Чужой

           Thestenchofcharredartificial-foodcomponentsmixedwithcarbonizedpackagingwasoverpoweringintheconfinedspace.

           Despitethehavocwroughtbytheflamethrower,noteverythingwithinthelockerhadbeendestroyed.Ampleevidenceofthealien’shandiworklayscatteredabout,untouchedbytheflames.Packagesofeverysizewerestrewnaboutthefloor,openedinwaysandbymeanstheirmanufacturershadneverenvisioned.

           Solid-metalstorage’tins’(socalledbecauseoftraditionandnottheirmetallurgicalmakeup)hadbeenpeeledapartlikefruit.Fromwhattheycouldsee,thealienhadn’tleftmuchintactfortheflamethrowertofinishoff.

           Keepingtrackersandincineratorshandy,theypokedthroughthedebris.Pungentsmokedriftedupwardandburnedtheireyes.

           Carefulinspectionofeverysizablepileofruinedsuppliesfailedtoproducethehoped-fordiscovery.

           SinceallthefoodstockedaboardtheNostromowasartificialandhomogenousincomposition,theonlybonestheywouldfindwouldbelongtothealien.Buttheclosestthingtheyfoundtoboneswerethereinforcingbandsfromseverallargecrates.

           RipleyandLambertstartedtorelaxagainstastill-hotwall,rememberednotto.’Wedidn’tgetit,’thewarrantofficermuttereddisappointedly.

           ’Thenwherethehellisit?’Lambertaskedher.

           ’Overhere.’

           TheyallturnedtoseeDallasstandingnearthebackwall,behindapileofmeltedblackplastic.Hisflamethrowerwaspointingatthewall.’Thisiswhereitwent.’