Чужой
XIII
Itwasn’tmuchofaweapon,butitgaveheralittleconfidence,whichwasmoreimportant
Takingadeepbreath,sheslowlyunlatchedthedoor,thenkickeditopen.
Thealienturnedtofacethelocker,caughtthesteelshaftthroughitsmidsection.Ripleyhadrunwithallherweightbehindit,anditpenetrateddeeply.Thealiengrabbedattheshaftasyellowfluidbegantospilloutward,hissingviolentlywhereitcontactedthemetal.
Ripleyfellback,grabbedastrutsupportwhileherotherhandflailedatandcontactedanemergencyrelease.Thatblewtherearhatch.Instantly,alltheairintheshuttleandanythingnotsecuredbyboltorstraporarmwassuckedoutintospace.Thealienshotpasther.Withinhumanreflexesitreachedoutanappendage..andcaughtholdofhertrailinglegjustabovetheankle.
Shefoundherselfdanglingpartwayoutthehatchasshekickeddesperatelyatthelimblockedaroundherleg.Itwouldn’tletgo.Therewasalevernexttotheemergencyreleaseandshethrewitover.Thehatchslammedshut,closingherin,leavingthealienoutside.
Acidbegantofoamalongthehatchlining,leakingfromthecrushedmemberoncewrappedaroundherankle.Stumblingforward,shescannedtheconsole,foundtheswitchesthatactivatedthesecondaryengines.Shepressedseveralofthebuttons.
Nearthesternoftheshuttle,colourlessenergybelchedoutward.Incinerated,thealienfellawayfromtheship.Themomentitwascutfree,theacidstoppedflowing.
Shewatchednervouslyasitcontinuedtobubble,buttherehadbeenlittlebleeding.
