Чужой
VIII
’WhataboutAsh?’
’Yougoingtostartinonthatagain?’Hesighed.Therewasnowheretorun.’Whatabouthim?’
’Samething.YousayyouknowKane.DoyouknowAsh?Haveyouevershippedwithhimbefore?’
’No.’Thethoughtdidn’tbotherDallasintheleast.’Thisisthefirsttime.Iwentfivehauls,longandshort,variouscargos,withanotherscienceofficer.ThentwodaysbeforeweleftThedus,theyreplacedhimwithAsh.’
Shestaredathimsignificantly.
’Sowhat?’hesnappedather.’Theyalsoreplacedmyoldwarrantofficerwithyou.’
’Idon’ttrusthim.’
’Soundattitude.Nowme..Idon’ttrustanyone.’Time,hethought,tochangethesubject.Fromwhathe’dseensofar,Ashwasafineofficer,ifabitstiffwhenitcametobeingoneofthegang.Butpersonalintimacywasn’tanecessityonvoyageswhereyouspentmostofyourtimeexceptarrivinganddepartinginthenarcosisofhypersleep.Aslongasthemandidhisjob,Dallasdidn’tgiveadamnabouthispersonality.Thusfar,there’dbeennoreasontoquestionAsh’scompetency.
’What’sholdinguprepairs?’heaskedher.
Sheglancedatherchronometre,didsomequickfiguring.’Theyoughttobeprettymuchfinishedbynow.Shouldn’thavetodomorethanfine-check.’
’Whydidn’tyousayso?’
’Therearestillsomethingslefttodo,I’msure,ortheywould’vesaidsomething.Listen,youthinkI’mstallingforParker,ofallpeople?’
’No.What’slefttodo?’
Sheranafastrequestthroughherboard.
