"Steve Perry - Aliens 03 - The Female War" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Steven)

She thought about the daydream she had experienced earlier, of Bishop's face surprising her back
to reality. She had liked the android, an exception to her negative feelings for syntheticsтАФ but his
appearance in her mind had seemed wrong. Out of place, not of her own memory.

Medtechs and artificial humans, the world of science and personal demons. Maybe they were all
crazy. Maybe the idea was nothing more than a madwoman's nightmare and Ripley had stumbled into it.
Maybe ...

Ripley fell asleep.



6


Peter Schell was a heavy-set older man whose natural expression was a slight scowl; even when he
smiled his brow creased downward. Ripley thought he looked like he had bitten into something sour.

The man next to him, Keith Dunston, was much younger, around Billie's age. He was small-boned
and wiry, a martial arts teacher. Dunston had listened to Wilks outline the situation with a placid interest,
as if he were watching a 'cast of a tennis match.

Ripley had let Wilks do most of the talking to the two men. They had met in the private dojo where
Dunston taught classes. After brief introductions, Wilks had quickly laid out their theory and research;
Schell had interrupted several times with questions while Dunston remained silent, occasionally running a
small hand through his short red hair. Both men looked tired.
 "So what if you don't get a transport?" said Schell.

Wilks shrugged. "Right now we're trying to get a crew. The more people who have faith in this, the
better the chance we will get a ship."

"Yeah, but what if you don't?"

Schell's open skepticism was getting on Ripley's nerves. She didn't think he was going to end up
working on this....

Wilks took that one: "We'll burn that bridge when we come to it. Any more questions?"

There was a moment of silence. Wilks glanced at Ripley and back to the two men, who sat
thinking.

Schell scowled at his watch. He stood and reached out to shake hands with Wilks.

"I appreciate your inviting me to this discussion. The dreams will be easier to live with knowing
what you've told meтАФbut I'll have to think about it and get back to you."

Wilks started to say something, but must have thought better of it; he shook hands with Schell.

Schell nodded at Ripley and Dunston, and exited.