"Bud Sparhawk - Alba Krystal" - читать интересную книгу автора (Sparhawk Bud)

as if he could read the condition of whatever was inside. The rest of us looked in occasionally, not having
much hope. After all, there is only so much that a medical unit can do, even with a still living body. "Wait
a month," Doc promised.

Twenty five point six days came and went. Doc swore that the beat of one meter indicated a pulse rate.
Jerome said it was probably surge pressure from one of the recirculating pumps. You couldn't see
anything through the milky haze of the fluids inside the glass lid.

At fifty-two days we were working the layers of Grimm once more. Each of us stayed longer and longer
because we didn't want to return to the station and all of the reminders of Alba. Doc hardly checked the
medical bay any more. He was caught, afraid to shut the unit down and afraid not to. We waited.

At seventy days the station was wakened by the transponder ping of a Federation supply ship and Jack's
brusque voice demanding to know where all the dancing girls and brass bands were for his welcome
home. "A bloody-be-damned profit this time gents. Your stay's been cut another three months because
of the value of that last load I sold."

His voice went on. "And I have things for you. A new cap for Jerome's bald head. A stack of newstapes
for Jim and a new menu tape for Alice's food programmer. Gentlemen, rejoice. I am here with tales of
wild women and roaring feasts the like of which you've never seen. Break out the wine. We will celebrate
my return from the places of sin and plenty."

Doc told Jack the reason for our dour faces as soon as he was through the lock. He detailed Rhoday
Thea-Capital's delivery of Alba, how she came to be picked up by the lizards, the bomb the freighter had
left and our destruction of the ship and crew.
"Well, where is this beauty?" Jack laughed. "I want to see with my own eyes this creature that seems to
have you all so enchanted."

Mutely, Doc took him by the hand and led him to the medical bay as he explained the last gruesome
detail.

"We left her remains in there," he told the normal. "It's been so long. We're sure that she's never coming
back but just couldn't . . .."

"I understand, old timer," Jack remarked with surprising gentleness. "It's better someone who didn't
know her to do this. Go on back. I'll call you when I'm finished cleaning up."

A tear glistened on Doc's cheek and I felt wetness run down my own. He was right; someone who didn't
know her could do what we could not. I placed an arm over Doc's shoulder and started to lead him to
the galley as Jack entered the medical bay.

"Hey!" A yell came from behind us. I spun about to see Jack leaning from the doorway. "Get the new
med kit in here right away. Doc, I'm going to need your help fast!"

I ran for the common room, signed for two of the guys to fetch the med kit and headed back for the bay,
dragging the others with me.

The lid was off the unit and Doc was leaning over the edge smashing Alba's chest with his fist while Jack
had his mouth over hers and was slowly inflating and deflating her chest.