Чужой
XIII
’Companypolicyrequiredyourunknowingco-operation.WhatRipleysaidaboutyourhonestignorancefoolingcustomswasquitecorrect.’
’YouandthedamnCompany,’Parkergrowled.’Whataboutourlives,man?’
’Notman.’Ashmadethecorrectionwithoutanger.’Astoyourlives,I’mafraidtheCompanyconsideredthemexpendable.Itwasthealienlifeformtheywereprincipallyconcernedwith.Itwashopedyoucouldcontainitandsurvivetocollectyourshares,butthatwas,Imustadmit,asecondaryconsideration.Itwasn’tpersonalontheCompany’spart.Justtheluckofthedraw.’
’Howcomforting,’sneeredRipley.Shethoughtamoment,said,’You’vealreadytoldusthatourpurposeinbeingsenttothatworldwasto"investigatealifeform,almostcertainlyhostile".AndthatCompanyexpertsknewallalongthetransmissionwasawarningandnotadistresssignal.’
’Yes,’Ashreplied.’Itwasmuchtoolate,accordingtowhatthetranslatorsdetermined,foradistresssignaltodothesendersanygood.Thesignalitselfwasfrighteninglyspecific,verydetailed.
’Thederelictspacecraftwefoundhadlandedontheplanet,apparentlyinthecourseofnormalexploration.LikeKane,theyencounteredoneormoreofthealiensporepods.Thetransmissiondidnotsaywhethertheexplorershadtimetodetermineifthesporesoriginatedonthatparticularworldoriftheyhadmigratedtherefromsomewhereelse.
