Чужой
V
Shecouldnotbringherselftolookoutaport.Shecouldonlysitquietly,takeanoccasionalsipoftepidcoffee,andstareblanklyatherslowlychangingreadouts.
Jonesthecatwassittinginfrontofaport.Hefoundthestormexhilaratingandhadevolvedafreneticgameofswattingatthelargerparticlesofdustwheneveronestrucktheport’sexterior.Jonesknewhecouldneveractuallycatchoneoftheflyingmotes.Heunderstoodtheunderlyingphysicallawsbehindthefactofasolidtransparency.Thatlessenedthedelightofthegamebutdidnotobviateit.Besides,hecouldpretendthatthedarkfragmentsofstonewerebirds,thoughhe’dneverseenabird.Butheinstinctivelyunderstoodthatconcept,too.
OthermonitorsbesidesRipley’swerebeingwatched,othergaugesregularlyevaluated.BeingtheonlynoncoffeedrinkerontheNostromo,Ashdidhisworkwithoutliquidstimulation.Hisinterestwasperkedonlybynewinformation.
Twogaugesthathadbeenmotionlessforsometimesuddenlycametolife,thefreshnumbersaffectingthescienceofficer’ssystemaspowerfullyasanynarcotic.Hecutinamplifiersandthoroughlycheckedthemoutbeforeopeningtheintercomtothebridgeandannouncingtheirreception.
’Ripley?Youthere,Ripley?’
’Yo.’Shenotedtheintensityinhistone,satupinherseat.’Goodnews?’
’Ithinkso.Justpickeduptheirsuitsignalsagain.Andtheirsuitimagesarebackonthescreens.’
Shetookadeepbreath,askedthefrighteningbutnecessaryquestion:’Howmany?’
’Allofthem.
