Чужой

           Wecanfixthat.’

           Hetouchedaswitchonthepanel,cutinanoverride.Thelightinthecorridorgrewbrighter.

           TheytravelledfartherbeforeRipleyabruptlyhaltedandthrewupacautionaryhand.’Wait.’

           Parkernearlyfellinhishastetoobey,andBrettalmoststumbledinthenetting.Nobodylaughedorcameneartodoingso.

           ’We’reclose?’Parkerwhisperedthequestion,strainingwithinadequateeyestopenetratetheblacknessahead.

           Ripleycheckedtheneedle,matchedittoAsh’shandengravedscaleetchedintothemetalalongsidetheilluminatedscreen.’Accordingtothis,it’swithinfifteenmetres.’

           ParkerandBretttightenedtheirholdonthenetwithoutbeingtoldto.Ripleyheftedhertube,switchediton.Shemovedslowlyforwardwiththetubeinherrighthandandthetrackerintheother.Itwashard,oh,impossiblyhard,toimagineanythreepeoplemakinglessnoisethanRipley,Parker,andBrettweremakinginthatcorridor.Eventhepreviouslysteadypantingsoftheirlungsweremuted.

           Theycoveredfivemetres,thenten.AmuscleinRipley’sleftcalfjumpedlikeagrasshopper,hurtingher.Sheignoredit.Theycontinuedon,thedistanceascomputedbythetrackershrinkingirrevocably.

           Nowshewaswalkinginahalfcrouch,readytospringbackwardtheinstantanyfragmentofthedarknessgavehintofmovement.Thetracker,itsbeepernowintentionallyturnedoff,broughthertoahaltattheendoffifteenpointtwometres.Thelightherewasstilldim,butsufficienttoshowthemthatnothingcoweredinthemalodorouscorridor.