Чужой
XI
Nothingcouldsneakuponhimhere,notwhilehewasstandinginthecentreoftheroom.Itwouldbeagoodplacetograbacoupleofminutesofmuchneededrest.Hesatdownonthecatwalk,casuallyexaminingthelevelfloorbelowthejunction,andspoketowardthethroatmike.
’Lambert,whatkindofreadingareyougetting?I’minoneofthecentralmixingchambers,attherepairstationinthecentre.Nothingherebutme.’
Thenavigatorglancedathertracker,lookedsuddenlypuzzled.SheglancedworriedlyatParker,thrustthedeviceunderhisgaze.’Canyoumakeanysenseoutofthis?’
Parkerstudiedtheneedleandreadout.’Notme.That’snotmytoy,it’sAsh’s.Confusing,though.’
’Lambert?’Dallasagain.
’Here.I’mnotsure.’Shejiggledthetracker.Thereadingremainedasincomprehensibleasbefore.’Thereseemstobesomekindofdoublesignal.’
’That’scrazy.Areyougettingtwoseparate,distinctreadingsforme?’
’No.Justoneimpossibleone.’
’Itmaybeinterference,’hetoldher.Thewaytheair’sshiftingaroundinhere,itcouldconfusethehelloutofajury-riggedmachinedesignedtoreadairdensity.I’llpushonahead.It’llprobablyclearupassoonasImove.’
Herose,notseeingthemassive,clawedhandrisingslowlyfromthecatwalkunderhim.Thegropingpawjustmissedhisleftfootashecontinuedonward.Itdriftedbackbeneaththewalkwayassilentlyasithadappeared.
Dallashadwalkedhalfwaytotheendofthechamber.Nowhestopped.’Isthatbetter,Lambert?I’vemoved.
