Чужой
III
I’dlikeachanceforacloselookatourmysteriouscaller.Neverknowwhatyoumightfind.’
’Jewelsandmoney?’Dallascouldn’trepressagrin.Kanewasanotoriousrainbowchaser.
Theexecshrugged.’Whynot?’
’Ihearyou.Okay.’ItwasacceptedthatDallaswouldbeamemberofthelittleexpedition.Heglancedaroundthebridgeforacandidatetocompletetheparty.’Lambert.Youtoo.’
Shedidn’tlookhappy.’Swell.Whyme?’
’Whynotyou?You’reourdesignateddirectionfinder.Let’sseehowgoodyouareoutsideyourseat.’Hestartedforthecorridor,paused,andsaidmatter-of-factly,’Onemorething.We’reprobablyfacedwithadeadderelictandarepeatingbeaconorwe’dlikelyhaveheardfromanysurvivorsbynow.Butwestillcan’tbesurewhatwe’llruninto.Thisworlddoesn’tappeartobeteemingwithlife,inimicalorotherwise,butwewon’ttakeunnecessaryrisks.Let’sgetoutsomeweapons.’HehesitatedasRipleymovedtojointhem.
’ThreeisthemaximumIcanletoffship,Ripley.You’llhavetowaityourturnout.’
’I’mnotgoingout,’shetoldhim.’Ilikeithere.It’sjustthatI’vedoneeverythingIcanhere.ParkerandBrettaregoingtoneedhelpwiththefineworkwhilethey’retryingtofixthoseducts..’
Itwasentirelytoohotbackintheengineroom,despitethebesteffortsofthetug’scoolingunit.ThetroublestemmedfromtheamountofweldingParkerandBretthadtodoandthecrampedquarterstheywereforcedtoworkin.
