Чужой
I
Ittoosleptthecoldsleep,anddreamtsimpledreamsofwarm,darkplacesandgravity-boundmice.
Ofallthedreamersonboardhewastheonlycontentedone,thoughhecouldnotbecalledaninnocent.
Itwasashamenoneofthemwerequalifiedasprodreamers,sinceeachhadmoretimetodreaminthecourseoftheirworkthananydozenprofessionals,despitetheslowingoftheirdreampacebythecoldsleep.Necessitymadedreamingtheirprincipalavocation.Adeep-spacecrewcan’tdoanythinginthefreezersbutsleepanddream.Theymightremainforeveramateurs,buttheyhadlongagobecomeverycompetentones.
Sevenofthemtherewere.Sevenquietdreamersinsearchofanightmare.
Whileitpossessedaconsciousnessofasort,theNostromodidnotdream.Itdidnotneedto,anymorethanitneededthepreservingeffectofthefreezers.Ifitdiddream,suchmusingsmusthavebeenbriefandfleeting,sinceitneverslept.Itworked,andmaintained,andmadecertainitshibernatinghumancomplementstayedalwaysastepaheadofeverreadydeath,whichfollowedthecoldsleeplikeavastgreysharkbehindashipatsea.
EvidenceoftheNostromo’sunceasingmechanicalvigilancewaseverywhereonthequietship,insofthumsandlightsthatformedthebreathofinstrumentalsentience.Itpermeatedtheveryfabricofthevessel,extendedsensorstocheckeverycircuitandstrut.Ithadsensorsoutsidetoo,monitoringthepulseofthecosmos.Thosesensorshadfastenedontoanelectromagneticanomaly.
