Чужой
XI
’Allright,’askedRipley,’whataboutthetemperature?Whathappensifweraiseit?’
’Let’sgiveitatry,’saidAsh.’Wecan’traisethetemperatureoftheentireshipforthesamereasonwecouldn’texhaustalltheair.Notenoughairtimeinoursuits,limitedmobility,helplessnesswhileconfinedinthefreezers,andsoon.Butmostcreaturesretreatfromfire.It’snotnecessarytoheatthewholeship.’
’Wecouldstringahigh-voltagewireacrossafewcorridorsandlureitintoone.Thatwouldfryitgood,’Lambertsuggested.
’Thisisn’tananimalwe’redealingwith.Orifitis,’Ashtoldher,’it’sasupremelyskilfulone.It’snotgoingtochargeblindlyintoacordoranythingelseblockinganobvioustransitwaylikeacorridor.It’salreadydemonstratedthatbychoosingtheairshaftstotravelaboutin,insteadofthecorridors.
’Besides,certainprimitiveorganismslikethesharkaresensitivetoelectricfields.Onbalance,notagoodidea.’
’Maybeitcandetecttheelectricalfieldsourownbodiesgenerate,’saidRipleygloomily.’Maybethat’showittracks.’
Parkerlookeddoubtful.’Iwouldn’tbetthatitdidn’tdependonitseyes.Ifthat’swhatthosethingsare.’
’Theyaren’t.’
’Acreaturesoobviouslyresourcefulprobablyutilizesmanysensesintracking,’Ashadded.
’Idon’tlikethecordideaanyway.’Parker’sfacewasflushed.’Idon’tliketrickingaround.Whenitgoesoutthelock,Iwanttobethere.Iwanttoseeitdie.’
