Чужой
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Itseemedimpossiblethatanythingcouldhaveslippedintherewithoutbeingnoticed,butiftheyweregoingtomakeathoroughsearch,they’ddowellnottomakeexceptions.
’Forstarters,let’smakesurethebridgeisclean.’
Parkerheldoneofthetrackers.Heturnediton,sweptitaroundthebridge,keepinghisattentiononthecrudelymarkedgaugesetintotheunit’sface.
’Sixdisplacements,’heannouncedwhenthesweephadbeencompleted.’Allpositionedapproximatelywhereeachofusisstanding.Weseemtobecleaninhere..ifthisdamnthingworks.’
Ashspokewithouttakingoffence.’Itworks.Asyou’vejustdemonstrated.’
Additionalequipmentwaspassedaround.Dallassurveyedthewaitingmenandwomen.’Everybodyready?’Therewereacoupleofwhispered,sullen’no’s’,andeveryonesmiled.Kane’sgrislypassinghadalreadyfadedsomewhatfromtheirmemories.Thistimetheywerepreparedforthealienand,hopefully,armedwiththerighttoolsforthetask.
’Channelsareopenonalldecks.’Dallasstartedpurposefullyforthecorridor.’We’llkeepinconstanttouch.AshandIwillgowithLambertandonetracker.BrettandParkerwillmakeupthesecondteam.Ripley,youtakechargeofitandtheothertracker.
’Atthefirstsignofthecreature,yourpriorityistocaptureitandgetittothelock.Notifyingtheotherteamisasecondaryconsideration.Let’sdoit’
Theyfiledoutofthebridge.
ThecorridorsonAlevelhadneverseemedquitesolongorsodarkbefore.
