Чужой
VII
Ahandextendedoutwardfrominsidethetubewherethescreenwassecured.’Numberthreesealeroughttodoit.’
Parkerfishedaroundinaneatlylabeledbutfilthyplasticcase,handedupatinygreysquarestenciledoveringreenandred,andglaredattheinoffensiveintercom..
Therhythmwasprimitive,unsophisticated,andtherecordinghadlostbrilliancewithageandmuchuse,butDallaslaybackandabsorbedthemusicasthoughhewerepresentattheancientrecordingsession.Onefoottappedsilently,inunthinkingpodalcounterpointtothemelody.
Thecommunicatorbeepedforattention.Itdidsothreetimesbeforecatchingthecaptain’snotice.Lettingoutaresignedsigh,hereachedoutandshutoffthemusic,thenflippedtheacknowledgeswitchforthe’com.
’Dallashere.’
’Ash.IthinkyoushouldhavealookatKane.Something’shappened.’
Dallasswunghislegsoffthelounge,satupquickly.Ashdidn’tsoundworried,whichwasencouraging.Hedidsoundconfused,whichwasnot.
’Serious?’
’Interesting.’
’I’llberightthere.’
Hestoodandthrewthefinalcutoffonthetapemachine,reluctantlysawthegreenlightonitsflankwinkout.Ashhadsaid’interesting.’Thatcouldmeanahostofthings,notnecessarilygood,hadoccurred.HefoundsomereliefintheknowledgethatAshwouldhavesaidsomethingverydifferentifKanehadalreadyexpired.
Whichmeantthattheexecwasstillalive..butinan’interesting’condition.
Asitturnedout,Ashwasn’tevenreferringtoKane.
