Alien

ASH

I think it's dead.

(looks to Ripley)

You okay.

RIPLEY

Yeah.

She carefully touches the Creature with a metal probe. Fishes the motionless life-form into the tray. Quickly closes the lid. Lifts it onto a stainless steel table.

Bright light trained on the Alien. The Creature in a supine position.

Ash touches at the Alien with a surgical instrument.

ASH 

Look at those suckers. No wonder we couldn't get it off him.

RIPLEY

Where's its mouth.

ASH

It's this tube-thing, up in here.

(carefully extracts the end of the organ)

It's hardening.

(slips the Creature under a fluoroscope)

It's dead. No life sign whatever.

RIPLEY

Let's get rid of it.

ASH

This has to go back. This is our first contact with a specimen like this. All kinds of tests need to be run.

RIPLEY

That thing bled acid. God knows what it'll do when it's dead.

ASH

I think it's safe to assume it's not a zombie... Dallas, we have to keep this specimen.

Pause.

DALLAS

You're the science officer. It's your decision.

ASH

Then it's made... I'll seal it in a stasis tube.

Pause.

RIPLEY

What about Kane.

Ash turns back to the bunk. Studies the life support gauges.

Kane continues to breathe steadily.

ASH

Running a fever. And still unconscious. The machine will bring his temperature down. His vital functions are strong... who knows, he may make it.

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

RIPLEY

I need some coffee.

She turns and walks away.

INT. COMPUTER ANNEX

Ripley and Dallas.

RIPLEY

How could you leave that kind of decision to him.

DALLAS

I just run the ship. Anything that has to do with science division, Ash has the final word.

RIPLEY

How does that happen.

DALLAS

Same way everything else happens. Orders from the Company.

RIPLEY

Since when is that standard procedure.

DALLAS

Standard procedure is do what they tell you... Besides, I only know about flying... I haul cargo for a living.

RIPLEY

Did you ship out with Ash before.

DALLAS

First time. I went five hauls with another science man. Then two days before we left Thedus, replaced him with Ash.

She looks at him.

DALLAS

So what. They replaced my warrant officer with you.

RIPLEY

I don't trust him.

DALLAS

I don't trust anybody... What's holding up repairs.

RIPLEY

They're pretty much finished now.

DALLAS

Why didn't you say so?

RIPLEY

There are still some thing left to do.

DALLAS

Like what?

RIPLEY

We're blind on B and C decks. Reserve power systems blown...

DALLAS

That's crap. We can take off without them.

RIPLEY

Is that a good idea?

DALLAS

I want to get out of here. Let's get this turkey off the ground.

EXT. PLANET – SUNRISE

The Nostromo's engines roaring. Belching out streams of superheated air.

The starship vibrates. Begins to surge forward.

INT. BRIDGE – SUNRISE

The crew at their posts.

An electrical hum permeates the air.

RIPLEY

Lock tractor beams.

The pitch of the hum changes.

The ship levels itself.

RIPLEY

Retract leading struts.

EXT. PLANET – SUNSIRE

The Nostromo hovering above the ground. Held on beams of shimmering force.

The landing struts begin folding.

INT. BRIDGE – DAY

DALLAS

Take us up.

Lambert bends over the voice amplifier.

LAMBERT

One kilometer on ascension.

INT. PLANET

The Nostromo begins to levitate skyward. Seemingly pushing upward on the beams of light.

INT. BRIDGE – DAY

The ship continues vibrating.

DALLAS

Switch on lifter quads.

A powerful, deep throbbing begins.

The vibrations increase.

RIPLEY

(into speaker)

Everything holding together down there.

INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE

Parker and Brett strapped in and vibrating.

PARKER

We fix something it stays fixed.

BRETT

Right.

INT. BRIDGE – DAY

All viewscreens operational.

DALLAS

Engage artificial gravity.

Lambert throws a switch.

The ship lurches.

LAMBERT

Engaged.

DALLAS

Altering the vector now.

A huge tremor runs throughout the ship.

PARKER'S VOICE (O.S.)

Dust is clogging the damn intakes again. We're overloading.

DALLAS

Just hold us together until we're beyond G1...

The pitch of the engines changes... deepens.

EXT. NOSTROMO – DAY

The ship moves at an acute angle. Slices through the boiling clouds.

INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE

Parker and Brett watching the gauges.

INT. BRIDGE – DAY

Outside the screens, clouds, clouds, clouds.

Another tremor runs through the ship.

The crew's eyes riveted to their instruments.

DALLAS

Let's pick up the money and go home.

EXT. NOSTROMO

The ship clears the top of the cloud layer. Bursts out into star-sprinkled space. Trailing a wake of glimmering dust flecks. Attached itself to the hovering refinery.

INT. ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE

Brett waves his arms in exultation.

BRETT

We did it.

PARKER

Walk in the park. When we fix something it stays fixed.

Big smiles.

INT. BRIDGE

The Nostromo now safely beyond gravity.

DALLAS

Set our course and get us up to light plus four.

Lambert begins punching buttons.

LAMBERT

Feets get me out of here.

EXT. OUTER SPACE