytodothingsunobserved,
’Anyoftheacidgetonhim?’Parkerwasattheportal,strainingtoseeKane.
Dallaswalkedoverandstoodnexttotheplatform.Heinspectedtheexec’sheadcarefully.’Idon’tthinkso.Helooksokay.Thefluidrandowntheoutsideofthecreaturewithoutcontactinghisskin.’
Brettcrowdedintothedoorway.’Isitstilldrippingthatcrap?We’vegotsomeceramicsdowninengineeringsupplythat’llholdjustaboutanything.Idon’tknowaboutthisstuff,butwecangiveitatryifwehaveto.Icanjury-rigacontaineroutofscraps.’
’Don’tbother,’Dallastoldhim.
