Чужой
IX
’Maybewecanrigupsomekindofportablefreezer,’Ripleysuggestedhalfheartedly.’Freezeeachroomandcorridorfromadis..’Shebrokeoff,seeingDallasshakinghisheadsadly.Shelookedaway.’NotthatI’mallthatscared,youunderstand.Justtryingtobepractical.LikeParker,Ithinkitwouldbeagoodideatotrytoavoidadirectconfrontation.’
’Knockitoff,Ripley.’Dallastouchedhischestwithathumb.’I’mscaredshitless.Weallare.Wehaven’tgotthetimetoscrewaroundwithmakingupsomethingthatcomplicated.WefooledaroundtoolongbylettingamachinetrytohelpKane.Timewehelpedourselves.That’swhatwe’redoingonboardthisbiggermachineinthefirstplace,remember?Whenthemachinescan’thandleaproblem,itbecomesourjob.
’Besides,Iwantthepleasureofwatchingthelittlemonsterexplodewhenweblowitoutthelock.’
Itwasnotexactlyaninspirationalspeech.CertainlynothingwasfartherfromDallas’smind.Butithadarevivifyingeffectonthecrew.Theyfoundthemselvesabletolookateachotheragain,insteadofatwallsorfloor,andthereweremuttersofdetermination.
’Fine,’saidLambert.’Werootitoutofwhereverit’shiding,thenblowitoutthelock.WhatIwanttoknowis:HowdowegetfrompointAtopointC?’
’Trapitsomehow.’Ripleywasturningvariousideasoverinherhead.Thealien’sabilitytobleedacidmadeallofthemworsethanuseless.
