Чужой
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’FirsttimeIeverheardyouadmitit,’saidRipley.Parkerthrewherasourlook.
’Itwon’tdamagethelittlebastardunlessitsnervoussystemisalotmoresensitivethanours,’Bretttoldthem.’We’reassureofthataswecanbe.Itsparentwassmallerandplentytough.’Heheftedthetube,lookinglikeanancientgladiatorabouttoenterthearena.’This’lljustgiveitalittleincentive.Ofcourse,itwon’tbreakmyheartifwesucceedinelectrocutingthelittledarling.’
’Maybeitwillwork,’Lambertconceded.’Sothat’sourpossiblesolutiontoproblemone.Whataboutproblemnumbertwo:findingit?’
’I’vetakencareofthat.’EveryoneturnedinsurprisetoseeAshholdingasmall,communicator-sizeddevice.AshwaswatchingonlyDallas,however.Unabletomeetthescienceofficer’seyes,Dallaskepthisattentionsingle-mindedlyfocusedonthetinydevice.
’Sinceit’simperativetolocatethecreatureassoonaspossible,I’vedonesometinkeringofmyown.BrettandParkerhavedoneanadmirablejobinconcoctingameansformanipulatingthecreature.Hereisthemeansforfindingit.’
’Aportabletracker?’Ripleyadmiredthecompactinstrument.Itlookedasifithadbeenassembledinafactory,insteadofsomethinghastilycobbledtogetherinacommercialtug’ssciencelab.
Ashnoddedonce.’Yousetittosearchforamovingobject.Ithasn’tmuchrange,butwhenyougetwithinacertaindistanceitstartsbeeping,andthevolumeincreasesproportionatetodecreasingdistancefromthetarget.’
