Чужой
VI
He’sgonewithoutfoodandwaterforsometime.Thesereadingsmightreflectanaturalreductioninweight.There’snoindicationhe’sbeingdrasticallyweakened,eitherbythecreatureorcircumstances.
’Nevertheless,wewanttokeephiminthebestconditionpossible.’I’dbettergetsomeintravenousfeedingstarted,untilIcandetermineforsurewhetherthealien’sabsorbingproteinfromhissystem.’Heactivatedablockofcontrols.NewsoundsechoedthroughtheinfirmaryastheautodocbegantoefficientlyassumethejoboffeedingthehelplessKaneandprocessingtheresultantwasteproducts.
’What’sthatthing?’Ripleywaspointingataportionoftheslowlyshiftinginternalscan.’Thatstainonhislungs?’
’Idon’tseeany"stain".’
Dallasstudiedtheview.’IthinkIseewhatshemeans.Increasemagnificationontherespiratorysystem,Ash.’
Thescienceofficercomplied.NowthesmallblotthathadcaughtRipley’sattentionstoodoutclearly,adarkirregularpatchoverlyingKane’schestcavity.Itwascompletelyopaque.
’Wedon’tknowthatit’sonhislungs.’Ashfiddledwithcontrols.’Itcouldjustasreadilybeascannermalfunction,oraradiation-damagedsectionofthescannerlens.Happensallthetime.’
’Trymorepower,’Dallasdemanded.’Let’sseeifwecan’timprovetheresolution.’
Ashadjustedinstrumentation,butdespitehisbesteffortsthedarkblotremainedjustthat:anunresolvedsplotchofblackness
