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

Ripley sighed. Not everyone they spoke to was going to jump at the chance to risk their lives, of
course.

"I'm in," Dunston said.

Ripley looked over at the man, surprised. He had been so quiet through the presentation that she
had guessed he wasn't interested.

Dunston didn't look as if he had said anything important; he sat with the same unreadable
expression on his unlined face. "Let me know what I can do to help you prepare."

Wilks and Ripley both grinned. The sergeant explained the proposal they planned to give to
General Peters. Ripley watched Dunston absorb the information. The teacher seemed to radiate calmness
and strength; he would be a good man to have with them.



Billie sat on Char Adcox's futon and sipped a mug of black tea, waiting for her response. The
lieutenant had seemed enthusiastic enough at the beginning of Billie's speech, but now looked
apprehensive; she tapped her fingers against her own cup, frowning. Billie remained quiet, not wanting to
pressure her.

"I don't know," Char said finally. "It sounds good, but I'm not really in a positionтАФ" She hesitated.
"I had family on Earth," she said. "It's taken me a long time to deal with losing them, and I've worked
hard to get where I am now as it is. Some mornings, I'm still barely able to get out of bed." She looked at
Billie, searched her face for understanding.

Billie nodded.

"I just don't ... look, I can't, I'm sorry."
 Billie tried not to look disappointed, but it must have shown.

Char sipped her tea, her eyes troubled. Billie set her mug down and stood to go. "It's okay, Char,"
she said. "Really. We couldn't have gotten this far without your help. I understand."

Billie walked to the door. Damn. She liked the lieutenant, had been certain that she would
volunteer. She turned. "If you change your mind ..." Char nodded, but her forced smile said that her
decision was firm. Billie walked out and stood in the corridor for a moment. She shook her head. She did
understand. Given that the last couple of weeks had been the only time she'd been able to catch her
breath since Wilks had come back into her life, she could see how peace and quiet had a lot of appeal.
Then again, she realized she'd spent too much of her life in an enforced peace and quiet to want to sit still
very long. Even if there were monsters out there waiting for her.



"Well, McQuade is in," Wilks said. "And Brewster. Did you get to Falk?"

Ripley nodded. "Yeah, but he lost interest when the question of payment came up. He said he'd
consider it if we wanted to buy his time."