Чужой
IX
Ashwasseatedatthecentralreadoutconsoleoftheinfirmary,askingquestionsofthemedicalcomputerandoccasionallygettingananswerortwo.HeglancedupandsmiledamiablyatDallas’sentrance,thenturnedbacktohiswork.
Dallasstoodquietlyalongside,hiseyesswitchingfromthesometimesincomprehensiblereadoutsbacktohisscienceofficer.Thenumbersandwordsanddiagramsthatflashedonthescreenswereeasiertoreadthantheman.
’Workingorplaying?’
’Notimeforplay,’Ashrepliedwithastraightface.Hetouchedabutton,wasshownalonglistofmolecularchainsforaparticularhypotheticalaminoacid.Atouchonanotherbuttoncausedtwooftheselectedchainstocommenceaslowrotationinthreedimensions.
’Iscrapedsomesamplesfromthesidesofthefirstholethehandalienatethroughthedeck.’Hegesturedbacktowardthetinycraterontherightsideofthemedicalplatformwherethecreaturehadbled.
’Ithinktherewasenoughacidresiduelefttogetagripon,chemicallyspeaking.IfIcanbreakdownthestructure,Mothermightbeabletosuggestaformulaforanullifyingreagent.Thenournewvisitorcanbleedallovertheplaceifwechosetoblasthim,andwecanneutralizeanyaciditmightleak.’
’Soundsgreat,’Dallasadmitted,watchingAshclosely.’Ifanyoneaboardcandoit,youcan.’
Ashshruggedindifferently.’It’smyjob.’
Severalminutesofsilencepassed.Ashsawnoreasontoresumetheconversation.Dallascontinuedtostudythereadouts,finallysaidevenly,’Iwanttotalk.’
