Again the assistant superintendent shook his head. ?Internal video system hasn’t worked in years. No reason to keep an expensive hi-tech system just to monitor a lousy twenty-five caretaker prisoners who aren’t going anywhere anyhow. Fact is, nothin’ much works here anymore. We got a lot of technology, but no way to fix it.?

?What eight-five’s tryin’ to tell you-?Morse started to say.

?Don’t call me that!?Aaron snapped.

The prisoner ignored him. ?-is that we got no entertainment centers, no climate control, no viewscreens, no surveillance, no freezers, no fuckin’ ice cream, no guns, no rubbers, no women. All we got here is shit.?

?Shut up,?Dillon said warningly.

?What the hell are we even talkin’ to her for??Morse continued. ?She’s the one that brought the fucker here. Let’s run her head through the wall.?

Ripley shrugged ever so slightly. ?Sounds good to me.?

Dillon walked over to confront Morse. ?I won’t say it again,?he said softly. ?Keep your mouth shut.?

Morse considered, then dropped his gaze and backed off. For the time being.

The assistant super eyed Ripley. ?All right. What do we do now??

She was aware that not just the three men at the table but the majority of the prisoners were watching her, waiting.

?On Acheron we tried to seal ourselves off and 140

Alan Dean Foster

establish a defensive perimeter. It worked, but only for a little while. These things always find a way in. First I need to see, not hear, what our exact physical situation is.?

?It’s fucked,?Morse growled, but under his breath.

Aaron nodded. ?Come with me.?He looked to Dillon. ?Sorry, but you know the regs.?

The big man blinked slowly by way of acknowledgment. ?Just don’t be too long, okay??

Aaron tried to grin, failed. ?Look at this way: no work detail today.?

Dillon let his gaze sweep the upper level of the library. ?Then why is it I don’t feel relaxed??

They moved along the main passageway, Aaron holding the schematic map, Ripley shifting her attention from the printout to the corridor and walls. There was overhead light, but dim. Morse was wrong. Some of the complex’s basic life support system still functioned.

She tapped the plastic sheet. ?What’s this??

?Access serviceway. Connects the infirmary to the mess hall.?

?Maybe we can go in, flush it out.?

He stayed close. ?Come on. There’s miles and miles of tunnels down there.?

She traced lines on the sheet. ?It won’t go far. It’ll nest in this area right around here, in one of the smaller passageways or air shafts.?

His expression twisted. ?Nest? Don’t you mean ‘rest’??

She glanced over at him. ?I mean what I say. Just don’t ask me for details. If we can kill or immobilize it, remind me and I’ll explain. Otherwise you don’t want to know.? 141

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