Чужой
II
’Ifso,whereandhowbadly?’
Ripleyperformedaquickscanoftheship’semergencypressurizationgauges,thenmadearapideyesearchviaindividualcabindiagramsbeforeshefeltconfidentinreplyingwithcertainty.’Idon’tseeanything.Westillhavefullpressureinallcompartments.Ifthereisahole,it’stoosmalltoshowandtheself-seal’salreadymanagedtoplugit.’
Ashstudiedhisownconsole.Alongwiththeothers,itwasindependentlypoweredintheeventofamassiveenergyfailuresuchastheywerepresentlyexperiencing.’Airinallcompartmentsshowsnosignofcontaminationfromoutsideatmosphere.Ithinkwe’restilltight,sir.’
’BestnewsI’vehadinsixtyseconds.Kane,hittheexteriorscreensthatarestillpoweredup.’
Theexecutiveofficeradjustedatriooftoggles.Therewasanoticeableflickering,hintsoffaintgeologicforms,thencompletedarkness.
’Nothing.We’reblindoutsideaswellasinhere.Havetogetsecondarypoweratleastbeforewecanhavealookatwhereweare.Batteriesaren’tenoughforevenminimalimaging.’
Theaudiosensorsrequiredlessenergy.Theyconveyedthevoiceofthisworldintothecabin.Thestorm-windsoundsroseandfellagainstthemotionlessreceptors,fillingthebridgewithahoo-clickthatsoundedlikefisharguing.
’Wishwe’dcomedownindaylight.’Lambertgazedoutadarkport.’We’dbeabletoseewithoutinstruments.’
’What’sthematter,Lambert?’Kanewasteasingher.’Afraidofthedark?’
Shedidn’tsmileback.
