Чужой
III
Wedon’twanttogetlostouthere,notinthisstuff.’
’Check.I’llbemonitoringyoureverystep.Won’tbotheryouunlesssomethingcomesup.’
’Checkhere.Dallasout.’Helefttheshipchannelopen,noticedLambertwatchinghimfrombehindhersuit’sdome.’We’rewastingsuittime.Let’smove.’
Sheturnedwordlessly,herattentiongoingbacktothefinder,andstartedoffagainintothedancingmuck.Theslightlylowergravityeliminatedtheburdenofsuitsandtanks,thoughallstillwonderedatthecompositionofaworldsosmallthatcouldgeneratethismuchpull.Mentally,Dallasreservedtimeforageologicalcheckindepth.MaybethatwasParker’sinfluence,butthepossibilityofthisworldholdinglargedepositsofvaluableheavymetalscouldn’tbeignored.
TheCompanywouldofcourseclaimanysuchdiscovery,sinceitwasbeingmadewithCompanyequipmentandonCompanytime.Butitcouldmeansomegenerousbonuses.Theirunintentionalstopheremightturnouttobeprofitableafterall.
Winddroveatthem,hammeringthemwithdirtanddust,asolidrain.
’Can’tseemorethanthreemetresinanydirection,’Lambertmuttered.
’Quitgriping.’ThatwasKane.
’Ilikegriping.’
’Comeon.Quitactinglikeacoupleofkids.Thisisn’ttheplaceforit.’
’Wonderfullittleplace,though.’Lambertwasn’tintimidated.’Totallyunspoiledbymanornature.Greatplacetobe..ifyou’rearock.’
’Isaid,that’senough.’Shewentquietatthat,butcontinuedtocomplainunderherbreath.
