Чужой

           Brettmusthavebeenstandingnexttotheintercompickupbackbytheengines,judgingfromthesteadyhumthatformedanelegantcounterpointtohisstandardmonosyllabicresponse.

           ’Don’tgettooexcited,’Parkerwassaying.’Thenewlinksshouldhold,butI’mnotmakinganypromises.Wejustthrewstufftogetherbackhere.Anythingnewupyourway?’

           Kaneshookhishead,remindedhimselfthatParkercouldn’tseethegesture.’Notadamnthing.’Heglancedoutthenearestport.Thebridgelightscasttheirfaintglowoverapatchoffeatureless,barrenground.Occasionallythestormragingoutsidewouldcarryalargefragmentofsandorbitofrockintoviewandtherewouldbeabriefflashproducedbyreflection.Butthatwasall.

           ’Justbarerock.Wecan’tseeveryfar.ForallIknowwecouldbesquattingfivemetresfromthelocaloasis.’

           ’Dreamon.’ParkershoutedsomethingtoBrett,closedwithaworkmanlike,’Beintouchifwehaveanytrouble.Letusknowthesame.’

           ’Sendyouapostcard.’Kaneswitchedoff..