Чужой
XI
’Ithinkit’stimethesciencedepartmentbroughtusuptodateonourvisitor.Haven’tyougotanyideas,Ash?’
Thescienceofficerconsidered.’Well,itseemstohaveadaptedwelltoanoxygen-richatmosphere.Thatmayhavesomethingtodowithitsspectacularlyrapidgrowthinthisstage.’
’This"stage"?’Lambertechoedquestioningly.’Youmeanitmightturnintosomethingelseagain?’
Ashspreadhishands.’Weknowsolittleaboutit.Weshouldbepreparedforanything.Ithasalreadymetamorphosedthreetimes;eggtohand-shape,handtothethingthatcameoutofKane,andthatintothismuchlargerbipedalform.Wehavenoreasontoassumethatthisformisthefinalstageinthechainofdevelopment.’Hepaused,added,’Thenextformitassumescouldconceivablybeevenlargerandmorepowerful.’
’That’sencouraging,’murmuredRipley.’Whatelse?’
’Inadditiontoitsnewatmosphere,it’scertainlyadaptedwellforitsnutritionalrequirements.Soweknowitcanexistonverylittle,invariousatmospheres,andpossiblyinnoneatallforanunspecifiedperiodoftime.
’Abouttheonlythingwedon’tknowisitsabilitytohandledrasticchangesintemperature.It’scomfortablywarmaboardtheNostromo.Consideringthemeantemperatureontheworldwherewediscoveredit,Ithinkwecanreasonablyruleoutbittercoldasapotentialdeterrent,thoughtheearlyeggformmayhavebeentougherinthatrespectthanthepresentone.Thereisprecedentforthat.’
