Чужой
II
’Watchit.Looksnastydownthere.’
HowlikeDallas,Ripleythought.Somewhereinthedun-huedhellbelowanothershipwasbleatingaregular,inhuman,frighteningdistresscall.Theworlditselfwasunlisted,whichmeantthey’dbeginfromscratchwheresuchmattersasatmosphericpeculiarities,terrain,andsuchwereconcerned.YettoDallas,itwasnomoreorlessthan’nasty’.She’doftenwonderedwhatamanascompetentastheircaptainwasdoingsquiringanunimportanttubliketheNostromoaroundthecosmos.
Theanswer,couldshehavereadhismind,wouldhavesurprisedher.Helikedit.
’Verticaldescentcomputedandentered.Correctingcourseslightly,’Lambertinformedthem.’Oncoursenow,homing.Lockedandwe’reinstraight.’
’Check.How’sourplottinggoingtosquarewithsecondarypropulsioninthisweather?’
’We’redoingokaysofar,sir.Ican’tsayforsureuntilwegetundertheseclouds.Ifwecangetunderthem.’
’Goodenough.’Hefrownedatareadout,touchedabutton.Thereadingchangedtoamorepleasingone.’Letmeknowifyouthinkwe’regoingtoloseit.’
’Willdo.’
Thetugstruckaninvisibility.Invisibletotheeye,nottoherinstruments.Shebouncedonce,twice,athirdtime,thensettledmorecomfortablyintothethickwadofdarkcloud.TheeaseoftheentrywasatributetoLambert’sskillsinplottingandDallas’ssasapilot.
Itdidnotlast.Withintheoceanofair,heavycurrentsswirled.Theybeganbuffetingthedescendingship.
’Turbulence.’
