Чужой
II
’Howlongbeforewe’refunctional,Ripley?GiventhatParker’srightaboutthedamageandthatheandBrettcandotheirjobsandtherepairshold?’
Shestudiedreadouts,thoughtforamoment.’Iftheycanreroutethoseductsandfixmoduletwelvetothepointwhereit’llcarryit’sshareofthepowerloadagain,I’destimatefifteentotwentyhours.’
’Nottoobad.Igoteighteen.’Hedidn’tsmile,buthewasfeelingmorehopeful.’Whatabouttheauxiliaries?They’dbetterbereadytogowhenwegetpowerback.’
’Workingonit.’Lambertmadeadjustmentstoconcealedinstrumentation.’We’llbereadyherewhenthey’refinishedbackinengineering.’
TenminuteslateratinyspeakeratKane’sstationletgowithaseriesofsharpbeeps.Hestudiedagauge,thenflippedonthe’com.’Bridge.Kanehere.’
Soundingexhaustedbutpleasedwithhimself,Parkerspokefromthefarendoftheship.’Idon’tknowhowlongit’llhold..someoftheweldswehadtomakeareprettysloppy.Ifeverythingkicksoverthewayitoughtto,we’llretracemorecarefullyandredothesealsforpermanence.Yououghttohavepowernow.’
Theexecthumbedanoverride.Lightsreturnedtothebridge,dependentreadoutsflickeredandlitup,andtherewerescatteredgruntsandmurmursofappreciationfromtherestofthecrew.
’We’vegotpowerandlightsback,’Kanereported.’Nicework,youtwo.’
’Allourworkisnice,’repliedParker.
’Right’
