Чужой
II
Thetwoartificialstructures,onetinyandinhabited,theotherenormousanddeserted,driftedslowlyapart.Dallaswatchedtheseparationintentlyonnumbertwoscreen.
’Umbilicusclear,’Ripleyannouncedafterashortpause.
’Precessioncorrected.’Kaneleanedbackinhisseat,relaxingforafewseconds.’Allcleanandclear.Separationsuccessful.Nodamage.’
’Checkhere,’addedLambert.
’Andhere,’saidarelievedRipley.
Dallasglancedoverathisnavigator.’Yousurewe’veleftherinasteadyorbit?Idon’twantthewholetwobilliontonsdroppingandburningupwhilewe’repokingarounddownstairs.Atmosphere’snotthickenoughtogiveusasafeumbrella.’
Lambertcheckedareadout.’She’llstayuphereforayearorsoeasy,sir.’
’Allright.Themoney’ssafeandso’sourskulls.Let’stakeitdown.Prepareforatmosphericflight.’Fivehumansworkedbusily,eachsecureinhisorherassignedtask.Jonesthecatsatonaportconsoleandstudiedtheapproachingclouds.
’Dropping.’Lambert’sattentionwasfixedononeparticulargauge.’Fiftythousandmetres.Down.Down.Forty-ninethousand.Enteringatmosphere.’
Dallaswatchedhisowninstrumentation,triedtoevaluateandmemorizethedozensofsteadilyshiftingfigures.Deep-spacetravelwasaquestionofpayingproperhomagetoone’sinstrumentsandlettingMotherdothehardwork.Atmosphericflightwasanotherstoryentirely.Forachange,itwaspilot’sworkinsteadofamachine’s.
Brownandgreycloudskissedtheundersideoftheship.
