JOHNER (cont’d)
I’ll just be shuttin’ the hell up, then.
Gotcha!
EXT. THE DESERT – NIGHT
The wreckage of Ranier’s destroyed convoy is still burning fiercely. We CLOSE on what’s left of Howie’s rig and PAN down to the ground just away from the opened passenger-side door. We SEE a crack open in the sand. A trap door lifts slightly, and we SEE Piper’s eyes peer out.
HOWIE
(O.S.)
Well?
PIPER
I think they’ve gone.
HOWIE
(O.S.)
What is this place, anyway? Where do
these steps go?
PIPER
My secret workshop, my young flesh and
blood friend. We may have work to do.
But first I have to call my doctor.
He closes the trap door.
HOWIE
(O.S.)
Your doctor?
INT. THE FALCON – DAY
Ripley is sitting at a portal, staring out blankly. On the other side Johner is also staring out.
In the middle of the floor we SEE a large lumpy mound. What could be survival gear - small tents, sleeping bags etc - covers what’s underneath. A stray hand or foot sticks out.
We SEE overhead bins that have been opened and emptied.
Pg. 72
JOHNER
Son-of-a-bitch! We just changed our
heading again. We’ve been zig-zaggin’
for the last four hours. An’ if we go any
slower I swear we’ll drop like a stone.
I am seriously lost, man.
RIPLEY
(distant)
We’re all lost.
JOHNER
What?
RIPLEY
Forget it.
Johner throws her a contemptuous look. Then he’s up again, rummaging through the remnants of already ransacked overheads.
JOHNER
Man! You’d think there’d have to be
some kinda ration packs or something.
And we better get somewhere soon or the
air’s gonna get pretty sweet in here.
Ripley looks about.
RIPLEY
Maybe they keep the rations up front.
Johner glances toward the still slumbering Warrior.
JOHNER
I ain’t that hungry.
We SEE the Falcon shudder; HEAR the sound of the engines change pitch.
JOHNER (cont’d)
Hey.
We HEAR a mechanical grating sound.
Ripley is up.
Pg. 73
RIPLEY
Undercarriage. We’re landing.
She looks to the Warrior who is also up. He stoops in a confinement now too low for him. He smashes a portal, tears the bulkhead wider, and leaps out. Air blasts in.
JOHNER
What the fuck…?
(a BEAT)
Did he look bigger to you?
EXT. THE PEAKS OF SNOW COVERED MOUNTAINS – CONTINUOUS
We SEE the Falcon disappear into a glacial cave.
JOHNER
(O.S.)
Where the hell d’ya think we are?
RIPLEY
(O.S.)
Inside a mountain.
JOHNER
(O.S.)
No shit.
INT. A CAVERNOUS MILITARY FACILITY. A LANDING/LAUNCH BAY – LATER
The Falcon sits in one of many landing bays. Several others are occupied by a variety of USM craft. There is heavy activity tech and maintenance activity.
From one end of the huge chamber we SEE a contingent of helmeted, armed, shield-bearing USM troops double-time it towards the Falcon. At the same time we HEAR...
LOUDSPEAKER
All personnel leave Area 7 immediately.
This is not a drill. All personnel will
LOUDSPEAKER (cont’d)
vacate Area 7 immediately. This is not a
drill.
Pg. 74
The techs and workers speedily comply.
AT THE FALCON
The troops reach the Falcon and surround it. They take up positions, leveling their weapons. The COMMANDER jogs to the nosecone and signals up to the cockpit.
We SEE a panel directly above the cockpit open. The pilot squirms up and out, slides down, and drops to the ground. He is met by two of the Marines who hustle him away.
The Commander moves to the main side hatch. He gives a nodded OK to the soldier nearest that door. The Marine reaches forward, punches a quick code into the touch pad, there, and hops back, bringing his rifle up again.
As a stepway unfolds to the floor, the hatch slides aside, revealing Ripley and Johner standing side by side.
COMMANDER
Where is the organism?
Ripley leans forward and points out and along, towards the front of the Falcon.
RIPLEY
He left.
The Commander looks at the destroyed portal. Then, with sharp, stabbing finger motions, he directs his troops.
Two step up and take Ripley and Johner by the arms. Every second Marine in the encirclement re-deploys, forming a phalanx around them, and they are marched swiftly away.
With an aggressive, silent, crisscross fluidity, the remaining Marines pour into the Falcon.
INT. A HOLDING CELL – LATER
The room is large though sparse: metallic-grey walls, hard
chairs, a table. There is evidence of partially consumed
food on trays on the table.
Pg. 75
Ripley and Johner are both dressed in black and silver military-style combat suits. They are cleaned up.
Johner is slouched in a chair, legs stretched out in front.
Without warning, Ripley walks smartly up to the closed door and stands right up to it just as it slides open. Startled, three seemingly seasoned Marines there– two female, one male - bring their rifles up.
Ripley doesn’t budge. Behind her, Johner gets up.
Behind the Marines we SEE Mr. Griggs. He steps forward, smiling.
GRIGGS
I see you were expecting us.
RIPLEY
I heard you coming.
GRIGGS
Not very likely, Ms. Ripley. These rooms
are perfectly insul...
RIPLEY
(to the female Marines)
Which one of you two wants to ‘pop the
bitch now before she eats us’?
All three soldiers exchange nervous looks. One of the females chances a glance towards Griggs, whose smile has vanished.
Johner laughs and steps up beside Ripley.
JOHNER
Damn, girl, you are just one surprise
after another.
(to the Marines)
You kids should remember that.
GRIGGS
Ms. Ripley. You will come with me, please.
An arm wave invites Ripley out.
Pg. 76
RIPLEY
And my manservant, here?
GRIGGS
Mr. Berlin
Ripley takes a step backwards.
RIPLEY
Uh, uh. I’ve seen what happens to my
associates once I leave them. He stays
with me.
GRIGGS
I’m afraid that’s not acceptable. My
superior does not require Mr. Berlin
Ripley steps forward again.
RIPLEY
Did you see the inside of that gunship?
Another half step forward.
RIPLEY (cont’d)
With this door open and your three grunts,
here, you think you’re in control?
A BEAT.
GRIGGS.
Very well. If you will follow me?
IN THE CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
One Marine marches away. Ripley and Johner, ushered by Griggs, follow on. The other two Marines bring up the rear.
RIPLEY
(to Johner)
How many more times am I going to have
to carry your sorry ass?
JOHNER
How high can you count?
Pg. 77
INT. AT THE END OF ANOTHER CORRIDOR, OTHER LARGE, CLOSED SLIDING DOORS – MINUTES LATER
Ripley, Johner, Griggs, and the Marines wait.
RIPLEY
(to Griggs)
So, even you have to wait. I got the
feeling you were number 2 around here.
GRIGGS
My title is Premier Aide, yes. But DR.
WADDELL is with Ma’am now. We wait.
JOHNER
Ma’am? Hey, Ripley, d’ya think that’s
the 400-year-old dame?
Griggs is suddenly animated.
GRIGGS
(to Johner)
You know nothing of Ma’am. No, let’s
just leave it at you know nothing.
RIPLEY
Hey, Number 2, we know...
GRIGGS
(animated)
Nothing! Ash. Burke. Bishop. The Auriga.
Names to you, nothing more. Nothing.
The doors begin to slide apart.
GRIGGS (cont’d)
Prepare yourself, Ripley...or whatever
you are.
Ripley is silent.
A tall, thin, blonde man, dressed in a flowing white coat, exits between the doors. With a nod he acknowledges Griggs, then turns to Ripley. We SEE the character we know as Ranier. This is DR. WADDELL.
Ripley stares mutely, but responds to his outstretched hand.
Pg. 78
WADDELL
I’m Dr. Waddell.
(a beat)
Hi.
Ripley recovers and smiles.
RIPLEY
Hi.
Waddell nods to a startled Johner, slaps him on the shoulder, and strides away. Ripley and Johner watch him go.
Griggs, composed now, uses his patented hand gesture to invite them into the chamber beyond. They step inside.
INT. ALEXA WOODS’ PRIVATE APARTMNENT - CONTINUOUS
The ‘apartment’ is white, plastic, pristine. High ceiling, but not a huge room. In the centre, Woods herself in her ‘chair’ attended by her life-sustaining machinery. But in one corner, an incongruous ‘shrine’: 20th century furnishings, filled bookcases, a drinks cabinet, side tables...wedding and family photographs.
One full wall is a window to the surrounding mountain range.
WOODS
Thank you, Mr. Griggs. That will be all.
GRIGGS
Ma’am, are you sure?
WOODS
I’m in no danger, am I Ellen?
Ripley and Johner can’t take their eyes off Woods.
RIPLEY
Um...not from me.
JOHNER
And I...I...just go with the flow.
Griggs hesitates, then turns on his heel and leaves.
Pg. 79
WOODS
(to Ripley)
You killed nine good men.
RIPLEY
They deceived and ambushed unprepared men
and women. And I only claim the colonel.
WOODS
Of course. Your Alien.
RIPLEY
More like your Alien. Are you
Weyland-Yutani? Have you always been
the one behind the damned Company?
Woods draws a long, ragged breath, perpetually fatigued.
WOODS
Mr. Berlin
RIPLEY
What?
(stride towards Woods)
No. You deal with me.
WOODS
Sorry, Ellen, but I need to get Johner’s
reaction to something. He’s the only
normal human being in the room.
JOHNER
You’ve got that right.
WOODS
Johner. I’m afraid I have to tell
you that there will soon be an invasion
of the Earth by creatures of superior
technology and weaponry. Due to our lack
of a space-going war fleet, efforts have
been made to create, train, and control
an army of super soldiers to use against
the invaders once they land. Unfortunately,
(another long breath)
due to circumstances, our attempts have
failed. And now it’s probably too late to
start again.
Pg. 80
JOHNER
You mean the big ugly suckers that got
blown away back at the rebel camp?
Ripley is wide-eyed, then frowns.
RIPLEY
No. No. There’s no way...
WOODS
I’m sorry, Johner. Of course, you’ve seen
them. I wanted you to laugh at such
nonsense. I’d hoped you’d show Ripley
how the world in general would react.
JOHNER
Oh, well, yeah, the invasion part. Sure,
that’s pretty funny.
Ripley storms up to Woods, has to stoop to get in her face.
RIPLEY
No! Do better. Give me more. You better
have all the pieces of the damn puzzle.
What the hell is your name, anyway?
WOODS
My name is Alexa Woods, and I was with
Bishop the day he died.
RIPLEY
(shock, steps back)
Bishop? The real Bishop?
WOODS
Charles Bishop Weyland. CEO of Weyland
Industries, before the merger with
Yutani. He was killed by one of these
Hunters you’ve met. The date was October
10, 2004. And I was there.
JOHNER
Damn, you’re old.
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