Чужой
VII
RightnowI’mgettingbacksomemightypeculiarreadings,butthere’snoprecedentforthemachinetoattackfrom.Allwecandoiswaituntilitfiguresoutwhatthealiendidtohim.Thenitcanprescribeandcommencetreatment.’Helookedsuddenlydisappointed.
’IwishIwasmedicallyqualified.Idon’tlikewaitingonmachines.’
Ripleylookedsurprised.’That’sthefirsttimeIeverheardyousayanythingdisparagingaboutamachine,Ash.’
’Nomachineisperfect.Theyoughttobemoreflexible.Weneedacompletehospitalinhere,notjustthislittleautodoc.It’snotdesignedtocopewithanythingthis..well,thisalien.Theproblemmaybebeyonditscapability.Likeanymachine,it’sonlyaseffectiveastheinformationprogrammedintoit.IjustwishIknewmoremedicine.’
’Thisisalso,’Ripleywenton,’thefirsttimeI’veeverheardyouexpressfeelingsofinadequacy.’
’Ifyouknowlessthaneverything,youalwaysfeelinadequate.Idon’tseehowyoucanfeelotherwise.’HelookedbackdownatKane.’Thatfeelingismagnifiedwhentheuniverseconfrontsyouwithsomethingutterlybeyondyourexperience.Idon’thavetheknowledgetocopeproperly,anditmakesmefeelhelpless.’
Handlingtheforcepscarefully,heliftedthealienbytwoofitsfingersandtransferredittoalarge,transparentvial.Hetouchedacontrolsetintothevial’sstopper,sealedthevialshut.Ayellowglowfilledthetube.
Ripleyhadwatchedtheprocedureintently
