?Up in the nearest waste tank on Level Five. Man, did we get that sucker nailed down! I mean tight.?He fairly preened. ?Fuckin’ marines couldn’t do it, but we did.? 164

Alan Dean Foster

Golic was swinging his arms. Back and forth across his expansive chest, then up and around in ever-widening circles, getting the circulation back.

?But it’s still alive??

?Yeah. Too bad. You oughta see the dents it put in the door. Ceramocarbide door, man!?He shook his head wonderingly. ?One tough-ass organism. But we got it.?

?I gotta see it again.?The big man’s gaze was focused on a point beyond Morse, on something visible only to Golic. His expression was impassive, unwavering. ?Got to see it again. He’s my friend.?

Morse took a sudden, wary step backward. ?What the fuck you talkin’ about??His gaze whipped to the infirmary entrance.

Golic calmly ripped a small fire extinguisher off the nearby wall and the other man’s eyes widened. He made a leap for the door… too slow. The extinguisher came down once, a second time, and Morse crumpled like a misplaced intention.

Golic looked down at him thoughtfully, his face full of idiot sadness, his tone apologetic. ?Sorry, brother, but I had a feeling you wouldn’t understand. No more ciggies for you, mate.?

Silently he stepped over the unconscious form and exited the room. 165 -xII

Aaron fussed with the deep-space communicator. He was checked out on the equipment-it was a requirement of his rating-but he hadn’t had occasion to make use of it since his assignment to Fiorina. Andrews had always handled things on the rare occasions when expensive near instantaneous communication between the installation and headquarters had been required. He was both pleased and relieved when the readouts cleared for use, indicating that contact with the necessary relays had been established.

Ripley hovered over him as he worked the keyboard. She offered no suggestions, for which he felt an obscure but nonetheless real gratitude. The message appeared on the main screen as he transmitted, each letter representing an impressive amount of sending power. Fortunately, with the fusion plant operating as efficiently as ever, there was no dearth of the necessary energy. As to the cost, another

166

Alan Dean Foster

matter entirely, he opted to ignore that until and unless the Company should indicate otherwise.

FURY 361-CLASS C PRISON UNIT, FIORINA

REPORT DEATH OF SUPT. ANDREWS, MEDICAL OFFICER CLEMENS, EIGHT PRISONERS. NAMES TO FOLLOW…

When he’d finished the list he glanced back up at her. ?Okay, we got the first part. All nice and formal, the way the Company likes it. Now what do I say??

?Tell them what happened. That the alien arrived on the EEV and escaped into the complex, that it was hunting down the local population one man at a time until we devised a plan of action, and that we’ve trapped it.?