Чужой

           Good-bye,alien,offtoArcturus.Goodbye,nightmare.Hello,Earthandsanity.

           HerecalledLambert’slastdisparagingcomment,saidtonooneinparticular.’Welistentohimbecausethistimehejustmightberight..’

           TheNostromo,oblivioustothefranticactivityofsomeofitspassengers,equallyindifferenttotheresignedwaitingofitsothers,continuedracingtowardEarthatamultipleofthespeedoflight.Bretthadrequestedseveralhourstocompletethenetandshocktubes,butheandParkerworkedasiftheyhadonlyminutes.Parkerfoundhimselfwishingtheworkathandwasactuallymorecomplex.Itmighthavekepthimfromhavingsomuchtimetoglancenervouslyatledges,cabinets,anddarkcorridors.

           Meanwhile,therestofthecrewcouldonlyfocustheirattentionelsewhereandwaitforthecompletionoftheirhuntinggear.Inseveralminds,theinitialthoughtof’Wherehasthealiengone?’wasbeginningtobereplacedbytickinglittlethoughtslike’Whatisthealiendoing?’

           Onlyonememberofthecrewwasotherwisementallyoccupied,He’dheldontothethoughtforsometimenow,untilithadswollentotheburstingpoint.Nowhehadtwochoices.Hecoulddiscussitwiththeentirecrew,ordiscussitalonewithitscause.Ifhechosetodothefirstandfoundhimselfprovenwrong,ashedesperatelywishedtobe,hemightdoirreparabledamagetocrewmorale.Nottomentionexposinghimselftoaneventualcrew-member-captainlawsuit.

           Ifhewasrightinhisthinking,theotherswouldfindoutaboutitsoonenough.