Alien

Pause.

DALLAS

Kick on the floods.

CUT TO:

EXT. SHIP

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

Dallas stares at the dark screens.

KANE

We can't go anywhere in this.

ASH

Mother says the sun's coming up in about twenty minutes.

DALLAS

How far from the source of the transmission.

ASH

Northeast... about 3000 meters.

KANE

Close enough to walk.

DALLAS

Let's run an atmospheric.

Ash punches buttons, starts to consult his panel.

ASH

10 percent argon, 85 percent nitrogen, 5 percent neon... I'm working on the trace elements.

DALLAS

Pressure.

ASH

Ten to the fourth dynes per square centimeter.

KANE

Moisture content.

ASH

None. Zero.

DALLAS

Anything else?

ASH

Rock, lava base. And cold... well below the centrigrade line.

KANE

I volunteer for the first group going out.

DALLAS

I hear you. Lambert. You too.

Pause.

LAMBERT

Swell.

DALLAS

One more thing. Let's get out some weapons.

EXT. SHIP – DAWN

Sunrise.

The atmosphere begins to lighten.

Silhouette of the Nostromo becoming dimly visible. Starship perched on barren rock.

More rolling clouds of dust.

The floodlights automatically shut off.

INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE

Parker and Brett laser welding one of the ducts. Shirts off. Sweat steaming.

Ripley rewiring one of the panels.

Parker shuts down the laser, inspects the fusion.

PARKER

Hey, Ripley, I got a question.

RIPLEY

Yeah.

PARKER

Do we get to go out on the expedition or are we stuck here until everything's fixed.

RIPLEY

You know the answer to that.

BRETT

What about the shares in case they find anything.

RIPLEY

Don't worry, you'll both get what's coming to you.

BRETT

I'm not doing any more work unless we get full shares.

RIPLEY

You're guaranteed by law that you'll get a share... Now both of you knock it off and get back to work.

Parker looks at her. Snaps on the laser weld. Starts to join another section of the duct.

BRETT

Right.

INT. MAIN AIR LOCK – DAWN

Dallas, Kane and Lambert enter the lock. All wear gloves, boots, jackets. Carry laser pistols.

Kane touches a button.

Servo whine.

Then the inner door slides quietly shut.

The trio pull on their helmets.

DALLAS

I'm sending. Do you hear me.

KANE

Receiving.

LAMBERT

Receiving.

DALLAS

All right. Keep away from the weapons unless I say otherwise.

INT. ASH'S BLISTER – DAWN

Ash descends companionway to blister. Punches up screens and instrumentation.

INT. MAIN AIR LOCK – DAWN

DALLAS

Open the hatch.

Another servo whine.

Ponderously, the outer lock hatch slides open.

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

A mobile gangway slides out the open hatch.

Burnt orange sunlight beyond.

EXT. PLANET – DAWN

The trio walk down the gangplank. Arrive at surface level. Their feet striking onto a thick layer of lava rock.

The wind at gale force.

DALLAS

Which way.

LAMBERT

Over here.

DALLAS

You lead.

Lambert walks into the storm. Followed closely by the others.

LAMBERT

Now I can't see a God damn thing.

ASH (V.O.)

Turn on the finder.

DALLAS

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

INT. ASH'S BLISTER – DAWN

Ash leaning over his console. Watches them beneath him.

Corresponding images on the screen in front of him.

ASH

See you. Read you. Good contact on my board.

DALLAS (V.O.)

Getting you clear and free. Let's keep the line open.

EXT. PLANET – DAWN

The three crew members push their way along. Like divers at the bottom of a dark sea.

The wind and dust continues driving down in dark sheets.

Lambert repeats.

LAMBERT

Can't see more than three meters in any direction.

KANE

Quit griping.

LAMBERT

I like griping.

DALLAS

Come on.

They wade on, following Lambert. She halts abruptly. Confused.

INT. BLISTER – DAWN

Ash watches intently.

Images on each screen of the trio.

LAMBERT (V.O.)

I've got it again.

ASH

Any problems.

DALLAS (V.O.)

Yeah. A lot of dust and wind. Starting to get some fade on the beam.

EXT. PLANET – DAWN

The trio moves through a dark limbo.

LAMBERT

This way.

Lambert indicates left. Moves in that direction. The others follow.

The storm growing.

KANE 

It's close.

They approach a towering rock formation.

The transmission stops.

LAMBERT

It's gone again.

KANE

Did we pass it.

DALLAS

Not unless it's underground. Let's take a break

They shelter with the rock formation.

Storm howls round them.

Dallas adjusts headset.

The signals starts.

DALLAS

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

LAMBERT

How about our break.

DALLAS

No. Let's more on while we're got the signal, again.

Dallas gets up.

They stand for a moment... then move away from the rock formation. Fossilized into the other side of the rock is a shape. Fifteen feet tall. Unseen by the members of the party.

INT. BLISTER – DAWN

Ash receiving the video transmission. Notices something within the formation. Freezes the image. Enlarges it. Enlarges again.

EXT. THE NOSTROMO – SUNRISE

Atmosphere turning the color of blood.

Then the sun is up.

EXT. THE NOSTROMO – SUNRISE

Brett and Parker still at work.

Ripley moves away from her panel in triumph...

RIPLEY

You ought to be able to handle the rest.

PARKER

Don't worry.

RIPLEY

If you run into trouble, I'll be on the bridge.

BRETT

Right.

She leaves.

PARKER

Bitch.

INT. BLISTER – DAY

Ash still working on the video image. Enhances the enlargement. Transfers the image to cathode ray.

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

Ripley's voice comes over.

RIPLEY (V.O.)

How's it going.

Ash quickly shuts off the video image. Hits the intercom.

INT. BRIDGE

Ripley at her console. Looking at Ash on her screen.

Ash's video image not visible to Ripley.

ASH (V.O.)

All right.

RIPLEY

Have you tried putting the transmission through ECIU.

ASH (V.O.)

Mother hasn't identified it as yet. It's not a language.

RIPLEY

I'll give it a shot.

ASH (V.O.)

Be my guest.

She pushes some button.

The noise is now heard on her speaker.

EXT. PLANET – DAY

Dust clearing.

Three tiny figures against the landscape.

EXT. PLANET – DAY

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.