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INT. NOSTROMO - BRIDGE - MOMENTS LATER |
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The lights flicker as Dallas enters the Bridge, a room |
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bristling with advanced tech. He makes his way to the |
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captain's chair. Its display illuminates with an array |
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of warnings and notifications. |
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DALLAS |
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Mother, report status. |
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The MAIN VIEWSCREEN comes alive with the visage of MOTHER, |
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a soothing yet artificial face. |
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MOTHER (V.O.) |
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Hull integrity compromised. Unknown |
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organism detected in lower decks. Quarantine |
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protocol in effect. |
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Dallas' eyes widen, a mix of confusion and concern. |
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DALLAS |
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That wasn't on the docket for wake-up calls. |
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Where's the breach? |
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MOTHER (V.O.) |
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Section 12, sub-level G. Recommend immediate |
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investigation. |
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INT. NOSTROMO - MESS - SAME TIME |
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The crew, still gathered, turns as a red LIGHT begins to |
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pulsate overhead. |
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RIPLEY |
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That's not our average siren... |
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Ash, thoughts? |
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ASH |
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It's an emergency code. Rarely used. |
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I'll check the mainframe. |
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As the crew is about to disperse, a LOW GROWL emanates from |
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the air duct. They freeze, exchanging nervous glances. |
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PARKER |
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That's no siren or a busted engine... |
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What the hell was that? |
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INT. NOSTROMO - MESS - CONTINUOUS |
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The crew stand motionless, suspended in a collective breath, |
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as the growl echoes and fades. Silence descends, a messenger |
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of dread. Ripley steps toward the THROBBING AIR DUCT, her gaze |
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steady but her hand unwittingly finding the knife on the counter. |
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RIPLEY |
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(to the crew) |
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Stay sharp. We don't know what's in there. |
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Parker inches closer to Brett, trying not to show his concern. |
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BRETT |
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(whispering) |
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They said hauling ore would be the danger... |
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Lambert clutches a napkin, wringing it in her hands. |
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LAMBERT |
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We're not equipped for this. We should just seal the |
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section and move on. |
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Dallas' voice CRACKLES through the COMM: |
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DALLAS (V.O.) |
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Listen up! We have a situation. I need a volunteer |
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team to investigate Section 12. Suit up and be careful. |
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Ripley locks eyes with Dallas on the SCREEN. |
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RIPLEY |
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On it. Parker, Brett— you're with me. |
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Lambert, monitor comms. Ash, stay with her. |
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Dallas, we'll keep you posted. |
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They all nod gravely. Kane hesitates for a moment before grabbing |
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a flashlight. |
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KANE |
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I'm coming too. |
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The RED LIGHT pulses faster as they head out, a silent |
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heartbeat driving them towards the unknown. |
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INT. NOSTROMO - CORRIDOR TO SECTION 12 - MOMENTS LATER |
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Ripley, Parker, Brett, and Kane move cautiously through the metallic |
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corridor. Their FLASHLIGHT BEAMS dance across the walls, casting |
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towering shadows. |
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PARKER |
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(under his breath) |
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I don't like this. Space is quiet. Not growly. |
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Ripley turns to address the team, maintaining her composure. |
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RIPLEY |
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We're not hunters, we're miners. Remember that. |
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We find the problem, we contain it, we let the |
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Company deal with the rest back home. |
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A SUDDEN CLANG reverberates from up ahead. They pause, weapons |
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and tools poised, as the door to Section 12 looms before them. |
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INT. NOSTROMO - OUTSIDE SECTION 12 - CONTINUOUS |
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The door to Section 12 stands ominously sealed. Ripley inputs a |
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command on the wall panel, and with a hiss of hydraulics and a |
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clunk of disengaging locks, the door slowly slides open. They |
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step through, the beam from their flashlights cutting through the |
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murkiness. |
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INT. NOSTROMO - SECTION 12 - CONTINUOUS |
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The air in Section 12 is colder, heavier. Metal surfaces are slick |
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with condensation. Their breaths materialize in ghostly puffs as they |
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advance. |
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BRETT |
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Never been this far down before... |
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The dim light from the flashlights reveals unusual SLIME TRAILS |
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across the floor and walls. |
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KANE |
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(fascinated) |
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What do you suppose left these? |
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Parker, with a look of revulsion, wipes a viscous substance from his |
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boot. |
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PARKER |
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Nothing I want to meet. |
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As Ripley surveys their surroundings, a SHADOW darts across the far |
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end of the hallway. She raises her hand, signalling a halt. |
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RIPLEY |
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(quietly) |
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Did you see that? |
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INT. NOSTROMO - INFIRMARY - SAME TIME |
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Lambert and Ash watch the MONITORS, restless. |
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LAMBERT |
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This is too much. They should come back. |
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They should— |
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Ash places a calm hand on her shoulder, interrupting her. |
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ASH |
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They’ll deal with it. Trust Ripley. |
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Lambert, reassured by Ash's stoic demeanor, nods reluctantly, her |
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eyes back on the blinking monitors. |
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INT. NOSTROMO - SECTION 12 - CONTINUOUS |
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They press on, the tension palpable. Kane moves ahead, his flashlight |
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leading him to a sealed compartment door that’s ajar. Inside, a cocoon-like |
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structure pulsates quietly against the wall. |
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KANE |
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(whispering back) |
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Guys... you might want to see this. |
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The rest of the team gather around the entrance. The sight of the cocoon |
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sends a chill down their spines. |
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Suddenly, the ship SHUDDERS, a low rumble traveling through the structure. |
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Dust and debris sprinkle from the ceiling. |
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BRETT |
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The hell was that? Are we moving? |
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Ripley opens a communicator. |
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RIPLEY |
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(into the device) |
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Dallas, we found something... |
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The cocoon opens slightly. |
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A BEAT. |
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Something MOVES inside. |
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All eyes fixate on the opening, the tension erupts into fear mingled with |
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awe as they brace for what’s to come. |
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INT. NOSTROMO - SECTION 12 - CONTINUOUS |
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The cocoon pulsates more violently, the movement within becoming frantic. |
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Kane inches closer, captivated, his hand trembling as he reaches out. |
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KANE |
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(mesmerized) |
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Look at it... it's like... |
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Ripley reaches out, yanking him back. |
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RIPLEY |
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(urgent) |
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Kane, no! Don't touch— |
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A CREATURE LEAPS out of the cocoon, fast as a striking snake, attaching |
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itself to Kane’s helmet. The light from his flashlight flickers as he |
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falls back, crashing to the ground. |
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Parker and Brett rush to his side, trying to pry the creature off, but |
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its grip is iron tight. |
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PARKER |
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(panicked) |
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It's got him! It's got him good! |
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Ripley, fighting to keep her cool, pulls her communicator closer. |
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RIPLEY |
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(into the communicator) |
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Dallas, we have an emergency! Something's |
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attacked Kane. It's attached to his face. |
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We're bringing him to the infirmary, now! |
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INT. NOSTROMO - INFIRMARY - MOMENTS LATER |
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The door to the infirmary slams open as they rush Kane inside. Lambert |
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and Ash stand back, shocked, as the team lays Kane on a medical bed. |
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Ripley looks to Ash, the science officer, her eyes demanding answers. |
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RIPLEY |
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Get that thing off him, Ash! Safely, but |
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quickly! |
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Ash approaches cautiously, examining the creature without touching it. |
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ASH |
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(analyzing) |
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Remarkable. The creature has established a |
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tight seal... It's not just clamped on; it's |
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fused. |
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Dallas' voice comes through the room's comm system, anxious. |
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DALLAS (V.O.) |
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What's the situation? |
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Ripley looks at the struggling Kane, then back to the comm. |
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RIPLEY |
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(determined) |
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We'll keep it contained, Captain. But we |
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need to figure out what we're dealing with. |
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The creature's tail tightens around Kane's neck as he convulses slightly. |
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Fear and fascination wash over the crew's faces as the reality of their |
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situation sinks in. They are no longer alone, and the rules of their |
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mission have changed forever. |
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INT. NOSTROMO - INFIRMARY - CONTINUOUS |
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Ash moves around the medical bed with a cautious precision, avoiding |
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any sudden movements that might further agitate the alien organism. |
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ASH |
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I don’t dare remove it surgically. The creature's |
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blood could be acidic... It might burn through the |
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hull. |
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Ripley steps forward, her expression resolute despite the fear |
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that grips the rest of the crew. |
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RIPLEY |
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We can't just leave it on him. Ash, options? |
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Ash ponders for a moment, then retrieves a scanning device. |
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ASH |
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I'll try to get a reading on its biology. Stay |
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alert. |
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He begins scanning Kane’s helmet, the creature, and the immediate area, |
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as the device emits a SERIES OF BEEPING SOUNDS. |
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LAMBERT |
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(anxiously) |
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It’s like a nightmare... |
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Parker watches Kane, his hands clenched into fists. |
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PARKER |
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We need to be armed, whatever that thing is— |
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RIPLEY |
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(cutting him off) |
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No weapons. Not until we know more. The last |
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thing we need is to breach the hull— or worse. |
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The scanner results flash on Ash's hand-held screen, his eyes widening |
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slightly. |
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ASH |
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Fascinating... it's like nothing I've seen. |
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The creature has a...signature. Some kind |
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of unique protein structure. |
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INT. NOSTROMO - CORRIDOR - SAME TIME |
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As the tension in the infirmary mounts, Dallas strides through the |
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corridor. His determined gaze is fixed on the comm device in his hand. |
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DALLAS |
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(into the comm) |
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Update, Mother. Immediate data on unknown |
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life forms. |
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A PAUSE. Then the COMM WHISPERS with MOTHER’s synthetic voice: |
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MOTHER (V.O.) |
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Data received and analyzing. Caution is |
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recommended. The organism is beyond current |
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xenobiology understanding. |
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Dallas’ steps quicken, knowing that time is of the essence. |
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INT. NOSTROMO - MESS - CONTINUOUS |
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Dallas enters the mess where Brett is hastily making improvised weapons |
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from mining tools. Dallas snatches a makeshift flamethrower. |
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DALLAS |
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Ripley's right. No unnecessary risks. |
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But, we stay prepared. |
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BRETT |
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(nods, gripping his tool) |
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Got it, Cap. |
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INT. NOSTROMO - INFIRMARY - CONTINUOUS |
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Ash’s eyes remain fixed on the creature, analyzing the scanner’s readout. |
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ASH |
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The creature is maintaining an air passage |
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through... I believe it's keeping him alive. |
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Lambert backs away to a corner, her arms wrapped around herself. |
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LAMBERT |
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It's using him... for what? |
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Ash doesn't answer, the implications hanging heavy in the air. |
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As Parker continues to watch his colleague with a mix of anger and fear, |
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a THUDDING SOUND reverberates through the ship, causing the lights to |
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flicker. |
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INT. NOSTROMO - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS |
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As the crew deals with their infirmary crisis, Dallas is back on the |
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bridge, staring at the main screen, which is scanning the ship's |
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exterior. |
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DALLAS |
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(muttering to himself) |
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What's hitting us now? |
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His fingers punch the controls with urgency, cycling through the |
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external cameras. |
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EXT. NOSTROMO - OUTER HULL - SPACE |
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The CAMERA FEED shows the blackness of space, stars twinkling in |
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the distance, and then a SHADOW flits across the camera, momentarily |
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obscuring the view. Something is out there with them. |
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INT. NOSTROMO - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS |
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Dallas, now realizing the gravity of their situation, toggles the |
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shipwide comm. |
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DALLAS |
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(into the comm, firmly) |
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Crew, this is the Captain. Stay alert and stay |
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close. We are not alone on this ship. |
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INT. NOSTROMO - INFIRMARY - CONTINUOUS |
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The announcement hangs in the air. Ripley looks around the room |
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at the faces of her crew, seeing the same concern mirrored in each. |
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She makes a silent vow. They would face this— together. |
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RIPLEY |
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(quietly, to herself) |
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We'll make it through. We have to. |
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Ripley's gaze hardens as she turns to look at the still form of Kane |
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on the bed, the alien still clinging to his face, and her mind starts |
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to race, planning their next move. |