Чужой
IV
’Yeah,Icanseeit.Notclear,butenoughtoagreewithKanethatit’saship.’Ash’svoicesoundedexcitedintheirhelmets.Atleastitwasasexcitedasthescienceofficereversounded.’Neverseenanythinglikeit.Hangonaminute.’TheywaitedwhileAshstudiedreadouts,ranacoupleofrapidqueriesthroughtheship’sbrain.
’NeitherhasMother,’hereported.’It’sacompletelyunknowntype,doesn’tcorrelatewithanythingwe’veeverencounteredbefore.Isitasbigasitlooksfromhere?’
’Bigger,’Dallastoldhim.’Massiveconstruction,nosmalldetailsvisibleasyet.Ifit’sconstructedtothesamescaleasourships,thebuildersmust’vebeenadamnsightbiggerthanus.’
Lambertletoutanervousgiggle.’We’llfindout,ifthereareanyofthemleftonboardtogiveusawelcome.’
’We’recloseandinline,’DallassaidtoAsh,ignoringthenavigator’scomment.’Yououghttobereceivingamuchclearersignalfromus.Whataboutthedistresscall?Anyshift?We’retooclosetotell.’
’No.Whatever’sproducingthetransmissionisinsidethat.I’msureofit.Gottobe.Ifitwasfartherout,we’dneverhavepickeditupthroughthatmassofmetal.’
’Ifitismetal.’Dallascontinuedtoexaminethealienhull.’Almostlookslikeplastic.’
’Orbone,’athoughtfulKanesuggested.
’Assumingthetransmissioniscomingfrominside,whatdowedonow?’Lambertwondered.
Theexecstartedforward.’I’llgoinandhavealook,letyouknow.’
’Holdon,Kane.
