VIII

           Thecoffeesoothedtheirstomachsifnottheirbrains.AroundthemtheNostromofunctionedsmoothly,uninterestedinthedeceasedalienstasisedintheinfirmary.Familiarhumsandsmellsfilledthebridge.

           Dallasrecognizedsomeoftheodoursasissuingfromvariousmembersofthecrew.Hetooknooffenceatthem,merelysniffedonceortwiceinrecognition.SuchfineriesasdeodorantwereneithermissednortakenexceptiontoonashipthesizeoftheNostromo.Imprisonedinametalbottlelight-yearsfromwarmworldsandsanitizedatmospheres,thecrew’swakenedmindswereoccupiedbymoreimportantmattersthantheeffluviaofone’sneighbour.

           Ripleylookedtroubledstill.

           ’’What’seatingyou?StillsimmeringoverAsh’sdecisiontoopenthelockandletusbackin?’

           Hervoicewastightwithfrustration.’Howcouldyouleavethatkindofdecisiontohim?’

           ’Itoldyou,’heexplainedpatiently.’ItwasmydecisiontobringKanein,not..oh,youmeanaboutkeepingthecorpseofthealien?’

           Shenodded.’Yeah.It’stoolatetoargueaboutthelock.Imight’vebeenwrongonthat.Butkeepingthatthingonboard,deadornot,afterwhatit’sdonetoKane.?

           Hetriedtomollifyher.’Wedon’tknowforsurethatit’sdoneanythingtoKaneexceptknockhimout.Accordingtothereadoutsthere’snothingelsewrongwithhim.

           ’Astoretainingitonboard,Ijustrunthisship.I’monlyapilot.’

           ’You’rethecaptain.’

           ’Atitleoflastresort,onethatmeansnothinginspecifiedsituations.