Чужой
III
Wouldn’tthinktofindthatmuchvaporcoexistingwiththemethane.Ohwell.Iwouldn’tadvisedrinkingfromanylocalwaterholes,iftheyexist.Probablynotwater.’
’Anythingelseweshouldknow?’Dallasasked.
’Justthebasaltsurface,plentyofcold,hardlava.Andcoldair,wellbelowtheline,’Ashinformedthem.’We’dneedsuitstohandlethetemperatureeveniftheairwerebreathable.Ifthere’sanythingaliveoutthere,it’stough.’
Dallaslookedresigned.’Isupposeitwasunreasonabletoexpectanythingelse.Hopespringseternal.There’sjustenoughofanatmospheretomakevisionbad.I’dhavepreferrednoairatall,butwedidn’tdesignthisrock.’
’Youneverknow.’Kanewasbeingphilosophicalagain.’Mightbesomethingelse’sideaofparadise.’
’There’snopointincursingit,’Lambertadvisedthem.’Itcould’vebeenahelluvalotworse.’Shestudiedthestormoutside.Itwasgraduallygrowinglighterasdawnapproached.
’Isurepreferthistotryingtosetdownonsomegasgiant,wherewe’dhavethree-hundredkphwindsinacalmperiodandtenortwentygravitiestocopewith.Atleastwecanwalkaroundonthiswithoutgeneratorsupportandstabilizers.Youpeopledon’tknowwhenyou’rewelloff.’
’FunnythatIdon’tfeelwelloff,’Ripleycountered,’I’dratherbebackinhypersleep.’SomethingmovedagainstheranklesandshereacheddowntostrokeJones’rump.Thecatpurredgratefully.
’Oasisornot,’Kanesaidbrightly,’Ivolunteerforfirstout.
