Чужой
VIII
Wecould’verelaxedinhypersleepwhilesomeotherluckycrewgotitselfkickedoutofthefreezerstocomeandrescueus.’
Don’tmentionanythingaboutbonusesyet,Dallaswastellinghimself.SurprisethemwithitwhenyouwakeupinEarthorbit.Butfornow,theengineeringteamwasatleastentitledtosomeverbalcommendation.Headdressedthe’com.
’Nicework,youtwo.How’ssheholding?’
’Nowthatwe’reoutofthatdust,she’spurringlikeJones.’Asharpcracklingnoisesoundedoverthespeaker.Dallasfrownedforasecond,unabletoplaceit.ThenherealizedthatParkerhadprobablyopenedabeerwhileinadvertentlyholdingitwithinrangeofthepickup.
’Itwasawalkinthepark,’theengineercontinuedpridefully.’Whenwefixsomethingitstaysfixed.’Agurglingsoundfilledthespeaker,asifParkerweresubmerging.
’SureitwasAgoodjob,’Dallasassuredhim.’Takeabreak.You’vebothearnedit.AndParker?’
’Yo?’
’WhenweraiseEarthsideandyou’reco-ordinatingyourdepartmentwithengineeringcontrol,keepyourbeerawayfromthemike.’Thegurglingnoisereceded.
Satisfied,Dallasswitchedoffandsaidtonooneinparticular,’Let’spickupthemoneyandgohome.Putherinthegarage,Lambert.’
TheNostromo’sangleofascentbegantoflatten.Severalminutespassedbeforeasteadybeepingbegantosoundfromatelltaleabovethenavigator’sstation.
’Hereshecomes,’sheinformedhercompanions.’Rightwhereshe’ssupposedtobe.’
’Okay.’Dallaswasthumbingcontrols.
