Чужой

           Therewasalsothepossibilitythatthecomputertrulyhadnoexplanationforthescienceofficer’sbizarreactions.

           Itdid,though.

           SPECIALORDER937SCIENCEPERSONNELEYESONLYRESTRICTEDINFORMATION.

           Well,she’dmanagedthislong.Shecouldworkaroundthoserestrictions.Shewasstartingtowhenahandslammeddownnexttoher,sinkinguptotheelbowinthecomputerterminal.

           Spinninginthechair,herheartmissingabeat,shesaw,notthecreature,butaformandfacenowbecomeequallyalientoher.

           Ashsmiledslightly.Therewasnohumorinthatupturningoflips.’Commandseemsabittoomuchforyoutohandle.Butthen,properleadershipisalwaysdifficultunderthesecircumstances.Iguessyoucan’tbeblamed.’

           Ripleyslowlybackedoutofherchair,carefullykeepingitbetweenthem.Ash’swordsmightbeconciliatory,evensympathetic.Hisactionswerenot

           ’Theproblem’snotleadership,Ash.It’sloyalty.’Shekeptthewallatherback,startedcirclingtowardthedoorway.Stillgrinning,heturnedtofaceher.

           ’Loyalty?Iseenolackofthat.’Hewasallcharmnow,shethought.’Ithinkwe’veallbeendoingourbest.Lambert’sgettingalittlepessimistic,butwe’vealwaysknownshe’sontheemotionalside.She’sverygoodatplottingthecourseofaship,notsogoodatplanningherown.’

           Ripleycontinuedtoedgearoundhim,forcingherselftosmileback.’I’mnotworriedaboutLambertrightnow.I’mworriedaboutyou.’