Чужой
XI
’Eitherway,it’stwodownandfivetogo,fromthealien’sstandpoint.’
Parkerhadbeenturninghisshocktubeoverandoverinhishands.Nowheturnedandthrewithardagainstawall.Itbent,felltothedeck,andcrackledacoupleoftimesbeforelyingstill.
’Isayweblasttherottenbastardwithalaserandtakeourchances.’
Dallastriedtosoundsympathetic.’Iknowhowyoufeel,Parker.WealllikedBrett.Butwe’vegottokeepourheads.Ifthecreature’snowasbigasyousay,it’sholdingenoughacidtoburnaholeintheshipasbigasthisroom.Nottomentionwhatitwoulddotocircuitryandcontrolsrunningthroughthedecks.Nowaycanwechancethat.Notyet’
’Notyet?’Parker’ssenseofhelplessnesscanceledoutmuchofhisfury.’HowmanyhavetodiebesidesBrettbeforeyoucanseethat’sthewaytohandlethatthing?’
’Itwouldn’tworkanyway,Parker.’
TheengineerturnedtofaceAsh,frownedathim.’Whatdoyoumean?’
’Imeanyou’dhavetohitavitalorganwithalaseronyourfirstshot.Fromyourdescriptionofthecreatureit’snowextremelyfastaswellaslargeandpowerful.Ithinkit’sreasonabletoassumeitretainsthesamecapacityforrapidregenerationasitsfirst"hand"form.Thatmeansyou’dhavetokillitinstantlyoritwouldbealloveryou.’
’Notonlywouldthatbedifficulttodoifyouropponentwereamereman,it’salsovirtuallyimpossibletodowiththisalienbecausewehavenoideawhereitsvitalpointis.Wedon’tevenknowthatithasavitalpoint.
