Чужой
IV
Whatevermetalthehullwascomposedof,itglistenedintheincreasinglightinanoddlyvitreouswaythathintedatnoalloyeverformedbythehandofman.Dallascouldn’tevenbesureitwasmetal.Firstinspectionrevealednothinglikeaweld,joint,seal,oranyotherrecognizablemethodofcojoiningseparateplatesorsections.Thealienshipconveyedtheimpressionofhavingbeengrownratherthanmanufactured.
Thatwasbizarre,ofcourse.Regardlessofthemethodofconstruction,theimportantthingwasthatitwasundeniablyaship.
Sostartledweretheybytheunexpectedsightthatnoneofthemgaveathoughttowhattheseeminglyintactderelictmightbeworthintheformofbonusesorsalvage.
Allthreewereshoutingatthesametimeintotheirhelmetpickups.’Somekindofship,allright,’Kanekeptrepeatinginanely,overandover.
Lambertstudiedthelustrous,almostwetshineofthecurvingsides,theabsenceofanyfamiliarexteriorfeatures,andshookherheadinwonder.’Areyoupositive?Maybeitcouldbealocalstructure.It’sweird..’
’Naw.’Kane’sattentionwasonthetwin,curvinghornsthatformedtherearofthevessel.’It’snotfixed.Evenallowingforalienarchitecturalconcepts,it’sclearenoughthisisn’tintendedtobepartofthelandscape.It’saship,forsure.’
’Ash,canyouseethis?’Dallasrememberedthatthescienceofficercouldseeclearlyviatheirrespectivesuitvideopickups,hadprobablynoticedthewreckthemomentKanehadtoppedtheriseandgivenhisshockedcry.
