Чужой
IX
’Howaboutleavingsomekindofmessage,orbroadcastingaheadsotheycanmeetusandfilluswithfreshairassoonaswedock?’Parkerwondered.
Ashlookeddoubtful.’Toochancy.First,ourbroadcastwon’tarrivemorethanaminuteortwobeforewedo.Foranemergencyteamtomeetusthemomentweslipoutofhyperspace,linkupfromoutside,filluswithairwithoutdamagingtheintegrityoftheship..no,Idon’tthinkitcouldbedone.
’Evenifitcould,IconcurwithRipleyononecriticalpoint.Wecan’triskre-enteringthefreezersuntilwe’resurethecreatureisdeadorundercontrol.Andwecan’tmakesureit’sdeadifwespendacoupleofdaysinoursuitsandthenrunforthefreezers.’
Parkersnorted.’Istillthinkit’sagoodidea.’
’Let’sgettotherealproblem,’Ripleysaidimpatiently.’Howdowefindit?Wecantryadozenwaysofkillingit,butonlyafterweknowwhereitis.There’snovisualscanonBandCdecks.Allthescreensareout,remember?’
’Sowe’llhavetoflushitout.’Dallaswassurprisedhoweasytheterrifyingbutobviouschoicewastomake.Oncestated,hefoundhimselfresignedtoit.
’Soundsreasonable,’admittedAsh.’Easiersaidthandone,however.Howdoyousuggestweproceed?’
Dallassawthemwishinghewouldn’tfollowtheinevitabletoitsend.Butitwastheonlyway.’Noeasywayisright.There’sonlyonewaywecanbesurenottomissitandstillmaximizeourairtime.We’llhavetohuntforitroombyroom,corridorbycorridor.
