XII

           ThefoursurvivingmembersoftheNostromo’screwreassembledinthemess.Itwasnolongercramped,confining.Ithadacquiredaspaciousnessthefourloathed,andheldmemoriestheystruggledtoputaside.

           Parkerheldtwoflamethrowers,dumpedoneontothebaretabletop.

           Ripleygazedsadlyathim.’Wherewasit?’

           ’Wejustfounditlyingthere,onthefloorofthemixingchamberbelowthewalkway,’theengineersaiddully.’Nosignofhim.Noblood.Nothing.’

           ’Whataboutthealien?’

           ’Thesame.Nothing.Onlyaholetornthroughtothecentralcoolingcomplex.Rightthroughthemetal.Ididn’tthinkitwasthatstrong.’

           ’Noneofusdid.Dallasdidn’teither.We’vebeentwostepsbehindthiscreaturesincewefirstbroughtthehandstageaboard.That’sgottochange.Fromnowon,weassumeit’scapableofanything,includinginvisibility.’

           ’Noknowncreatureisanaturalinvisible,’Ashinsisted.

           Sheglaredbackathim.’Noknowncreaturecanpeelbackthree-centimetre-thickshipplating,either.’Ashofferednoresponsetothat.’It’sabouttimeweallrealizedwhatwe’reupagainst.’Therewassilenceinthemess.

           ’Ripley,thisputsyouincommand.’Parkerlookedstraightather.’It’sokaywithme.’

           ’Okay.’Shestudiedhim,butbothhiswordsandattitudeweredevoidofsarcasm.Foroncehe’ddroppedhisomnipresentbullshit.

           Whatnow,Ripley,sheaskedherself?Threefaceswatchedhersexpectantly,waitedforinstructions.