"ALIEN"


                             


                            by


                             


                        Walter Hill





                            and





                        David Giler


                             








                             


                     Based on screenplay





                            by





                        Dan O'Bannon








                          Story by





               Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett


                             


                             





                                          REVISED FINAL


                                          JUNE, 1978


                                                           


                                                           


Brandywine Productions                                                           


10201 W. Pico Boulevard


Los Angeles, California 90035


  


  


              


              


              Science fiction plucks from within


              us our deepest fears and hopes then


              shows them to us in rough disguise:


              the monster and the rocket.


              


                                   W.H. Auden


              


              


              


              We live, as we dream -- alone.


              


                                  Joseph Conrad


              


              


              


              


                             "ALIEN"


                             


     FADE IN


  


     SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE:


  


     INT. ENGINE ROOM                                       1


  


     Empty, cavernous.


  


     INT. ENGINE CUBICLE                                    2


  


     Circular, jammed with instruments.


     All of them idle.


     Console chairs for two.


     Empty.


  


     INT. OILY CORRIDOR - "C" LEVEL                         2-A


  


     Long, dark.


     Empty.


     Turbos throbbing.


     No other movement.


  


     INT. CORRIDOR - "A" LEVEL                              2-B


  


     Long, empty.


  


     INT. INFIRMARY - "A" LEVEL                             2-C


  


     Distressed ivory walls.


     All instrumentation at rest.


  


     INT. CORRIDOR TO BRIDGE - "A" LEVEL                    3


  


     Black, empty.


  


     INT. BRIDGE                                            4


  


     Vacant.


     Two space helmets resting on chairs.


     Electrical hum.


     Lights on the helmets begin to signal one another.


     Moments of silence.


     A yellow light goes on.


     Data mind bank in b.g.


     Electronic hum.


     A green light goes on in front of one helmet.


     Electronic pulsing sounds.


     A red light goes on in front of other helmet.


     An electronic conversation ensues.


     Reaches a crescendo.  


     Then silence.


     The lights go off, save the yellow.


                                                           


     INT. CORRIDOR TO HYPERSLEEP VAULT:                     4-A


  


     Lights come on.


     Seven gowns hang from the curved wall.


     Vault door opens.


  


     INT. HYPERSLEEP VAULT                                  5


  


     Explosion of escaping gas.


     The lid on a freezer pops open.


     Slowly, groggily, KANE sits up.


     Pale.


     Kane rubs the sleep from his eyes.


     Stands.


     Looks around.


     Stretches.


     Looks at the other freezer compartments.


     Scratches.


     Moves off.


  


     INT. GALLEY                                            6


  


     Kane plugs in a Silex.


     Lights a cigarette.


     Coughs.


     Grinds some coffee beans.


     Runs some water through.


                          


                              KANE


               Rise and shine, Lambert.


              


     INT. HYPERSLEEP VAULT                                  7


  


     Another lid pops open.


     A young woman sits up.





                              LAMBERT


               What time is it.





                              KANE


                      (voice over)


               What do you care.





     INT. GALLEY                                            8





     Pot now half-full.


     Kane watches it drip.


     Inhales the fragrance.





                              KANE


               Now Dallas and Ash.


                      (calls out)


               Good morning Captain.





                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               Where's the coffee.





                              KANE


               Brewing.





     LAMBERT walks into the kitchen.


     Pours herself a cup.





     INT. HYPERSLEEP VAULT                                  9





     Two more lids pop open.


     A pair of men sit up.


     Look at each other.





     INT. GALLEY                                           10





     Kane enjoys a freshly-brewed cup.





                              KANE


               Ripley...





     Another moment.


     And then the sound of another lid opening.





                              KANE


               And if we have Parker, can


               Brett be far behind.





     Lid opening sound.





                              KANE


               Right.





     INT. HYPERSLEEP VAULT                                 11





     DALLAS looks at his groggy circus.  


     


                              DALLAS


               One of you jokers get the cat.





     RIPLEY picks up a limp cat out of one of the compartments.





     INT. MESS                                             12





     The crew of the United States commercial starship Nostromo


     seated around a table.





              Dallas.........Captain


              Kane...........Executive Officer


              Ripley.........Warrant Officer


              Ash............Science Officer


              Lambert........Navigator


              Parker.........Engineer


              Brett..........Engineering Technician


              Jones..........Cat


              


     Five men and two women: Lambert and Ripley.





                              LAMBERT


               Jesus am I cold.





                              PARKER


               Still with us, Brett.





                              BRETT


               Yo.





                              RIPLEY


               Lucky us.





     They yawn, stretch, shiver.


     Dallas looks over at a flashing yellow light.





                              KANE


               I feel dead.





     Kane is not yet fully awake.


     Yawns.





                              PARKER


               You look dead.





                              ASH


               Nice to be back.





                              PARKER


               Before we dock maybe we'd


               better go over the bonus


               situation.





                              BRETT


               Yeah.





                              PARKER


               Brett and I think we deserve a


               full share.





                              DALLAS


               You two will get what you


               contracted for.  Just like


               everybody else.





                              BRETT


               Everybody else gets more than us.





                              DALLAS


               Everybody else deserves more


               than you two.





                              ASH


               Mother wants to talk to you.





                              DALLAS


               I saw it.  Yellow light for my


               eyes only...Now, everybody hit


               their stations.





     INT. COMPUTER ROOM ANNEX                               13


  


     Floor to ceiling data banks.


     Another flashing yellow light.


     A legend underneath.


     COMMAND PRIORITY ACCESS ONLY.


     Dallas enters.


     Sits at his console.


     Removes insignia master computer key attached to


     his shirt.


     Plug it into the board under the light.


     All banks burst into life.


     Dallas punches up a computer code on the keyboard.





     Legend on the screen...





               What's my God damn key.





     Print-out from computer answers...





               01335 on the binary side.





                              DALLAS


               Thank you Mother.





     Dallas punches up the combination on the keyboard.


     Immediately start getting a readout.





                                                    CUT TO:


                                                           


     INT. BRIDGE                                            14


  


     Above eye level the room is ringed by viewscreens.


     All of them blank.


     Kane, Ripley, and Lambert enter.


     Dallas' seat remains empty.


     All of them now dressed; they find their way to individual


     consoles.


     Ripley puts down the cat, straps herself into the high-


     backed chair.


  


                              KANE


               Plug us in.


              


     All three crew members begin throwing switches.


     The control room starts to come to life.


     Colored lights flicker.


     Chase each other across glowing screens.


  


                              KANE


               Give us something to look at.


              


     Lambert presses a bank of switches.


     Viewscreens glimmer into life.





                              LAMBERT


               Take a look at this.





     On each screen, blackness speckled with stars.


  


                              LAMBERT


               Where's Earth.


              


                              KANE


               You're the navigator.


              


                              RIPLEY


               That's not our system.





                              KANE


               Scan.


              


     Lambert hits several toggles.


     On the screens the images begin to drift.


  


     ONE OF THE SCREENS                                     15


  


     A moving image of a starfield.


  


     EXT. NOSTROMO                                          16





     The Factory Starship lumbering with the depths


     of inter-stellar space.


     Function:           Petroleum tanker and Refinery.


     Capacity:           2000,000,000 tons.


     Length:             One and one half kilometers.


     Battered exterior encrusted with dark sludge.


  


     INT. BRIDGE                                            17


  


     Lambert pores over charts.


     Consults her console.


     Puzzled.


  


                              KANE


               Contact traffic control.


              


     Ripley switches on her transmission unit.


  


                              RIPLEY


               This is commercial vessel Nostromo. 


               Registration number 180246.  Do


               you read me.  Over.


              


     Nothing but the hiss of static.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Nothing.


              


                              KANE


               Keep trying.





     Turns to Lambert.


     Ripley attempting transmission in b.g.





                              KANE


               You got a reading yet.


              


                              LAMBERT


               We're way out in the boondocks


               here...


              


                              KANE


               Keep trying...


              


                              LAMBERT


               Working on it.





     Eureka.





                              LAMBERT


               Found it.





                              KANE


               Hard to believe.





                              LAMBERT


               What the hell are we doing out


               here.





                              KANE


               What are you talking about.


              


                              RIPLEY


               It's not our system.


                                                           


     INT. ENGINE ROOM                                       17-A


  


     Giant reactor system purring smoothly.


  


     INT. ENGINE ROOM                                       18


  


     PARKER and BRETT in a glass cubicle.  Each having a beer. 


     Huge powerplant stretching before them.


     All units on automatic hyper-drive.


     Parker hits a switch above his desk.  A green light goes on.


  


                              PARKER


               How's your light?


              


                              BRETT


               Green.


              


                              PARKER


               Mine too.


              


     They both take a swig.


     Suddenly a beeper signal begins.


  


                              PARKER


               Christ.  What is it now.


              


                              BRETT


               Right.


              


                              RIPLEY


                     (voice over)


               Report to the mess.


              


  INT. OILY CORRIDOR - "C" LEVEL                         19


  


                              PARKER


               I want to know why they never


               come down here.  This is where


               the work is.


              


                              BRETT


               Same reason we have half a


               share to their one, our time is


               their time, that's the way they


               see it.


              


                              PARKER


               Well, I'll tell you


               something... it stinks.


              


     They move towards the companionway.


                                                           


     INT. MESS                                         20


  


     Entire crew present.


  


                              DALLAS


               Some of you may have figured


               out that we're not home.


              


                              BRETT


               What the hell.


              


                              DALLAS


               Mother's interrupted the course


               of the voyage.





                             DALLAS


               Mother is programmed to interrupt


               the course of out voyage if


               certain conditions arise.  They


               have...


                     (pause)


               We've received intermittent


               transmission from quadrant points


               QBR 157, 052.  Somebody's gone


               down.





                              BRETT


               So what.





                              KANE


               We're obligated under Section B2...





                              PARKER


               Christ.  We're a commerical ship


               not some rescue team.  This kind


               of duty's not in our contract.





                              ASH


               You better read your contract.


               Transmissions received in non-


               commercial lanes...


  


     Dallas gives Parker and Brett a look.


  


                              DALLAS


               We're going in, that's it.


              


     Brett knows when to ease up.


  


                             BRETT


               Right, we're going in.


                      (smiles)


               Sir.





     Dallas turns to ASH.





                              DALLAS


               Can we land on it.





     He takes a print-out from Mother out of his hand.





                              ASH


               The other ship did.





                              DALLAS


               That's what I mean.





     Studies the print-out.





                              ASH


               It's big enough.  Can't see any


               reason why not.





                                                    CUT TO:





     EXT. NOSTROMO AND REFINERY APPROACHING THE             20-A


     STAR/PLANET SYSTEM





                                                    OUT     21-


                                                            23


                                                           


     INT. BRIDGE                                            24





     Dallas at his console speaking to Ash.





                              DALLAS


               We're coming into range of the


               planet.  What kind of orbit do


               you plan for the cargo.





                              ASH


               Z local vertical mode.





                              DALLAS


               You figure it will hold that.


  


                              ASH


               You worried about redundancy


               management disabling CMGS control.





                              DALLAS


               Yeah.


              


                              ASH


               CMG control is inhibited via


               DAS/DCS.  We'll augment with


               TACS and monitor through ATMDC


               and computer interface.


                      (pause)


               Feel better?


              


                              DALLAS


               A lot.





     EXT. NOSTROMO                                          25





     Moving within range of the planet.





     INT. BRIDGE                                            26





     The crew strap themselves to their seats.





                              DALLAS


               Prepare for separation and


               orbital insertion of the cargo.





     Much preparation for separation, etc.





                              DALLAS


               Give me an EC Pressure reading.


              


                              ASH


               3.45 n/c m^2 squared (5 psia)


              


                              DALLAS


               Shout if it changes.  Deactivate


               probe retract system.





                              KANE


               What about the pressure seal.





     Dallas hits appropriate switches.





                              DALLAS


               Now the probe retract system.





     Kane hits other equally appropriate switches.





                              KANE


               Okay.





                              DALLAS


               Release captive hatches and


               disengage probe.





     Kane working switches and buttons.





                              KANE


               Disengaged.





     Dallas pucnhes buttons of his own.


              


     EXT. NOSTROMO                                          27


  


     The Refinery separates from Nostromo.


  


     INT. BRIDGE                                            28


  


     Dallas watches the refinery moving away on a viewscreen.





                              KANE


               All free and clear.





                              DALLAS


               Ash.





                              ASH


               Orbital insertion complete.





                              DALLAS


               Okay.  The money's safe.  Let's


               take it down.


              


     EXT. NOSTROMO                                          29





     Engines coughing to life.


     Nostromo begins its descent.





     Below night's tide rolls across the planet's surface.


  


     INT. BRIDGE                                            30  


     


     The viewscreen shimmers.





                              RIPLEY


               Turbulence.





     EXT. NOSTROMO                                          31


  


     Tug-module hydroplaning downward.


     A set of brilliant lights switch on.


     Cut through the thick atmosphere.


  


     INT. ENGINE ROOM - CUBICLE                             32


  


     Parker and Brett strapped in their seats.


     Begin rocking from the sudden, extreme turbulence.





                              PARKER


               Chirst.  Overloading.  What the


               hell are we going through.





                              BRETT


               Dust fritzing the compressor.





                              PARKER


               There goes the conversion


               stabilizer.





                              BRETT


               I don't know if the digital


               solenoid...





                              PARKER


               Forget it.  If we don't crash,


               dollars to your aunt's cherry


               we get an electrical fire...


  


     INT. BRIDGE                                            33


  


     The turbulence continues unabated.


     Lambert's eyes follow cross-plot gauges.


  


                              LAMBERT


               Drop begins...now.  Fifteen


               kilometers and descending...


               twelve...ten...eight and


               slowing.  Five.  Three.  Two.


               One kilometer and slowing.


              


                              DALLAS


               Lock tractor breams.


              


     A loud electrical hum.


  


                              KANE


               Locked.


              


                              DALLAS


               Kill drive engines.


              


     The engines fall silent.


  


                              LAMBERT              


               Nine hundred meters and dropping.


               Eight hundred.  Seven hundred.





     EXT. PLANET - NIGHT                                    34


  


     Storm blowing across the night-shrouded surface.


     The Nostromo hovers on glowing beams of light.


     Landing struts unfold like insect legs.


     The ship slams down.


     Rocks heavily on massive shock absorbers.


  


     INT. BRIDGE - NIGHT                                    35


  


                              RIPLEY


               We're down.


              


     An enormous vibration.


     The panels in the room flash simultaneously.


     Light go out.





                              KANE


               Lost it.  Lost it.


  


     INT. ENGINE ROOM                                       36


       


     Another huge vibration.


     An electrical fire breaks out along three control panels.


     


     INT. OILY CORRIDOR                                     36-A


     


     Huge flash fire whips along corridor.


     


     INT. ENGINE ROOM - CUBICLE                             37





     Parker and Brett see the pandemonium below.


     Brett hits the secondary generator switch.


     A pressure valve blows.


     Another conduit breaks loose.


     All lights go out.


     They grab hand lights from wall.





     INT. BRIDGE                                            38





     Still in darkness.


  


                              LAMBERT


               Secondary generator should


               kick over.


              


                              KANE


               Where is it.





     Moments.  Nothing.  Kane grabs emergency headlamp from


     facia.


     Followed by Dallas and Lambert.


              


                              DALLAS


               What happened?


  


     Ripley hits the voice-amp.


                             


                              RIPLEY


               Engine room, what happened.


              


                              PARKER


                      (voicer over)


               God damn electrical fire, that's


               what happened.


              


                              BRETT


                      (voice over)


               It's big.


              


     INT. ENGINE ROOM                                       39


  


     Parker fighting an electrical fire on one of his panels.


     Brett shouting into his voice-amp.





                              BRETT


               The intakes are clogged.  We


               overheated and burned out a


               whole cell...Christ, it's really


               breaking loose down here...


  


     INT. BRIDGE                                            40


  


                              DALLAS  


               Somebody give me a simple answer,


               Has the hull been breached.





     Ripley scans her gauges.





                              RIPLEY


               I don't see anything.  We've still


               got pressure.


              


     A beep from the communicator.


  


                              DALLAS


               Hit the screen.


              


     Kane snaps three toggles.


     The screens flicker, but remain black.


  


                              KANE


               Nothing.


              


     EXT. SHIP - NIGHT                                      41


  


     The wind sounds.


     Storm continues to blow around the craft.


     A few glittering lights distinguish the Nostromo from


     absolute darkness.


  


     INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE                               42


  


     Parker on the communicator to the bridge.


  


                              PARKER


               4 panel is totally shot, the


               secondary load sharing unit is


               out, at least three cells on


               12 module are gone.


              


     INT. BRIDGE                                            43


  


     Ripley listening to Parker.


     Dallas standing over her.


     No images on any screens.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Is that it.





                              PARKER


                      (voice over)


               Couldn't fix it out here anyway.


               And we need to reroute a couple


               of these ducts.  Can't really fix


               them without a whole drydock...





                              DALLAS


               What else.


              


                              PARKER


                      (voice over)


               We lost a cell.  Some fragments


               caked up and blew the whole


               system.  We've got to clean it


               all out and repressurize.


              


                              BRETT


                      (voice over)


               Right.


              


                              RIPLEY


               Get started on 4 panel.  I'll


               be down in five minutes.


  


     She shuts off her voice communicator.


  


                              DALLAS


               How long before we're functional.


              


                              RIPLEY


               Fifteen to twenty hours...


              


                              DALLAS


               Stay on it.  What about the


               auxiliaries.


              


                              RIPLEY


               Working on it.


              


     EXT. SHIP - NIGHT                                      44


  


     Bridge lights come to life.


     Illuminate nothing but a patch of featureless ground.


     The wind and storm now at a higher pitch.





                                                       OUT  45


                                                           


     INT. BRIDGE                                            46


  


     Dallas, Kane, Lambert, and Ash.


     Slouched around the bridge.


     Drinking coffee.


     Occasionally staring at the opaque screens.


  


                              DALLAS


               Any response yet.


              


                              ASH


               Nothing but the same transmission


               every thirty-two seconds.  All


               the other channels are dead.





     Pause.





                              DALLAS


               Kick on the floods.





                                             CUT TO:


              


     EXT. SHIP                                         46-A


  


     A ring of floodlights comes to life.


     Dimly illuminating the rocky landscape.


     The wind and dust now at a higher pitch.





                                             CUT TO:


  


     INT. BRIDGE - NIGHT                                    46-B


  


     Dallas stares at the dark screens.


  


                              KANE


               We can't go anywhere in this.





                              ASH


               Mother says the sun's coming up


               in about twenty minutes.


              


                              DALLAS


               How far from the source of the


               transmission.


              


                              ASH


               Northeast... about 3000 meters.





                              KANE


               Close enough to walk.


              


                              DALLAS


               Let's run an atmospheric.


              


     Ash punches buttons, starts to consult his panel.


  


                              ASH


               10 percent agron, 85 precent


               nitrogen, 5 percent neon...I'm


               working on the trace elements.


              


                              DALLAS


               Pressure.


              


                              ASH


               Ten to the fourth dynes per square


               centimeter.





                              KANE


               Moisture content.





                              ASH


               None.  Zero.


              


                              DALLAS


               Anything else.


              


                              ASH


               Rock, lava base.  And cold...


               well below the centrigrade line.





                              KANE


               I volunteer for the first group


               going out.





                              DALLAS


               I hear you.  Lambert.  You too.





     Pause.





                              LAMBERT


               Swell.





                              DALLAS


               One more thing.  Let's get out


               some weapons.


                                                           


     EXT. SHIP - DAWN                                       47





     Sunrise.


     The atmosphere begins to lighten.


     Silhouette of the Nostromo becoming dimly visible.


     Starship perched on barren rock.


     More rolling clouds of dust.


     The floodlights automatically shut off.





     INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE                               48


  


     Parker and Brett laser welding one of the ducts.


     Shirts off.


     Sweat steaming.


     Ripley rewiring one of the panels.


     Parker shuts down the laser, inspects the fusion.


  


                              PARKER


               Hey, Ripley, I got a question.


              


                              RIPLEY


               Yeah.


              


                              PARKER


               Do we get to go out on the


               expedition or are we stuck here


               until everything's fixed.


              


                              RIPLEY


               You know the answer to that.


              


                              BRETT


               What about the shares in case


               they find anything.


              


                              RIPLEY


               Don't worry, you'll both get


               what's coming to you.


              


                              BRETT


               I'm not doing any more work unless


               we get full shares.


              


                              RIPLEY


               You're guaranteed by law that


               you'll get a share... Now both


               of you knock it off and get back


               to work.


              


     Parker looks at her.


     Snaps on the laser weld.


     Starts to join another section of the duct.


  


                              BRETT


               Right.


                                                           


     INT. MAIN AIR LOCK - DAWN                              49


  


     Dallas, Kane and Lambert enter the lock.


     All wear gloves, boots, jackets.


     Carry laser pistols.


     Kane touches a button.


     Servo whine.


     Then the inner door slides quietly shut.


     The trio pull on their helmets.


  


                              DALLAS


               I'm sending.  Do you hear me.


              


                              KANE


               Receiving.


              


                              LAMBERT


               Receiving.


              


                              DALLAS


               All right.  Keep away from the


               weapons unless I say otherwise.





     INT. ASH'S BLISTER - DAWN                              50


  


     Ash descends companionway to blister.


     Punches up screens and instrumentation.


  


     INT. MAIN AIR LOCK - DAWN                              51


  


                              DALLAS


               Open the hatch.


              


     Another servo whine.


     Ponderously, the outer lock hatch slides open.


     Clouds of dust and steam swirl before the three crew members.


     A mobile gangway slides out the open hatch.


     Burnt orange sunlight beyond.


  


     EXT. PLANET - DAWN                                     52


  


     The trio walk down the gangplank.


     Arrive at surface level.


     Their feet striking onto a thick layer of lava rock.


     The wind at gale force.


  


                              DALLAS


               Which way.


              


                              LAMBERT


               Over here.


              


                              DALLAS


               You lead.


              


     Lambert walks into the storm.


     Followed closely by the others.


  


                              LAMBERT


               Now I can't see a God damn thing.


              


                              ASH


                      (voice over)


               Turn on the finder.


              


                              DALLAS


               It's on...Ash are you receiving.


              


     INT. ASH'S BLISTER - DAWN                              53


  


     Ash leaning over his console.


     Watches them beneath him.


     Corresponding images on the screen in front of him.


  


                              ASH


               See you.  Read you.  Good contact


               on my board.


                     


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               Getting you clear and free.  Let's


               keep the line open.


              


     EXT. PLANET - DAWN                                     54


       


     The three crew members push their way along.


     Like divers at the bottom of a dark sea.


     The wind and dust continues driving down in dark sheets.


     Lambert repeats.


  


                              LAMBERT


               Can't see more than three meters


               in any direction.


              


                              KANE


               Quit griping.


              


                              LAMBERT


               I like griping.


              


                              DALLAS


               Come on.


              


     They wade on, following Lambert.


     She halts abruptly.


     Confused.


  


     INT. BLISTER - DAWN                                    55


  


     Ash watches intently.


     Images on each screen of the trio.


  


                              LAMBERT


                      (voice over)


               I've got it again.


              


                              ASH


               Any problems.


              


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               Yeah.  A lot of dust and wind.


               Starting to get some fade on the


               beam.


              


     EXT. PLANET - DAWN                                     56


  


     The trio moves through a dark limbo.


  


                              LAMBERT


               This way.


              


     Lambert indicates left.


     Moves in that direction.


     The others follow.


     The storm growing.


  


                              KANE  


               It's close.


              


     They approach a towering rock formation.


     The transmission stops.


  


                              LAMBERT


               It's gone again.





                              KANE


               Did we pass it.





                              DALLAS


               Not unless it's underground.


               Let's take a break


              


     They shelter with the rock formation.


     Storm howls round them.


     Dallas adjusts headset.


     The signals starts.





                              DALLAS


               I've got it again.  Let's go.





                              LAMBERT


               How about our break.





                              DALLAS


               No. Let's more on while we're


               got the signal, again.


       


     Dallas gets up.





     They stand for a moment...





     Then move away from the rock formation.


     Fossilized into the other side of the rock is a shape.


     Fifteen feet tall.


     Unseen by the members of the party.





     INT. BLISTER - DAWN                                    56-A


  


     Ash receiving the video transmission.  


     Notices something within the formation.


     Freezes the image.


     Enlarges it.


     Enlarges again.





     EXT. THE NOSTROMO - SUNRISE                            57


  


     Atmosphere turning the color of blood.


     Then the sun is up.


  


     EXT. THE NOSTROMO - SUNRISE                            58


  


     Brett and Parker still at work.


     Ripley moves away from her panel in triumph...


  


                              RIPLEY


               You ought to be able to handle


               the rest.


              


                              PARKER


               Don't worry.


              


                              RIPLEY


               If you run into trouble, I'll be


               on the bridge.


              


                              BRETT


               Right.


              


     She leaves.


                             


                              PARKER


               Bitch.


  


     INT. BLISTER - DAY                                     59


  


     Ash still working on the video image.


     Enhances the enlargement.


     Transfers the image to cathode ray.


     The image reveals itself to be a giant form.  Indistinct.





     Ripley's voice comes over.


  


                              RIPLEY


                      (voice over)


               How's it going.





     Ash quickly shuts off the video image.


     Hits the intercom.


              


     INT. BRIDGE                                            60


  


     Ripley at her console.


     Looking at Ash on her screen.


     Ash's video image not visible to Ripley.


  


                              ASH


                      (voice over)


               All right.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Have you tried putting the


               transmission through ECIU.


              


                              ASH


                      (voice over)


               Mother hasn't identified it as yet.


               It's not a language.


              


                              RIPLEY


               I'll give it a shot.


                             


                              ASH


                      (voice over)


               Be my guest.


              


     She pushes some button.


     The noise is now heard on her speaker.


  


     EXT. PLANET - DAY                                      61


  


     Dust clearing.


     Three tiny figures against the landscape.


  


     EXT. PLANET - DAY                                      62


  


     Empty landscape.


     Then Kane comes up over a rise startled by what he sees.


     Suddenly the transmission is deafening.


  


                              KANE


               Jesus Christ.


              


     Dallas and Lambert join him equally startled.


  


     THEIR P.O.V. - DAY                                     63


  


     A gargantuan construction rising from the rock.


     Clearly of nonhuman manufacture.


  


     EXT. PLANET - DAY                                      64


  


     Noise still at shrill pitch.


     All members of the party shouting into their voice-amps.


  


                              KANE


               Some kind of spaceship.


              


                              LAMBERT


               Are you sure.  It's weird...


              


                              DALLAS


               Ash, can you see this.


              


     INT. ASH'S BLISTER - DAY                               65


  


     Ash looking at the craft on a screen.


  


                              ASH


               Yeah.  Never seen one like it.


               Neither has Mother.


              


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               Keep checking for enhancement.


              


                              ASH


               Whatever the transmission is,


               it's inside that.


              


                              KANE


                      (voice over)


               I'll go in and have a look.


              


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               Hold on.  Ash, I don't see any


               lights or movements.  Do you.


              


                              ASH


               I can't get any reading.


              


     EXT. PLANET - DAY                                      66


  


                              ASH


                      (voice over)


               It's putting out so much power


               I just can't get any reading.


              


     Dallas shuts off his receiver.


     Sudden quiet.


     A long moment.


  


                              DALLAS


               It looks pretty dead from here.


               We'll approach the base.


              


     They move toward the ship.





     INT. BLISTER - DAY                                     67


  


     Ash still adjusting image of form in rock.  


     It suddenly resolves.


     A skeleton.  Fifteen feet long.


     He enlarges the image.





                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               There's only one thing I can...


              


     Dallas' voice fades in and out.


     As do their images on the screen.


  


                              ASH


               Dallas...


                      (frantically punches


                      buttons on console)


               Dallas...Do you read me.


              


     No reply.


  


     INT. BRIDGE - DAY                                      67-A


  


     Ripley is running the transmission through ECIU.


     Over the speakers Dallas' voice fades in.


  


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               No sign of life.  No lights...


               No movement...


              


     She studies a long series of binary programs...


  


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               We're beneath the base.





     His voice fades into static.


     Disappears.


  


                                                    CUT TO:


                                                           


     EXT. STRUCTURE - DAY                                   68


  


     The lower part of the entrance filled with dust and pumice.


  


                              KANE


               Looks like an entrance.


              


                              DALLAS


               Yeah... Let's move inside...


              


     They climb up to one of the apertures and enter.


  


     INT. CHAMBER - DAY                                     69


  


     They move into a high-ceilinged chamber.


     Walls covered with shadowy lattices.


     Ghostly light filters dust-filled air.


     A few meters in an opening appears.


     Dallas leans over and looks into the hole.


     Only blackness.


     He unclips the light from his belt.


     Shines it down into the hole.


  


                              DALLAS


               It just goes down... smooth walls.


               I can't see the bottom, light


               won't reach.


              


     Kane and Lambert come over.


     Dallas begins unclipping gear from his belt.


  


                              DALLAS


               Let's take a look around here


               first.


              


     Kane and Lambert exchange a glance.


     Dallas shines his light about, sees...


     A large, glossy urn, tan coloration.


     Round opening at the rop, empty within.


     Then Dallas shines his light on nearby lattice...


     Moves closer.


  


                              DALLAS


               Over here.


              


     They approach.  


     Train their lights along the floor.


     A machine.


     On the mechanism, a small bar moves steadily back


     and forth.


     Sliding noiselessly in the grooves.





                              KANE


               Still functioning.





     Lambert looks down at her direction finder.





                              LAMBERT


               Automatic recording.





     Dallas snaps it off.


  


                              DALLAS


               Now for a look down below.


                      (looks at Kane)


               This is your big chance.


              


                              KANE


               Okay.


              


                              DALLAS


               Don't unhook yourself from the


               cable.  Be out in less than ten


               minutes.  Read me.


              


                              KANE


               Aye aye.


              


     Dallas rigs a tripod over the opening in the floor.


     Unspools a couple of feet of wire.


     Kane attaches the end of it to his chest unit.


     Climbs over the lip and drops it into the hole.


     Now hanging by the wire...


     Head and shoulders out of the opening.


     Kane activates the climbing unit.


     Lowers himself into the fissure.


  


     INT. STRUCTURE OPENING                                 70


  


     Kane braces his feet against the wall of the vertical shaft.


     Switches on his light, points it into the depths.


     The beam penetrates only thirty feet or so, then is lost in


     darkness.





                              KANE


               Hotter in here.  Warm air rising


               from below.


  


     He starts down, playing out the line.


     Descending in short leaps.


     Stops to catch his breath.


     Breathing rasping loudly in his helmet.


     A little sunlight filters from above.


     Looking up, Kane can see the mouth of the hole...


     A glowing spot of light.


  


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               You okay in there.


              


                              KANE


               Haven't hit bottom yet.


               This is work.  Can't talk now.


              


     He kicks off and continues down.


     Taking longer and longer hops as he gains confidence.


     Pausing for a moment to regain his breath, he shines the


     light on his instruments.


  


                              KANE


               I'm below ground level.


              


     INT. BRIDGE                                            71                                                           


     


     Ripley at her console, still working on transmission.


     Gets a readout.


     Looks worried.


     Speaks into communicator.





                              RIPLEY


               Ash, tell Dallas Mother speculates


               that the noise is some kind of


               warning.





                              ASH


                      (voice over)


               I can't tell him anything.  I've


               lost contact.  The transmission


               around the ship is killing all


               communications.





     Pause.





                              RIPLEY


               I'm going out after them.





                              ASH


                      (voice over)


               I don't think so.  We can't


               spare the personnel.  We've


               got minimum takeoff capability


               right now.  That's why Dallas


               left us on board.





                              RIPLEY


               I still think we should go after


               them.





                              ASH


                      (voice over)


               What's the point.  In the time


               it take to get there.  They'll


               know if it's a warning.





     Ripley looks steadily at Ash on her monitor.


     His screen, not visible to her, shows blowup of helmeted,


     skeletal head.  Not human.





     INT. STRUCTURE                                         72


  


     Kane resumes his downward climb.


     Suddenly, his feet lose their purchase as the walls of the


     shaft disappear.


     The tunnel has reached its end.


     Below him is a dark, cavernous space.


     Deep breaths due to his violent exertion.


  


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               See anything?


              


                              KANE


               No...Tunnel's gone.  Cave or


               something below me.  Feels like


               the goddamn tropics in here...


              


     He consults his instruments.


     Helmet instrumentation strobing softly in the darkness.


  


                              KANE


               ...high nitrogen content, no


               oxygen...


              


     Still puffing, he releases his purchase on the stone walls.


     Begins to lower himself on power.


     Now Kane is dangling free in darkness.


     Spinning slowly on the wire as the chest unit unwinds.


     Then his feet hit bottom.


     Kane grunts in surprise, almost loses his balance.


     He flashes his suit lights.


     The beams reveal that he is in a large hold.


     Row after row of extrusions stretch from floor to ceiling.


  


                              KANE


               This is weird.


              


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               What do you mean.


              


                              KANE


               There's something all over the


               walls.


              


     Kane walks across the chamber.


     Examines the organic protrusions.


  


     INT. CHAMBER ABOVE                                     73


  


     Dallas and Lambert.


  


                              DALLAS


               How long till sunset.


              


                              LAMBERT


               Twenty minutes.


              


     A look from Lambert.


  


     INT. HOLD                                         74


  


     Kane approaches the center of the room.


     On the floor are rows of leathery ovoid shapes.


     He walks around them.


     Shines his light on one.


  


                              KANE


               It's like some kind of storage


               area.  Is anybody there.  Do


               you read me.


              


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               Loud and clear.


              


                              KANE


               The place is full of leathery


               things sealed...soft to the


               touch.


              


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               Can you see what's in them.


              


                              KANE


               I'll give it a look.


              


     He tries to open one of them.


     It won't open.


  


                              KANE


               Strange feeling to it.





                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               Don't open it.  You don't know


               what's in it.


              


     Kane peers closely at the leathery ovoids.


     Turns away.


     Raised areas begin to appear where he touched it.


     He moves his light along the rows.


     Turns back to the one he was examining.


     Something has changed.


     The opaque surface begins to clear.


     Object becoming visible within.


     Kane shines his light on the floor at the base of it.


     He studies it.


  


                              KANE


               Jesus...


              


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               What.


              


     Viscera and mandible now visible.


     The interior surface spongy and irregular.


     Kane shines the light inside.


     With shocking violence, a small creature smashes outward.


     Fixes itself to his mask.


     Sizzling sound.


     The creature melts through the mask.


     Attaches itself to Kane's face.


     Kane tears at the thing with his hands.


     His mouth forced open.


     He falls backward.


  


     INT. CHAMBER ABOVE                                     75


  


                              DALLAS


               Kane...Kane can you hear me.


              


                              LAMBERT


               What's the matter.


              


                              DALLAS


               We better haul him out.





                              LAMBERT


               It'll yank him right off his feet


               if he's not expecting it.





                              DALLAS


               Try him again.


              


                              LAMBERT


               Kane...Kane...Goddamn it.  Answer


               me.


              


     Dallas begins to fiddle with the wench mechanism.





                              DALLAS


               The line's slack.





     Pause.





                              LAMBERT


               He doesn't answer.


                      (pause)


               Do you think he could have unhooked


               himself.


     


     Dallas switches on the winch motor.


     With a whine, it begins to reel the line in.


     After a moment the line tightens with a jerk.


     The motor slows, laboring under added weight.


  


                              DALLAS


               It caught.


              


                              LAMBERT


               Is it hooked on something.


              


                              DALLAS


               No, it's coming.


              


                              LAMBERT


               I can't see anything.


              


     Dallas shines his light down into the hole.


     Shakes his head.





                              DALLAS


               Line's still moving.





     A long moment.


     Dallas shines his light again.


  


                              DALLAS


               Here he comes.


                   


     The winch labors heavily.


  


                              DALLAS


               Get ready to grab him.


              


     Kane appears at the top of the opening.


     Dangles limply from the wire.


     Dallas reaches for him, then recoils.


  


                              DALLAS


               Look out.  There's something on


               his face.


              


     Lambert attempts to help.


  


                              LAMBERT


               What is it.


              


     Kane appears to be completely unconscious.


     The life form is still wrapped motionless around his face.


  


                              LAMBERT


               Oh Jesus.


              


                              DALLAS


               Don't touch it.


              


     They grapple with Kane's limp body.


     Lift him from the hole.


  


     INT. ENTRANCE TO DERELICT - SUNSET                     75-A                                                           


     


     Kane is now pinioned betweeb Dallas and Lambert.


     The storm raging through and beyond the entrance...


     Dallas begins to assemble travois.


                                                           


     EXT. THE NOSTROMO - SUNSET                             75-B


  


     Atmosphere turning the color of blood.


     And the sun is down.


     The ring of floodlights on the ship comes to life.


     Feebly combatting the darkness and continuing storm.


  


     INT. BRIDGE                                            76


  


     Jones the cat staring through a port opening at the storm.


     Ripley waiting on the bridge.


     Ash stares at his inactive monitors.


     Suddenly:


  


                              ASH


               We've got them.  They're back


               on the screens.


              


                              RIPLEY


               How many.


              


                              ASH


               Three blips.  They're coming


               this way.


              


     Ripley presses transmitter.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Dallas, Lambert.  Can you read me.


                             


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               We hear you.  We're coming back...


               Kane's injured... We'll need some


               help getting him in.


              


     Ripley stares at the screen.





                              ASH


               I'll go.


     


     Ash moves from the room.


     Ripley remains seated at her console.


  


     EXT. LANDING LEG - NIGHT                               76-a


  


     Dallas and Lambert dragging Kane on a travois towards landing


     leg.


  


     INT. PASSAGEWAY NEAR AIR LOCK                          77


  


     Ash comes down the steps.


     Hurries to the inner door lock.


     Presses the wall voice-amp.


  


                              ASH


               Ripley, I'm by the inner lock


               hatch.


              


                              RIPLEY


                      (voice over)


               Okay.


              


     EXT. LANDING LEG - NIGHT                               77-A


  


     Dallas and Lambert drag Kane onto lift platform.


  


                                                      OUT   78


                                                           


     INT. PASSAGEWAY NEAR AIR LOCK                          79





     Parker comes running up.





                              PARKER


               What's going on.





                              ASH


               Kane got hurt somehow.





                              PARKER


               How bad.


  


     Ash shrugs.


     Brett appears at the top of the companionway.


     Puzzled look on his face.


  


     INT. BRIDGE                                            80


  


     Ripley seated alone in the room.


     Dallas appears as a huge image on all screens.


     Lambert behind him.


     Kane pinioned to Dallas.


                             


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               Ripley, are you there.


              


                              RIPLEY


               Right here.


              


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               We're coming up.  Open the


               lock.


              


                              RIPLEY


               What happened to Kane.  I need


               a clear definition.


              


                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               Some kind of organism.  It's


               attached itself to him.  Let


               is in.


                      (long moment)


               You hear me.  Open the lock.


                             


                             RIPLEY


               If we let it in, the ship could


               be infected.





                              DALLAS


                      (voice over)


               Goddamn it.  Open the hatch.





                              RIPLEY


               We're already broken every rule


               or quarantine.  If we bring an


               organism on board, we won't have


               a single layer of defense left.


              


                              LAMBERT


                      (voice over)


               Open the God damn hatch.  We


               have to get him inside.


              


                              RIPLEY


               I can't.  If you were in my


               position you'd do the same.


              


     INT. PASSAGEWAY NEAR AIR LOCK                          81


  


                              DALLAS


                         (voice over)


               Ripley, do you hear me.


              


                              RIPLEY


                         (voice over)


               I read you.  The answer is negative.


              


     Ash hits the emergency switch.


     A red light goes on.


     Servo whine.


     Followed by a solid metallic chunk.


  


                              ASH


               Inner hatch open.


              


     INT. BRIDGE - NIGHT                                    82


  


     Ripley staring at the console.


     She can't believe what she sees.


     Turns to the viewscreens.


     Watches Dallas, Kane and Lambert enter.


  


     INT. PASSAGEWAY NEAR AIR LOCK                          83                                                           


     


     The servo again turns over.


     Another clunk.


     The outer door has closed.


     Red light off.


     The inner door slides open.


     Dallas and Lambert stagger into passageway.


     Carry Kane's body between them.


     Dallas pulls off his helmet.





                              DALLAS


               Stay clear.





     Ash and Parker move back.





                              ASH


               God.





                              PARKER


               Is it alive.





                              LAMBERT


               I don't know, but don't touch it.





                              DALLAS


               Take him to the infirmary.





                              BRETT


               Right.





     Ash and Brett move in carefully to help with the limp burden.


                                                           


     INT. INFIRMARY                                         84


  


     Kane's helmet.


     Hands begin to open it with a laser cutter.


     The helmet separates easily.


     The two halves part...


     ...The life form slowly pulsing on Kane's face.


     Dallas hesitates, then puts his hand on the small Creature.


     Tries to pull it free.


     Unsuccessful.


     The Alien remains anchored to Kane's tissue.





                              ASH


               Let me try.





     Ash takes a pair of pliers from a rack.


     Carefully grasps the tip of the Creature.


     Squeezes tightly.


     Leans back.


  


                              DALLAS


               You're tearing his face.


              


     A trickle of blood appears on Kane's cheek.


  


                              BRETT


               It's not going to come off without


               pulling his whole faceoff at the


               same time.





                              DALLAS


               Let the machine work on him.


              


     The Ash presses a switch.


     The machine lights up.


     Kane is sucked into a slot on the wall.


     Visible inside through the glass layer.


     A blinding colored light performs antisepsis.


     Two video monitors pop on.





     ANGLE ON THE DOORWAY                                   84-A





     Ripley appears.


     Dallas turns and looks at her.


     A long moment.





                              DALLAS


               When I give an order, I expect


               it to be obeyed.





                              RIPLEY


               Even if it's against the law.





                              DALLAS


               That's right.





     Lambert steps forward and slaps Ripley across the face.


     Ripley slowly puts her hand to her cheek.





                              LAMBERT


               You were going to leave us out there.





                              PARKER


               Maybe she should have.  Who the


               hell knows what that is.





                              BRETT


               Right.





     Ripley looks at Lambert.


     A moment.





                              RIPLEY


               Let's call it settled.





     Lambert gives her a curt nod.


     Ash turns attention to the instrumentation.





                              RIPLEY


               Somebody fill me in.





                              DALLAS


               He went into the structure alone,


               we lost radio contact.  When we


               pulled him out, it was on his face...





                              ASH


               Where did it come from...





                              DALLAS


               Somewhere inside that ship.





                              PARKER


               How the hell is he breathing.





     They study the monitors.





                              ASH


               Blood's throughly oxygenated.





                              DALLAS


               How.  His nose and mouth seem


               to be blocked.





                              ASH


               We better look inside his head.





     Ash punches three buttons.


     An X-ray image appears.


     A color depiction of Kane's head and upper torso.


     The Alien is clearly visible.


     A maze of complicated biology.


     Kane's jaws are forced open.


     The creature has extruded a long tube down his mouth and


     throat.


     The appendage ending at the base of the esophagus.


  


                              BRETT  


               It's got something down his goddamn


               throat.





                              ASH


               That must be how it's getting


               oxygen to him.





                              RIPLEY


               It doesn't make sense.  It paralyzes


               him, puts him into a coma, then


               keeps him alive.





                              PARKER


               Let's kill it.  We can't leave the


               damn thing on him.





                              ASH


               I don't know.  At the moment the


               Creature is keeping him alive.


               If we remove it we might


               terminate Kane...


  


                              DALLAS


               I don't think so.  Let's take the


               chance and cut it off him.


  


                              ASH


               You'll take the responsibility.


  


                              DALLAS


               That's right.





     Slips into surgical gloves.


     Presses a switch, Kane slides back out of the booth.





                              DALLAS


               Give me the knife.


              


     Ripley takes a surgical laser blade from the case.


     Carefully passes it to Dallas.


     He manipulates the knife until he has a comfortable grip.


     Flicks a small button with his thumb.


     The blade begins to hum.


     Dallas advances on Kane's prostrate form.


     Touches the scalpel to the Creature.


     The electronic blade slices effortlessly downward.


     Suddenly a urine-like fluid begins to drip from the wound.


  


                              DALLAS


               Starting to bleed.


  


     The liquid flows onto the bedding next to Kane's head.


     Starts to hiss.


     Smoke curls up from the stain.


     Next the yellow fluid eats a hole through the bunk bed.


     Then drips onto the deck below.


     Metal bubbling and sizzling.


     More smoke rising, sending the crew into a coughing jag.


     The crew jostle their way out of the cabin.


     Huddle in the passageway outside, still coughing.


     Dallas frantically applies pressure to the wound.


     In the process, smoke of the fluid gets on Dallas's gloves.


     They begin to smoke.


     Dallas leaps back, pulls them off.


     Then runs out into the corridor.


  


     INT. PASSAGEWAY OUTSIDE INFIRMARY                      85


  


                              BRETT


               Shit.  It's going to eat through


               the decks and go out the hull...


              


     He starta to run for the companionway.


  


     INT. PASSAGEWAY - "B" DECK                             86


  


     Dallas wrenches an emergency lamp from a socket.


     Hurls himself down a companionway.


     The others follow.


  


                              DALLAS


               There.


  


     A droplet of fluid is sizzling on the ceiling bulkhead.


     It oozes down.


     Drips to the deck.


     Continues to bubble.


     Then goes through the bulkhead.


  


                              ASH


               What can we put under it.


  


     Ripley and Parker charge down the companionway below.


  


     INT. SECOND LEVEL - "C" DECK                           87


  


     Ripley and Parker move cautiously down the passageway.


     Look up to the ceiling bulkhead.





                              PARKER


               Don't get under it.


              


     INT. PASSAGEWAY - "B" DECK                             88


              


     Dallas, Brett and Ash crouch by the spot where the acid


     sizzles.


     Ash fishes a pen out of his pocket.


     Probes the hole in the deck.


  


                              ASH


               It's stopped penetrating.


  


     Ripley comes charging back up.              


     


                              RIPLEY


               What's happening.





                              ASH


               I think it's lost steam.  No


               longer active.





     Ripley checks the opening.


     Ash straightens up.


     Starts to put the pen back in his pocket.


     Changes his mind and stands holding it by the end.


  


                              ASH


               I've never seen anything like that,


               except molecular acid...


  


                              BRETT


               This thing uses it for blood.


  


                              ASH


               It's the asbestos that stopped it,


               otherwise it would have gone straight


               through.





                              DALLAS


               Wonderful defense mechanism.


               You don't dare kill it.


              


     Parker comes up the companionway.





                              PARKER


               It's stopped bleeding.





                              DALLAS


               Yeah.  After is penetrated two


               levels.





                              RIPLEY


               What about Kane.





     Starts up companionway.


  


     INT. INFIRMARY                                         89


  


     They return.


     Kane still motionless on the bunk.


     The Alien remains secured to his face.


     Wound completely healed over.


  


                              PARKER


               Any of the acid get on him.


  


     Dallas approaches, peers at Kane's head.


  


                              DALLAS


               Doesn't look like it.


  


                              BRETT


               Is it still dripping that crap.


  


                              ASH


               Healed over.





                              LAMBERT


               There must be some way we can get


               it off.





     And look at Dallas.





                              ASH


               I don't think you ought to try


               again.  It didn't work out too well


               last time.


  


     Dallas gives him a look in return.


     Ripley presses a button.


     Kane slides back into the diagnostic coffin.


     More buttons pressed.


     Display lights up again, showing the different parts of


     Kane's body.


  


                              ASH


               I better get some intravenous


               feeding started.  So far I can't


               tell what the Alien has absorbed


               from his system.


  


     The machine begins to process Kane's body.





                              RIPLEY


               What's the stain on his lungs.





     The X-ray reveals a spreading dark blot in the chest cavity.


     At the center, the stain is completely opaque.





                              ASH


               Whatever it is, it's blocking


               the X-ray.





     A long moment.


     The stain spreads.





                              BRETT


               What happens know.





     Ash sets aside his partially melted pen.


     Looks at Dallas.





                              DALLAS


               You go back to work.


  


     INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE                               90


  


     Brett at work in the cubicle.


     Parker supervising him.


  


                              BRETT


               I think I've got it.  Give it a


               try.


  


     Parker pushes a button.


     Negative reaction on his monitor.


  


                              PARKER


               Nothing.


  


                              BRETT


               Damn.  I was sure that was it.


  


                              PARKER


               Well, it wasn't.  Try the next one.


  


                              BRETT


               Right.


  


     Adjusts several toggles.


                             


                              RIPLEY


                      (voice over)


               What's happening.


              


                              PARKER


               This goddamn woman.  I'll tell


               her what's happening.  My Johnson


               is happening.


                      (punches the communicator)


               A lot of hard work.  Real work.


              


     INT. BRIDGE - NIGHT                                    91


  


                              PARKER


                      (voice over)


               You ought to try it sometime.


              


                              RIPLEY


               I've got the toughest job on


               this ship...


              


     Derisive laugh from Parker through the speaker.


  


                              RIPLEY


               I have to listen to your bullshit.


  


     INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE                               92


                             


                              PARKER


               Get off my back.


  


                              RIPLEY


                      (voice over)


               I'll get off your back when 12


               module is fixed.


              


     She clicks off.


     Parker turns away.


  


                              PARKER


               Smart mouth broad.


  


     INT. INFIRMARY                                         93


  


     Ash running test on the equipment.


     Kane respirating on the view screens above.


     Still deep within a coma.


     All instruments recording his life processes.


     The Alien's position unchanged.


     Ripley approaches.


     Sits near Ash.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Anything new.


  


                              ASH


               He's holding, no changes.


  


                              RIPLEY


               What about the Creature.


  


                              ASH


               It's got an outer layer of protein


               polysaccharides.  A lot of Amino


               Acids for prolonged reistance to


               adverse environmental conditions...


               That enough for you.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Plenty.  What's it mean.


  


                              ASH


               Interesting combination of elements


               making it one tough little son-of-


               a-bitch...


  


                              RIPLEY


               Is that why you let it in.


  


                              ASH


               I was following a direct order.


               Remember.


  


                              RIPLEY


               While Dallas and Kane are off


               the ship, I'm Senior Officer.


  


                              ASH


               Yes, of course -- I forgot.


  


                              RIPLEY


               You also forgot the science division's


               basic quarantine law.


  


                              ASH


               No.  that I didn't forget.


  


                              RIPLEY


               You just broke it.


  


                              ASH


               What would you have done with Kane...


               His only chance at staying alive


               was to get into the infirmary.


  


                              RIPLEY


              By breaking quarantine procedure


              you risk everybody's life.


  


                              ASH


               Maybe I should have let him die


               out there.  Maybe I have jeopardized


               the rest of us...It's a risk I'm


               willing to take.


  


                              RIPLEY


               This is your official position as


               a science officer.  Not exactly out


               of the manual.


  


                              ASH


               The first position of science is


               the protection and betterment of


               human life.  I take my responsibility


               as seriously as you do... you do your


               job and I'll do mine.


  


     Ripley stands...looks at Ash.


     Walks out.


  


     INT. MESS                                              94


  


     Lambert playing with some string, amusing Jones.


     Cat's Cradle.


     Both looking bored.


  


     INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE                               95


  


     Parker and Brett at work on the final intake screen.


  


     INT. NARCISSUS                                         96


  


     Dallas listening to a primitive tape.


     His foot tapping with the rhythm.


     Beep.


     An interruption on the communicator.


  


                              DALLAS


               Dallas.


  


                              ASH


                      (voice over)


               I think you should have a


               look at Kane.  Something's


               happened.


                             


                              DALLAS


               Serious.


              


                              ASH


                      (voice over)


               Interesting.


  


     Dallas exits.


  


     INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE IMFIRMARY WINDOW                 97


  


     Ash stares through window.


     Dallas joins him.


     Ripley appears behind.


     A long pause.


  


                              DALLAS


               It's gone.


  


     Kane's prone form.


     The Alien is no longer on his face.


     Kane still unconscious, but continues to breathe.


     Face covered with sucker marks.


  


                              RIPLEY


               The door is closed.  It must still


               be in there.





                              ASH


               We can't open the door.  We don't


               want to let it out.





                              RIPLEY


               Yeah, I remember.  We can't grab


               it.  We can't kill it...





                              DALLAS


               Maybe we can catch it.





                              ASH


               As long as we're careful not to


               damage it.





  


     INT. INFIRMARY                                         97-A


  


     They enter cautiously.


     Dallas begins moving slowly around the room.


     Picking up a stainless steel tray.


     Looking.


     Ash and Ripley do the same.


     Ripley bends down and peers under the bunk.


     Nothing.


     Accidentally kicks over a tray.


     She stands.


     Doesn't see the Alien on a ledge above her.


     Her shoulder brushes against the Creature.


     It drops on her.


     She screams.  Twists.


     The Alien drops to the floor.


     Then lies motionless.


     Its skin faded to a dead-looking grey.


     Ripley doesn't raise her eyes from the Creature.


     Prods the Alien.


     No response.


  


                              ASH


               I think it's dead.


                      (looks to Ripley)


               You okay.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Yeah.


  


     She carefully touches the Creature with a metal probe.


     Fishes the motionless life-form into the tray.


     Quickly closes the lid.


     Lifts it onto a stainless steel table.


     Bright light trained on the Alien.


  


     The Creature in a supine position.


     Ash touches at the Alien with a surgical instrument.


  


                              ASH  


               Look at those suckers.  No wonder


               we couldn't get it off him.





                              RIPLEY


               Where's its mouth.





                              ASH


               It's this tube-thing, up in


               here.


                      (carefully extracts


                      the end of the organ)


               It's hardening.


                      (slips the Creature


                      under a fluoroscope)


               It's dead.  No life sign whatever.


              


                              RIPLEY


               Let's get rid of it.


  


                              ASH


               This has to go back.  This is


               our first contact with a


               specimen like this.  All kinds


               of tests need to be run.


  


                              RIPLEY


               That thing bled acid.  God


               knows what it'll do when


               it's dead.


  


                              ASH


               I think it's safe to assume


               it's not a zombie... Dallas, we


               have to keep this specimen.


              


     Pause.


              


                              DALLAS


               You're the science officer.  It's


               your decision.


  


                              ASH


               Then it's made... I'll seal it


               in a stasis tube.


              


     Pause.


              


                              RIPLEY


               What about Kane.


  


     Ash turns back to the bunk.


     Studies the life support gauges.


     Kane continues to breathe steadily.


              


                              ASH


               Running a fever.  And still


               unconscious.  The machine will


               bring his temperature down.


               His vital functions are strong...


               who knows, he may make it.


              


     Ash begins to seal the Alien in a large vacuum tube.





                              RIPLEY


               I need some coffee.





     She turns and walks away.


                                                           


     INT. COMPUTER ANNEX                                    98


  


     Ripley and Dallas.


  


                              RIPLEY


               How could you leave that kind


               of decision to him.


  


                              DALLAS


               I just run the ship.  Anything


               that has to do with science


               division, Ash has the final word.


  


                              RIPLEY


               How does that happen.


  


                              DALLAS


               Same way everything else happens.


               Orders from the Company.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Since when is that standard


               procedure.


  


                              DALLAS


               Standard procedure is do what


               they tell you... Besides, I only


               know about flying... I haul cargo


               for a living.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Did you ship out with Ash before.


  


                              DALLAS


               First time.  I went five hauls


               with another science man.  Then


               two days before we left Thedus,


               replaced him with Ash.


              


     She looks at him.


  


                              DALLAS


               So what.  They replaced my


               warrant officer with you.


  


                              RIPLEY


               I don't trust him.


  


                              DALLAS


               I don't trust anybody...What's


               holding up repairs.


  


                              RIPLEY


               They're pretty much finished now.  


               


                              DALLAS


               Why didn't you say so?





                              RIPLEY


               There are still some thing left


               to do.





                              DALLAS


               Like what?


  


                              RIPLEY


               We're blind on B and C decks.


               Reserve power systems blown...


  


                              DALLAS


               That's crap.  We can take off


               without them.


               


                              RIPLEY


               Is that a good idea.





                              DALLAS


               I want to get out of here.


               Let's get this turkey off the


               ground.


                                                           


     EXT. PLANET - SUNRISE                                  99


  


     The Nostromo's engines roaring.


     Belching out streams of superheated air.


     The starship vibrates.


     Begins to surge forward.


                                                                


     INT. BRIDGE - SUNRISE                                 100





     The crew at their posts.


     An electrical hum permeates the air.





                              RIPLEY


               Lock tractor beams.





     The pitch of the hum changes.


     The ship levels itself.





                              RIPLEY


               Retract leading struts.





     EXT. PLANET - SUNSIRE                                 101





     The Nostromo hovering above the ground.


     Held on beams of shimmering force.


     The landing struts begin folding.





     INT. BRIDGE - DAY                                     102


       


                              DALLAS


               Take us up.





     Lambert bends over the voice amplifier.





                              LAMBERT


               One kilometer on ascension.





     INT. PLANET                                           103





     The Nostromo begins to levitate skyward.


     Seemingly pushing upward on the beams of light.





     INT. BRIDGE - DAY                                     104  


     


     The ship continues vibrating.





                              DALLAS


               Switch on lifter quads.





     A powerful, deep throbbing begins.


     The vibrations increase.





                              RIPLEY


                      (into speaker)


               Everything holding together


               down there.





     INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE                              105





     Parker and Brett strapped in and vibrating.





                              PARKER


               We fix something it stays fixed.





                              BRETT


               Right.





     EXT. NOSTROMO - DAY                                   106





     The starship hovering below cloud ceiling.


     THen begins to accelerate through the dense atmosphere.





     INT. BRIDGE - DAY                                     107





     All viewscreens operational.





                              DALLAS


               Engage artificial gravity.





     Lambert throws a switch.


     The ship lurches.


  


                              LAMBERT


               Engaged.


  


                              DALLAS


               Altering the vector now.


              


     A huge tremor runs throughout the ship.


  


                              PARKER'S VOICE


                      (o.s.)


               Dust is clogging the damn intakes


               again.  We're overloading.





                              DALLAS


               Just hold us together until


               we're beyond G1...


       


     The pitch of the engines changes...deepens.


  


     EXT. NOSTROMO - DAY                                   108


  


     The ship moves at an acute angle.


     Slices through the boiling clouds.


  


     INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE                              109


  


     Parker and Brett watching the guages.


  


     INT. BRIDGE - DAY                                     110


  


     Outside the screens, clouds, clouds, clouds.


     Another tremor runs through the ship.


     The crew's eyes riveted to their instruments.





                              DALLAS


               Let's pick up the money and go


               home.


  


     EXT. NOSTROMO                                         111


  


     The ship clears the top of the cloud layer.


     Bursts out into star-sprinkled space.


     Trailing a wake of glimmering dust flecks.


     Attached itself to the hovering refinery.


  


     INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE                              111-A


  


     Brett waves his arms in exultation.  


     


                              BRETT


               We did it





                              PARKER


               Walk in the park.  When we fix


               something it stays fixed.





     Big smiles.


  


     INT. BRIDGE                                           112


  


     The Nostromo now safely beyong gravity.                              


                              


                              DALLAS


               Set our course and get us up


               to light plus four.





     Lambert begins punching buttons.





                              LAMBERT


               Feets get me out of here.


  


     EXT. OUTER SPACE                                      113


  


     The Nostromo now at light speed.


     Preceptible movement in the surrounding universe.


     A corona effect emerges.


     Stars approaching the Nostromo appear blue.


     Receding stars going to amber.


     Redshift, made visible because of the craft's velocity.


  


     INT. MESS                                         114


  


     Parker, Brett, Dallas and Ripley around the table.


     Drinking coffee.


  


                              PARKER


               The best thing to do is just to


               freeze him.  Stop the goddam


               disease.  He can get a doctor to


               look at him when we get back home.


  


                              BRETT


               Right.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Whenever he says anything you say


               'right'.  You know that, Brett.


  


                              BRETT


               Right.


  


                              RIPLEY


               What do you think, Parker.  Your


               staff just follows you around and


               says 'right'.  Like a regular parrot.


       


     Parker turns to Brett.


  


                              PARKER


               Yeah.  Shape up.  What are you,


               some kind of parrot.


  


                              BRETT


               Right.


  


                              DALLAS


               Knock it off... Kane will have


               to go into quarantine.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Yeah.  And so will we.


  


     Lambert enters.


  


                              LAMBERT


               How about a little something to


               lower your spirits.


  


                             DALLAS


              Thrill me.


  


                              LAMBERT


               According to my calculations...


               based on the time spent getting


               to and from the planet and the


               speed at which it's moving away


               from the other...


  


                              DALLAS


               Give me the short version...





                              LAMBERT


               It'll take us six weeks to get


               back on course.





                              DALLAS


               How far to Earth.


  


                              LAMBERT


               Ten months.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Christ.


  


     Beep.


  


                              DALLAS


               Dallas.


  


                              ASH


                      (voice over)


               Come and see Kane right away...


                             


                              DALLAS


               Any change in his condition.


  


                              ASH


                      (voice over)


               It's simpler if you just come


               see him.


              


                                                     OUT   115


                                                           


     INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE INFIRMARY WINDOW                116


  


     What they see is...Not what they expect.


     Kane is sitting up in bed...wide awake.


     They enter...


  


                              LAMBERT


               Kane...Are you all right.





                              KANE


               Mouth's dry...can I have some


               water.





     Instantly, Ash brings him a plastic cup and water.


     Kane gulps it down in a swallow.





                              KANE


               More.





     Ripley quickly fills a much bigger container.


     Hands it to Kane.


     He greedily consumes the entire contents.


     Then sags back, panting, on the bunk.


  


                              DALLAS


               How do you feel.


  


                              KANE


               Terrible.  What happened to me.  


               


                              ASH


               You don't remember.





                              KANE


               Don't remember anything.  I can


               barely remember my name.





                              PARKER


               Do you hurt.


  


                              KANE


               All over.  Feel like somebody's


               been beating me with a stick


               for about six years.


                      (smiles)


               God, I'm hungry.





                              RIPLEY


               What's the last thing you can


               remember.





                              KANE


               I don't know.





                              DALLAS


               Do you remember what happened


               on the planet.





                              KANE


               Just some horrible dream              


               about smothering.  Where


               are we.





                              RIPLEY


               We're on our way home.


              


                              BRETT


               Getting ready to go back into


               the freezers.


  


                              KANE


               I'm starving.  I want some food


               first.


  


                              PARKER


               I'm pretty hungry myself.


  


                              DALLAS


               One meal before bed.


                                                           


     INT. MESS                                         117


  


     The entire crew is seated.


     Hungrily swallowing huge portions of artificial food.


     The cat eats from a dish on the table.


  


                              KANE


               First thing I'm going to do when


               we get back is eat some decent


               food.


  


                              PARKER


               I've had worse than this, but


               I've had better too, if you know


               what I mean.


  


                              LAMBERT


               Christ, you're pounding down this


               stuff like there's no tomorrow.





     Pause.


  


                              PARKER


               I mean I like it.


  


                              KANE


               No kidding.


  


                              PARKER


               Yeah.  It grows on you.


  


                              KANE


               It should.  You know what they


               make this stuff out of...


  


                              PARKER


               I know what they make it out of.


               So what.  It's food now.  You're


               eating it.


              


     Suddenly Kane grimaces.


  


                              RIPLEY


               What's wrong.


              


     Kane's voice strains.


  


                              LAMBERT


               What's the matter.


  


                              KANE


               I don't know... I'm getting cramps.


              


     The others stare at him in alarm.


     Suddenly he makes a loud groaning noise.


     Clutches the edge of the table with his hands.


     Knuckles whitening.


  


                              ASH


               Breathe deeply.


  


     Kane screams.


  


                              KANE


               Oh God, it hurts so bad.


               It hurts.  It hurts.


                      (stands up)


               Ooooooh.


  


                              BRETT


               What is it.  What hurts.


              


     Kane's face screws into a mask of agony.


     He falls back into his chair.


  


                              KANE


               Ohmygooaaaahh.


              


     A red stain.


     Then a smear of blood blossoms on his chest.


  


     The fabric of his shirt is ripped apart.


     A small head the size of a man's fist pushes out.


  


     The crew shouts in panic.


     Leap back from the table.


     The cat spits, bolts away.


  


     The tiny head lunges forward.


     Comes spurting out of Kane's chest trailing a thick body.


     Splatters fluids and blood in its wake.


     Lands in the middle of the dishes and food.


     Wriggles away while the crew scatters.


     Then the Alien being disappears from sight.


  


     Kane lies slumped in his chair.


     Very dead.


     A huge hole in his chest.


     The dishes are scattered.


     Food covered with blood.


  


                              LAMBERT


               No, no, no, no, no.


              


                              BRETT


               What was that.  What the Christ


               was that.





                              PARKER


               It was growing in him the whole


               time and he didn't even know it.





                              ASH


               It used him for an incubator.





                              RIPLEY


               That means we've got another


               one.





                              DALLAS


               Yeah.  And it's loose on the


               ship.





     Slowly they gather around Kane's gutted corpse.


     Then they all look at one another.


     Then at Kane.


     Dead on the table.


  


     INT. CORRIDOR - "A" DECK                              118





     Empty.  


     Parker and Brett descend companioway.


     They join Ash, Lambert, Ripley and Dallas.





                              DALLAS


               Any signs.





                              LAMBERT


               Nothing.





                              ASH


               Nothing.





                              PARKER


               Didn't see a goddamn thing.





                              BRETT


               Didn't see anything.





                              RIPLEY


               We can't go into hypersleep with


               that thing running loose.  We'd


               be sitting ducks in the freezers.


               We have to kill it first.





                              LAMBERT


               We can't kill it.  If we do, it


               will spill its body acids right


               through the hull...





                              BRETT


               Son-of-a-bitch.





                              RIPLEY


               We have to catch it and eject


               it from the ship.





                              ASH


               Our supplies are based on us


               spending a limited amount of


               time out of suspended animation.


               Strictly limited.





                              RIPLEY


               First we have to find it.





                              DALLAS


               No.  First we've got something


               else to do.





     He looks at Kane's body through mess doorway.





     INT. AIR LOCK                                         119


  


     Kane's body wrapped in a makeshift shroud.


     


     INT. BRIDGE                                           120


  


     The crew looking at Kane's body on view screens.


     Silent.


     Depressed.


  


                              DALLAS


               Inner hatch sealed.


              


     Ripley nods.


  


                              DALLAS


               Anybody want to say anything.


              


     Nothing to say.


     He nods to Ripley.


     She presses a button.


  


     INT. AIR LOCK                                         121


  


     The outer hatch opens.


     Yawning space outside.


     Kane's body shoots out into eternity.


     The hatch closes.


  


     INT. MESS                                         122


  


     The crew is assembled.  


     


                              RIPLEY  


               I've checked on the supplies.


               For about a week we can stay


               out of hypersleep.





                              BRETT


               Then what.





                              LAMBERT


               We run out of food and oxygen.





                              DALLAS


               All right, that's what we've got.


               A week.  It's plenty of time.





                              PARKER


               I say we put on our pressure


               suits and blow all the air out


               of the ship.  That might kill it.





                              LAMBERT


               What a swell idea.





                              PARKER


               What's wrong with it.





                              ASH


               We've got forty-eight hours of


               air in our pressure suits and


               it takes six months to get home.





                              LAMBERT


               Other than that...A swell idea.





     Parker won't give up on this idea.





                              PARKER


               Maybe we could out some kind


               of special lines to the tanks.


               Brett and I are pretty good


               practical engineers...We got


               us back up you know.





                              RIPLEY


               All by yourselves.





                              ASH


               I hate to point this out but


               it might be better off without


               oxygen.  It lived that way long


               enough.





                              RIPLEY


               There's another problem.  How


               do we find it.  There's no


               visual communication on B and


               C decks.  All the screens are


               out.





                              DALLAS


               We're going to have to flush it


               out.


  


                              ASH


               Sounds great...but how.


  


                              DALLAS


               Room by room, corridor by corridor.





     One of those suggestions that nobody likes.


  


                              LAMBERT


               And what do we do when we find it.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Trap it somehow.


  


                              BRETT


               If we had a really strong piece


               of net, we could bag it... I could


               put something together.  A long


               metal rod with a battery in it.


               Only take a few hours.





                              LAMBERT


               Why do we listen to this meathead.





     Dallas turns it over.





                              DALLAS


               He might be right...


              


     EXT. OUTER SPACE                                      123


  


     The Nostromo continues through the vortex.


  


     INT. INFIRMARY                                        124


  


     Dallas enters.


     Ash working at a read-out section.


  


                              DALLAS


               I want to talk.


              


                              ASH


               I'm a little busy at the


               moment.


              


     Pause.


  


                              DALLAS


               I don't care.


                                                           


     Pause.


  


                              ASH


               All right, go ahead.


  


                              DALLAS


               Why did you let the Alien survive


               inside Kane.


  


                              ASH


               I'm not sure you're getting


               through to me.


  


                              DALLAS


               Mother was monitoring his body.


               You were monitoring Mother.  You


               must have had some idea of what


               was going on.


  


                              ASH


               What are you trying to say.


              


     A long moment.


  


                              DALLAS


               You want the Alien to stay alive


               ...I figure you have a reason.


  


                              ASH


               Name one.


  


                              DALLAS


               Look, we both work for the same


               company.  I just want to know


               what's going on.


  


                              ASH


               I don't know what the hell you're


               talking about.  And I don't like


               any of the insinuations.  The


               Alien is a dangerous form of


               life...I don't want it to stay


               alive any more than you do.


  


                              DALLAS


               You're sure.


  


                              ASH


               Yeah, I'm sure.  You should be


               too.


  


     Dallas walks out.


     Ash watches him go.


     Stares in his direction a long while...


                                                           


     INT. NARCISSUS                                        125





     Dallas seated in the shuttle craft.


     Staring at the myriad lights of outer space.


     Ripley climbs beside him.





                              RIPLEY


               I thought I'd find you here.





     Dallas continues to stare.





                              DALLAS


               Are the nets finished.





     Pause.





                              RIPLEY


               We've got an hour...Look I


               need some relief.





                              DALLAS


               Why did you wait until now.





     Ripley leans forward.





                              RIPLEY


               Let me tell you something.  You


               keep staring out there long


               enough, they'll be peeling you


               off the wall.





     Ripley begins taking off her boots.





                              DALLAS


               We're the new pioneers, Ripley.


               We even get to have our own


               special disease.





                              RIPLEY


               I'm tired of talking.





     She rises and removes her upper garments.





                              DALLAS


               You waited too long.





                              RIPLEY


               Give it a try anyway.





     Clothing removed.


     His arms move around her.


     


     INT. BRIDGE                                           126


  


     The crew has assembled.


     Brett unfolds several yards of asbestos netting.


     Hands out five thin rods.


     Each of them like metal broom handles.


  


                              BRETT


               I put portable generators in


               each of these.  They're insulated


               down here.  Just be goddamn careful


               not to get your hand on the end.


              


     He touches the tip to a metal object.


     A blue spark leaps.


  


                              BRETT


               It won't damage the little bastard


               unless its skin is a lot thinner


               than ours...It'll just give it a


               little incentive.


  


                              LAMBERT


               Now if we could only find it.


  


     Ash picks up a portable unit.


  


                              ASH


               I've taken care of that...tracking


               device.  You set it to search for


               a moving object...It hasn't much


               range but when you get within a


               certain distance it starts beeping.


  


     Ripley takes the tracker from Ash's hand.


  


                              RIPLEY


               What's it key on.


  


                              ASH


               Micro changes in air density.


               Keep it pointed ahead of you.


  


                              DALLAS  


               We'll break into two teams.


               Whoever finds it first catches


               it in the net and ejects it


               from the nearest air lock.


                      (pause)


               For starters, let's make sure


               the bridge is safe.





     Parker turns on his unit.


     Scans it around the room.





                              LAMBERT


               We seem to be okay...If this


               damn thing works.





                              DALLAS


               Ash and myself will go with


               Lambert.  Brett and Parker will


               make up the second team.  Ripley,


               you command it.





     They start doling out the equipment.





                              DALLAS


               Channels are open on all decks.


               We'll be in constant touch.





     INT. PASSAGEWAY - "A" LEVEL                           127


  


     Lambert and Dallas carry the net.


     Ash walks directly behind, carrying the tracking device.


     He continually scans from side to side.


     Lambert stops by a stairwell.


  


                              LAMBERT


               Anything down there.


  


     INT. ANOTHER PASSAGEWAY - "B" LEVEL                   128


  


     Parker and Ripley move silently along.


     Ripley ahead of them with the tracker by the stairwell.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Nothing.


              


     The move on.


     A small light flashes.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Hold it.  I've got something.


              


     Parker and Brett grow tense.


     Start looking around.


  


                              BRETT


               Where's it coming from.


              


     Ripley peers closely at the tracker.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Machine's screwed up.  I can't


               tell.  Needle's spinning all


               over the dial.


              


                              BRETT


               Goddamn, malfunction.


              


     Ripley turns the tracker on its side.


     The needles stabilize.


  


                              RIPLEY


               No, just confused.  It's


               coming from below us.


              


     They all look down at their feet.


  


     INT. MAINTENANCE - "C" LEVEL                          129


  


     Ripley, Parker and Brett come down ladder onto an endless


     oily corridor.


     They stop at the foot of the companionway...


     They move down corridor into darkness.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Okay.


              


     Looks at the tracker.





     Nods down the passageway.  Stops.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Back this way.


              


     They begin to walk in that direction.


     Entering drab section of the ship.


     Surrounded by deep shadows.


     Footsteps clanging on the metal deck.


  


                              RIPLEY


               I thought you fixed 12 module.


  


                              BRETT


               We did.


  


                              PARKER


               Circuits must have burned out.


              


     They switch on lights.


     Move around two turns.


  


                              RIPLEY


               Wait.


              


     They stop quickly, almost stumbling.


  


                              RIPLEY


               It's within five meters.


              


     Parker and Brett heft the net.


     Ripley has the prod in one hand, tracker in the other.


     Moves with great care.


     Almost in a half-crouch, ready to leap back.


     Prod extended, Ripley constantly glances at her tracker.


     The device leads her up to a small hatch in the bulkhead.


     Perspiration rivers down her face.


     She sets aside the tracker.


     Raises the prod, grasps the hatch handle.


     Yanks it open.


     Jams the electric prod inside.


     A nerve-shattering squall.


     Then a small creature comes flying out of the locker.


     Eyes glaring, claws flashing.


     Instinctively, they throw the net over it.


  


     Very annoyed.


     They open the net and release the captive.


     Which happens to be the cat.


     Hissing and spitting,. it scampers away.


  


                              RIPLEY


               God damn it...hold it.


  


                              PARKER


               We should have killed it...Now