Чужой
III
Dallascouldorderhertostoptalking,buthecouldn’tkeepherfromgrumbling.
Abruptly,hereyesbroughtinformationthatmomentarilytookherthoughtsawayfromtheirsteadycondemnationofthisplace.Somethinghaddisappearedfromthescreenofthefinder.
’What’swrong?’Dallasasked.
’Hangon.’Shemadeaslightadjustmenttothedevice,madedifficultbecauseofthebulkygloves.Thelinethathadvanishedfromthefaceofthefinderreappeared.
’Lostit.I’vegotitagain.’
’Anyproblems?’Adistantvoicesoundedintheirhelmets.Ashwasvoicingconcern.
’Nothingmajor,’Dallasinformedhim.Heturnedaslowcircle,tryingtolocatesomethingsolidwithinthestorm.’Stillalotofdustandwind.Startingtogetsomefadeonthefinderbeam.Welostthetransmissionforasecond.’
’It’sstillstrongbackhere.’Ashcheckedhisownreadouts.’Idon’tthinkit’sthestorm.Youmightbeenteringsomehillyterrain.Thatcouldblockoutthesignal.Watchyourselves.Ifyouloseitandcan’tregain,switchthefindertotracemychannelbacktowardtheshipuntilyoucanpickupthetransmissionagain.ThenI’lltrytodirectyoufromhere.’
’We’llkeepitinmind,butsofarthat’snotnecessary.We’llletyouknowifwerunintothatmuchtrouble.’
’Check.Ashout.’
Itwasquietagain.Theymovedwithouttalkingthroughthedust-laden,orangelimbo.Afterawhile,Lambertstopped.
’Loseitagain?’Kaneasked.
’Nope.Changeofdirection.’Shegesturedofftotheirleft.’Thatwaynow.’
