Чужой
IX
Unlikethefirstform,the"hand"shape,whichwewereeasilyabletoseeinto.Othercreatureshavebeenknowntoproducesimilarfields.Itsuggestsbiologicalrequirementswecan’tbegintoguessat,orelseadeliberatelyproduceddefenceevolvedtomeetrequirementssoadvancedIprefernottoguessatit.’
’Whatitboilsdownto,’observedRipley,wipinghermouthwithanunstainednapkin,’isthatwe’vegotanotheralien.Probablyequallyhostileandtwiceasdangerous.’SheglaredchallenginglyatAsh,butthistimethescienceofficercouldn’torwouldn’tdisputeher.
’Yeah.Andit’slooseontheship.’DallasmovedunwillinglyovertostandbyKane’sbody.Theothersslowlyjoinedhim.Theinspectionwasnecessary,nomatterhowunpleasanttheyfoundit.EloquentglancespassedfromParkertoLambert,LamberttoAsh,andaroundthelittlecircle.Outside,theuniverse,vastandthreatening,pressedtightaroundtheNostromo,whilethethick,ripesmellofdeathfilledthecorridorsleadingintothecrowdedmess..
ParkerandBrettdescendedthecompanionwayleadingfromtheservicedeckabove,joinedtherestofatired,discouragedgroupofhunters.
’Anysigns?’Dallasaskedtheassemblage.’Anystrangesmells,blood,’hehesitatedmomentarily,finished,’piecesofKane?’
’Nothing,’Lamberttoldhim.
’Nothing,’echoedAsh,withobviousdisappointment.
Parkerbrusheddustfromhisarms.’Didn’tseeagoddamnthing.Itknowshowtohide.’
’Didn’tseeanything,’Brettconfirmed.
