Чужой
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Hewasgettingdiscouragedalloveragainwhenanotherfamiliaryowlreachedhim.Turningametalpylon,hesawtwosmallyelloweyesshininginthedark.Foraninstanthehesitated.JoneswasaboutthesizeofthethingthathadburstfrompoorKane’schest.Anothermeowmadehimfeelbetter.Onlyanordinarytomcatwouldproduceanoiselikethat.
Asheworkedhiswaynearerhebenttoclearabeamandhadaglimpseoffurandwhiskers:Jones.
’Herekitty..goodtoseeyou,youfurrylittlebastard.’Hereachedforthecat.Ithissedthreateninglyathimandbackedfartherintoitscorner.’Comeon,Jones.CometoBrett.Notimetofoolaroundnow.’
Somethingnotquiteasthickasthebeamtheengineeringtechhadjustpassedunderreacheddownward.Itdescendedinuttersilenceandconveyedafeelingoftremendouspowerheldincheck.Fingersspread,clutched,wrappedcompletelyaroundtheengineer’sthroatandcrossedoverthemselves.Brettshrieked,bothhandsgoingreflexivelytohisneck.Foralltheeffecthishandshadonthem,thosegrippingfingersmightaswellhavebeenweldedtogether.Hewentupinthathand,legsdancinginemptyair.Jonesboltedbeneathhim.
ThecatshotpastRipleyandParker,who’djustarrived.Theyplungedunthinkingintotheequipmentbay.Soontheywerestandingwherethey’dseenBrett’slegsflailingmomentsbefore.Staringupintoblackness,theyhadalastbriefglimpseofdanglingfeetandtwistingtorsorecedingupward
