Чужой
IV
Bynowhe’dgainedsomeconfidencewithregardtohissurroundings.Theshaftcontinuedsteadilydownward.Sofarithaddisplayednoinclinationtonarrow,orchangedirection.Wideninghewasn’tasconcernedabout.
Hekickedoffharderthenexttime,begantakinglongerandlongerhops,fallingsteadilyfasterinthedarkness.Hislightbarcontinuedtoshinedownward,continuedtorevealnothingbutthesamemonotonous,unvaryingnightbeneathhim.
Outofbreathagainhepausedinhisdescenttorunacheckofhissuitinstrumentation.’Interesting,’hesaidintohispickup.’I’mbelowgroundlevel.’
’Readyou,’repliedDallas.Thinkingofmineshafts,heasked,’Anychangeinyoursurroundings?Stillthesamestuffwallingtheshaft?’
’FarasIcansee.HowamIdoingonline?’
AbriefpausewhileDallascheckedthecableremainingonthespool.’Fine.Gotoverfiftymetresleft.Iftheshaftrunsdeeperthanthatwe’llhavetocallthisoffuntilwecanbringbiggerstufffromtheship.Iwouldn’tthinkit’dgothatfardown,though.’
’Whatmakesyouthinkso?’
Dallassoundedthoughtful.’Wouldmaketheshipalloutofproportion.’
’Proportiontowhat?Andtowhoseideasofproportion?’
Dallasdidnothaveareplyforthat.
Ripleywouldhavegivenuponthesearchifshe’dhadanythingbettertodo.Shedidnot.PlayingattheECIUboardwasbetterthanwanderingaroundanemptyshiporstaringatthevacantseatssurroundingher.
