Чужой
II
Can’tfixthoseductsproperlywithoutputtingtheshipinafulldrydock.We’llhavetofakeit.’
’Iunderstand.Whatelse?’
’Toldyou.Moduletwelve.I’mgivingittoyoustraight.Welostamaincell’
’How?Thedust?’
’Partly.’Parkerpaused,exchangedinaudiblewordswithBrett,thenwasbackatthepickup.’Somefragmentsagglutinatedinsidetheintakes,cakedup,andcausedtheoverheatingthatsparkedthefire.Youknowhowsensitivethosedriversare.Wentrightthroughtheshieldingandblewthewholesystem.’
’Anythingyoucandowithit?’Dallasasked.Thesystemhadtoberepairedsomehow.Theycouldn’treplaceit.
’Ithinkso.Brettthinksso.We’vegottocleanitalloutandrevacuum,thenseehowwellitholds.Ifitstaystightafterit’sbeenscoured,weshouldbefine.Ifitdoesn’t,wecantrymetalformingapatchseal.Ifitturnsoutthatwe’vegotacrackrunningthelengthoftheduct,well..’Hisvoicetrailedaway.
’Let’snottalkaboutultimateproblems,’Dallassuggested.’Let’sstickwiththeimmediateonesfornowandhopethey’reallwehavetodealwith.’
’Okaybyus.’
’Right,’addedBrett,soundingasthoughhewasworkingsomewhereofftotheengineer’sleft
’Bridgeout.,’
’Engineeringout.Keepthecoffeewarm.’
Ripleyflippedofftheintercom,lookedexpectantlyatDallas.Hesatquietly,thinking.
