Чужой
IV
’Electrostaticrepulsion.Thatexplainstheabsenceofdust.Toobad.Thereisn’tmuchwindinhereandthedepthofthedustmightgiveusacluetohowlongthemachine’sbeensetup.Itlooksportable.’Heturnedthescanneroff,slippeditbackintoitswaistholder.
’Anyoneelsefindanything?’Theybothshooktheirheads.
’Justribbedwallsanddust.’Kanesoundeddiscouraged.
’Noindicationofanotheropeningleadingtoadifferentpartoftheship?Nootherfloorgaps?’Againthedoublenegativeresponses.’Thatleavesuswiththefirstshaft,ortryingtoboreaholethroughthenearestwall.We’lltrythefirstbeforewegoslicingthingsup.’HenoticedKane’sexpression.’Givingup?’
’Notyet.Iwillifwerunthrougheverycentimetreofthisbiggreybastardanddon’tfindanythingbesidesblankwallsandsealedmachines.’
’Thatwouldn’tbothermeabit,’saidLambertwithfeeling.
Theyretracedtheirsteps,carefullypositionedthemselvesclosetothelipoftheflush,circularopeninginthedeck.Dallasknelt,movingslowlyinthesuit,andfeltasbesthecouldoftheshaft’srim.
’Can’ttellmuchwiththesedamnedgloveson,butitfeelsregular.Theshaftmustbeanormalpartoftheship.Ithoughtitmight’vebeencausedbyanexplosion.Thatisadistresscallwe’repickingup.’
Lambertstudiedthehole.’Ashapedchargecouldmakeasmoothholelikethat.’
’You’lldoanythingtomakeaguyfeelgood,won’tyou?’Dallasfeltdisappointed.
