Чужой
XIII
Whenthescienceofficer’seyelidsbegantoflicker,Parkergruntedinsatisfactionandsteppedclear.Ripleyleanedclose.’Ash,canyouhearme?’Noresponse.ShelookedbacktoParker.
’Thehookup’sclean.Powerlevelisself-adjusting.Unlesssomecriticalcircuitswereinterruptedwhentheheadhitthedeck,heoughttoreply.Memorycellsandverbal-visualcomponentsarepackedprettytightinthesesophisticatedmodels.I’dexpectittotalk.’
Shetriedagain.’Canyouhearme,Ash?’
Afamiliarvoice,notdistantatall,soundedinthemess.’Yes,Icanhearyou.’
Itwashardforhertoaddressthedisembodiedhead,forallthatsheknewitwasonlypartofamachine,liketheshocktubeorthetracker.She’dservedtoomanyhourswithAsh.
’What..whatwasSpecialOrder937?’
’That’sagainstregulationsandmyinternalprogramming.YouknowIcan’ttellyou.’
Shestoodback.’Thenthere’snopointintalking.Parker,pulltheplug.’
TheengineerreachedforthewiresandAshreactedwithsufficientspeedtoshowthathiscognitivecircuitswereindeedintact.’Inessence,myorderswereasfollows.’Parker’shandhoveredthreateninglyoverthepowerline.
’IwasdirectedtoreroutetheNostromoormakesurethatthiscrewrerouteditfromitsassignedcoursesothatitwouldpickupthesignal,programMothertobringyououtofhypersleep,andprogramhermemorytofeedyouthestoryabouttheemergencycall.Companyspecialistsalreadyknewthatthetransmissionwasawarningandnotadistresssignal.’
