Чужой
IX
Lambertwasrepeating,overandover,staringblanklyatthetable.
’Whatwasthat?’Brettmurmured,gazingfixedlyatKane’scorpse.’WhattheChristwasthat?’
Parkerfeltsick,didnoteventhinkoftauntingRipleywhensheturnedawayfromthemalltoretch.’Itwasgrowinginhimthewholetimeandhedidn’tevenknowit.’
’Itusedhimforanincubator,’Ashtheorizedsoftly.’LikecertainwaspsdowithspidersonEarth.Theyparalyzethespiderfirst,thenlaytheireggsonthebody.Whenthelarvaehatch,theybegintofeedon..’
’ForGod’ssake!’yelledLambert,snappingoutofhertrance.’Shutup,can’tyou?’
Ashlookedhurt.’Iwasonly..’ThenhecaughtalookfromDallas,noddedalmostimperceptibly,andchangedthesubject.’It’sself-evidentwhathappened.’
’Thatdarkstainonthemedicalmonitors.’Dallasdidn’tfeeltoogoodhimself.Hewonderedifhelookedasshakyashiscompanions.’Itwasn’tonthelensafterall.Itwasinsidehim.Whydidn’tthescannerstellusthat?’
’Therewasnoreason,noreasonatall,tosuspectanythinglikethis,’Ashwasquicktopointout.’Whenweweremonitoringhiminternallythestainwastoosmalltotakeseriously.Anditlookedlikeitwasalensdefect.Infact,itcouldhavebeenamatchingblotonthelens.’
’Idon’tfollowyou.’
’It’spossiblethisstageofthecreaturegeneratesanaturalfieldcapableofinterceptingandblockingthescanningradiation.
