Чужой
I
Foralltheanimationinhisface,hemightaswellstillhavebeeninhypersleep.’Ifeeldead.’HewaswatchingKane.Theexecutiveofficerwasyawning,stillnotfullyawake.ItwasAsh’sprofessionalopinionthattheexecactuallyenjoyedhypersleepandwouldspendhiswholelifeasВЈnarcolepticifsopermitted.
Unawareofthescienceofficersopinion,Parkerglancedoverathim,spokepleasantly.’Youlookdead.’Hewasawarethathisownfeaturesprobablylookednobetter.Hypersleeptiredtheskinaswellasthemuscles.HisattentionturnedtoKane’scoffin.Theexecwasfinallysittingup.
’Nicetobeback.’Heblinked.
’Couldn’ttellittoanyofus,notbythetimeittakesyoutowakeup.’
Kanelookedhurt.’That’sadamnslander,Parker.I’mjustslowerthantherestofyou,that’sall.’
’Yeah.’Theengineerdidn’tpressthepoint,turnedtothecaptain,whowasabsorbedinstudyingsomethingoutoftheengineer’sview.’Beforewedock,maybewe’dbettergooverthebonussituationagain.’
Brettshowedfaintsignsofenthusiasm,hisfirstsinceawakening.’Yeah.’
Parkercontinued,slippingonhisboots.’BrettandIthinkwedeserveafullshare.Fullbonusforsuccessfulcompletionplussalaryandinterest.’
Atleastheknewdeepsleephadn’tharmedhisengineeringstaff,Dallasmusedtiredly.Barelyconsciousforacoupleofminutes,theywerecomplainingalready.
’Youtwowillgetwhatyoucontractedfor.Nomoreandnoless.Justlikeeverybodyelse.’
