Чужой
IX
’I’llletyouknowtheminuteIfindanything,’Ashassuredhim.
’That’snotwhatIwanttotalkabout.’
Ashlookedupathimcuriously,thenturnedbacktohisinstrumentationasnewinformationlituptwosmallscreens.’Ithinkbreakingdownthestructureofthisacidiscritical.Ishouldthinkyouwould,too.Let’stalklater.I’mprettybusyrightnow.’
Dallaspausedbeforereplying,saidsoftlybutfirmly,’Idon’tcare.Iwanttotalknow.’
Ashflippedseveralswitches,watchedgaugesgodead,andlookedupatthecaptain.’It’syourneckI’mtryingtosave,too.Butifit’sthatimportant,goahead.’
’WhydidyouletthealiensurviveinsideKane?’
Thescienceofficerscowled.’I’mnotsureyou’regettingthroughtome.Nobody"let"anythingsurviveinsideanybody.Itjusthappened.’
’Bullshit.’
Ashsaiddryly,unimpressed,That’shardlyarationalevaluationofthesituation,onewayortheother.’
’YouknowwhatI’mtalkingabout.Motherwasmonitoringhisbody.YouweremonitoringMother.Thatwasproper,sinceyou’rethebest-qualifiedtodoso.Youmust’vehadsomeideaofwhatwasgoingon.’
’Look,yousawtheblackstainonthemonitorscreensametimeasIdid.’
’Youexpectmetobelievetheautodocdidn’thaveenoughpowertopenetratethat?’
’It’snotaquestionofpowerbutofwavelength.Thealienwasabletoscreenoutthoseutilizedbytheautodoc’sscanners.We’vealreadydiscussedhowandwhythatmightbedone.’
