?It doesn’t involve a lot of analysis. More straightforward probing. Where I am right now they don’t have much in the way of intrusive capability. What I need to know is, can you access the data bank on an EEV flight recorder??

?No problem. Why??

?You’ll find out faster from the recorder than I could explain. Then you can tell me.?

The eye swiveled. ?I can just see it. You’ll have to use a direct cranial jump, since my auxiliary appendages are gone.?

?I know. I’m all set… I hope.?

?Go ahead and plug in, then.? 111

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She picked up the filament running from the black box and leaned toward the disembodied skull. ?I’ve never done this before. It won’t hurt or anything??

?On the contrary, I’m hoping it’ll make me feel better.?

She nodded and gently inserted the filament into one of several receptacles in the back of his head, wiggling it slightly to make sure the fit was tight.

?That tickles.?She jerked her fingers back. ?Just kidding,?the android told her with a reassuring smile. ?Hang on.? His eyes closed and the remnants of his forehead wrinkled in concentration. It was, she knew admiringly, nothing more than a redundant bit of cosmetic programming, but it was encouraging to see that something besides the android’s basics still functioned.

?I’m home,?Bishop murmured several minutes later. ?Took longer than I thought. I had to run the probe around some damaged sectors.?

?I tested the recorder when I first found it. It checked out okay.?

?It is. The damaged sectors are in me. What do you want to know??

?Everything.?

?McNary Flight Recorder, model OV-122, serial number FR-3664874, installed-?

?Are all your language intuition circuits gone? You know what I mean. From the time it was emergency activated. What happened on the Sulaco? Why were the cryotubes ejected??

A new voice emerged from the android’s larynx. It was female and mechanical. ?Explosive gasses present in the cryogenic compartment. Fire in the cryogenic compartment. All personnel report to evacuation stations.?Bishop’s voice returned. ?There are a large number of repeats without

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significant deviation in content. Do you wish to hear them all??

Ripley rubbed her chin, thinking hard. ?No, that’s sufficient for now. Explosive gases? Where did they come from? And what started the fire??When no response was forthcoming she became alarmed. ?Bishop? Can you hear me??

There was gurgling, then the android’s silky faux voice. ?Sorry. This is harder than I thought it would be. Powering up and functioning are weakening already damaged sectors. I keep losing memory and response capability. I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up. You’d better keep your questions brief.?

?Don’t null out on me yet, Bishop,?she said anxiously. ?I was asking you about the report of fire.?