Чужой
I
Damnit,Mother,shethought,seeingthegoosebumpsonherforearm,let’shavesomeheat!
Dallaswastowelinghimselfoff,dry-spongingawaythelastofthecryosleepgunk,andtryingnottostareatsomethingtheotherscouldnotsee.He’dnoticeditevenbeforerisingfromhisfreezer.Theshiphadarrangeditsothathewould.
’Work’llwarmusallupfastenough.’Lambertmutteredsomethingunintelligible.’Everybodytoyourstations.Iassumeyouallrememberwhatyou’regettingpaidfor.Besidessleepingawayyourtroubles.’
Noonesmiledorbotheredtocomment.Parkerglancedacrosstowherehispartnerwassittingupinhisfreezer.’Morning.Stillwithus,Brett?’
’Yo.’
’Luckyus.’ThatcamefromRipley.Shestretched,turningitintoamoreaestheticmovement’thananyoftheothers.’Nicetoknowourprimeconversationalistisasgarrulousasever.’
Brettjustsmiled,saidnothing.Hewasasverbalasthemachinesheserviced,whichwastosaynotatall,anditwasarunningjokewithintheseptuplecrewfamily.Theywerelaughingwithhimatsuchtimes,notathim.
Dallaswasdoingsidetwists,elbowsparalleltothefloor,handstogetherinfrontofhissternum.Hefanciedhecouldhearhislong-unusedmusclessqueak.Theflashingyellowlight,eloquentasanyvoice,monopolizedhisthoughts.Thatdevilishlittlesunhuedcyclopswastheship’swayoftellingthemthey’dbeenawakenedforsomethingotherthantheendoftheirjourney.Hewasalreadywonderingwhy.
Ashsatup,lookedaroundexpressionlessly.
