[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.It completed its tour directly in front of the sealed door.It approached the door, inspected it thoroughly and then sat/laid down directly in front of it.Trevor activated the laser aimpoint on the handgun, commented, “I'm ready for him.”Caine did not answer immediately.“I don't think he intends any threat.In fact, I think—”Over the carrier tone in the communication system, Trevor heard a series of atonal whistles, clicks, and buzzes.“What was that? Are we losing communications?”“No, we're gaining communications.That was the Arat Kur.”“Singing for its supper?”“Maybe, maybe not.I—” More whines, clacks and fluttering whistles.“I'd say he's interested in making contact, now.”“Probably wants to know where the plumbing is.”“Yeah, well I really don't care what he wants to talk about.I just care that he wants to talk.”Trevor heard a change in the comm channel's carrier tone; Caine’s voice was now in stereo, half coming from Trevor’s collar communicator, the other half emerging muffled and muted from the intercom behind the door into life support.“Hello.Can you understand this language?”A wild mélange of whistles, squeals, and grunts answered.Trevor sighed.“Does that mean ‘yes’ or ‘no’?”“Damned if I know.”“Sounds like a dolphin playing a bagpipe filled with rocks.”More squawking, but slower and repetitive.The Arat scuttled forward and pushed its nose against the door.Trevor heard—and felt—the thump behind him.He raised his handgun.“I have the door covered.”“He’s not trying to escape.”“Oh? Then what’s he doing? Trying to scratch his back against the door jamb?”“No, but it's not ramming the door.It's simply approaching it, bumping it, and then backing off again.No running starts, no attempts to pry it open.It just wants out.”“What a surprise.”There was no answer.“Caine?”Another moment of silence, and then Caine’s voice answered—but not over the radio.He reappeared in the corridor, heading for the door Trevor was covering with the ten-millimeter.“I’m going in.Cover me.”“What? Wait a—”Caine pressed the control stud on the wall; the door slid back.Just fucking great.Trevor brought up the gun quickly.The Arat Kur scuttled backwards about a meter and then stopped.Caine stretched out his empty hands.The Arat Kur's front claws scissored the air once: a nervous, twitchy motion.“It could be preparing to attack,” muttered Trevor.“It could be the Arat Kur equivalent of wringing its hands,” Caine muttered back.He took a floating step into the room.The Arat Kur retreated about the same distance, then edged back toward Caine.“Seems friendly,” said Caine.“Or hungry.”The Arat Kur “sat” down and launched into a long series of repetitive squawks, wheezings, and whispers.Trevor listened.“What do you figure it's saying?”“Probably trying to do the same thing I did.Keep repeating basic phrases again and again, hoping that we'll hear something we recognize.”“And when he realizes that’s pointless? Then what?”The alien stopped cacophonizing abruptly.Trevor tightened his grip on the handgun.The Arat Kur's front claw began rising slowly, carefully.It stopped when it was pointing at the open door.Then the arm bent until the claw was pointing at the Arat Kur.Then back out the door.“He's asking to leave the room,” murmured Caine.“Politely.”“Right.So he can kill us.Politely.”“No, I don't think that's what he has in mind.We’ve got to take a chance and let him out.”Madness, complete madness.But Trevor pushed against the deck with his left toe and drifted slowly to the right, leaving the doorway unobstructed.The alien went through its pointing sequence again: the door, itself, the door.Caine pointed at the Arat Kur and out the door, ending with an exaggerated nod.The alien rose up, its claws outstretched.With a single coordinated kick from all four rear legs, it launched forward.And out the door.Caine somersaulted and swam after it.Trevor did his best to match their pace, but, still unable to use his left arm, lost sight of Caine as he entered the inter-deck access tube.“Caine, slow down.I can't keep up.I can't help you if that little bastard turns on you.”Caine either didn't hear or didn't care.“He's heading back for his first prison.”“What the hell for?”“Damned if I know.Just keep following me.” A pause, then.“Turn around.Return to the upper deck.” Which meant that Trevor had to back himself up the inter-deck access tube; there wasn't enough room to turn around.“Go back? What the hell for?”“To make room for our guest.”At the bottom of the tube, Trevor saw motion.The Arat Kur had reentered the tube, carrying a bulky load.He was starting to swim up.Straight toward Trevor.As Trevor reverse-pushed awkwardly up the tube, the Arat Kur seemed to take notice of him and slow down.There was almost a sense of patient waiting
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]