Чужой
V
Dallashadenoughstrengthlefttogesturewithhishead.Severaldim,treelikeshapesloomedupoutofthealmostnight.Theysupportedalargeramorphousshape:thehulloftheNostromo.
TheyhadalmostreachedtheshipwhenAshreachedtheinnerlockdoor.Hestoppedthere,madesurethehatchwasreadytobeopened,andtouchedthestudofthenearest’com.
’Ripley..I’mbytheinnerhatch.’Heleftthechannelopen,movedtostandnexttoasmallportnearby.’Nosignofthemyet.It’snearlyfullnightoutside,butwhentheyreachtheliftIoughttobeabletomakeouttheirsuitlights.’
’Okay.’Shewasthinkingfuriously,andsomeofhercurrentthoughtswouldhavesurprisedthewaitingscienceofficer.Theyweresurprisingtoherself.
’Whichway?’Dallassquintedintothedust,tryingtomakeoutshipmarksbythelightfromthefloods.
Lambertgesturedtotheirleft.’Overthatway,Ithink.Bythatfirststrut.Liftshouldbejustbeyond.’Theycontinuedoninthatdirectionuntiltheyalmosttrippedovertherimofthelift,firmlyplacedonhardground.Despitetheirfatigue,theywrestledKane’smotionlessformoffthetravoisandontotheelevator,keepingtheexecsupportedbetweenthem.
’Thinkyoucankeephimup?Beeasierifwedon’thavetolifthimagain.’
Shetookabreath.’Yeah,Ithinkso.Solongassomeonewillhelpusoncewegetoutsidethelock.’
’Ripley,areyouthere?’
’Righthere,Dallas.’
’We’recomingup.’HeglancedoveratLambert.’Ready?’Shenodded.
Hepressedastud.
