Чужой
XIII
Itfinallystopped.Shepunchedthesmallcomputerkeyboard,waiteddumblyforthereadout.
REARHATCHDAMAGE:QUERY.
ANALYSIS:MINORREDUCTIONOFHULL.
SHIPINTEGRITYNOTCOMPROMISED.ATMOSPHERICHOLDINGCAPACITYUNIMPAIRED.SUFFICIENTSEALANTTOCOMPENSATE
OBSERVATION:REPAIRDAMAGEDSECTIONASSOONASDESTINATIONACHIEVED.PRESENTHULLWILLFAILINSPECTION.
Sheletoutayell,thenmovedbacktopeerouttherearport.Awrithing,smokingshapewastumblingslowlyawayfromtheship.Bitsandpiecesofcharredfleshfellfromit.Thentheincrediblytoughorganismfinallysuccumbedtothelawsofdifferentialpressureandthealienexploded,swellingupandthenbursting,sendingparticlesofitselfinalldirections.Harmlessnow,thesmoulderingfragmentsdwindledfromsight.
Itcouldn’tbesaidshewascheerful.Therewerelinesinherfaceandarapedplaceinherbrainthatmitigatedanysuchpossibility.Butshewascomposedenoughtorelaxherbodyandleanbackinthepilot’sseat.
Atouchonseveralbuttonsrepressurizedthecabin.Sheopenedthecatbox.Withthatwonderfulfacilitycommontoallcats,thetomhadalreadyforgottentheattack.Itcurledupinherlapasshesatdownagain,atawnycurlicueofcontentment,andstartedtopurr.Shestrokeditasshedictatedintotheship’srecorder.
’Ishouldreachthefrontierinanotherfourmonthsorso.WithalittleluckthebeaconnetworkwillpickupmySOSandputouttheword
