He straightened and turned her head to one side, holding it firmly but gently. Gagging, choking, she vomited forth a stream of dark salt water. The heaving ended quickly and she subsided, still unconscious but resting quietly now; still, easy. He eased her head back onto the pillow, gazing solemnly at her mask-like visage. Her features were delicate, almost girlish despite her age. There was about her the air of someone who had spent too much time as a tourist in hell. 21

21

Well, being dumped out of a ship via EEV and then awakened and revived from deep sleep by a crash into the sea would be enough to mark anyone, he told himself.

The infirmary door hissed softly as it slid back to admit Andrews and Aaron. Clemens wasn’t crazy about either the superintendent or his number two. At the same time he was quite aware that Andrews wasn’t in love with the facility’s sole medical technician either. Though in status he might be a notch above the general population, Clemens was still a prisoner serving sentence, a fact neither of the two men ever let him forget. Not that he was likely to. Many things were difficult to accomplish on Fiorina, but forgetting was impossible.

They halted by the side of the bed and stared down at its motionless occupant. Andrews grunted at nothing in particular.

”What’s her status, Mr. Clemens??

The technician sat back slightly, glanced up at the man who for all practical purposes served as Fiorina’s lord and master.

?She’s alive.?

Andrews’s expression tightened and he favored the tech with a sardonic smile. ?Thank you, Mr. Clemens. That’s very helpful. And while I suppose I wouldn’t, or shouldn’t, want it to be otherwise, it also does mean that we have a problem, doesn’t it??

?Not to worry, sir. I think we can pull her through. There’s no internal bleeding, nothing broken, not even a serious sprain. I think she’ll make a complete recovery.?

?Which, as you know, Mr. Clemens, is precisely what concerns me.?He stared appraisingly at the woman in the bed. ?I wish she hadn’t come here. I wish she wasn’t here now.?

22

?Without wishing to sound disrespectful, sir, I have this feeling that she’d eagerly concur with you. Based on what I was told about her landing and having seen for myself the current condition of her EEV, I’m of the opinion that she didn’t have a whole hell of a lot of choice in the matter. Any idea where they’re from? What ship??

?No,?Andrews muttered. ?I Notified WeylandY.??They answer??Clemens was holding Ripley’s wrist, ostensibly to check her pulse.

?if you can call it that. They acknowledged receipt of my message. That’s all. Guess they’re not feeling real talkative.?