Чужой
VII
MaybeIhavejeopardizedtherestofus.ButIknowonething:Rulemakersalwaysdrawuptheirpreciousrulesandregulationsinsafetyandcomfort,notoutinthefield,wherethosesameabsolutesaresupposedtobeapplied.Atthosetimeswehavetorelyonourownmindsandfeelings.That’swhatIdid.
’Sofarthecreaturehasn’tmadeathreateninggesturetowardanyoftherestofus.Itmaydosolateron,inwhichcaseitwillbefacinganalarmedandreadygroupofsixinsteadofanunpreparedsinglemanstumblingthroughthedarkholdofanunfamiliarvessel.I’llbalancethatriskagainstKane’slife.’Hisfingersdancedovertheconsole.
’Idon’tdisputeyourpersonalfeelings.’Ripleyshiftedherweighttoherleft,rose.’I’msimplysayingyouhavenorightorauthoritytoimposethemontherestofus.Maybewedon’tfeelliketakingthesamerisk.’
’Itdoesn’tmatternow.Kane’saboard..andalive.Eventswillproceedfromthatreality,notfrompastalternatives.It’sawasteoftimediscussingthem.’
’Thisisyourofficialposition,then,asascienceofficer?Notexactlyrightoutofthemanual.’
’Youarebeingrepetitive,Ripley.Why?Toprovokeme?Ihavealreadyvoluntarilyenteredmyactionsintheofficiallog,andwillsubjectmyselftowhateverdecisiontheCompanymaymakeinthematter.Yes,it’smyofficialposition.Rememberthattheprimeconsiderationofscienceistheprotectionandbettermentofhumanlife.
