Чужой

           Engineswilloverloadinthreeminutes.Engineswilloverloadinthreeminutes.’

           Gaspingforbreath,sheleanedagainstthehotwallasshejabbedabutton.’Mother,I’veturnedallthecoolingunitsbackonfull!’

           ’Toolateforremedialaction.Thedrivecorehasbeguntomelt.Reactionirreversibleatthispoint.Implosionincipient,followedbyuncontainableoverloadandsubsequentdetonation.Engineswilloverloadintwominutes,fifty-fiveseconds.’

           MotherhadalwayssoundedcomfortingtoRipley.Nowthecomputervoicewasdevoidofanthropomorphisms,remorselessasthetimeitwasmarkingoff.

           Choking,herthroatburning,shestumbledfromthecubicle,thesirensgigglinghystericallyinherbrain.’Attention.Engineswilloverloadintwominutes,’Motherannouncedviaawallspeaker.

           Joneswaswaitingforheronthecompanionway.Hewasquietnow,meowedout.Shestaggeredbackdowntowardtheshuttle,halfdraggingthecatbox,somehowkeepingtheflamethrowerready.Onceshethoughtashadowmovedbehindherandshewhirled,butthistimeitwasashadowandnothingmore.

           Shehesitatedinthecorridor,undecidedwhattodoanddesperatelytired.Avoicerefusedtoletherrest.’Attention.Engineswillexplodeinninetyseconds.’

           PuttingdownJones’box,shegrippedtheflamethrowerinbothhandsandrushedtheshuttlelock.

           Itwasempty.

           Shespun,chargedbackintothecorridor,andgrabbedatthecatbox.Nothingmaterializedtochallengeher.

           ’Attention.Theengineswillexplodeinsixtyseconds,’saidMothercalmly.