Чужой
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Averyannoyedcatshotoutoftheentanglingwebwork,ranhissingandspittingbackupthecorridorbeforeRipleycouldprotest.
’No,no.’Shetried,toolate,toinstructthem.’Don’tletitgetaway.’
Afaintflickeroforangefurvanishedintothedistance.
’Yeah,you’reright,’agreedParker.’Weshouldhavekilledit.Nowwemightpickituponthetrackeragain.’
Ripleyglancedsharplyathim,saidnothing.ThensheturnedherattentiontothelesshomicidallyinclinedBrett.’Yougogethim.Wecandebatewhattodowithhimlater,butitwouldbeagoodideatokeephimaroundorpennedupinhisboxsohecan’tconfusethemachine..orus.’
Brettnodded.’Right.’
Heturnedandtrottedbackupthepassagewayafterthecat.RipleyandParkercontinuedslowlyintheoppositedirection,RipleytryingtohandletrackerandtubeandhelpParkerwiththenetatthesametime.
Anopendoorledintoalargeequipmentmaintenancebay.Bretttookalastlookupanddownthecorridor,sawnosignofthecat.Ontheotherhand,thelooselystockedchamberwasfullofidealcathidingplaces.Ifthecatwasn’tinside,he’drejointheothers,hedecided.Itcouldbeanywhereontheshipbynow.Buttheequipmentbaywasalogicalplaceforittotakerefuge.
Therewaslightinside,thoughnobrighterthaninthecorridor.Brettignoredtherowsofstackedinstrumentpods,thecarelesslybundledcontainersofsolid-statereplacementmodulesanddirtytools.Luminescentpanelsidentifiedcontents.
