"ALIEN" Revised Final Draft by Walter Hill and David Giler Based on a Story by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett December 28, 1978 NOTE: This script reflects dialogue changes added in post production for story clarification. Changes also reflected are: computer readout information; miniature effects shots; conceptions and alterations; matte shot composition and alteration; scene transpositions and scene omissions, all as written and edited after completion of principal photography on Oct. 21, 1978. W.H. D.G. 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: A STARFIELD A-1 Planet surface beneath. Electronic transmission sounds over. THE NOSTROMO A-2 A Factory Starship lumbering within the depths of interstellar space. Function: Petroleum tanker and refinery. Capacity: 200,000,000 tons. Length: One and a half kilometers. Battered exterior encrusted with dark sludge. Electronic sounds continue. 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 helmets. An electronic conversation ensues. FIRST HELMET 4-A The readout: IDENT. NOSTROMO 180924609 COMMERCIAL TOWING VEHICLE CARGO: YUTANI REFINERY... 2,000,000,000 TONS SECOND HELMET 4-B The readout: WEYLAN YUTANI CORP. MILSCIDIV. NOSTROMO MISSION REROUTE AS REQUEST SPECIAL ORDER 937 SCIENCE OFFICER EYES ONLY All lights go off. CUT TO: INT. CORRIDOR TO HYPERSLEEP VAULT: 4-C 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. 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. INT. HYPERSLEEP VAULT 7 More lids pop open. The rest of the crew begins to rise. Nostromo crew: 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. OUT 8-12 CUT TO: INT. COMPUTER ROOM ANNEX 13 Floor to ceiling data banks. Another flashing yellow light. DALLAS enters. Runs through access procedure. Inner door opens. Dallas moves to the console chair. Sits. Dallas punches the keyboard. Legend on the screen: ALERT OVER MONITORING FUNCTION FOR MATRIX DISPLAY AND INQUIRY. Mother prints out: OVER MONITOR ADDRESS MATRIX (columns of categories beneath) Dallas picks one and types out: COMMAND PRIORITY ALERT Mother replies: OVERMONITOR FUNCTION READY FOR INQUIRY Dallas: WHAT'S THE STORY MOTHER. 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. On each screen, blackness speckled with stars. LAMBERT Where's Earth? KANE You're the navigator. RIPLEY That's not our system. Lambert hits several toggles. On the screens the images begin to drift. ONE OF THE SCREENS 15 A moving image of a starfield. OUT 16 INT. BRIDGE 17 Lambert pores over charts. Consults her console. KANE Contact traffic control. Ripley switches on her transmission unit. RIPLEY This is commercial vessel Nostromo out of the Solomons. Registration number 180924609 calling Antarctica Traffic Control. Do you read me. Over. Nothing but the hiss of static. RIPLEY Nothing. KANE Keep trying. RIPLEY This is commercial vessel Nostromo out of the Solomons. Registration number 180924609 calling Antarctica Traffic Control. Do you read me. Over. Kane turns to Lambert. KANE You got a reading yet. LAMBERT We're way out in the boondocks here... KANE Keep trying... LAMBERT Working on it. RIPLEY It's not our system. CUT TO: INT. ENGINE ROOM 17-A Giant reactor system purring smoothly. INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE 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... Hey, you know why they never come down here. They move towards the companionway, leading up to "B" level. BRETT Why. PARKER Your personality, that's why. CUT TO: INT. MESS 20 Entire crew present. DALLAS Some of you may have figured out that we're not home. We're only halfway back to Earth. BRETT What the hell. PARKER Yeah, what the fuck is this. DALLAS Mother's interrupted the course of the voyage. KANE Why? DALLAS She's programmed to do that if certain conditions arise. They have... (pause) Mother intercepted a transmission. She got us up to check it out. LAMBERT What kind of transmission? DALLAS An acoustic beacon. It repeats at intervals of 32 seconds. KANE Is it an S.O.S.? DALLAS Unknown. RIPLEY Russian? DALLAS Unknown. BRETT So what. PARKER Yeah. Fuck it. KANE We're obligated under section B2... PARKER Shit. We're a commercial ship not a rescue team. This kind of duty's not in our contract. ASH You better read your contract. Any systemized transmission indicating possible intelligent origin must be investigated. At penalty of total forfeiture. BRETT This corporation sucks. 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. He smiles. CUT TO: INT. BRIDGE 21 Dallas, Kane, Ripley and Ash stand around the illuminated map table. Lambert sits at the radio directional console. LAMBERT I've found the quadrant. We're close. It's coming from ascension 6 minutes 20 seconds, declination minus 39 degrees 2 seconds. DALLAS Let me see it. Lambert punches buttons. One of the viewscreens flickers and a small set of lights appears. LAMBERT That's it. Diameter 1200 kilometers. DALLAS Any rotation? LAMBERT Yeah. About two hours. DALLAS Gravity? LAMBERT Point eight six. ASH You can walk on it... EXT. NOSTROMO MODEL 22 Moving within range of the planet. Now on an equatorial course. LAMBERT (voice over) Approaching orbital apogee. Mark. 20 seconds. Nineteen. Eighteen. He continues the countdown... KANE (voice over) Roll 92 degrees starboard yaw. High above the planet the factory ship begins to rotate. INT. BRIDGE 23 ASH Equatorial orbit nailed. EXT. NOSTROMO 23-A Now within the planet's orbit. The globe rolling by underneath on a right to left axis. INT. BRIDGE 24 DALLAS Give me an EC Pressure reading. ASH 3.45 n/c m squared (5 psia) DALLAS Yell if it changes. 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. Feel better? DALLAS A lot. Prepare to disengage from platform. INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE 24-A PARKER L alignment on port and starboard is green. BRETT Green on spinal umbilicus severance. INT. BRIDGE 24-B LAMBERT Crossing the terminator. Entering night side. EXT. NOSTROMO 25 Below, night's curtain rolls across the sphere's surface. INT. BRIDGE 26 LAMBERT It's coming up. It's coming up. Stand by. Stand by. Fifteen seconds...ten...five...four. Three. Two. One. Lock. DALLAS Disengage. EXT. NOSTROMO 27 The tug disengages from the platform. INT. BRIDGE 28 Dallas watches the refinery moving away on a viewscreen. RIPLEY Umbilicus clear. All systems green. All functions green. Give me a read on the precess... KANE Precession corrected. DALLAS Okay. The money's safe. Let's take it down. EXT. NOSTROMO 29 The tug begins its arc toward the dark surface. INT. BRIDGE 29-A LAMBERT Dropping. 50,000 meters. Down. Down. 49,000 meters. Entering atmosphere. Jones sits on window platform and watches. EXT. NOSTROMO 29-B The ship drops into the thick cloud layer. OUT 30 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 What the fuck is this? BRETT Pressure drop in intake 3. Must've lost a shield. (punches buttons, checks his gauges) 3's in trouble. Dust coming in the intake. PARKER Fuck. Shut her down, shut her down. INT. BRIDGE 33 The turbulence continues unabated. Lambert's eyes follow cross-plot gauges. RIPLEY Systems green. Functions green. Warning big red on intake 3. Warning big red factor one. Priority one. DALLAS Shit. LAMBERT Approaching point of origin. Closing at 20 kilometers, 15 and slowing...Drop begins...now. Fifteen kilometers and dropping...twelve...ten...eight and slowing. Five. Three. Two. One kilometer and slowing. DALLAS Activate lifter quads. A throb of jets. KANE Quads on. DALLAS Kill drive engines. Keep factoring 3... The main engines fall silent. RIPLEY Warning big red. Still warning. Max stress to 5th overload. 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. INT. ENGINE ROOM 36 Another huge vibration. An electrical fire breaks out along three control panels. OUT 36-A-37 INT. BRIDGE 38 LAMBERT Secondary generator should kick over. KANE Where is it. DALLAS What happened? Ripley hits the voice-amp. RIPLEY Engine room, what happened? PARKER (voice over) God damn electrical fire, that's what happened. BRETT (voice over) It's big. INT. ENGINE ROOM 39 Parker and Brett fighting the fire. Screaming instructions at one another. INT. BRIDGE 40 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 Four 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) 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 CUT TO: 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. All the other channels are dead. 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 out the windows at the swirling storm, illuminated by the external floodlights. 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. DALLAS Run an atmospheric. Ash punches buttons, starts to consult his panel. ASH Almost primordial. Inert nitrogen. A high concentration of carbon dioxide crystals. Methane. And ammonia, also frozen... I'm working on the trace elements. DALLAS Pressure. ASH Ten to the fourth dynes per square centimeter. DALLAS Anything else? ASH Rock, lava base. Deep cold... well below the line. OUT 47 CUT TO: 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, the corporation will make sure you both get what's coming to you. BRETT I'm not doing any more work unless we get full shares. PARKER Me either. 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 It's shit. You know that. It's shit. RIPLEY Parker, both of you, just fuck off. Parker looks at her. Snaps on the laser-weld. Starts to join another section of the duct. BRETT Right. CUT TO: 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 Sending. Do you hear me. LAMBERT Receiving loud and clear. KANE Receiving. Hatch safety lock free. DALLAS Okay. Backpacks... check, check. 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. LAMBERT Jesus, look at this place. KANE Off we go, mates. 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 I can't see a God damn thing. ASH (voice over) Turn on the finder. It's tuned to the transmission. Let it lead you. DALLAS It's on...Ash are you receiving. INT. ASH'S BLISTER - DAWN 54 Ash leaning over his console. Watches them beneath him. Corresponding images on the screen in front of him. ASH See you. Read you. DALLAS (voice over) Getting you clear and free. 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 shade. 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 his screens intently. 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 I'm losing it. They approach a towering rock formation. The transmission dies out. LAMBERT It's gone again. They shelter under a grotesque rock. The storm shrieks 'round them. DALLAS Should be dawn soon. (adjust headset) Ash. If you hear me. How long until daylight. Static. INT. BLISTER - DAWN 56-A Ash checking instruments. EXT. THE NOSTROMO - SUNRISE 57 Atmosphere turning the color of blood. Then the sun is up. INT. ENGINE CUBICLE 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. EXT. PLANET - DAY 58-A The three figures stand and move away from the rock formation. There is enough daylight to see where they are walking. The signal begins to fade in again. INT. BLISTER - DAY 59 Ash watches video images of the three. Now moving again. Ripley's voice comes over. RIPLEY (voice over) How's it going. INT. BRIDGE 60 Ripley at her console. ASH (voice over) All right. RIPLEY Have you tried putting the transmission through ECIU. ASH (voice over) Mother hasn't identified it as yet. RIPLEY I'll give it a shot. ASH (voice over) Be my guest. She pushes some button. The voice 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 building, monument. Might even be some kind of craft. LAMBERT It's weird. DALLAS Ash, can you see this. INT. ASH'S BLISTER - DAY 65 Ash looking at the construction 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 construction. INT. BLISTER - DAY 67 Ash readjusts his instrumentation. 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. CUT TO: INT. 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. Ghostly light filters dust-filled air. A few meters in an opening appears. Dallas leans over and looks into the hole. Only blackness. 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. Then shines his light on nearby wall. Moves closer. DALLAS Over here. Kane leads them upward. Into a huge chamber. KANE Oh, my God. Dallas and Lambert close behind. They sight a huge Alien beast melted onto a throne. LAMBERT What is it? DALLAS Alien life form. Looks like it's been dead a long time... Fossilized. LAMBERT Let's get out of here. DALLAS Not yet. Kane moves off by himself. Dallas and Lambert move around the plinth. Dallas touches some instrumentation near the Alien's head. The transmission sound suddenly terminates. LAMBERT It stopped...Why? DALLAS I don't know. Kane is now across the way, near an aperture in the flooring. Sudden;y the transmission begins again. KANE Now it's coming from down there. Dallas looks at Kane. DALLAS 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. SHAFT 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 starts down, playing out the line. Descending in short leaps. Stops to catch his breath. Breathing rasping loudly in his helmet. A little light filters from above. Looking up, Kane can see the mouth of the hole... A glowing spot. DALLAS (voice over) You okay in there. KANE Haven't hit bottom yet. 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. OUT 71 INT. SHAFT 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...Cave or something below me. 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 strange. 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. They seem to be sealed. 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. 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. The sound of the transmission grows louder... louder. KANE Jesus... DALLAS (voice over) What. Viscera and mandible now visible. The interior surface spongy and irregular. Kane shines the light inside. The transmission suddenly ceases... 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 Kane...Kane...God damn it. Answer me. 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. 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. OUT 75-A CUT TO: 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/INT. BLISTER - DUSK 76 (NOTE: INTERCUT) 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. Dallas. 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. Ash moves from the Blister. Ripley remains seated at her console. INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE 76-A Parker and Brett listening over the intercom. EXT. LANDING LEG - NIGHT 76-B Dallas and Lambert dragging Kane on a travois towards the 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 Ash waiting. INT. BRIDGE/EXT. LANDING LEG - NIGHT 80 (NOTE: INTERCUT AND VOICE OVERS.) DALLAS Ripley, are you there. RIPLEY Right here. DALLAS We're coming up. They move onto lift. RIPLEY What happened to Kane. Pause. DALLAS Some kind of organism. It's attached itself to him. We've got to get him to the infirmary. RIPLEY I need a clear definition. DALLAS Just open the hatch, Ripley. RIPLEY If we let it in, the ship could be infected. You know the quarantine procedure. Twenty- four hours for decontamination. LAMBERT 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. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE 80-A Parker and Brett listen. 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. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE 81-A Parker and Brett react. INT. BRIDGE - NIGHT 82 Ripley's console flashes. INNER HATCH OPEN. She can't believe what she sees. OUT 83 CUT TO: INT. INFIRMARY 84 Hands begin to open Kane's helmet with a laser cutter. The helmet separates easily. 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 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. DALLAS It's not going to come off without pulling his whole face off at the same time. INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE INFIRMARY WINDOW 84-A Lambert, Parker and Brett watch through the infirmary window. Ripley appears. Lambert turns and looks at her. A long moment. INT. INFIRMARY 84-B ASH We better let the M.D.A. work on him. 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. 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. DALLAS It doesn't make sense. It paralyzes him, puts him into a coma, then keeps him alive. We have to get it off him somehow. ASH At the moment the Creature is keeping him alive. If we remove it we might terminate Kane... DALLAS We have to take the chance and cut it off him. ASH You'll take the responsibility. DALLAS That's right. Dallas presses a switch, Kane slides back out of the booth. Ash takes a surgical laser blade from the case. He manipulates the knife until he has a comfortable grip. Flicks a small button with his thumb. The blade begins to hum. Touches the scalpel to the Creature. The electronic blade slices effortlessly downward. Suddenly a urine-like fluid begins to drip from the womb. ASH 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. INT. PASSAGEWAY OUTSIDE INFIRMARY 85 BRETT Shit. It's going to eat through the decks and go out the hull... They start to run for the companionway. INT. PASSAGEWAY "B" DECK 86 Dallas wrenches an emergency light from a socket. Snaps it on. 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. RIPLEY What can we put under it. They charge down the companionway below. INT. MAINTENANCE CORRIDOR "C" DECK 87 They enter the maintenance area. Look up to the ceiling bulkhead. The acid bubbles. PARKER Don't get under it. The acid drips to the deck. Continues to bubble. Slower. RIPLEY Looks like it's losing steam. Dallas fishes a pen out of his pocket. Probes the hole in the deck. DALLAS It's stopped penetrating. BRETT Yeah. After it penetrated two levels. Dallas straightens up. Starts to put the pen back in his pocket. Changes his mind and stands holding it by the end. DALLAS I've never seen anything like that, except molecular acid... BRETT This thing uses it for blood. PARKER Wonderful defense mechanism. You don't dare kill it. They start back towards the companionway. INT. INFIRMARY 89 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. Ash presses a button. Kane slides back into the diagnostic M.D.A. 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. BRETT So far things ain't working out real good today. CUT TO: 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. A beep on the communicator. RIPLEY (voice over) What's happening. PARKER 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'll tell you something, Parker. 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. Now piss off. She clicks off. Parker turns away. PARKER Smart mouth broad. CUT TO: 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. Plus it's constantly sloughing off cells and replacing them with polarized silicon. Which gives it prolonged resistance to adverse environmental conditions... That enough for you? RIPLEY Plenty. What's it mean. ASH Interesting combination of elements making it practically invulnerable... One very 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 of 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 That's your official position as 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. CUT TO: 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 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. 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 at Ripley. DALLAS You okay. RIPLEY Yeah. Ash 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. Carefully he extracts the end of the organ. ASH It's hardening. (slips the Creature under a fluoroscope) 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. CUT TO: INT. BLACK CORRIDOR TO BRIDGE 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 they 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 There are still some things 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...I want to get out of here. Let's get this turkey off the ground. CUT TO: EXT. PLANET - SUNRISE 99 The Nostromo's engines roaring. Belching out streams of superheated air. The starship vibrates, then lifts off hovers above the ground on beams of shimmering flame. The land struts begin folding. OUT 100-101 INT. BRIDGE - DAY 102 A thump as the struts retract. RIPLEY Struts retracted. DALLAS It's all yours. Ripley pushes a lever forward. The engines begin to thunder. RIPLEY Rolling up the G's. (pushes more buttons) And here we go. EXT. NOSTROMO - DAY 103 The ship begins to surge forward. Accelerating upward through the dense atmosphere. OUT 104-106 INT. BRIDGE - DAY 107 LAMBERT One kilometer on ascension. Lambert throws a switch. The ship lurches. LAMBERT Engaged. RIPLEY Altering the vector now. All systems green. All functions green. A huge tremor runs throughout the ship. DALLAS What was that? RIPLEY A big red priority one on four. The intercom beeps. PARKER'S VOICE Starboard quad's overheating. I'm shutting it down. DALLAS Just hold us together 'til we're beyond GI that's all. The pitch of the engines changes. RIPLEY A yellow on two. A red on four. All other systems green. EXT. NOSTROMO - DAY 108 The ship moves at an acute angle. Slices through the boiling clouds. Black smoke pouring from one engine. INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE 109 Parker and Brett in a frenzy of activity. BRETT Dust is clogging the damn intakes again. Number two's overheating. PARKER Spit on it for another two minutes. INT. BRIDGE - DAY 110 Outside the windows, clouds, clouds, clouds. Another tremor runs through the ship. The crew's eyes riveted to their instruments. EXT. NOSTROMO 111 The ship clears the top of the cloud layer. Bursts out into star-sprinkled space. Trailing a wake of clouds. INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE 111-A Parker breaks open a can of beer. PARKER Walk in the park. When we fix something it stays fixed. OUT 111-B INT. BRIDGE 111-C DALLAS Let's pick up the money and go home. Put her in the garage. RIPLEY That's a roger niner and go. All green. EXT. NOSTROMO 111-D Above the planet. The Nostromo makes its rendezvous with the refinery. INT. BRIDGE 112 DALLAS Fire up the big ones and get us up to light plus four. RIPLEY That's a roger. All quads active. All green. All systems go. LAMBERT Feets get me out of here. EXT. OUTER SPACE 113 The Nostromo now at light speed. CUT TO: INT. MESS 114 Parker, Brett, Dallas and Ripley around the table... Drinking coffee. PARKER The best thing to do is just to freeze him. 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 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...How far? LAMBERT Ten months in the freezers. PARKER 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 and see him. OUT 115 INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE INFIRMARY WINDOW 116 Kane is sitting up in bed...wide awake. They enter... LAMBERT Kane...Are you all right? DALLAS How do you feel? KANE Rotten. Like somebody's been hitting me with a stick. PARKER Where do you hurt? KANE All over. (smiles) Are we still on this horrible planetoid. RIPLEY We're on our way home. BRETT Getting ready to go back into the old freezerinos. KANE Good...I'm starving. I want some food. PARKER I'm pretty hungry myself. DALLAS One meal before bed. I'm buying. CUT TO: 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. PARKER Something else I wouldn't mind eating. He gives her a leer and a smile. BRETT 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. PARKER Come on, man, this shit ain't that bad. Kane stands up. KANE Ooooooh. BRETT What is it. What hurts? Kane's face screws into a mask of agony. He falls back into his chair. KANE Ohmy gooaaaahh. 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. Slowly they gather around Kane's gutted corpse. Then they all look at one another. Then at Kane. Dead on the table. DALLAS Parker. Take Brett and close off the immediate area. Make sure we're secure. (pause) We've got to find it and kill it. CUT TO: EXT. OUTER SPACE 117-A The Nostromo on its mordant path. CORRIDOR "C" LEVEL 118 Ripley, Parker, Brett searching... CARGO HOLD 119 Dallas, Lambert, Ash searching... DISSOLVE TO: 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 top say. He nods to Ripley. She presses a button. EXT. NOSTROMO 121 The outer hatch opens. Kane's body shoots out into eternity. The hatch closes. DISSOLVE TO: INT. MESS 122 Completely cleaned up since Kane's death. Parker, Brett and Ripley enter from one hatch. Dallas, Lambert and Ash from another. DALLAS Any sign on your side. RIPLEY Nothing. It must have gone below somehow. They sit. DALLAS We're going to have to catch it and eject it from the ship. ASH Sounds great...but how? DALLAS Room by room, corridor by corridor. RIPLEY That could take forever. ASH Our supplies are based on us spending a limited amount of time out of hypersleep. Strictly limited. RIPLEY We can't go into the freezers with that thing running loose. Remember what the other one did to Kane's helmet. LAMBERT We can't kill it. If we do, the body acids will eat right through the hull. RIPLEY There's another problem... there's no visual communications on B and C decks. All the screens are out. LAMBERT And what do we do when we find it? DALLAS 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. CUT TO: 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. CUT TO: OUT 125 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 god damn 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 fucker 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 Let's go. CUT TO: 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 God damn, 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 i that direction. Entering drab section of the ship. Surrounded by deep shadows. Footsteps clanging on the metal deck. RIPLEY I thought you fixed twelve 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 we might pick it up on the tracker again. RIPLEY Go get it. We'll go on. BRETT Right. Ripley and Parker move down the passageway. Brett follows the direction taken by the cat. Moves across passageway into equipment maintenance area. INT. EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AREA "C" LEVEL 130 Brett walking between rows of shadowed equipment. Looking for the cat. Nervous. BRETT Jones...Here kitty...Jones... God damn it Jones. Scratching noises. A reassuring cat yowl. Brett moves on. INT. PASSAGEWAY "C" LEVEL 131 Ripley and Parker walk along. Tracker signal weakens. Finally stops. RIPLEY Nothing here. PARKER Let's go back. INT. UNDERCARRIAGE ROOM "C" LEVEL 132 Brett enters. Still looking for Jones. Another yowl followed by a hiss. Two eyes shining in the dark. Jones. Relieved, Brett moves toward the cat. BRETT Here kitty...Come on Jones. Brett reaches for Jones. Jones hisses. An arm reaches for Brett. The Alien. Now seven feet tall. Hanging from the undercarriage strut in reverse position. Grabs Brett and swings up into darkness. Brett screams. To no avail. In the doorway Ripley and Parker. They witness the horror. INT. MESS 133 The remaining crew assemble. Long faces. Dallas sits with a layout in front of him. Parker stands anxiously by the doorway. PARKER Whatever it was it was big. I'm telling you, big...big. Dallas looks up. DALLAS You're sure it dragged Brett into a vent. RIPLEY Yeah...It disappeared into one of the cooling ducts. PARKER It's using the air shafts to move around. LAMBERT Brett could still be alive. RIPLEY Not a chance. A shiver. PARKER I say we blast the rotten bastard with a laser and take our chances. DALLAS No way. If it's as big as you say. It's holding enough acid to burn a hole in this ship as big as a room. ASH Shooting it is not going to help us. It's self- regenerating. You saw that when we operated on it. Dallas runs his fingers over the diagram. DALLAS The shaft could work for us. That duct comes out at the main airlock. There's only one big opening on the way. But we can cover that. Then we drive it into the airlock and blast it into space. PARKER Drive it...I'm telling you the son-of-a-bitch is huge. RIPLEY The science department should be able to help... ASH Well it seems to have adapted to an oxygen-rich atmosphere and it's certainly adapted well for its nutritional requirements. The only thing we don't know about is temperature. RIPLEY All right. What about the temperature. What happens if we change it. ASH We could try. Most animals retreat from fire. DALLAS How long to hook up three or four incinerating units? PARKER Give me a couple of hours. LAMBERT Only one thing left. Who gets to crawl in the vent with it. (pause) Parker, you always wanted a full share. Parker scowls at her. DALLAS Parker, Lambert, you cover the maintenance level exit. Ripley you and Ash take the airlock. There's no doubt as to who's going inside the vent. CUT TO: COMPUTER ANNEX 133-A Dallas enters. Sits in front of Mother. Punches up a code. Monitor screens come to life. Dallas hits several more buttons. The readouts begin: Question: Request evaluation of current procedure to terminate Alien. Response: Unable to compute. Available data insufficient. Question: Request options for possible procedure. Response: Unable to compute. Available data insufficient. Question: What are my chances... Response: Does not compute. CUT TO: EXT. OUTER SPACE 133-B Nostromo at light plus four. INT. STARBOARD AIR LOCK VESTIBULE 134 Ripley stands in vestibule. Looks through the Bulkhead door to Air lock. She throws a switch. Watches airshaft entrance into Air lock open. The trap is ready. RIPLEY Do you really think this will work? ASH It could. RIPLEY And this is really the best Science Division can come up with... ASH I'm afraid so. A long look from Ripley. ASH I'm doing my best, you know. RIPLEY Is that right. ASH That's right. INT. MAINTENANCE LEVEL 135 Parker and Lambert get set. OUT 136 INT. AIR SHAFT 137 Completely dark. Dallas turns on his helmet light. Flips switch on throat mike. DALLAS Do you receive me? Ripley. Parker. Lambert. INT. EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AREA 138 The hum of vast cooling plants. Large air shafts run off in different directions. Parker and Lambert stand ready by a duct. Lambert hits the wall amp button. LAMBERT We're in position. I'll try and pick you up on the tracker. Parker hefts his flamethrower. DALLAS (voice over) Parker, if it tries to come out by you, make sure you drive it back in. I'll push it forward. PARKER Right. INT. AIR LOCK VESTIBULE 139 Near the air lock. Ripley pops open the hatch. The air lock now open and ready. She moves to the air duct opening. RIPLEY Air lock open. DALLAS (voice over) Ready. RIPLEY Ready. INT. AIR SHAFT 140 Dallas begins to crawl forward. The tunnel is narrow... Only a foot or two wider than his shoulders. DALLAS I'm under way. Turns a corner. Several more tight turns. Instinctively Dallas pulls back. Raises the flamethrower. Fires a blast around the corner into the darkness. It roars loudly in the confined tube. Smoke drifts back into his face. INT. EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AREA 141 A large rectangular duct in one wall. PARKER That's where it's got to come out, if it leaves the main shaft. He throws a switch. A metal pane rises and seals off the opening. LAMBERT Let's keep it open. I want to know if anything's coming. Reluctantly, Parker again throws the switch and raises the metal pane. INT. AIR LOCK VESTIBULE 142 Ripley waiting. INT. AIR SHAFT 143 Dallas still crawling on hands and knees. Ahead the shaft takes an abrupt downward turn. He moves toward the corner. Fires another blast from the flamethrower. Then starts crawling down, head first. INT. EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AREA 143-A Lambert sees something on the tracker. LAMBERT Beginning to get a reading on you. INT. AIR SHAFT 143-B The shaft makes yet another turn. Puts Dallas into an almost immobilized position. OUT 144 INT. AIR SHAFT 145 Dallas against a wall of the shaft. Clutching his flamethrower. Whispers into his throat mike. DALLAS Ripley. INT. AIR LOCK VESTIBULE 146 RIPLEY Read you clear. INT. AIR SHAFT 147 DALLAS I don't think this shaft goes much farther... It's getting hot in here. He readies the flamethrower. INT. EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AREA 148 Parker readies his weapon. INT. AIR SHAFT DOUBLE-TIERED PASSAGEWAY 149 The air shaft tributary opens into a larger two-tier air tunnel. Dallas crawls out and stands. Moves to a catwalk floor. Looks about. Moves forward. Reaches a repair junction. Sits. His feet dangle beneath the catwalk floor to the next level. DALLAS Lambert, what kind of reading are you getting? INT. EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AREA 149-A Lambert huddled over her tracker. Puzzled. LAMBERT I'm not sure. There seems to be some kind of double signal. INT. AIR SHAFT DOUBLE-TIERED PASSAGEWAY 149-B Dallas sitting. His feet still dangling in the dark beneath the catwalk. DALLAS It may be interference. I'll push on ahead. Dallas begins to rise. From below, a gentle movement toward the hanging feet. A hand reaches up. Misses his leg as Dallas moves ahead. DALLAS Lambert, am I coming in any clearer. LAMBERT (voice over) It's clear all right, but I'm still getting two signals. (pause) I'm not sure which one is which. Dallas stops. Turns around. Looks back down through the catwalk. Lowers the nose of the flamethrower, his finger on the trigger. From behind him, the hand reaches up. The Alien is the front signal. INT. AIR LOCK VESTIBULE 150 Ripley bends forward. Hears the sounds of the struggle... And Dallas' screams. She cries out. RIPLEY Dallas...Dallas... INT. EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AREA 151 Lambert and Parker. Hearing it all. Then silence. CUT TO: INT. MESS 152 Dallas' flamethrower on the table surface. PARKER (voice over) We just found it laying there. No sign of him. no blood. No nothing. Ripley, Ash and Lambert standing by the table. Lambert obviously still shaken. PARKER This puts you in command. RIPLEY Unless someone's got a better idea about dealing with the Alien, we'll continue with Dallas' plan. PARKER Bullshit, lady. Bullshit. RIPLEY Shut up, Parker. Just shut up. And listen. LAMBERT He's right. We'll wind up the same way. no thanks. RIPLEY You've got a better idea. LAMBERT Yes. Abandon ship. Take the shuttle craft and get the hell out of here. Take our chances on getting picked up later. The unsaid alternative. ASH You are forgetting something. Dallas and Brett may not be dead. It's a ghastly probability perhaps, but not a certainty. RIPLEY You're forgetting something else. The life boat only holds three. LAMBERT Draw straw...I don't know. PARKER I ain't drawing straws. I ain't drawing no fucking straws. Get it. RIPLEY We've got to give it another try. We know it's using the air shafts. Let's take it level by level. This time we'll laser seal every bulkhead and vent behind us until we corner it. Parker resigns himself. PARKER Fuck it. I'll go with it. Lambert doesn't answer. RIPLEY How are our weapons. PARKER They're working fine...We could use more fuel for that one. Indicating Dallas' flamethrower. RIPLEY Then you'd better get it. Ash you go with him. Parker looks at Ash. PARKER I can manage. He leaves. Ripley turns to Ash. RIPLEY Any other thoughts. From you or Mother. ASH Nothing new. Still collating. RIPLEY I can't believe that. ASH I'm sorry, Captain. what would you like me to do. RIPLEY Nothing. so far you've been useless. I'm in command, I've got access to Mother. I'll get my own answers. He doesn't reply. But gives her an ironic salute and exits. Ripley looks over at Lambert. RIPLEY Lambert I promise you...I promise...if it doesn't work out I'm going to get us all out of here okay. LAMBERT All right. RIPLEY Okay. Look, I want you to find Parker and stick with him. I'll use Command Priority and try and get some answers from Mother -- okay -- Tell Parker what I'm doing. Can you do that. LAMBERT Yes. Pause. RIPLEY Did you ever sleep with Ash? LAMBERT No. Did you? RIPLEY No. I never got the impression he was interested. LAMBERT Neither did I. OUT 153-172 CUT TO: INT. COMPUTER ANNEX 173 Ripley hurriedly taps out the five-digit code. Rams thumb against identiprint. The inner door opens. Data banks come to life. She sits at a console. Thinks for a moment. Then punches up a code. Nothing happens. Punches another combination. Nothing happens. Frustration. Another combination. One screen comes to life. Another combination. She moves to the second keyboard. Screen one spells out the question. Question: Request clarification on science inability to neutralize Alien. Response: Unable to clarify. Question: Request enhancement. Response: No further enhancement. Special order 937. Science Division Officer eyes only. Question: Emergency command override. 100375. What is Special Order 937. A pause. Finally... Response: Nostromo rerouted to coordinates A:6:20, D-6:39':2. Investigation life-form. Gather specimen. Priority One. Insure return of organism to MilSciLab. All other considerations secondary. All previous priorities rescinded. She whips around in her chair. Faces Ash. He smiles. ASH There is an explanation, you know. Ripley slowly backs up out of the chair. Keeps it between them. Plays for time. RIPLEY I don't want to hear your explanations. She circles toward the door. Ash still smiles. And moves forward slightly. RIPLEY Don't touch me. She starts to turn. He steps toward her. ASH All that paranoia coming up again. With that he reaches out. Ripley bolts by him out into the corridor. Ash chases her through the bridge and into the Mess. Three bulkhead doors slam down behind them. INT. MESS 174 Ripley bursts into the area. No sign of Ash. She hits the communicator. RIPLEY Parker, Lambert. Suddenly, Ash hits her from behind. Throws her down. Smashes her again. Begins to roll up a magazine. Jams it down her throat... Parker and Lambert burst into the Mess. Lambert falls on Ash's back. He tosses her across the room. Returns to Ripley. Again choking her. Parker lifts the tracker. Steps behind Ash. Swings the tracker... Wallop. Tears his head off... Wires ascending from Ash's trunk. Where his head used to be. Ash's hands release Ripley. Search above his neck for his missing head. He walks backward. All eyes on Ash's headless body. He walks the room. Still feeling for his missing head. PARKER A robot, a God damn android. Ash turns on him. Starts to advance. Parker hits him again with the tracker... Again. Again. No avail. Ash begins choking Parker. Ripley picks up one of the prod sticks. Closes on Ash's back. Tears away the fabric. Lambert pulls at Ash's legs. Ripley tears at the controls buried in the cavity once covered by his head. Parker's eyes bulge in pain. Ash, headless, choking, choking, choking... Ripley finds the wires, stabs the prod home... Ash's grip lessens. Another stab...electrical flash... The grip lessens... Another stab...flash of circuits. The headless body collapses. Parker trying to regain his breath. PARKER Get this fucking thing off me. Kicks the headless body. Lambert looks at Ripley. LAMBERT Oh my God, oh my god. ASH'S BATTERED HEAD 174-A being rewired by Ripley's hand. RIPLEY (voice over) Ash has been protecting the Alien from the beginning. LAMBERT (voice over) Doesn't make sense. Why would he do that? RIPLEY (voice over) Special Order from MilSci. They must have wanted it in the Bio-Research Weapons division. PARKER (voice over) Some company we work for. Ash's eyes flicker open. RIPLEY Ash can you hear me? No response. She pounds the table, shouts... RIPLEY Ash can you hear me? Ash's head falls on its side. She props it back up. ASH I can hear you. RIPLEY What the hell is this Special Order? ASH You read it. I thought it was clear. Bring the Alien back Priority One. All other priorities rescinded. PARKER What about our lives? ASH I repeat. All other priorities rescinded. RIPLEY (voice over) Okay, Ash, how do we kill the Alien? ASH You can't. RIPLEY Then there's no point in talking. Parker, pull the plug. Parker reaches for the wires. Ash quickly reacts. ASH You don't understand what you're dealing with. A perfect organism. Its structural perfection is matched only by its hostility. LAMBERT You admire it? ASH I admire its purity. An organism unclouded with remorse, conscience or delusions of morality...But perhaps that's only an Android's point of view. PARKER I've heard enough. Pull the plug. ASH I can't lie to you about your chances, but you have my sympathies. RIPLEY Good-bye Ash. Parker torches Ash's head with his flamethrower. LAMBERT It's all over. PARKER Not for me it's not. RIPLEY We're going to blow up the ship. We'll leave in the shuttle and blow up the ship...Blow the fucker up into all of space. She picks up the flamethrower. Puts it over her shoulder. PARKER Let's go. He reaches for Lambert. And they all head for the hatch. Ripley turns and looks back at Ash's incinerated head. OUT 175 CUT TO: INT. CORRIDOR "B" DECK 175-A Ripley, Parker and Lambert walk rapidly down the corridor. RIPLEY We'll need coolant for the life support. You round up all you can carry. I'll start preparing the shuttle. They move out. INT. NARCISSUS 175-AA Ripley enters the Narcissus. Cautious at first. Then hurries to throw switches. Twists her hair back as she works feverishly. Stops as she hears Jones meowing over the intercom. RIPLEY Jones... Ripley runs out of the Narcissus, leaving doors open. INT. BRIDGE 175-B Jones lying on Dallas' console. Ripley comes in. Smiles. RIPLEY Jones. You're in luck. As she reaches for him, Jones jumps off the console. Moves away. RIPLEY Come on, Jones. She moves after the cat. Parker and Lambert over the communicator from the coolant locker. LAMBERT (voice over) How much do you think we'll need. Ripley still in pursuit of the cat. INT. COOLANT LOCKER 175-C Parker and Lambert loading coolant cylinders. PARKER All you can carry. Ripley's voice over communicator from bridge. RIPLEY (voice over) God damn it, Jones. Come here. INT. BRIDGE 175-D Ripley furious but still speaking gently. RIPLEY Here kitty...come here kitty... Jones moves away. INT. COOLANT LOCKER "B" DECK 175-E Arms full, Parker moves out of the locker. Lambert is still making her selection. A faint light on the tracker. Unnoticed. INT. BRIDGE 175-F Ripley finally corners Jones. Finds his box. Tries to put him in it. Jones resists. Ultimately futile. OUT 176-184 INT COOLANT LOCKER CORRIDOR OUTSIDE 185 Parker attempts to pick up the flamethrower. Can't manage it and the coolant cylinders. PARKER God damn. In the locker Lambert gathers more coolant... LAMBERT What's the matter? PARKER Nothing. just hurry up. The tracker flashes faster. Now it's noticed. Parker picks up the flamethrower. PARKER Let's get out of here. LAMBERT Right now. The Alien appears out of the air shaft ventilator. Lambert turns. Screams. The Alien grabs for her... PARKER Move. Get out of the way. Get out of the way. Get out of the way... INT. BRIDGE 185-A Ripley freezes as she hears Lambert's screams. INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE LOCKER 186 Parker unable to use the flamethrower without hitting Lambert. He hesitates for a moment, then strides into the locker. Wielding the flamethrower like a club. PARKER God damn you. God damn you, God damn you... INT. COOLANT LOCKER 186-A The Alien drops Lambert. Parker lands a blow with the flamethrower. No effect. The Alien strikes him once. Killing him instantly. He now moves to Lambert. INT. BRIDGE Ripley listening on the communicator. Lambert's dying shrieks. then the voice-amp goes dead. Silence. RIPLEY Parker. Lambert. She waits for a response. But her expression shows that she expects none. A long moment. Expectation fulfilled. Nightmare without end. CUT TO: INT. "B" LEVEL CMPANIONWAY 187-A Ripley descends, cautiously, holding flamethrower. Jones left above, squalling. INT. CORRIDOR "B" DECK 187-B Ripley moving warily, carrying flamethrower. Nears entrance to food locker, looks in. Sees the carnage left by the Alien. CUT TO: EXT. OUTER SPACE 188 At light speed. The Nostromo and refinery appear to hang motionless. Star clusters rolling past in the infinite distance. INT. MAINTENANCE CORRIDOR "C" DECK 189 Ripley running toward engine room. Out of breath. Exhausted, she stops, gulps for air. OUT 190-193 INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE 194 Ripley enters the power center. Stares at the massive light-plus engines. Approaches the main control board. Begins closing the switches, one by one. A long moment. Sirens begin to honk. Mother speaks. MOTHER'S VOICE Attention. The cooling units for the light-plus engines are not functioning. Engines will overload in two minutes, fifty seconds... INT. OILY CORRIDOR "C" LEVEL 194-A Sirens and flashing red lights. Ripley running toward the "B" deck companionway. MOTHER'S VOICE Attention. Cooling units not functioning. Engines will overload in two minutes. INT. "B" LEVEL CORRIDOR 194-B Sirens and flashing red lights. Ripley starts toward Narcissus. Remembers Jones. INT. "A" TO "B" LEVELS COMPANIONWAY 194-C Jones howling. In his box. Ripley reaches up and grabs him. MOTHER'S VOICE Attention. The cooling units are not functioning. Engines will overload in one minute. OUT 195-201 INT. NARCISSUS 202 Ripley enters on the run. Hurls the cat box toward the front. MOTHER'S VOICE Attention. Engine overloading thirty seconds. Ship will destruct. Ship will destruct. She dives into the control chair. Hits the "launch" button. EXT. NOSTROMO - OUTER SPACE 203 The retainer clips drop away. A blast of ram jets. The shuttle is launched from the mother ship. INT. NARCISSUS 204 Ripley frantically straps herself in. G-forces from the shuttles acceleration pulling against her. EXT. SPACE 205 The Narcissus continues to power away from the mother ship. The larger bulk of the Nostromo quietly receding. All is strangely serene. INT. NARCISSUS 206 Ripley finishes strapping herself in. Reaches and grabs the cat box. the cat yowling within. Ripley hugs the box to her chest. Hunches her head down over the container. EXT. SPACE 207 The Nostromo drifts farther away from the shuttle craft. Finally becomes a small point of light. Then it blows up. Transforms into expanding orange fireball. Pieces of metal flying in all directions. And then the refinery explodes. 200,000,000 tons of fuel blasting silently into the cosmos. INT. NARCISSUS 208 The shockwave hits the shuttle craft. Jolting and rattling everything within. Then all is quiet. Ripley unhooks herself from her straps. Rises, and goes to the back of the escape craft. Stares out through the porthole. Face bathed in orange light. EXT. SPACE 209 Piece of debris float past. The boiling fireball fades into nothingness. The Nostromo has ceased to exist. INT. NARCISSUS 210 Ripley watching the final destiny of her ship and crewmates. A very long moment. Ripley rises from the seat. Moves to the rear of the craft. Picks up the cat box. Removes Jones. Puts him in the hypersleep vault. Begins to remove her flight suit. Turns to a panel on the wall and begins to program the hypersleep... A pipe in the wall moves. Becomes the tail of the Alien. The head appears. The Alien has extruded itself into the machinery on the wall. Ripley quickly backs off. Races for the equipment locker. INT. LOCKER 211 Ripley looks out of the locker window. Waiting for the Alien to attack. Instead it returns to its position in the wall. Building its new lair. She watches for a moment. Then puts on the pressure suit hanging there. INT. NARCISSUS 212 Ripley comes out. Increased movement in the wall. She moves to the rear console. Picks up the flamethrower. The Alien moving in the walls. She sits in the console chair. And straps herself in. The Alien remains in the wall. She must now provoke it. She turns a steam jet valve. The Alien screams, twists in pain as the clouds of vapor curl around its body. Ripley fires another blast. Another scream. The Alien starts to advance toward her. She hits a button on the console. Blows the rear hatch. The Alien is frozen still for a moment. She fires a graplon. Hits the Alien in the middle. Ejecting it out of the Narcissus... EXT. NARCISSUS - OUTER SPACE 213 The Alien is hurled out of the craft. Hangs suspended in space by the graplon rope. INT. NARCISSUS 214 She shuts the hatch. Moves to the front of the craft. Turns on the drive engines. EXT. NARCISSUS - OUTER SPACE 215 Jet exhaust located at the rear of the craft. The engines belch flame for a few seconds. Incinerating the Alien... Then shut off. OUT 216-224 INT. NARCISSUS 225 Ripley hurries to the rear hatch. Peers through the glass. EXT. OUTER SPACE 226 The burned mass of the Alien drifts slowly away. Writhing, smoking. Tumbling into the distance. Pieces dropping off. Spray of particles in all directions. Then smoldering fragments dwindle into infinity. INT. NARCISSUS - LATER 227 Now repressurized. Ripley is seated in the control chair. Cat purring in her lap. She dictates into a recorder. RIPLEY Final report of the Commercial Starship Nostromo. Third Officer reporting. The other members of the crew...Kane, Lambert, Parker, Brett, Ash and Captain Dallas are dead. The cargo and the ship destroyed. I should reach the frontier in about six weeks. With a little luck the network should pick me up. This is Ripley, last survivor of the Nostromo, signing off. EXT. OUTER SPACE 228 The shuttle craft Narcissus sails into the distance. INT. NARCISSUS 229 Quiet. Except for the gentle hiss of the life support system. Ripley rests peacefully in the hypersleep vault. DEEP SPACE 230 Galaxies, nebulae...the Narcissus moves towards the horizon line of infinity. FADE OUT THE END