Чужой
V
Theyhadasoft,almostflexiblelook,asopposedtothesolidappearanceoftheboneribsthatreinforcedcorridorandchamberwalls.Theylinedthewallsfromfloortoceiling,neatandorderly.
Yetsomehowtheydidn’tgivehimtheimpressionofhavingbeenstowed.Therewastoomuchwastedspaceinthevaultedchamber.Ofcourse,untiltheyhadsomeideaofwhattheprotrusionswere,itwasabsurdtospeculateontherationalebehindalienmethodsofstoringcargo.
’Youallrightdownthere,Kane?’Dallas’svoice.
’Yeah.Yououghttoseethis.’
’Seewhat?What’veyoufound?’
’I’mnotsure.Butit’sweird.’
’Whatareyoutalkingabout?’Therewasapause,then,’Kane,couldyoubealittlemorespecific?"Weird"doesn’ttellusmuch.Thiswholeshipisweird,butthat’snothowit’sgoingtobedescribedintheofficialreport.’
’Okay.I’minanotherbigchamberliketheoneabove.There’ssomethingalloverthewalls.’
Holdinghislightbarextendedinfrontofhiminanunconsciouslyweapon-likepose,hewalkedovertothenearestwallandexaminedtheprotrusions.Upclose,hewasabletodecidethattheyweren’tpartofthehullstructure.Notonlythat,theylookedmoreorganicthanever.
Above,DallasglancedoveratLambert.
’Howlonguntilsunset?’
Shestudiedherinstruments,touchedacontrolononebriefly.’Twentyminutes.’Sheaccompaniedtheannouncementwithameaningfulstare.
