Чужой
II
I’veneverseenacomputershowconfusionbefore.Ignoranceyes,butnotconfusion.Thismaybeafirst.’
’Whatisimportantisthatshe’scertainenoughit’sadistresssignaltopullusoutofhypersleep.’
’Sowhat?’Brettappearedsublimelyunconcerned.
Kanerepliedwithjustahintofirritation.’Comeon,man.Youknowyourmanual.We’reobligedundersectionB2ofCompanyin-transitdirectivestorenderwhateveraidandassistancewecaninsuchsituations.Whetherthecallishumanorotherwise.’
Parkerkickedatthedeckindisgust.’Christ.Ihatetosaythis,butwe’reacommercialtugwithabig,hard-to-handlecargo.Notadamnrescueunit.Thiskindofduty’snotinourcontract.’Hebrightenedslightly.’Ofcourse,ifthere’ssomeextramoneyinvolvedforsuchwork..’
’Youbetterreadyourcontract.’Ashrecitedasneatlyasthemaincomputerhewassoproudof.’’Anysystematictransmissionindicatingpossibleintelligentoriginmustbeinvestigated.’Atpenaltyoffullforfeitureofallpayandbonusesdueonjourney’scompletion.Notawordaboutbonusmoneyforhelpingsomeoneindistress.’
Parkergavethedeckanotherkick,kepthismouthshut.NeitherhenorBrettconsideredhimselftheherotype.Anythingthatcouldforceashipdownonastrangeworldmighttreattheminanequallyinconsideratemanner.Notthattheyhadanyevidencethatthisunknowncallerhadbeenforceddown,butbeingarealistinaharshuniverse,hewasinclinedtobepessimistic.
