Чужой
III
Notnecessarilyfrightening,thoughtheinabilitytoseeveryfarwasdisconcertingenough.Itremindedherofanightdiveinshark-infestedwaters.Youcouldnevertellwhatmightsuddenlycomeatyououtofthedarkness.
Maybeshewasrenderingaharshdecisiontoosoon,butshedidn’tthinkso.Inallthatshroudedlandtherewasnotasinglewarmcolour.Notablue,notagreen;onlyasteadyseepageofyellow,sadorange,tiredbrownsandgreys.Nothingtowarmthemind’seye,whichinturnmighteaseone’sthoughts.Theatmospherewasthecolourofafailedchemistryexperiment,thegroundthatofcompactshipexcreta.Shepitied-anythingthatmighthavelivedhere.Despitelackofevidenceeitherway,shehadagutfeelingthatnothinglivedonthisworldnow.
PerhapsKanewasright.Perhapsthiswassomeunknowncreature’sconceptofparadise.Ifthatprovedtobethecase,shedidn’tthinkshecaredforsuchacreature’scompany.
’Whichway?’
’What?’Thefogandcloudshadmistedoverherthoughts.Sheshookthemaway.
’Whichway,Lambert?’Dallaswasstaringather.
’I’mokay.Toomuchthinking.’InhermindshewasvisualizingherstationonboardtheNostromo.Thatseatanditsnavigationinstrumentation,soconfiningandstiflingundernormalconditions,nowseemedlikeasmallsliceofheaven.
Shecheckedalineonthescreenofasmalldeviceattachedtoherbelt.’Overhere.Thatway.’Shepointed.
’Youlead.’Dallassteppedinbehindher.
FollowedbythecaptainandKane,shestartedoffintothestorm.
