Чужой
II
Theoccasionalreadingshadhintedatextensivedesolation,ahostile,barrendesertofaworld.
’Radargivesmenoise.’Ripleywishedelectronicscouldreacttoimprecationsasreadilyaspeople.’Sonargivesmenoise.Infra-red,noise.Hangon,I’mgoingtotryultraviolet.Spectrum’shighenoughnottointerfere.’Amoment,followedbytheappearanceonacrucialreadoutofsomegratifyinglinesatlast,followedinturnbybrightlylitwordsandacomputersketch.
’Thatdidit.’
’Andaplacetolandonit?’
Ripleylookedfullyrelaxednow.’AsnearasIcantell,wecansetdownanywhereyoulike.Readingssayit’sflatbelowus.Totallyflat.’
Dallas’sthoughtsturnedtovisionsofsmoothlava,ofacoolbutdeceptivelythincrustbarelyconcealingmoltendestruction.’Yeah,butflatwhat?Water,pahoehoe,sand?Bouncesomethingoff,Kane.Getusadetermination.I’lltakeherdownlowenoughsothatwelosemostofthisinterference.Ifit’sflat,Icangetusclosewithouttoomuchtrouble.’
Kaneflippedswitches.’Monitoring.Analyticsactivated.Stillgettingnoise.’
Carefully,Dallaseasedthetugtowardthesurface.
’Stillnoisy,butstartingtoclear.’
Again,Dallaslostaltitude.Lambertwatchedgauges.Theyweremorethanhighenoughforsafeclearance,butatthespeedtheywereTravellingthatcouldchangerapidlyifanythingwentwrongwiththeship’sengines,orifanother-worldlydowndraftshouldmaterialize.Norcouldtheycuttheirspeedfurther.Inthiswind,thatwouldmeanacriticallossofcontrol.
