ALIENS Vs.PREDATOR

The heli-jet PLOUGHS into the swamp floor with a sickening CRUNCH, spraying

mud all around.

INT. CHOPPER - PRE-DAWN

The canopy implodes. A hail of glass shards RIP through the cockpit,

spraying across HIROKO and cutting her skin. She SCREAMS.

EXT. SWAMP - PRE-DAWN

The chopper comes to rest in the swamp. The SQUAWKING of the local WILDLIFE

O.S. gradually dies down.

INT. CHOPPER - PRE-DAWN

HIROKO moves her head, and GROANS. There's a nasty gash across her forehead.

She turns to BROKEN TUSK. The door frame on his side is buckled and twisted.

Part of the metal has sheared off, it's sharp end impaling him through the

shoulder. The PREDATOR coughs luminous green blood.

HIROKO

We've gotta get you out of here.

EXT. SWAMP - DAWN

The sun begins to rise as HIROKO exits the heli-jet and goes around to the

other side. She manages to get the mangled door open. BROKEN TUSK's wound

looks even worse up-close.

HIROKO (CONT'D)

Hold on. This is gonna hurt some.

HIROKO gets her arm under BROKEN TUSK's shoulder. The PREDATOR braces

himself, and starts to move. The agony is excruciating; his mandibles open

and he lets out a LEONINE ROAR.

HIROKO helps him out of the seat. The PREDATOR gets unsteadily to his feet.

What happens next is totally unexpected.

BROKEN TUSK's throat BURSTS, fountaining green blood. Shocked, HIROKO gets

out of the path of the PREDATOR's tumbling mass. She looks up.

The ALIEN stowaway on the roof of the chopper retracts it's sledgehammer

tongue, it's head following her movements.

The PREDATOR's 'smart' weapon has dropped to the floor and is laying blade-

down in the mire. HIROKO scoops up, activating it and scrambling away. She

gets to her feet and holds the HUMMING disc before her.

The ALIEN climbs warily down from the heli-jet, and the two opponents face

each other like sumo wrestlers. HIROKO assumes a defensive stance, holding

the disc ready to strike. The ALIEN hisses, it's tail stinger coming around.

It leaps for her, and battle is joined. The ALIEN lashes out, but HIROKO

counters by swinging the weapon time and time again. With each thrust,

surgically thin wounds open up on the biomechanoid's body. One of the

ALIEN's attacks sends her reeling to the floor, it's stinger arching towards

her. She parries, slicing the tail in half and struggling to her feet.

The ALIEN strikes again. HIROKO feints, then thrusts, lopping off one of

it's hands. The ALIEN HOWLS with pain, blinding lashing out at her and

sending the 'smart' weapon flying from her grip.

She's lost, and the creature knows it. It's lips curl into a SNARL.

KER-POW! KER-POW! The ALIEN's head DETONATES, and it's skeletal body slumps

forward to SPLASH into the swamp...revealing BROKEN TUSK pointing the pulse

rifle.

The dying PREDATOR GURGLES, his head drooping. HIROKO stumbles across to

him. BROKEN TUSK's in a bad way, green gore is pulsing freely from it's

throat. It gazes up at HIROKO.

BROKEN TUSK

Not...a pretty...sight...

And with that, the PREDATOR dies.

HIROKO look around. The sun is rising above the treetops, and the setting is

serene. Somehow beautiful.

The speakers in the heli-jet cabin CRACKLE to life, jarring her.

VOICE

(O.S., on speakers)

Rimward Tracking Station, this is the one

thirty-second Rim Corp Battalion operating

out of the cruiser Tartarus from Fort

Powell. Please respond. Over.

There's a sound O.S., like a THUNDERCLAP. HIROKO surveys the horizon.

HIROKO's P.O.V. A pair of MARINE DROPSHIPS float above the distant

rainforest, their weapons arms unfurled like exotic armed insects.

Searchlights probe the ground far below.

A shadow falls over HIROKO, blocking out the sun. A monstrous SHAPE occupies

the air above, delineated only by a telltale vibration. The PREDATOR

shuttlecraft lowers it's cloaking device, extending landing gear and a ramp.

It touches down in the bayou with scarcely a whisper.

HIROKO watches the PREDATORS file slowly out. BROKEN TUSK's body is borne

aloft and carried back inside. The LEAD PREDATOR turns to HIROKO. He

crosses to her. HIROKO's face is reflected in the faceted eyepieces of the

PREDATOR's helmet.

The extraterrestrial hunter pulls out his telescopic spear. KER-CHUNK! The

tips lock into place. The PREDATOR offers it to HIROKO. She accepts, a

little confused.

There's a long moment. The PREDATOR is still standing there. Waiting.

HIROKO's eyes narrow. Her mind is working furiously. What do they want?

She realises. It suddenly becomes clear. She smiles.

HIROKO

Yeah. Why not.

HIROKO glances back at the hovering DROPSHIPS, then walks around the waiting

PREDATOR and into the shuttlecraft without looking back.

The PREDATOR follows her. The ramp SLAMS closed, as we...

CUT TO BLACK

_THE END_