Чужой
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TheywereasfamiliartoDallasasthebackofhishand,yettheknowledgethatsomethingdeadlymightbehidingbackinthecornersandstoragechamberscausedhimtotreadsoftlywherehewouldotherwisehavewalkedconfidentlywithhiseyesclosed.
Thelightswereon,allofthem.Thatdidnotbrightenthecorridor.Theywereservicelights,foroccasionaluseonly.WhywastepowertolightupeverycornerofaworkingvesselliketheNostromowhenitscrewspentsolittletimeawake?Enoughlighttoseebyduringdepartureandarrivalandduringanoccasionalin-flightemergencyhadbeenprovided.Dallaswasgratefulforthelumenshehad,butthatdidn’tkeephimfromlamentingthefloodlightsthatweren’t.
Lambertheldtheothersideofthenet,acrossfromDallas.Thewebstretchedfromonesideofthecorridortotheother.Heclenchedhisownendabittighterandgaveasharppull.Herheadturnedtowardhim,wide-eyed.Thensherelaxed,noddedathim,andturnedherattentionbackdownthecorridor.She’dbeendreaming,sinkingintoasortofself-hypnosis,hermindsofullofawfulpossibilitiesshe’dforgottencompletelythebusinessathand.Sheshouldbehuntingthroughcornersandnichesoftheship,notherimagination.Thealertlookreturnedtoherface,andDallasturnedhisownfullattentionbacktothenearingbendinthecorridor.
Ashfollowedclosebehindthem,hiseyesonthetrackerscreen.Inhishandsitmovedslowlyfromsidetoside,scanningfromwalltowall.
