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