Alien-3.txt

			Alien III
		Screenplay by John Fasano
	    Story by Vincent Ward & John Fasano

					
					FIRST DRAFT
					March 29, 1990





"But how will you die when your time
comes, Narcissus, since you have no
mother?  Without a mother, one cannot
love.  Without a mother, one cannot die."

			- Hesse





ALIEN III


THE SCREEN IS BLACK

A pinpoint of light appears.
Red.  An ember. 
Unseen BELLOWS blow.

GLASS FURNACE

The embers glow.  Flame.
The fire GROWS.

A RIVER OF MOLTEN GLASS

Heated by the furnace to over 1,300 degrees fahrenheit. 
White Hot.

GLASS FACTORY

Flickering flame casts dancing shadows on wooden walls.  
Coarsely grained wood.  Moisture blasted out by years of
intense heat.  Timbers split.  Patched with new wood,
it too now old and dry.

SMOKE

Billows up the walls.
Hangs as an angry, black cloud amongst the rafters and beams of
the vaulted ceiling.  Almost obscures --

A MAN

On a narrow LEDGE, twenty feet about the Glassworks' floor. 
His clothing is Medieval.  A rough textured cassock. 
He is a MONK.

LOUVERS are set into the wall.  He angles them open.
The smoke begins to escape.

The Monk turns, raises arms and LEAPS from his lofty perch --
Gently gliding down to the floor with the aid of a FLOWING FOX --
a primitive hand-held pulley that runs down a rope.
He lands next to the glass furnace, surrounded by --

MORE MONKS

By their dress.  With Blowing Iron and Pontil.
They blow and shape the molten glass.  Crack off the finished
pieces.  The old way.

ONE PARTICULAR MONK

Black skinned, early fifties.
Stirs his five foot long blowing iron in the molten glass, but
he is watching something else.  It moves him to song.
Lilting tenor lifts high into the air.
This is BROTHER KYLE.

			BROTHER KYLE
	Well would he guess the ascending of the star,
	Wherein his patient's fortunes settled were.
	He knew the course of every malady,
	Were it of cold or heat or moist or dry.
	Brother John, would-be Doctour of Physick.

We see the object of his song:

BROTHER JOHN

Not yet forty.  Strong features, but fear behind the eyes.
The fear that comes from a lack of inner confidence.
A good face, nonetheless.
He stirs a thick mixture in a mortar.
Next to him another MONK sits holding his arm out in front of
him, cassock sleeve rolled up, revealing a vicious BURN.

		       BROTHER KYLE
		Tend you quickly he will,
		with bottles from a shelf.
		But heals not, so easily,
		The ills which plague himself.

Brother John stops stirring.

		      BROTHER JOHN
		   (to Kyle)
		Enough.

He scoops the salve out with his fingers and applies it to the
Burned Monk's arm.  The Burned Monk INHALES sharpley as the cool
mixture contacts the injured area.  

		     BROTHER JOHN
		  (to the burned Monk)
		Relax.
		  (to Kyle)
		Put those lungs of yours to better
		use.

		     BROTHER KYLE
		Yes, Doc Tor.

Kyle laughs, removes the blowing iron from the molten glass --
a BLOB of white hot glass hanging on the end.

He rolls the blob on the Marver, a flat, polished piece of 
iron, then begins to blow a bottle shaped container. 

John wraps a fray-edged cloth bandage around the burn.

			     JOHN
		Keep this from getting wet.  Go home at
		late afternoon mealtime and don't come
		back to work today --

		     BURNED MONK
		But John --

			     JOHN
		I'll tell the Abbot.  Just rest today.
		You're lucky you only burned yourself on
		the side of the furnace.  If some of that
		glass had gotten on your arm --

He points to the top of his forearm.

	   	            JOHN
		-- it would've burned clean through to
		the other side.

He mimes a drop down from the bottom of his arm.
The Burned Monk shudders at the thought.  

BELLS toll.
 
		            JOHN
		That's late afternoon.  Now get on.

			BURNED MONK
		Thank you, John.  I --

			   JOHN
		You're welcome.  Go!

The Burned Monk trundles off, injured arm against his chest.
John gathers his mortar, pestle, and extra bandages into a
burlap sack.  Kyle comes over.

			  KYLE
		Good work.

			  JOHN
		All right, but I'm no Father Anselm.

  			  KYLE
		You're yourself, that's better...

Kyle pushes him through the door...

INTO THE HALLWAY

The Hallway is alive with cassocked monks.
Their LOW CHANTING reverberates throughout the building.
The wooden floorboards creak beneath their combined weights.
This is obviously a MEDIEVAL MONASTERY...

			KYLE
		The Abbot will be pleased.

			JOHN
		Don't.

			KYLE
		Don't what?

			JOHN
		Please don't tell him.  At least until
		I know if there's an infection.

			KYLE
		You want to be the Abbey's Physician,
		and you haven't learned the first rule:
		Don't worry about the patient.

John's face drops.

			KYLE
		I shouldn't have. Sorry.  Look, I know
		how you must --

			JOHN
		You don't, but thanks anyway.

AT THE END OF THE HALLWAY

A wide stairwell.  A constant stream of monks all moving down
the stairs.  Coming from floors above.  Headed for lunch.
Kyle starts down.  John starts up --

			KYLE
		Not coming down?

			JOHN
		I have someone waiting for me.

Kyle disappears into the crowd.
John moves up...

THE STAIRWAY

A river of brown cassocks running downstream.
John is the only one moving against the flow.
He exits the stairwell --

ONE FLOOR UP

A narrow corridor lined with doorways.
John moves to one in particular.
He doesn't even look as he grabs the door knob.
This is his room.
He opens the door --

IN BROTHER JOHN'S ROOM

An old, worn out DOG lays in wait on an old, worn out cassock
which is now serving as its bed.
At the sight of John it stands.

			JOHN
		Come on, Mattias.

The dog, MATTIAS, joins him in the hall.
Monk and pet disappear up a flight of stairs. 
Past another dozen or so Monks who are on their way down.

INT. LIBRARY

A vast room filled with rows of wooden tables with low benches
between aisle after aisle of floor-to-ceiling wooden shelves
jammed to capacity with BOOKS of all shapes and sizes.  Millions
of books, from the looks of it.
From each book hangs a long CHAIN, long enough to allow the 
book to be carried only as far as the nearest table.

A CORPULENT MONK - BROTHER PHILIP

In his fifties, and the Librarian by his stern affect, his
position behind a broad, but also old oak desk, and the large
KEY hanging from his belt.  He watches the few stragglers return
their chain bound volumes to the shelves and head for the door,
then rises and joins them...

IN THE CORRIDOR JUST OUTSIDE THE LIBRARY

John leans against the wall as Philip exits.
Mattias is nowhere to be seen. 

			PHILIP
		Brother John.

			JOHN
		Brother Philip.

			PHILIP
		Feeding the mind instead of the body
		again?

			JOHN
		My training has taught me to feed what's
		hungry.

Philip pats his broad stomach and heads down the hallway.

			PHILIP
		As did mine.  As long as you're alone.
		Enjoy yourself -- and remember, no book
		leaves the library.

			JOHN
		How could I forget?  Have a good meal...

John watches the corpulent librarian head down the stairs.
When he's gone from sight John lifts the bottom of his cassock
to reveal Mattias.

			JOHN
		Perfect.

They move into the library...

THE MEDIEVAL SECTION

The oldest books.
John moves to the stacks.
Mattias trots over to a particular bench and sits.
This is his regular place.

AT THE SHELVES

John stands on toe tips to retrieve an ancient Tome.
He runs his fingers over the familiar leather binding.
A smile plays across his lips.

He carries the book, places it on the edge of the table so
there is slack in the chain.
Sits on the bench next to the dog.
Clears his throat, opens the book, begins to read...

			John
	    	    (reading)
		In the year of our Lord 1348 I, Brother
		Gerhado of the Minorite Abbey helped bury
		the Abbot and my sixty fellow monks --

			VOICE O/S
		Sometimes, I think you'd like that.

John turns to find --

THE ABBOT

Leader of the monastery.  In his seventies but looks younger.
His Cassock is adorned with a large, ornately carved, wooden
CHAIN in place of a rope belt.  He crosses to the table.

John closes the book and stands, head bowed in respect.

			John
		Abbot, I -- I didn't think anyone would --

			ABBOT
		Mind?  Just Philip, if he knew.  I passed
		him on the way up.  He said you'd come 
		in alone.  I knew better.

He scratches the back of Mattias' neck.

			ABBOT
		Hello, Mattias.  How are you, boy?

The dog snuffles in response.

			ABBOT
		You know what Philip says about Mattias'
		hair and his breathing.  You'll have to 
		take him out of here.

			JOHN
		He likes when I read to him and -- I 
		can't --

John looks down sheepishly.  Though nearly forty, he feels
almost adolescent in the presence of the Abbot.  
The Abbot pulls a large key from his pocket.

			ABBOT
		    (smiles)
		Someone must have left this one unlocked.
		Take the book with you.

He hands the key to John, who is shocked --
this is a great honor.

			JOHN
		Father, I --?

			ABBOT
		Kyle tells me you did a good job at
		the glassworks today.

			JOHN
		I'll reserve judgement until the patient
		lives.

John crosses to the shelf and unlocks his book.
He returns the key.

			ABBOT
		It will get easier.  Father Anselm was...
		an unexpected loss.  You'll do fine.

The Abbot walks towards the door...

			ABBOT
		Just have it back before the end of lunch.
		Oh -- And I didn't see you in here.

			JOHN
		Thank you.
		      (to Mattias)
		Let's go upstairs, boy.

John takes his book -- Moves to a spiral wooden staircase.
Mattias at his heels.
Goes UP --

INTO THE BELL TOWER

The mechanics of the bell tower -- all ropes and wooden cogs
cast scary shadows.
A doorway leads to --

THE ROOF OF THE ABBEY

Thick with sandy dust.  The wood shows through thin patches.  
We PULL BACK TO REVEAL what we think is the roof of the Abbey
is actually --

THE SURFACE OF ARCEON - NIGHT

The door has opened onto the SURFACE OF A PLANTOID!
The curving horizon broken only by the very top of the
Abbey bell tower poking through from the levels below.  
SMOKE curls from vents set into the surface.
Sunken areas of the planet's sirface are SEAS.

This is ARCEON.
An manmade orbiter.
A shell of lightweight foamed steel, five miles in diameter.
Constructed by The Company on Special Order with habitable
level within finished in whatever material suits its end user.

This orbiter, for reasons to be discovered later, has been
sheathed in wood.

JOHN

Walks to the shore of an inland SEA.
Sits on a bare patch of wood.  Looks up.
His eyes grow accustomed to --

THE NIGHT SKY - JOHN POV

Freckled with tiny dots of light.
Stars.  Spread across the inky void.
Bathe Arceon's surface with their celestial glow.

John smiles at Mattias, breathes deep. 
The atmosphere up here is thinner, but fresher. 
He opens the book.
Reads aloud --

			JOHN
		In the year of our Lord 1348 I, Brother
		Gerhado of the Minorite Abbey helped bury
		the Abbot and my sixty fellow monks, day
		by day, one by one, until I am the only 
		one left.  I stayed as long as I could bear 
		it, then with my dog -- 

Mattias lifts his ears at this part.  His favorite part.

			JOHN
		- fled.  I have put this to parchment lest
		this pestilence - this Black Death - 
		stay my hand.
			(beat)
		This was finished by another hand...

John closes the book.  Something catches his eye --
Something among the myriad points of light in the sky.
Millions of miles away:

ONE OF THE STARS

Brighter than the rest.  MOVING.
Fast enough to leave a faint trail.
Across the stars.  And down...
A comet.

John stands.  Watches --

THE STAR

Growing brighter.
Drawing nearer.

JOHN

Joined by three other MONKS.
They are older than he.
The Four men watch the sky...

THE STAR

Brighter still.  Closer.

MORE MONKS

Two dozen.  A hundred.
They come up through the planet's surface.
Out of wooden trap doors.  Join the others.
Days pass.
Now three hundred.
Necks bowed back.
Mouths agape.
A SUBTITLE identifies...

			RELIGIOUS COLONY ARCEON
			-----------------------
			POPULATION: 350 Exiles
			CRIME:  Political Heresy

THE STAR

Fills the sky.
Burns brighter still as it hits the planetoid's atmosphere.

ON THE SURFACE OF ARCEON

Hundreds of Monks shield their eyes as the ship -- the star --
ROARS over their heads.  Trailing FIRE --

John holds up his hands - to touch a star --
Skin BLISTERS as it passes over him,
He turns and watches as it --
Arcs downward --

INTO THE SEA

WHOMP- SSSSSSSSSS --!!
PLUMES of steam rise into the air.
The water boils.  Fish bob to the surface.  Bloated.  Dead.

JOHN

Is the first to hit the shore.
Small leather and wood fishing boats tossed by the wake.
His coracle is the first into the water.
The others running up behind him.
He cannot hear the SHOUTS of warning.

ON THE SEA - DAWN

The sun cracks over the black water.
John's hands move the rough wooden oars.
Blistered palm opens.
BLOOD flows.
He tears off a piece of his cassock --
Rips it with his teeth --
Wraps the bloody hand.
Rows.

THE STAR

Ship.  Star Ship.
Sulaco escape vehicle #4 rocks on the water.
White metal skin blackened by the heat.

JOHN

Rows right into it.
His coracle pitches in the choppy surf.  
He scrambles onto the ship's cracked tile surface.
Teeters -- balances -- moves to the unmistakeable HATCH.
Looks around for a knob, a handle --

NEXT TO THE HATCH

A small panel door whose black and yellow stripes denote
urgency.  John hesitantly opens the door, revealing a shiny
metal LEVER.  He stares at it...a beat.
Then quickly pulls it down...
WUORRRSH -!
Hull door OPENS.

The doorway is a black maw.
John crosses himself.
Begins to lower his foot into the hatch --

			KYLE O/S
		Watch it!

He almost falls backwards off the ship.  Looks back --

THE OTHER MONKS

Are rapidly approaching.
Kyle gestulates wildly --

			KYLE
		John!  Wait -- !  Don't go in!

John turns back to the open hatch.
Machine recirculated air flows out.
He feels it on the skin of his face.  Cool.
Cool, and artificial.  It calls to him.
He steps in.  Swallowed by the blackness --

WHOOSH-CLANG -!
The door closes behind him.

INT. SULACO ESCAPE POD #4 - DAY

Dark.  Dim red lights.  John stands still as his eyes adjust to
the darkness.  He sees:

NEWT'S HYPER SLEEP TUBE

A glass and metal COFFIN -- pneumatic piping twines around its
base.  The glass lid is BROKEN.  A Small RED LIGHT pulses at the
head of the tube -- a soft VOICE and TONE, like your seat belt
warning -- is audible...

			COMPUTER VOICE
			(sotto)
		Seal broken...seal broken...

John finds himself moving towards the tube...
Looks through the broken lid:

IN THE TUBE

There is a splattered BLOOD STAIN on the sterile white
interior.  OLD, turned rust-brown.
Whatever happened here happened a while ago.
Rust colored drips trail down to --

THE FLOOR

Drag marks.  His eyes follow the stains to a pile of
Bloody clothing against a control panel.  A jumpsuit.  Torn.
Child size.  The head of child's DOLL, but no body to be found.

JOHN

Looks back towards the door.
Part of him wants to get the hell out here -- but he fights
back his fear.  He is a doctor - or trying to be - someone
in here may need his help.  He presses forward -- 
Averts his gaze from the clothing, UP to the blinking and
glowing instrument panels and their myraid -- 

LIGHTS

Pressure lights.  Data lights.  Warning lights.
Thousands of lights.  Like the stars in the sky.

It's been decades since he's seen technology like this -- and
never this close up.  He steps further into the ship, his fear
now replaced by fascination, follows the lights....

ON A PALE GREEN SCREEN

LED numbers race -- 7,291.01.05...06...07
A legand identifies "Elapsed since separation."
He moves on...

A VIDEO MONITOR

Through scanning bars of snow, an image:
A WOMAN with a YOUNG GIRL standing in front of her.
The Woman's arms are wrapped around the girl.
Protective. Maternal.

The Woman speaks.  Her message repeats itself.
A tape loop, although John has no idea what that is.

			WOMAN
		...taking pod four.  The Crew of the SS
		Sulaco and all Marine commandoes are dead.
		Ship's sensors have interrupted the hyper
		sleep cycle.  An overlooked alien egg has
		hatched.  Bishop and Hicks have been killed.
		Xenomorphs have infested the cruiser.  Newt 
		and I are taking pod four.  The Crew of...

The WARNING TONE of the Woman's message rekindles John's fear.
He moves more hesitantly around the periphery of the ship,
following the trail of blinking instruments --
Drawn to touch a button.  Click...

SOMETHING TENTACLE-LIKE DROPS DOWN ON HIS SHOULDER!
Just an oxygen mask.

John feels his rapidly BEATING heart as he pushes aside the
plastic, dangling object and continues around the shuttle. 
His hand brushes over a SENSOR which responds by lighting and --

HSSSSSSSSS -!
A BLAST of freon shoots out of an overhead pipe --
John SHOUTS and back up into --

ANOTHER HYPER SLEEP TUBE!!!

Next to Newt's now empty tube.
Humming gently.  Still operational.
John approaches it cautiously.
He can make out the occupant through the lid...

A WOMAN

The woman from the screen.  This is RIPLEY.
In hypersleep.  Wearing a white cotton tank top and boxer-type
shorts.  Christ, she looks beautiful.  

John looks from Ripley to her image on the monitor, then back.
Sinks to his knees, reverent.  Fascination has replaced fear
again.  Moves his face closer to the lid.  
Closer to hers...

DAYLIGHT spills in --
John's head WHIPS towards the source of the light --

THE DOOR

Open.  Kyle and the other monks.

			KYLE
		John - what is it?  Is this a Supply ship?

			JOHN
		No.  No supplies.  Kyle, there's someone
		in here --

The Second Monk looks at Kyle.

			SECOND MONK
		This is forbidden.

			KYLE
		John.  Just get the hell out of there --

			JOHN
		I don't want to stay.  I have to get her
		out before this sinks.  You come in, give
		me a hand --

			KYLE
		Her?  Look, this is not the supply ship,
		so this is technology forbidden to us.
		Get out of there now!

John looks down at Ripely.
A KEYPAD is mounted at the head of the tube.
A red button:  "EMERG-OPEN"
That's plain enough.

			JOHN
		All right --

He presses it.
The Tube opens with a loud BLAST of compressed air.
The Monks at the door recoil at the sound.

						CUT TO:

EXT. SPACE SHIP - ON THE SEA - DAY

Ripley has been lowered into a large coracle.  John holds her in
front of him.  Unconscious.  
Her head lolls as the boat rocks on the waves. 
The monks start to row back to short.

			FIRST MONK
		     (reverent)
		A space ship...

			SECOND MONK
                    (even more reverent)
		A woman...

			KYLE
		You shouldn't have gone in --

			JOHN
		I'm supposed to be a doctor.

He pushes Ripley's hair away from her forehead.

			JOHN
		She could've been lost.

			FIRST MONK
		Been a long time since I saw either.

			SECOND MONK
		It isn't sinking.  Look at it.  What are we
		supposed to do with it?

			KYLE
		What was it like in there --?

			JOHN
		Lights.  So many lights --

			THIRD MONK
		Tow it in.  Bring it in.

			SECOND MONK
		It's evil.

			FIRST MONK
		It's just technology.

			SECOND MONK
		Evil technology.  Look at these fish --

			THIRD MONK
		The Abbot will know what we should do
		with it --

			KYLE
		Just lights?

			JOHN
		Machines.  Buttons.  Metal.

			SECOND MONK
		See?  Just look at the fish.

			THIRD MONK
		The Abbot will know.

			SECOND MONK
		They're boiled.  These fish are boiled. 

			JOHN
		Thousands of lights.  Like the stars.
		Like Heaven on Earth.

Ripley stirs in John's arms.  Groans.
Fights to come out of her fugue state...
Looks around through half-lidded eyes --
She is surrounded by rowing, cassocked Monks.
MONKS?  She closes her eyes.
Tries to clear the imagine.  Opens:
They're still there.
She looks down at the bloodied hands around her waist --
realizes she's sitting on someone's lap.
Looks back over her shoulder --

JOHN

He smiles at her.
Friendly, not sexual.

RIPLEY

Shakes her head.  Tries to speak --
Her lips form soundless words.
She looks over her other shoulder, sees --

THE SHIP - RIPLEY POV

Bobbing on the surface.  
Growing small with each stroke of the oars.

RIPLEY

Brows knit.  Fights the cobwebs in her brain.
Tries to focus on the ship --
Remembers. 
Turns to John, tries to speak --

			RIPLEY
		Wait.  New...

She loses consciousness.  

						GO TO BLACK...

INT. THE ABBEY - RIPLEY'S ROOM - DAY

Streaks of light move across the darkness.
Form patterns of light and shadow against the wooden walls.
There is a sublime stillness, but coming through the walls are
the muted, far off SOUNDS of the Abbey --
The SAWING of wood.  HAMMERING.
WHISPERED prayers.
LILTING song.

We move down off the wall to a hand-made wooden bed.
Ripley in restless sleep.

EXT. ARCEON SEA - DUSK

The waters grown rough with the approach of night.  Wind whips across
white wave tops -- SPRAYS the dozen Monks who LASH their 
boats to Ripley's SHIP with thick hemp ropes --
Start to tow it to shore...

INT. RIPLEY'S ROOM - NIGHT

Ripley is sleeping -- but struggling against some unseen foe --
She tries to sit up -- can't.  Tries to shake off the effects of
the suspended animation...looks up through half-lidded eyes:

JOHN

Sits next to her.  Quite asleep.
Hands swathed in white bandages.  Book resting on his lap.

She squints to make the figure standing in the shadows
behind him -- it's skin picks up and reflects tiny points of
flickering cangle light - seems to ripple as it moves --

THE ALIEN

Big, black shiny-smooth head moves into the taper light.
It moves towards her, cable-like arms held out at its side --
moving out of sync with its feet -- Ripley tries to move - 
to cry out -- She can't.

She can only move her eyes.  She looks over at John, sleeping
peacefully.  He doesn't notice the Alien --

The Alien moves closer.  
She can feel his breath -- it evaporates the sweat  on her
forehead -- a CHILL runs through her but she still can't move --

The Alien stands alongside her bed.
Extends a six-fingered hand...
Gently rests it on her stomach.
Cocks its head -- like it's listening to something.
The implication is clear.

Ripley finds her voice --

			RIPLEY
		AAAAAAAAAAAARGH!

Her eyes open wide --
She sits bolt upright.

A hand moves to her forehead.  Gently pushes her head back to
the pillow.  John's.

			JOHN
		You're out of it.  Out of it...

Ripley falls back, eyes glued to where the alien appeared.
John sees her focal point, looks back over his shoulder:
Nothing.
Ripley's eyes roll back into her head.
She tries to speak -- It was there.
Her hand, at her side, tightens into a fist --

John's hand covers hers.
Eases the fingers open again.
She feels the coarse bandages against her palm.

He starts to read quietly from Saint Augustines' Confessions.
She begins to drowse again as his soft voice flows over her
like waves lapping against the shore...

EXT. SURGACE OF ARCEON - DAY

A HOWLING DUST STORM has kicked up.  The monks wear small round
goggles, have rags tied over their noses, as they work at a 
huge BLOCK AND TACKLE arrangement --

Hundreds of ropes grow TAUT.
Timbers GROAN.
They LIFT Ripley's SHIP -- SWING it over to a large portal --

INT. RIPLEY'S ROOM - DAY

Ripley lays with eyes closed.
Muffled VOICES outside her door:

			ABBOT
		How is the woman, John?

			JOHN
		I don't think she's here yet.

At the sound of John's voice the SLIGHTEST smile plays 
across Ripley's sleeping lips.

			JOHN
		She is close, though.

As they continue talking, Ripley wakes.  Opens her eyes.
Rolls over onto her side --
There is a window right next to the bed.
Ripley lifts herself up on one elbow, looks out:

HER POV

Garden of Earthly delights...
Monks laboring under a beautiful, celestial blue sky --
picking apples, fishing on the water on small inland lakes.
Working with hammer and saw on small wooden cottages.  Lyrical.
It makes her feel good.  She scans the countryside...

Sheep graze around wooden ladders stretching hundreds of feet
up to the -- Ripley does a take --

WORKERS ON A SCAFFOLDING

With crude brushes at the end of poles -- PAINT the sky blue.
The Abbey, the cottages, the fields outside her window are all
on one level - INSIDE THE PLANET.

The vaulted CEILING, painted to look like the sky with huge
glass "windows" to allow the sunlight in, is actually the
UNDERSIDE of the planetoid's outer shell.

Ripley looks back at the Monks on the ground:
Instead of repairing, they are taking the cabins apart, stacking
the wood onto push carts --

			RIPLEY
		What the hell --?

SUDDENLY --
The Sulaco Escape ship APPEARS in front of her.
SWINGS past her window suspended by ropes.
Then disappears up, out of sight.
Ripley checks her pulse.

			RIPLEY
		This must be a dream.  A bad one.

She rolls back onto the bed.
Stares up at the ceiling.

ABOVE HER - ON THE ROOF OF THE ABBEY

Monks scurry around the Ship as it is lowered into place on
a flat area of the roof above the libaray.
It seats with a deeply resounding THUD...

RIPLEY

Hears the SOUND and then another - her door OPENING.
She turns to find the Abbot and John standing in the doorway.
John waits in the doorway as the Abbot crosses to the chair by
the bed and sits.

			RIPLEY
		Who are you?

			ABBOT
		I am the Abbot.  Leader of this Colony.
		And you?

He smiles.  Open.  Friendly.

			RIPLEY
		Ripley.  How did I get here?

			ABBOT
		Your vehicle crash landed.
		     (indicates John)
		Brother John found you and brought
		you here.

			RIPLEY
		Where is here?

			ABBOT
		This is the Minorite Abbey within the
		manmade orbiter Arceon.

			RIPLEY
		Can I use a radio to --
	
			ABBOT
		We have no radio here.  We are a monastic
		order that has renounced all modern
		technology.  We live the old way.  The pure
		way.

She shakes her head.

			RIPLEY
		Uh, I - I still don't feel 100%.  Whoever
		took me out of the stasis tube must not 
		have run the full D-F program...
		Where's Newt?

The Abbot looks at her blankly.

			RIPLEY
		There was a little girl with me --

			ABBOT
		You were alone.

			RIPLEY
		No.  She was with me.  I put her in her
		stasis tube -- We launched when the --

			ABBOT
		You were the only living thing found
		aboard that vessel.

The Abbot watches Ripley as the terrible truth overcomes her --

			RIPLEY
		     (slowly)
		Oh, God.  Newt.

She stops -- gets that chill up her spine --
She realizes that she MUST have brought the Alien with her.

			RIPLEY	
		It came with us.

The Abbot leans in.

			ABBOT
		What came with you?

			RIPLEY
		Listen -- there is a danger here.  It
		came with me.  How long have I been here?

			ABBOT
		Almost two days --

			RIPLEY
		     (calculates)
		Loose for two days.  This planet could be
		overrun within the week.

Ripley grabs the Abbot by his cassock --

			RIPLEY
		Look, there's a xenomorph --
		    (sees his confusion)
		An Alien creature.  A killer.  A monster.
		And now it's here.

The Abbot looks at her the way you look at that guy on the corner
of Santa Monica and 3rd who's babbling about Judgement Day.  The
guy with his pants down around his kness.

She sees this, releases her hold on him...
	
			RIPLEY
		Calm down, Ripley.  Okay, I was with a
		platoon of Colonial Marines on a mission
		to planetoid LV426.  We left Earth six
		months ago - maybe a year --

			ABBOT
		     (interrupts)
		Wait a moment --

The Abbot becomes aware of John's presence in the doorway.
Turns over his shoulder at him.

			ABBOT
		Leave us.

John waits there a beat, then backs out and closes the door.

			ABBOT
		Continue.

			RIPLEY
		We launched in the Cruiser Sulaco from 
		Gateway sub-orbital space station --

			ABBOT
		Not possible.

			RIPLEY
		What do you mean?

			ABBOT
		When we left Earth seventy years ago, it
		was on the brink of a New Dark Age.
		Technology was on the verge of destroying
		the planet's environment.  A computer virus
		was threatening to wipe away all recorded
		knowledge.  There didn't seem to be any
		way it could be averted.  In the almost
		forty years since we were towed out here
		in hypersleep, the news that came with 
		occasional supply ships only got worse.
		Finally, the ships stopped coming.  We 
		had to resign ourselves to the fact that
		worst had come to pass, and the Earth
		no longer existed.

Now she gives him that look.
	
			RIPLEY
		    (slowly)
		Uh...All right... Forget the Earth - How
		many people do you have here?  Let's worry
		about them.  Warn them --

A new look overtakes the Abbot's face.  A look of fear.  
Now she's getting to him - or is she?
He abruptly stands. 

			ABBOT
		Your mind is troubled.  You need to rest
		some more.

			RIPLEY
		I don't need rest - I need to get to 
		your people.  You've got to get to them --
		tell them about the alien --

He heads for the door --

			ABBOT
		I have had enough for now.

			RIPLEY
		Enough?  Didn't you hear what I said?
		It could wipe out the entire population
		of this planet.  It may have started 
		already - Have there been any unusual 
		deaths since I got here?

The Abbot stops in the door -

			ABBOT
		No.  And there won't be.

The Abbot SLAMS the door behind him.

THE CORRIDOR OUTSIDE RIPLEY'S ROOM - DAY

John stands nearby as the Abbot addresses two BURLY MONKS

			ABBOT
		Bolt it.

The guards move to bolt the door.

			JOHN
		What is it -- What's wrong?

			ABBOT
		Your patient is in a dangerous mental
		state.  Nobody gets in or out until I
		say so.

			JOHN
		But I.  Her meals --

			ABBOT
		Nobody.

			JOHN
		Father, I don't understand --

The Abbot turns and disappears down the hall.
John looks from the departing Abbot to the two Guard/Monks.


THE LIBRARY - NIGHT

John has his head buried in his hands.  His back rises and falls
with the rhythmic breathing of sleep.
Mattias curled up on his feet.  Asleep as well.
WHAM!
The Library door FLIES open --!
John sits bolt upright -- 

A HYSTERICAL MONK bursts in.
Rushes to John's table.

			HYSTERICAL MONK
		Brother John!  You're here!  The Abbot
		said you'd -- I need -- you're the
		medic --

			JOHN
		What?!

			HYSTERICAL MONK
		My Sandy -- she's ill --

John tries to rub the fitfull sleep out of his eyes.

			JOHN
		Huh?  A woman?

			HYSTERICAL MONK
		Sandy.  My ewe.

John returns his head to the table.

			JOHN
		One of your sheep?  Jesus Christ.
		Call a vet.

			HYSTERICAL MONK
		Father Anselm was the vet.

John looks under his arms at Mattias --
The dog just stares at him.

			JOHN
		You're no help.  Okay, let me get my bag.
		All creatures great and small...

INT. HYSTERICAL MONK'S BARN - NIGHT

A small structure housing a handful of sheep and a few chickens
in wire cages.  The wooden walss are full of gaps where boards
have been ripped off.

The Hysterical Monk holds a torch to illuminate the scene.  One of
his sheep is laying on its side...

			HYSTERICAL MONK
		I just gave her dinner and she
		keeled over.

			JOHN
		So would I.  It's freezing in here.

			HYSTERICAL MONK
		Been using the wood from the walls
		for the fire in my cabin.

			JOHN
		Haven't we all...

John kneels at the ewe.

She's breathing heavy.  Rapidly.

John puts his left hand down on the hay covered floor while he
checks the animal's neck pulse with his right hand.  
She gives a weak "Baa-ah."

			JOHN
		May be pneumonia.  Pitch some of that hay
		around her.  Stop this damn cold breeze.

The Hysterical Monk props the torch up in an empty bucket and
retreives a crude iron pitchfork from the wall.
Starts to pile hay around the fallen animal.

			JOHN
		First, I'll --

He sits up to reach for his back, then stops when he sees what's
on his left hand --

A SLIMY MUCOUS-LIKE SUBSTANCE

			JOHN
		Wait a minute...

The Hysterical Monk stops on mid-pitch.
John rubs the material between his fingers.
Brings it close to his nose.  Sniffs.

			HYSTERICAL MONK
		What is it?

			JOHN
		I don't know.  It's all over the ground.
		Some sort of --

BAAA-AAAH!!!
The ewe starts to SHAKE - QUIVER --
John tries to hold it down --
The Hysterical Monk, at this juncture, goes completely apeshit.

			HYSTERICAL MONK
		What?!  WHAT?!

			JOHN
		Jesus!  Help m --

The ewe is shaking so violently that John is thrown back --
He knocks over the bucket -- the torch falls into the hay --
The light is cut off as the torch almost smothers.
Then the hay starts to burn --
Weak fire light revealing:

BAAaa-Aha-SCLORTCH-H-!!
THE EWE EXPLODES ---!

Stomach BURSTS --
SPRAYING the two Monks with entrails and blood --
They start SCREAMING.

The flickering FIRE LIGHT grows as...

A TERRIBLE ALIEN CHEST-BURSTER

BURSTS out of the jerking and twitching carcass.

It shows the characteristics of the animal in which it has
gestated.  Tiny razor sharp teeth and black, glass-like eyes
peer from a enlongated head covered with downy, but gore-matted
WOOL.  A quadroped, its shrunked hind legs struggling to free
itself from the cooling morass of intestines.

John can only SCREAM as the most horrible nightmare he can
imagine tries to slough off the animal's mortal coil.

The Hysterical Monk, fear overcome with ANGER at the loss of
his beloved Sandy,  steps in front of the near catatonic Medic
and instinctively THRUSTS his pitchfork into the creature --
The sharp prongs PIERCE its still forming body --

The CREATURE

WAILS a high pitched SHRIEK - half alien, half sheep as it is
roughly TORN from it's nesting place --
The Monk lifts --

It TWISTS at the end of the fork, acid blood dripping onto the
wood floor -- each drop bursting into a little pool of FIRE.

The Hysterical Monk turns to the now raging hay fire --
The entire corner of the barn is ablaze --
SHOVES the abomination in --

The Sheep/Alien POPS and SIZZLES as tongues of flame leap up to
lap at it's struggling body -- tiny tail whipping about --

The creature dies, its fading screams are soon the only sound
heard within the barn.  The Hysterical Monk holds his fork in
the flame as he looks back to check on --

JOHN

Face contorted, eyes glued to the burning creature.  Heaving
lungs push air through his diaphram, but no sound comes from
his open mouth -- The Doctor in training has seen the devil.

EXT. HYSTERICAL MONK'S BARN - NIGHT

Wooden walls collapse inward as the building becomes a pyre.
Acrid black smoke curls up to the ceiling and spreads out
across the rafters...

We pull back from the sight INTO a window. Into

INT. RIPLEY'S ROOM - NIGHT

Ripley, watches the burning barn.  Frustrated, she climbs out of
the bed on unsteady legs, wearing her tank top and shorts.
Pulls on a coarse wollen cassock, ties the rope belt --

			RIPLEY
		Idiots...I'll --

WHAM!
The door BURSTS OPEN --

			RIPLEY
		What the -?

Four BURLY MONKS rush in and grab her.
TEAR her out of bed --

INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

Ripley is dragged down the darkened hallway.

			ABBOT V.O.
		An evil has come to Arceon...

IN THE TRIBUNAL ROOM - NIGHT

As he continues we move down a row of stern Monk faces, ending
at the Abbots...

			ABBOT
		You heard Brother Graham tell of the
		devil inside sheep's wool --

He motions towards the Hysterical Monk, sitting in the crowd.

			ABBOT
		An evil brought by this woman in her
		vessel of technology.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

A large circular room with wooden walls stretching thirty feet
high.  Light creeps in through stained glass windows.

Hundreds of monks sits in a gallery that looms over
the floor of the Tribunal.  On the floor:

The Abbot and the five eldest Monks sit at a long table facing
the witness stand.  On the stand:

RIPLEY

Considers the faces that surround her.  Fear.  Hate.

			RIPLEY
		This can't be happening.

			BALD TRIBUNAL MONK
		You have no voice in this tribunal.

			RIPLEY
		You must listen to me!  You're all in
		terrible danger!  It came with me on
		the ship --

			ABBOT
		We know that.  At first we believed its
		arrival was a good omen.  But it has only
		brought pestilence.  Dead sheep.  Dead fish.

			BALD TRIBUNAL MONK
		Evil.

Ripley turns to the Abbot.

			RIPLEY
		Yes, the ship brought it.  Not evil. It
		brought the Alien.  I told you, it's here.

			ABBOT
		We know the name of the evil it brought.
		It brought technology.  Technology to
		destroy our planet, as surely as it
		destroyed the Earth.

			MONK IN AUDIENCE
		Destruction!

			RIPLEY
		I was on the Earth less than a year ago.
		It's still there.  People, cities, all 
		still there!

A murmur through the crowd.  Some are listening to her.
The Abbot looks around.  He must be in command.

			ABBOT
		    (matter of fact)
		All dead.

			RIPLEY
		    (screams)
		It's still there!

The Abbot smiles to himself for making her crack.
He stands and begins to pace.

			ABBOT
		You could not have been on the Earth a
		year ago, because there is no Earth to
		be on -- for at least twenty years.

			RIPLEY
		I haven't been floating in space for
		twenty years.  Let me get to my ship
		and I'll prove it.

			BALD TRIBUNAL MONK
		No.  Who knows what new evils she'll
		release if allowed back into that
		infernal machine.

			MONK IN AUDIENCE
		No!  Don't let her!!

			TRIBUNAL MEMBER
		This woman is a danger.  She denies The
		New Dark Age.  She denies reality.

			RIPLEY
		This is reality.  There is a Xenomorph
		loose on this planetoid - a alien -- it must
		have stowed away on my ship -- must have
		killed --
			(swallows hard)
		Newt.  Killed the girl I brought with me.
		You can't stop it.  It goes inside you like
		an egg - grows -
			(mimes)
		Explodes out of you - keeps growing into
		some sort of monster.  Kills you --
		Kills all of you...

She looks at the Medieval people around her.
They stare at her in complete confusion.
To them, she does sound like a madwoman.

			RIPLEY
		Who are you people?  Look at you -- all
		of you -- the way you're dressed.  This
		isn't the Middle Ages.  You're in space --
		on a artifical planet.  What are you
		doing out here?

There, in the upper tier -- John.  They make eye contact. 
She looks to him pleadingly.

			RIPLEY
		Isn't there anyone here who will
		listen?

John looks from Ripley to the Abbot.
The Abbot stares him down.
John turns away.

			RIPLEY
		    (defeated)
		I guess not.  I can't believe this...

The gavel BANGS.
The Abbot sits in a moment of contemplation.

			ABBOT
		Then there is no choice.

The Four Monks grab Ripley roughly --
Bind her arms.

			ABBOT
		   (to Ripley)
		The evil is inside you.  I cast you down.
		To be sealed away.  And God have mercy on
		your soul.

						SLAM CUT TO:

THE SHAFT ROOM - DAY

A Medieval elevator shaft.  The "elevator" is a wooden cage
lowered on thick, rough hewn ropes.
Ripley, bound, is led to it.

She looks back at the monks who have gathered at the door --

			RIPLEY
		You won't be able to fight it...
		You don't know what it is --!

She's put into the cage.  The door is secured.
Two monks begins to pull the ropes.  The cage is lifted out over
the abyss -- a vast cavernesque space.

The other Monks move closer.  Crowd around the edge --
John pushes through them - right to the edge --
Watches as the cage is slowly lowered down...

Ripley looks directly at John --

			RIPLEY
		You've sentenced yourselves to 
		death!

John watches as she disappears down into the darkness...
Then turns and pushes his way through the crowd --
Down the hall --

THE TRIBUNAL ROOM

Empty now except for the Abbot and the Tribunal Members.
They speak in hushed tones.
John appears in the doorway, but pauses -
strains to hear what they are saying:

			BALD TRIBUNAL MONK
		...they'll have started before she gets
		down to the Hermitage level.

			ABBOT
		No trouble?

			BALD TRIBUNAL MONK
		Only finding the wood for the ship.  But
		Anderson's hut was about that big, and
		he's dead three months now.

			ABBOT
		I had that wood earmaked for the Cloister 
		next winter.  Well, we might not get to
		the winter if we don't take care of this.
		By winter time we can start taking the 
		penitent cells apart.  No one in them.

			ANOTHER TRIBUNAL MONK
		The wood isn't going to last forever.

			ABBOT
		Neither are we --

He becomes aware of John's presence, and motions the other
Tribunal members out of the room.  John moves to the Abbot.
The Abbot knows what's coming...

			ABBOT
		Go ahead.

			JOHN
		This woman.  Ripley.  I tended her --

			ABBOT
		Yes, and you did a good job.  You
		shouldn't feel responsible.  You
		couldn't have known --

			JOHN
		Please, sir, let me finish.  I feel that
		there may be something to what she says.

			ABBOT
		There isn't.

The Abbot moves to his table, begins to gather up his gavel,
notebook.  John follows him --

			JOHN
		I don't understand what you are doing.

			ABBOT
		This colony is my responsibility.  I am
		protecting the colony.

			JOHN
		From what?  This woman?  You never gave
		her a chance.  How can you be so sure
		you're right?

			ABBOT
		A better question is what makes you
		think I'm wrong?

			JOHN
		You didn't see this thing -- this demon --
		Brother Graham and I -- we both saw it.

			ABBOT
		      (realizes)
		That's right.  You both did.
		      (beat)
		And what was it?

			JOHN
		I -- I don't know what it was.  But I
		don't think Ripley was a party to it.

			ABBOT
		She admits she brought it.

			JOHN
		But she tried to warn us --

			ABBOT
		You know that's how the devil works.
		Deception.

			JOHN
		But I believe her.  I don't know how to
		describe it -- A feeling.

			ABBOT
		You haven't seen a woman in thirty years.
		Where does this feeling originate, John?

			JOHN
		     (points to his head)
		Here.

Pause.

			ABBOT
		I believe you.  But your feelings are
		fooling you.  

			JOHN
		It's - It's her conviction.  I just think --

The Abbot snaps at him --

			ABBOT
		Don't think.

John takes a step back at the Abbot's tone.  A tone he's never
heard before.  The Abbot runs a hand through his thinning hair.
Forces a smile.

			ABBOT
		It's been a long night.  For all of us.
		You really don't understand what you're
		dealing with here.

			JOHN
		That's what she said.

The Abbot chafes.

			ABBOT
		These are ideas which threaten the very
		system we live under.  The creature is
		dead and the woman is gone.  Forget them.
		Both.  Go read.  Go fishing.  Go anywhere,
		but leave this alone.

			JOHN
		But I --

			ABBOT
		Alone.  I'll get Philip to let Mattias
		into the Library, all right?  For your
		own good, just stay out of this.

John looks like he's going to protest.

			ABBOT
		I mean it.

			JOHN
		     (slowly)
		Yes, Father.

John turns and leaves the room.  
The Abbot stares after him.


INT. PRISON LEVEL - NIGHT

Dark. Dank. Dreary.
A NAIL is hammered into a board.  Then another.
The board is old, twisted.  The grain is pronounced, splintered.

Another board is lifted into place, a nail held -- BAM-BAM-BAM -
HAMMERED in tight.


TWO ANCIENT WORKERS

Drab, torn gray clothing.
Hammer the boards over the opening in the wall.
Methodically covering up --

RIPLEY

Watching them work.
BAM-BAM-BAM.
Defeated.


ON THE ROOF OF THE ABBEY (INTERCUT)

A dozen Monks frantically hammer planks up around the Sulacco
escape ship - A frame of wood --
begin to wall it in...


IN THE PRISON LEVEL

The two ANCIENT WORKERS continue their carpentry.
The planks cover more of the opening.
BAM-BAM-BAM.

Covers more of Ripley.
BAM-BAM-BAM.
She stares...


ON THE ROOF OF THE ABBEY

Planks are rising around the ship.
Covering it.  Locking away the good omen turned evil.

IN THE LIBRARY

John and Mattias sit before an open book.
He doesn't read.  He can hear the POUNDING of the hammers.
It seems to reverberate THROUGH the planet.
Through his SKULL.
He closes his eyes in pain.

RIPLEY

Only her face is visible.
Another board.
BAM-BAM-BAM.
Then just her eyes.

Just before the last plank is put in place --

			WORKER
		Here you go, woman.  Something from your
		ship.  Something to keep you company --

He tosses it into the cell.  Ripley catches it.
Watches as the last of the light is covered over.
BAM-BAM...BAM.

She continues to stare at the once open wall as her eyes grow
accustomed to the darkness.  The little light creeping between
the planks grows in intensity until it is soon enough to see
what it is she has caught --

NEWT'S DOLL'S HEAD.

Ripley looks around her cell -- actually a narrow space behind
other cells, one wall curved out -- like a narrow slice
crossways towards the edge of the pie. 
Looks at the Doll's head in her hand.
A beat.

She FREAKS OUT --!

			RIPLEY
		You fucking idiots!  You're dead!
		You're all dead!

BEATS the walls.  KICKS.
SMASHES her HEAD against the wall.
Again.
Her nose starts to bleed.
Her hand goes to her nose.
She squints in the darkenss.
Sees the BLOOD.
Tastes the iron taste in her mouth.
Death is with her again.

			RIPLEY
		     (sotto)
		Dead...

The "widest" part of her cell, the middle, allows her to slide
down into a sitting position.  She does.

			RIPLEY
		Christ.  Jesus Christ.  It's here.  Here.
		Shit.  Here.  I can't get rid of it...

Looks at the Doll's head --

			RIPLEY
		Newt.  This isn't what I wanted...

She throws the doll's head away --
It bounces off the wall and rolls back to an upright position
so that it is staring at her.

			RIPLEY
		     (snaps)
		Don't stare at me!

Beat.

			VOICE O/S
		Sorry.

Ripley looks down at the base of the wall facing her --
Where it meets the floor, in the rotting timbers:
A HOLE.  In it:

A MAN'S FACE

Bright, wrinkled eyes beneath a snowy white crew cut.
He's looking back at her.


ON THE ROOF OF THE MONASTERY - NIGHT

The Sulaco escape pod #4 is now a memory as the Monks have
finished walling it up.  Now just another part of the Abbey.

As the Monks move down the thin wooden ladders we follow --
Pass them -- down to an open window and into...


INT. LIBRARY - THE MEDIEVAL SECTION - NIGHT INTO DAWN

John is here, Mattias asleep at his feet.
The tables, the benches, the floor are COVERED with hundreds of
books he's pulled off the shelves, their chains all TANGLED.
All open to --

PICTURES OF DEVILS

Different representations of Evil through the ages --
Lucifer, Shaitan, Ahriman, Asmodeus -- Satan.
"The Temptation of Christ" from the Master of Schloss
Lichtenstein.  Satan roasting on an enormous grill from
"Tres riches heures du Duc de Berry."

The devil as a serpent.  As a semi-humanoid.
Gruenwald's "Temptation of St. Anthony."
Pacher's "Saint Wolfgang and the Devil."
A miasma of Medieval Monsters.


JOHN

Picks his way through the mess.  Like a man possessed he fumbles
through book after book.

The first golden rays of daylight filter through the huge
stained glass windows.  John rapidly flips through the Medieval
tome in front of him - past an illustration of Satan depicted
as having a FACE on his ASS -- further still -- then stops.
This is it.

We can't see what the illustration is, but we see his REACTION:

His eyes open wide as saucers.  SLAMS the book closed as if the
image would strike blind.  He turns to Mattias as if to say
something -- Decides not to wake the sleeping dog.

John wraps the book's chain around his hand and puts one foot
up against the shelf.  Pulls -- SPANKT!
The old chain gives way.

Face set, he loops the shoulder strap of his burlap medical bag
over his shoulder.  Clutches the book to his chest, gently pets
his sleeping dog and goes...


INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE ABBOT'S OFFICE - DAY

John strides down the corridor purposefully but stops and
flattens himself against the wall when the door to the Abbot's 
office opens suddenly --

BROTHER GRAHAM, The Hysterical Monk, is forcibly led from the 
room by two burly Monks, taken down the corridor in the other
direction.  He is gagged.  A third Burly Monk moves out of the
doorway with the Abbot.

			JOHN
		Now find John and have him brought to 
		me immediately.

			THIRD BURLY MONK
		Yes, Father.

			ABBOT
		Start in the library.  And keep it quiet. 

The Third Burly Monk nods and moves off.
The Abbot watches him leave, then goes back into the room and
closes the door.  John stares at the closed door a beat and then
makes up his mind.  He turns and runs back down the hallway...


INT. GLASS FACTORY - DAY

The first Monks straggle in for the morning shift.
Kyle is among them.  He lifts his blowing iron from a wall
mounted rack and moves towards the glass furnace as two
other Monks begin to stoke the fire.

John enters.
Looks around the room and for a frantic moment cannot find --


KYLE

At the glass furnace.  About to dip his blowing iron into the 
MOLTEN GLASS.  John runs over to him.
Almost knocks him over --

			KYLE
		Hey!  Watch it!

He sees that John is agitated --

			KYLE
		What?  What is it?

The other monks begin to notice the commotion, start moving in
for a look...

			JOHN
		I -- Abbot.  Must --

John tries to catch his breath.  He gestulates wildly.
Kyle puts down his blowing iron.

			KYLE
		John - relax.  Take a deep breath -
		Christ, now I sound like you --

He sees the book clutched in John's white knuckled hands.

			KYLE
		Is that it, John?  Is it the book --?

			JOHN
		     (panting)
		Yes.  Devil.

Kyle moves closer to him.  Cautiously.
John sees the other monks gathering around --
Closing in on him - whispering --

			WHISPERING MONKS
		He's got it...

			SECOND WHISPERING MONK
		Like the Comet Woman...

			THIRD WHISPERING MONK
		He found her...
		
			WHISPERING MONK
		He's infected...

John sees one of the Monks run out -- undoubtedly going to tell
the Abbot.  John looks into his friend Kyle's face -- Fear.

			KYLE
		Everything's gonna be fine.  Now, let's
		see the --

			JOHN
		Don't humor me -- I'm --
	
			KYLE
		Sure.  Everything's gonna be fine...

If only he could explain - he can't.
John YANKS the book away -- spins --
Bursts through the crowd...

			KYLE
		Wait -- JOHN!


INT. SHAFT ROOM - DAY

The cage is still down, the ropes stretching into the abyss.
John runs in.  Moves to the ropes.  Places the book on the floor.
Tightens his scarred hands on the rope -- Mind racing:  
The woman will know.  Know what it is.  How to combat it.
He PULLS --

There's no tension against the ropes.
John FALLS back on his ass.

The ropes WHIZ through the rusty pulley overhead.
Pile on the floor in front of John. 
He lifts the end of the rope.  Stares:
BITTEN THROUGH.

							CUT TO:

THROUGH THE MONASTERY - SERIES OF SHOTS

John RUNS through the building.
Through the upper half of the planet.
DOWN through the many levels, past dozens of Monks oblivious to
the previous night's events and the danger they face:

Monks working at Looms.
Monks in the Tanning Room.
Monks in Morning Prayer.
Past them all, to --


INT. ABBEY BASEMENT WORKROOM - DAY

Mops and brooms.
John enters.  His hair is wild, breathing heavy.
He shoves the book into his medical bag.
Pushes aside a box of kindling wood to reveal a
WOODEN DOOR set into the timbers of the floor.
He opens the door:


LADDERS

Extending down through huge open areas beneath the upper level.
Past vast underground viaducts that held up by wooden rafters.
Beyond that - a great underground sea that marks the center of
the planet - below that, the cells.
And Ripley.


JOHN

Can smell the dank air from the lower tunnels.
He MUST go down -- The hard way.
He climbs into the darkness...


INT. ABBEY LAVATORY - NIGHT

An enormous room, over a football field in length, consisting
of at least a hundred open toilet STALLS facing a hundred wall
mounted SINKS.  Their condition, though, bespeaks the awful
truth -
The stalls furthest away from us are COBWEBBED.
Some have had the side walls stripped for fire wood.
Of the original hundred sinks, maybe twenty are still
functional - A facility created for a much larger number of
colonists than are left.

A SKINNY MONK washes his hands.


IN THE STALLS

Moving down the row of stalls (chest high, thank you) past a
few empty stalls and several grimacing faces, the second to
last being The Abbot --

			ABBOT
		Cold tonight --

-- continuing to the last, Bald Tribunal Member.

			BALD TRIBUNAL MEMBER
		Gets colder every night.

			ABBOT
		And every day.  Never this bad.  Taken
		so much wood out of the structure the
		surface wind blows right through the
		colony.  Right under the floor --

The Bald Tribunal Member SHIVERS as a cold breeze runs along the
waste trough under the floor and chills the air in his bowl. 

			BALD TRIBUNAL MEMBER
		Right up your bloody backside.  Nights
		like this make me miss plumbing -- 
		Ack --!

He feels a TUGGING at his bowels - it's not piles. 
A beat.

			ABBOT O/S
		What?

			BALD TRIBUNAL MONK
		I don't -- AAH --

The Bald Tribunal Monk SCREAMS as something GRABS him from
below --

(note: the left half of the following 5 pages is cut off.
I have completed the text to the best of my ability.)

Something SNAKES up his rectum and hooks into his lower intestine!
He convulses in spasms of agony.

There is a terrible RIPPING SOUND as the Bald Tribunal Monk is 
PULLED VIOLENTLY down -- out of frame --

We PAN BACK down the row of stalls tight on each sitting Monk
and see their HORRIFIED REACTION as they feel the ALIEN drag the
Bald Tribunal Monk's body away under them...

THE ABBOT in his stall

He pounds on the wall --

			ABBOT
		Matthew?  Matthew?  Jesus, what's wrong?

SKINNY MONK washing his hands, sees all this.  Looses control
of his bodily functions as blood sprays from the faucet --


OTHER MONKS

In their stalls as the toilets reject a torrent of gore!  
Blood and viscera spraying the walls -- converting the Abbey
into an abattoir.

							CUT TO:
SPACE

Angle on the Orbitor Arceon:

An orb of wood hands peacefully against a tapestry of celestial
seas.

			RIPLEY V.O.
		Death...


INT. RIPLEY'S CELL - NIGHT

Darkness.  Somewhere water drips into a puddle.
Ripley lays on her side on the floor with her head resting
near the hole in the floor.  Her eyes are closed.

			RIPLEY
		Wherever I go.

A HAND pushes a crust of bread through the hole. 
She opens her eyes to look at the food.  The White-Haired Man's
head appears --

			WHITE-HAIRED MAN
		Take it.

			RIPLEY
		Thanks, but no thanks, Anthony.

She knows his name.

			ANTHONY
		You waiting for meat?  They don't bring
		me meat because they know I'm an android.
		Really don't need it.  Bread's better
		for you anyway.  Harder to digest, so 
		it makes you feel fuller than you are.

			RIPLEY
		Not hungry.

Anthony takes a bite.

			ANTHONY
		Mmmm.  Just a little crunchy.

Ripley twists onto her back until she's staring up at the
ceiling.

			RIPLEY
		Waste of time.

			ANTHONY
		You don't eat, you'll starve to death,
		girl.

			RIPLEY
		That was the plan when they put me down
		here.  And why should you care?

			ANTHONY
		Because I'm a synthetic person you don't
		think I can care?

			RIPLEY
		Believe me, that's a discussion you don't
		want to have with me.

			ANTHONY
		You told me you had a bad experience and
		a good one with androids --

			RIPLEY
		That's one of each.  That means you could
		go either way.  I'm tired of talking about
		this.

He pushes the bread towards her again.

			ANTHONY
		You've still gotta eat.  You gotta fight
		the bastards --

			RIPLEY
		I'm tired of fighting.  Maybe I'll be
		dead before he finds me.  Maybe he won't
		get the satisfaction.

			ANTHONY
		He?  You make it sound like this Alien
		has a personal score to settle with you.
		The biology you describe:  Queen laying
		eggs, larvae, drone -- that's very
		insectoid.  Insects usually don't bear
		grudges.

			RIPLEY
		And Androids usually aren't the prisoners
		of lunatics that believe they're ancient 
		Greeks.

			ANTHONY
		Medieval Monks.

			RIPLEY
		Whatever.	

			ANTHONY
		And they've only chose to live the life
		style, they don't believe they're --
		     (hears something)
		What's that?

Ripley strains to listen.  In the distance:
KNOCKING.  Someone is knocking on the walls.
A VOICE calls out --


INT. PRISON LEVEL CORRIDOR - NIGHT

			JOHN
		     (hoarse)
		Ripley!

He moves down the hallway.
BANGS his fist against the walls every few feet --
Waits a moment for a reply, then moves on.


INT. ANTHONY'S CELL

Anthony gets off the floor - Moves so she can see into his cell:

The walls of Anthony's cell are covered with charcoal sketches -
Different versions of demons and the devil.  She rolls her eyes -
This guy is an Android!

Anthony crosses to his cell door, peers through eye level.


INT. PRISON LEVEL CORRIDOR HALLWAY - ANTHONY POV

John coming towards him, knocking on the doors of boarded up cells.

			ANTHONY
		Hey -- you knocking -- cut it out --
		You're going to wake everybody up.

John moves to Anthony's door.  Looks at him through the slot.
Anthony recognizes him.

			ANTHONY
		Brother John?

John unbolts Anthony's door.
Picks him up by his cassock --

			JOHN
		Anthony?  Thought you dead fifteen years.

			ANTHONY
		Made too good for that.  What're
		you doing?

			JOHN
		I -- I'm looking -- the Abbot --

			ANTHONY
		What?  You look like you've seen the
		devil.

			RIPLEY O/S
		He has.

Anthony turns to look back at Ripley -- moves aside so John can 
see her face at the hole --

			ANTHONY 
		You mean he --

Anthony turns back - John is gone.

INT. THE CORRIDOR

As John begins to PULL the outermosk planks off.

			RIPLEY
		I was right, wasn't I?  You've seen it,
		you've seen the Alien?

John pauses at that.  
His eyes tighten at the memory.

			RIPLEY
		I can tell you have.  I was right.
		It came with me.
			(to the wall, sharp)
		Go away.

John stops.  Looks at the wall.
Ripley's voice comes clearly through the wood...

			RIPLEY
		Listen, priest, or whatever you are, I
		know what you want.  I can't help you.
		I couldn't help any of the others.  
		Just stop what you're doing.  Go away.
		Do you understand?

John has opened a crack that exposes Ripley's eyes.  
He stares at her a beat, tries to think of what to reply --
He goes back to work as she continues her confession...

			RIPLEY
		You going to stay, Father?  But you're 
		not going to talk.  Okay.  Then you can
		listen.  You should listen.  Your Abbot
		was right.  I am guilty.  But not of 
		heresy.  Of murder.

John stops again.
Just stares at her eyes.

			RIPLEY
		The murder of the crew of the Nostromo.
		That was when I first met the Alien.

That reminds him of why he's here.
He doubles his efforts at the boards...

			RIPLEY
		No, not the same one that's here now.
		Or maybe it is.  Maybe they're all the 
		same one.  I couldn't save my crew then.
		I should have been able to.  But I couldn't.
		When I went the second time --

Her eyes soften.

			RIPLEY
		Then I met Newt.  Newt.  I fought --
		stayed alive to keep Newt alive.
		Hoped maybe that would make up for...

She trails off.  Slides down the wall.

			RIPLEY
		Now he got her too.  What's the point?
		     (hard again)
		Just go away.  Leave me in here.  If you
		let me out you'll want me to help you
		and it will start all over again.
		Let it end.

John breaks through, flickering torch light streams in the mote
filled air around him.  Ripley looks up at him.

			RIPLEY
		I can't help you.

John, heaving and panting from the excertion.
Swallows...

			JOHN
		Puh. (pant) Please.

			RIPLEY
		It never ends.


INT. CORRIDOR - PRISON LEVEL - NIGHT

A long, twisted-plank-floored corridor with a torch every 
twenty feet.  There is MOVEMENT at the far end.  Something is
coming towards us - FLICKERING in and out of the light and 
shadow --

			RIPLEY O/S
		Sheep?

RIPLEY, JOHN AND ANTHONY

Running together.  Anthony carries a long wooden staff like a 
spear.  John has his bag.  Ripley a torch. 
We move with them.

			ANTHONY
		It must be able to take on some of the
		characteristics of the animal it grows in.
		Maybe they are from some sort of aggressive
		soldier race -- warring parties drop the
		eggs on opposing planets --

			RIPLEY
		And the alien takes on the form of the
		creature that finds it, assuming that
		animal is the dominant life form on the
		planet.  So when it gestates in a man --

Ripley shudders at the memory.

			ANTHONY
		It's a biped.  In a sheep or cow, a quadroped.

			RIPLEY
		Shit.  I just didn't think it could do that
		to animals.

			JOHN
		Wait a minute - I thought you were the
		expert on this monster.

			RIPLEY
		Is that the only reason you came to get
		me out?  Because I knew about this thing?

			JOHN
		Yes.  I mean no.  I mean, that was part of
		it.  Look.  I never thought you were wrong.
		I was wrong not to say anything.  I was
		afraid to speak up.  It's hard to be a 
		monk, you know?

Ripley stops.  Looks at him.
A long beat.

			RIPLEY
		Thank you.  If anything, you're honest.

			JOHN
		We all are.  Took vows.

			RIPLEY
		I don't know about the Abbot.

			JOHN
		I'm sure he thinks what he did was right.

			RIPLEY
		Is that speaking up for someone?

			JOHN
		No.  Charity.

She smiles.  They turn a corner...


INT. SLOPING CORRIDOR - NIGHT

This hallway slopes downwards a few degrees.  The three find 
themselves trotting, leaning backward to keep their balance.

			RIPLEY
		All right, let's forget about the past
		and get on to our survival.  No more
		prisoners behind us?

			ANTHONY
		Not for years.

			RIPLEY
		Okay -- If the Alien's had a few days
		to lay his eggs our only hope is to get
		off this - What is this?

			JOHN
		Arceon.

			ANTHONY
		Satellite.

			RIPLEY
		Get to my ship and get off this Satellite.

			JOHN
		We can't.

			RIPLEY
		We can't what?

			JOHN
		Leave Arceon.  Can't leave the library --

			RIPLEY
		A Tape Library?

			JOHN
		Books.

			RIPLEY
		So?

			JOHN
		The reason we are out here.  Like the
		Monks who guarded Monastery Libraries 
		on remote islands off England during
		the First Plague --

			RIPLEY
		There must be books on other colonies --

			JOHN
		Some of these books survived the burning
		of the Libraries of Alexandria.  They
		contain knowledge that exists in no 
		other record.  Their value is unestimable.

He runs his hand along the spine of the book in his bag.

			JOHN
		We're supposed to protect them.

			RIPLEY
		    (to Anthony)
		And what does an android have to do 
		with all this?

			JOHN
		He's a spy.

			ANTHONY
		The Company planted me here.

			RIPLEY
		The Company?  What does the Company have
		to do with this?

			ANTHONY
		They built this prison.

			RIPLEY
		Prison?

			JOHN
		Colony.

			ANTHONY
		Prison.  They are all political heretics.  

Ripley looks at John.

			RIPLEY
		You left that part out.

			JOHN
		The order was more of a counter culture,
		a reaction to the Technology that was
		beginning to take over everyone's lives.
		It was a simple enough idea - Read, don't 
		watch disk.  Walk, don't pump more carbons
		into the air.  The earliest members
		renounced technology.  Started to collect
		the remaining books.  Nobody would have
		noticed if it hadn't been for the Virus.

			RIPLEY
		Your Abbot talked about that.  The
		New Plague.

			ANTHONY
		A computer virus.  A bad program.  By
		this time the Corporate structure was
		transglobal, all the world's data storage
		systems were linked.  It spread through
		two countries before it was stopped.

			JOHN
		After a scare like that, thousands flocked
		to our retreat.  People started clamoring
		for written information.  For our books.
		They abandoned the modern ways --

			RIPLEY
		I think I can see how this comes out.	
		They gave up their possessions.

			ANTHONY
		This was a threat --

			RIPLEY
		To the Company.

			JOHN
		They sold the technology.  A movement 
		to live simply was quickly twisted by 
		Federal agents into a political movement
		against the Company-controlled World
		Government.  Too much was at stake.

			RIPLEY
		Too much profit.

			JOHN
		We were sentenced as political dissidents.
		This orbiter is our gulag.  All the men
		were packed up with all our books, and
		towed into space.  Ten thousand men.  The
		eldest died very quickly.

			RIPLEY
		The Company had such a sense of irony.  
		Sending you out on this wooden tub.

			ANTHONY
		I was placed among them as a sensor.
		Keeps tabs on the movement.

			RIPLEY
		So how'd they find out about you?

			ANTHONY
		I told them.  After the supply ship's
		stopped coming I saw no point in keeping
		up the charade.  Since I was a sort of
		walking reminder of technology, they cast
		me down.

			RIPLEY
		Join the club.
		     (to John)
		I figured this wasn't planned.  You don't
		have to be a genius to see it wouldn't be
		prudent to try to preserve man's written
		works for generations -- without women.

John looks embarrassed.

			RIPLEY
		And I don't know about your New Plague,
		but I was just on Earth and everything's 
		fine.

John has a doubtful look.

			RIPLEY
		I was right about the Alien, wasn't I?
		Means I must be right about the Earth.

The logic behind her argument is uncomfortable.

			JOHN
		     (beat)
		Perhaps.

			RIPLEY
		That's better than nothing.  Come on.

They reach the end of the corridor.
It opens into --


INT. TRANSOM SPACE - PRISON LEVEL

An enormous open space between "cell blocks."
The Wall behind them is honey-combed with corridor openings
going up four stories, connected by aged, warped wooden ladders
reminiscent of Indian cave dwellings.  Only wooden.

The room stretches several football field lengths ahead of them
-- falling off into gloom.

They stand silent for a moment, dwarfed by the size of the room
and the task ahead of them.  Finally --


			RIPLEY
		At any rate, let's forget about the
		Earth completely - whether you're right
		or I'm right what's important is getting
		the hell out of here.  From here my ship
		is...?

John points up at the ceiling.

			ANTHONY
		In Heaven.

			RIPLEY
		Right.  And this is...

Anthony and John nod.

			ANTHONY
		This orbiter was patterned after a 
		medieval concept of the universe --
			 (makes a circle in the air)
		They call the top half "Heaven - "

			JOHN
		The Abbey, the fields --

			ANTHONY
		The bottom half is "Hell."  Where we are.

			RIPLEY
		Aptly named.  What's in the middle?

			JOHN
		The sea.

			ANTHONY
		Really.

			RIPLEY
		Work with me here.  How far is it back
		to the surface of the planet?

			JOHN
		As a stone falls --- Five miles through
		the center.

			RIPLEY
		And the elevator -- the thing they
		lowered me down in?

			JOHN	
		Ropes cut.

			ANTHONY
		It's smart.  First he cuts their escape
		off, then works his way down through the 
		monastery level by level until there
		isn't a thing left alive.  Interesting...

			RIPLEY
		Well, you start appreciating him more
		than me and I'll find a way to shut
		you down, capisce, Andy?  How do we
		get up?

			JOHN
		There are ladders.

She stops.  John and Anthony continue on a few steps and then
stop and walk back to her.

			RIPLEY
		Five miles with the Alien between us
		and there?  Good luck, boys.

She turns and heads back towards her cell --
John catches her shoulder --

			JOHN
		You can't --

			RIPLEY
		Can't what?  Not help you go to your
		deaths?  I've had my fill of that.

			JOHN
		I need you.  I can't do it alone.

			RIPLEY
		I've fought these creatures twice
		before.  It take a lot to kill
		these things.  Heavy artillery.

			ANTHONY
		We don't have weapons here.

			RIPLEY
		How about something we can make weapons
		from?  Do you have anything like that --
		any modern things here?

John SHAKES his head vehemently --

			JOHN
		We renounced technology.  It was those
		things that caused the Plague.

			RIPLEY
		This is a man-made planet.  Something has
		to be recirculating your air, your water.

			JOHN
		God?

			RIPLEY
		Please.

			JOHN
		I don't know.  I just took it for granted.

			RIPLEY
		Most people do.  Without some sort of
		technology we haven't got a chance.

From behind them:

			ANTHONY
		There is technology.

John and Ripley turn to look at him.

			ANTHONY
		A room.  A Technology room.  Fresh air
		and water come out.

			RIPLEY
		An atmosphere processing plant --

			ANTHONY
		The heart and lungs of Arceon.

			RIPLEY
		Where is it?

			ANTHONY
		One level beneath the underground sea.

			JOHN
		That's five levels up --

			ANTHONY
		     (points into the gloom)
		On the other side of the orbiter.

John looks at Ripley --

			JOHN
		A chance.

Ripley looks from John's earnest face to the darkness and back.

			RIPLEY
		All right.  You've got me - so far.
		But here's the deal:  I don't know
		how many of your brethren are going
		to be alive when we get up there,
		but if we make it to my ship, you're
		all coming with me.  We'll take as
		many of your precious books as we
		can carry, but we're going.  I'm not
		going to fight this thing again to 
		end up alone again.  Understand?

John nods his head.

			RIPLEY
		We're all dead anyway.  We might as
		well go fi --

She feels a TWINGE in her midsection --
Doubles over.  Anthony and John each take an arm --

			RIPLEY
		Ugh - I'm all right.

She takes a deep breath.

			RIPLEY
		Still thawing out.  I hate hyper sleep...
		Come on.

							CUT TO:


INT. ARCEON - MONASTERY LEVEL - NIGHT

The formerly idyllic landscape has been reduced to a scorched
battlefield.  Wooden huts leveled.  Small fires dot the land.
The air thick with ash and greasy smoke.

DOZENS OF MONKS swarm across the countryside like ants on a 
mound of spilt sugar.  In one hand a taper or torch held high,
in the other hand their WEAPON: scythe, pitchfork, hoe,
whatever they could get ahold of, seem pitifully out of place.
Some pound sharpened stakes into the ground, others push carts
into rough barricades.

A "Platoon" of Monks huddle around trap doors open on the
wooden "ground."  More ladders.
They climb down to --


AN UNDERGROUND WHEAT FIELD - NIGHT

Just beneath the Monastery level of the satellite: an 
Underground Wheatfield.  Tall golden grass stretches out for
miles, swaying gently around huge wooden columns that support
the Abbey fifty feet above --

THE CEILING

A lattice-work of suspended troughs and wooden pipes --
the "plumbing," the understructure, of the Monastery.


THE MONKS

Descend the ladders single file.  Fear is in all of their faces
though most have only heard the stories.  They move cautiously
into the wheat.  Spread out through the field in the jaggedly
drawn skirmish line.


THE ABBOT

The Bald Tribunal Monk's dried blood splattered on his cassock,
stands atop an empty wooden wagon.  From this vantage point he
watches


THE MONKS IN THE FIELD

THRASH and POKE their way forward leaving trails through the
high grass.  Their attempt at an orderly progression quickly
falls apart as they get strung out all over the field.

			ABBOT
		     (sotto)
		Stay together.  Together...

Then another movement catches the Abbot's eye --
AHEAD of the Monks - the wheat waves against the wind.
Begins to ripple -- the wheat flattens.
a TRAIL forms.
SomeTHING is MOVING in the long grass.
Moving towards the Lead Monk -- FAST.

The Abbot opens his mouth as if to shout a warning - even
though the Monk closest to the moving trail is too far away to
hear him - before he can make a sound The Alien closes the gap -
Feeling horribly helpless he can only watch as

AARGH-Aa -!
The Lead Monk gives one strangled CRY before he disappears
beneath the surface of the long grass.  His taper falls
among the long, dry stalks -- begins to SMOKE...

The Abbot can see the trail moving towards his men before they
can.  He finds his voice:

			ABBOT
		Run!  RUN!

The Monks in the field turn from the spot where the Monk
screamed towards the Abbot -- TURN THEIR BACKS to the now
moving again trail --

			ABBOT
		No - NO.  The --

The Alien hits the skirmish line at a flanking angle --
RAKING through five Monks like a scythe through wheat.
His tail, arms WHIP out --
SNAP their spines like kindling.
Lost torches ignite the wheat...

The field BURSTS INTO FLAME.
Smoke fills the air.

In the smoky commotion the Monks break rank and start running.
Weapons in front of them -- SWINGING wildly --
Screaming.  Crying.  DYING.

One Frightened Monk runs through another with his pitchfork.
Another hears something crashing through the grass towards
him and buries his scythe in his best friend's chest.

And through it all the Alien seems to be everywhere.
Using the chalky smoke for cover as it SLASHES and TEARS its way
across the field --


THE ABBOT

Frozen in terror to the spot.   Squints through the smoke to see
what has happened to his flock.  Hears the WAILS of defeat
rising up from the wounded.

The waving grass is flattened as The Alien moves towards him --

He can finally pry himself from his perch on the wagon.
He climbs down.  As his feet hit the wooden floor he feels a
shadow fall over him.  The little hairs on the back of his neck
stand up.  He slowly turns...

THE ALIEN

Rises out of the grass in front of the Holy Man.
Slowly rises up to its height of almost three meters.
It's long, smooth head is no longer black and slimy.

It is golden.
It's cable-like arms are sheathed in a straw-like covering.
It has adapted to the environment of the wheat field.  Its now
grass-like lips draw back into a ghastly parody of a smile.

The Abbot SCREAMS and RUNS.


			JOHN O/S
		It isn't your fault, you know.


INT. TRANSOM SPACE - SERIES OF SHOTS

They move across the huge room...Anthony a few paces ahead.
Their candles throwing only enough light to see several yards.
Wind whistles through the huge room, timbers creaking like some
gigantic old house settling.

			RIPLEY
		What?

			JOHN
		Those things you said before --

Ripley remembers her "confession."

			JOHN
		I read about it in psychology books.
		Sometimes when people outlive someone
		they cared for, they transfer some of
		the guilt for that person's death to
		themselves.

			RIPLEY
		I got a belly full of that from the
		Psychtechs when I was on Earth.  Yeah.
		"Survivor Guilt syndrome," or something
		like that.  But that's not what I was
		thinking about.  I was thinking about
		my "friend" up there.

She looks up.

			RIPLEY
		He was on the pod.  He killed Newt but
		not me.  Why not me?  It's almost like
		he's playing with me.  Maybe they have
		some sort of race memory.  Maybe he
		knows what I did to his "mother."
		That's why he didn't just kill me.
		That would be too easy.  He has to
		torment me.

			JOHN
		You make it sound human.

			RIPLEY
		Hell, I don't know what it is.

John unconsiously fingers his book.

			JOHN
		I think I do.


INT. LADDER-WELL - PRISON LEVEL - NIGHT

At the end of the space a rough hewn wooden ladder leads to 
another block of cell corridors four stories up.
Years of damp air have warped the ladder.
Ripley leads the way, torch in her left hand.
They climb...


INT. END OF PRISON CORRIDOR - FOURTH LEVEL - NIGHT

Dark.  Ripley is the first one up.
She raises her torch and heads down the new corridor alone.
The cells here have no doors.
She holds her torch in one --
An old skeleton sits in quiet contemplation.


AT THE LADDER

John is just climbing off, Anthony right behind him.  
Anthony is winded.  He reaches up for a helping hand.
John looks back and sees that Ripley has moved ahead without
them, then reaches down to help Anthony.
Their hands clasp --


ANTHONY HAS A "VISION"

He is seemingly standing in an open field, sheep grazing
peacefully at his side.
SUDDENLY he is ATTACKED by a horde of Medieval demons.

Fish faced demons.  Man-headed bird demons.
They fly about him, grab hold of his limbs.
The Sheep nearest him opens it's mouth to reveal a horde of
razor sharp fangs, SINKS THEM INTO HIS ANKLE --

Anthony SCREAMS -!


RIPLEY

Down the corridor HEARS the scream, turns back -- sees Anthony
fighting with himself, struggling against John's grasp -


ANTHONY

Balanced precariously on the top of the ladder in the real 
world as he fights against the demons in his android mind --
He JERKS --
Pulls his left ankle out of the grasp of the DEMON SHEEP --
OFF the ladder - forty foot drop waiting below him...


JOHN

Struggles to keep his death grip on Anthony's hand.
It's all that keeps Anthony from falling back down the shaft --

			JOHN
		Jesus Christ.  Ripleeeee -!

He PULLS with all his might...


ANTHONY

SEES a horrible BIRD-DEMON grasping his hand in its beak --
BITING through his wrist.  He waves his staff in the air --
He aims for its head:
CRACK -!
WHACKS John's hand with his staff --

John HOWLS in pain - LETS GO --

Anthony TEETERS BACK ON ONE FOOT, arms waving in the air --

Ripley's hands SHOOT OUT --
GRAB Anthony's cassock --
STOP his fall.

Anthony's eyes open wide at the sight of this new horror --
A terrible, wet, black cable-armed CREATURE that's latched
itself onto his cassock -- Long, shiny head.
Ripley has become the Alien.

WHACK!
Anthony HITS the Creature with his staff --
HITS Ripley on the head.
WHACK!
Again.  In the face.

John tries to take hold of Anthony's staff arm --
WHACK!
The cane WHIPS against the side of his head, knocking him back.
Ripley sets her feet and pulls on Anthony's cassock --
Opens her mouth - GRUNTS --

ANTHONY sees the terrible Alien open it's maw to devour him.

WHACK! 
His staff connects with the bridge of Ripley's nose.
She sees flashes of light -- loses her balance --
Pitches forward, starts to go over with Anthony --

JOHN GRABS THEM!

Wraps his arms around the struggling pair and like a sumo
wrestler LIFTS and FALLS backwards - carrying the three of them
into the corridor -- WHUMPH!

They land on the floor in a heap.
Anthony continues to FLAIL ABOUT --

Ripley and John pin him to the floor between them.
Finally, the vision leaves him.
He loses consciousness.


JOHN

Breathing heavy - opens his eyes --
He's staring right into Ripley's face.
Less than an inch away.
He's laying on top of her.
She's breathing heavy too.
A long, uncomfortable moment.

			RIPLEY
		Thanks.

			JOHN
		You're welcome.

They roll off each other.
Her hand goes up to her nose.
Blood.

			RIPLEY
		I'm all right.

John reaches into his bag, withdraws a small cotton bag.

			JOHN
		Hold this against your nose.  It'll
		stop the flow.

She looks over at him questioningly.

			JOHN
		I'm a doctor.

She holds the small bag against her nose.  The bleeding stops.
They move over to Anthony - try to help him to his feet.
He shakes them off.

			ANTHONY
		No - please.  Just let me sit.
		Awhile.

He rubs his temples.  White, milk-like sweat runs down his
cheek.

			ANTHONY
		Damn it.

			RIPLEY
		What was that?

			ANTHONY
		The reason I'm down here.

John points to his own eyes.

			JOHN
		Visions.

			ANTHONY
		Dreams.

			RIPLEY
		Androids can't dream...

			ANTHONY
		That's probably what they thought when
		they built me.  But my brain is cyber-
		organic - patterned after the human
		brain - it functions the same way a
		human brain does.  It accumulates random
		images and sensations during waking 
		hours, but unlike the human brain that
		sloughs them off during sleep --

			RIPLEY
		Androids don't sleep.

			ANTHONY
		Right.  Maybe they've fixed this on later
		models, but I don't.  Do you know what 
		happens to the human brain when it is
		deprived of sleep?  It starts to run off
		the dreams while you're awake, as 
		hallucinations.  Same thing with me.
		For twenty years I absorbed data on this
		planetoid.  A little after we lost contact
		with Earth the visions started.  They
		thought I was insane.  I had to explain 
		that it was because I was an android.
		They liked that even less.

			RIPLEY
		What did you see?

			ANTHONY
		What I always see.  Images of Monsters.
		Demons.

			JOHN
		They're portents.  They stand for an
		evil yet to come.

			ANTHONY
		Just images I've absorbed from those old
		books and have no way to get rid of.

			RIPLEY
		I saw the inside of your cell.

			ANTHONY
		     (shrugs)
		My head is full of them.  I try to get
		them out any way I can.

His eyelids droop.

			JOHN
		You need sleep.

			ANTHONY
		I know that.  I'll settle for rest.

He closes his eyes.  Ripley recovers the torch.

			RIPLEY
		Stay with him.

Ripley tried to stand - John takes her arm, pulls her down.

			JOHN
		No.  We all need rest.  You especially.

Ripley considers him.

			JOHN
		Doctor's orders.

She smiles and sits.

			JOHN
		Besides, you see what happens when you
		get ahead of us.  We should stay together.

			RIPLEY
		All right.  He's still above us, anyway.

			JOHN
		What do you mean?

			RIPLEY
		I've faced this evil twice before - I
		guess I've gotten sensitive to it --
		     (beat)
		You're really a Doctor?

John pats his canvas bag.

			JOHN
		See my bag?

			RIPLEY
		What's that book?

			JOHN
		Just a book.

			RIPLEY
		I don't buy "just a book" from a guy who
		says we can't leave the planet without
		the library.
			
			JOHN
		It's just... a medical book I might need.

			RIPLEY
		You don't have any food in there, do you?

			JOHN
		Only if you can eat bandages.

Ripley rubs her midsection.

			RIPLEY
		In a few hours that's going to sound
		good.  Going in and out of suspended
		animation - Christ I probably haven't
		eaten in a year.

			ANTHONY
		    (without opening eyes)
		You should've eaten the bread.

			RIPLEY AND JOHN
		Rest!

Ripley lets her head loll back against the wall.
Closes her eyes.  Time passes.
Her brow knits.
John sees this.

			JOHN
		You all right?

			RIPLEY
		Aces.

			JOHN
		You weren't hurt when I landed on you?
		Bruised a rib?

He reaches over and puts his hands beneath her cassock.
Feels her midsection.  His hands are warm.

			RIPLEY
		Are you sure you're a doctor?

He withdraws his hands.

			JOHN
		Sort of.  My father passed on when we 
		first came here.  The Abbey's Physician -
		Father Anselm - took me in.  He really
		raised me --
			  (pause)
		Taught me what he could before he
		passed away.  He was schooled on Earth.

			RIPLEY
		Well, I'm just hungry.

			JOHN
		You haven't eaten since I took you
		out of your tube.

			RIPLEY
		You did that...

She reaches out and takes hold of his hands.  Turns them over.

			RIPLEY
		You burned yourself on the escape pod.

Her hands on his makes him feel...uncomfortable.

			RIPLEY
		Thank you, I guess.

They look into each other's eyes --

			ANTHONY O/S
		You should've eaten the bread.

Ripley, embarrassed, releases his hands.
Looks at Anthony.  He's trying to stand.

			ANTHONY
		Enough rest.  There's beasties afoot.

They start into...


A NARROW CORRIDOR

Ceiling so low their torches must be held out in front of them.
Ripley makes an effort not to move faster than the two monks.


INT. LADDER SHAFT

A great long ladder hanging in the middle of nowhere.
Seems at least a mile long.
The group climbs...


A SERPENTINE CORRIDOR

Liquid drips through the ceiling planks over head.
Falls into RED puddles on the slanted floor.

John kneels, dips his fingertips --

			JOHN
		Blood.
		     (sniffs)
		Mixed with sea water.

			ANTHONY
		We're getting close to the center of
		the arc -- near the sea.

			RIPLEY
		Blood.

			JOHN
		Getting close...

John HEARS somthing.
Raises his hand -- "stop"
The group stops.  Flatten themselves against the wall.

John takes Anthony's staff.
Moves forward with it held out in front of him...
WHIRLS around a blind corner --
SHOVES something against the wall --
Thump!
It struggles --

Ripley and Anthony run up -- raise their tapers --
Revealing:

			RIPLEY
		The Abbot.

Cassock torn, dirty.  Hair, eyes wild.
Anthony's staff across his throat. 
John pulls back.

			JOHN
		Father --

			RIPLEY
		   (sarcastic)
		What are you doing down here, father?
		You look like you've seen something
		that doesn't exist.

The Abbot runs his fingers through his hair.  Smoothes it down.

			ABBOT
		I was their spiritual leader.  I was not
		prepared to lead them in battle.
		Not against that thing.

			JOHN
		No one could be.

			RIPLEY
		I thought you said the evil was inside
		me -- that sealing me up was the answer
		to all your problems?

			ABBOT
		Destruction.  The destruction YOU brought
		to us!

			RIPLEY
		I only tried to warn you.

			ABBOT
		What are you doing with this woman --?

			JOHN
		We are going to the Technology Room.
		Trying to find some way to fight --

			ABBOT
		You don't join the devil to fight the
		devil.

			ANTHONY
		She's helping us --

			ABBOT
		Look who defends the deceiver -- the one
		who isn't even human.  John, can't you see
		what is happening?  On ancient Earth,
		during the Black Death - many believed
		that God had abandoned them, so they
		appealed to the Devil.  Flocked to him
		hoping to save their bodies - losing their
		souls in the bargain.

			RIPLEY
		Father, we're all on the run from the 
		same monster so let's not resort to the
		fire and brimstone routine.  I've been
		enlightened about your "movement."
		Pretty funny to be tried for heresy on a
		planet of heretics.

			JOHN
		Please. 

The time for pretense is past.

			ABBOT
		All right.  I was trying to keep you quiet. 

			JOHN
		Sir --?

			ABBOT
		I do what I have to do to keep the
		Brotherhood together.  We all gave up
		believing in Earth a long time ago.  How
		do you think they would feel if told
		their exiled was in vain?  That the
		holocaust they were trying to avoid
		never occured?  Those men up there have
		grown to live with it.

			RIPLEY
		And with you as their leader.

The Abbot smiles.  Ripley is sharp.

			ABBOT
		You threatened the status quo.

			RIPLEY
		So you, protector of knowledge and truth,
		lied to them.

			ABBOT
		Only about you.  The rest I still
		believe.  If Earth still orbits its sun
		there is no way it could have survived
		being reduced to Barbarism.

			RIPLEY
		You're as bad as the Company.

			JOHN
		Ripley --

			RIPLEY
		That's why you ran.  After all your talk
		death stared you in the face and you
		were afraid.

			ABBOT
		Not afraid of death.

			RIPLEY
		The Alien.

			ANTHONY
		The Organism.

			ABBOT
		The Devil.


INT. TECHNOLOGY ROOM CORRIDOR

The now four refugees work their way into the final corridor.
Dark.  Turns at sharp angles.  Blind alleys.
The floor is uneven, wood aged and twisted.
Warped by years of water dripping from above.
The group strings out as it moves into the darkness, candles
held high...


ANTHONY

Bringing up the rear, puts his walking stick down --
SNAPP!!!
Everybody stops at the sound.

			ABBOT
		What was that?

Anthony pulls his stick from the grasp of a--

			ANTHONY
		Man trap.

They lower their candles.  Look to:

THE FLOOR

Interspersed throughout the timbers --
Spring jawed, steel toothed, BEAR TRAPS.
Rusted.  Open.  And all around them.

			ANTHONY
		In case anyone tried to get in and
		tamper with the technology.

The four of them are standing in the middle of a mine-field of
man traps.  Nobody moves.

			ABBOT
		What do we do?

			RIPLEY
		Don't move.  Don't breath.

			ABBOT
		We can't just stand here and wait.

			RIPLEY
		Floor's too unstable to try to walk
		around them.

John pulls a loose board from the corridor wall.
Turns and kneels at the trap in front of him.
Pokes the end of the board into the jaws...
SNAP!!

The others jump at the sound --

			ABBOT
		John - what are you doing?

John pulls the stick out of the rusted jaws.
Moves to the next trap --
Snap!!

			RIPLEY
		He's thinking like a leader.  Everyone:
		Grab wood.  Spring the traps.  Clear a path.
		      (proud of him)
		Good work, Father John.

			JOHN
		Brother.

			RIPLEY
		Brother.  Let's go.

Ripley pulls a plank from the wall next to her.  
Exposes a bit of the surface underneath --
It's METAL.

She touches the cool, familiar material.  Smiles.
Now she knows this is not a dream.
She turns and SPRINGS the trap in front of her --
SNAP!!


THE FOUR

Slowly make their way down the corridor, one hand holding a
candle high, the other poking a piece of wood into the trap in
front of them... SNAP-SNAP...SNAP. SNAP.
walking carefully around the yet unfired traps....


THE DOOR TO THE TECHNOLOGY ROOM

A huge wooden door with no knob or handle.  Looks like it could
almost be part of the wall.  John and Ripley are the first to
it.  They put down their planks and begin to feel around the
edges of the door for some purchase.
The Abbot joins them.


BACK IN THE CORRIDOR

Anthony lags behind.  He senses a presence in the hallway.
Hears a sound behind him.
We see a GLIMPSE of something --
He turns towards the sound --

Empty hallway.

He thinks.  Starts forward again -- with his ear cocked to the
rear... SNAP!


AT THE DOOR

Ripley, John and The Abbot knock on the door, walls.
Ripley leans her head against the wall in frustration and
exhaustion.  To get this far, and be locked out.
She feels sick to her stomach.
How long since she had food?
She looks over at John.
He is staring at her.
He turns red at being caught.  Cute.

			JOHN
		I just - are you allright?

			RIPLEY
		Tied.  Without sleep, food -- I just
		feel my age.
		       (smiles)
		Figuring hyperspace time, I'm almost a
		hundred.

She wipes her brow and goes back to knocking...

			JOHN
		Hello?

The wall beneath his fist sounds hollow.
Fingernails find the edge of the plank and pull --
The plank slides aside on tiny, rusty pneumatic pistons.


BEHIND THE PLANK

A primitive KEYBOARD.  Circa late twentieth century.

			JOHN
		I think this is it.

Ripley and the Abbot move over to see.

			ABBOT
		Technology.

			RIPLEY
		Yeah - a hundred years ago.  An antique.

			ABBOT
		     (to Ripley)
		Go ahead.

			RIPLEY
		Go ahead and what?

			ABBOT
		Open the door, woman.

			RIPLEY
		I'll get to it, but listen to me --
		you may dress like you're living in
		the middle ages but you can't treat
		me like your chambermaid, or whatever
		Monks had.


UP THE HALL - ANTHONY

Hears the sound again.  Turns.
Nothing again.
He pauses... Turns back quickly --

The wooden wall MOVES - steps forward --


THE ALIEN

Adapted itself to look like WOOD.

It's body changes -- transmutes -- Cable-like sinew snaking
over grained limbs to approximate the more traditional bio-
mechnoid alien appearance...!


ANTHONY POV

The weary android sees the Alien as a conglommoration of his
many Medieval images of demons.  He hears the Alien's hollow,
raspy breath.  It glides towards him...

Anthony steps back directly INTO A TRAP as his mind goes --
SNAP!!
The STEEL JAWS spring shut on his left ankle.
Milky blood-fluid starts to flow.

He finds himself in the same predicament as his vision --
Ankle pinned, the Alien's appendages circling him --
He screams.  AAAAAAAAAAAARGH --!


AT THE DOOR

Ripley is trying to work.  She punches numbers into the keyboard.
She is too exhausted to see straight.
They HEAR the scream --
John RUNS back --
Traps SNAPPING around him --
Ripley turns towards the sound --
The Abbot pushes her back to the keyboard --

			ABBOT
		OPEN IT!!

Ripley knits her brows.  Forces herself to focus.
Her fingers punch the keys.


THE ALIEN

Steps towards Anthony --
Snap-snap-SNAP-AP-!!
Traps snap closed on its tail, its legs --


HALFWAY DOWN THE HALL - JOHN

SNAP!!
His cassock is snagged in a trap.
He TEARS right out of it --
AT THE END OF THE HALL

Anthony is in the clutches of the Alien.
He WHACKS at the Beast with his staff, but his blows fall like
drops of rain on an elephant.

The Alien LIFTS him up to face him.  Anthony SCREAMS as his left
leg is stretched agsinst the tension of the trap's chain --
Blood pouring as white ribbons from his almost severed ankle.


FACE TO FACE WITH THE ALIEN

Anthony drops his staff and grabs each of the alien's arms with
his own android arms.  His extra-human strength keeps them from
squeezing him any tighter, but he cannot avert his gaze from
the smooth, eyeless face.

The Alien considers him.  Its thin, almost translucent lips pull
back to reveal rows of splinter-like teeth.  The jaws spread,
making room for the distended tongue:

The Alien HISSES --
PUTS OUT Anthony's EYES with a thin stream of ACIDIC SALIVA --
Artificial skin BUBBLES AND BLISTERS --


JOHN

Picks up Anthony's staff.
Begins to FLAIL away at the demon.


AT THE DOOR

Ripley is getting no response from the keyboard.

			ABBOT
		What's wrong?!

Ripley slides the keyboard out of the wall compartment.
The wires are so old they've broken.

			RIPLEY
		Shit.

She BITES the ends off the wires - spits out the insulation.
TWISTS the bare wire ends together...
Sweat runs into her eyes.


JOHN

WHACKS the Alien with Anthony's staff --
Again.  Again.  The creature will not let Anthony go.
The Android writhes in its grasp, his face now a blistered,
pulpy mass, eyes gone.


RIPLEY

Finishes hot wiring.  The keyboard hums to life.
Her fingers FLY across the keys --


THE ALIEN

Tail wraps around John's waist --
Pulls him towards it --
LIFTS him - turns him upside down --

Lips PULL BACK --

John's hands GROPE at the floor --

Sharp metal teeth SPREAD --


THE DOOR KEYBOARD

Lights:  CODE ACCEPTED
Ripley's head whips towards the corridor --


JOHN

His hand closes around the end of one of the traps --
He brings it up --
SNAP!!
It SLAMS closed on the Alien's extended Tongue -!
The Beast bellows!!
Whips its head from side to side --
Can't shake off the trap --
ACID BLOOD sprays out --!
Lands as pools of FIRE on the wooden floor.


THE DOOR

Opens with a strained blast of dust -- SEE-WHORCSSH!
The Abbot LEAPS inside --

			RIPLEY
		It's open!!


JOHN

PRIES Anthony's ankle out of his trap.
Scoops up his staff, drags the moaning Android --
Back up the corridor --


RIPLEY

Stands in open Technology Room doorway --

			ABBOT
		Close it -- close it -- it's coming -

			RIPLEY
		We wait.  John!!

John and Anthony appear out of the shadows --
Run/hobble towards the door --


THE ALIEN

Acid Blood DISSOLVES the traps' steel jaws.  PULLS itself free.
Head whips towards the escaping Monks -- if it had eyes they
would narrow to slits in anger --
RUNS up the hall --


RIPLEY

Follows John and Anthony into the Technology Room.
On the other side of the doorway: another keyboard.
She punches keys --

			ABBOT
		Hurry --

			JOHN
		HURRY!!


THE ALIEN

Yards away -- Limping.  Hissing.
ANGRY.


THE KEYBOARD

Acceptance tone "bings."
The Door starts to slide down --

The Alien is feet away --
INCHES...

The door seats itself closed with a solid THUD.

Ripley, panting, rests eyes closed against the rough wooden
door.  A beat.
She turns to the room for the first time and finds --


WINDMILLS

Real Man of LaMancha wood and cloth windmills.  Two story high
arms slowly rotating.  Moving enormous volumes of air through
the wind tunnel-like room.  As far as the eye can see.
Turning, creaking.
WHOOSH...WHOOSH...
But no electronics.  No radio.  No weapons.
This is the Technology Room.

Ripley collapses to the floor and loses consciousness.  

							DISSOLVE TO:

INT. SULACO ESCAPE SHIP #4 (DREAM)

Yellow warning lights PULSE.  Those goddamned STROBES are
flickering on and off.  Steam blasts out overhead pipes.

The blue-spark pilot light muzzles of a FLAME THROWER shyly
pokes out from behind a console.  It's owner cautiously
follows...


RIPLEY

She's breathing heavy.
She's wearing a sweat soaked tank top.
Her eyes flit from side to side.  Then up.  Then down.
She pokes the weapon out ahead of her and moves into the pod.
She silently crosses the distance to Newt's sleep tube:


IN THE TUBE

Newt sleeps peacefully.
Ripley allows herself one maternal smile, then remembers.
Her grip TIGHTENS in the Flame Thrower in her hands.
She flips a switch to HI HEAT.
Moves around the sleep tubes...

A noise to her left.
She WHIRLS --

Pulls the trigger on the flame thrower -- click.  Nothing.
She tries again -- a half-hearted burp, but no flame.
She begins to panic --

Senses the Alien's presence.
Looks left, right, up - no Alien...
Looks down:

The Alien's tail is COMING UP BETWEEN HER LEGS.
She turns --

Right into it's grasp.
The useless flamethrower SKITTERS across the floor.
She PUMMELS the beast with balled up fists.

			RIPLEY
		No.  NO!  I beat you!  I beat you mother
		fucker!!

The Alien spins her -- pushes her over across the sleep tube --
Like it's taking her from behind!

Ripley looks down into the sleep tube:

Newt is gone.
Her doll's head lays in a pool of blood.
The Alien wraps his arms around Ripley.
Thin lips pull back for a kiss.

She SCREAMS.


INT. TECHNOLOGY ROOM - REALITY - DAY

Ripley opens her eyes.
WHOOSH...WHOOSH...
She's still in the room with the windmills.
Somehow this place seems less real than her dream.
She looks around:

John is sitting next to her, writing on a piece of parchment.
He smiles a relieved smile.

			JOHN
		I thought we'd lost you.

			RIPLEY
		What are you writing?

			JOHN
		Last will and testament.
		      (beat)
		Just kidding.

She looks to her left:
Anthony is lying on his back, cotton bandage wrapped around his
eyes.  His ankle is a swollen mess.  Wires are hanging out.

			RIPLEY
		Is he --?

			JOHN
		Resting.
		      (shakes his head)
		He'll be fine.

			ANTHONY
		No I won't.  He's a terrible liar.

			RIPLEY
		I'm sorry.

			ANTHONY
		It's ironic.  I guess my visions were
		prescience after all.  How will I ever
		resolve that with my artifical con-
		science?

A creaking floorboard to Ripley's right draws her attention to
The Abbot.  He's pacing.

			ABBOT
		Do you see what you've delivered us
		into?

			RIPLEY
		Yeah.  Lead me not into temptation to
		kick your -- ahh --

Ripley tries to stand - her head spins.
WHOOSH...WHOOSH...

			RIPLEY
		Oh shit.

The entire room THROBS with the rhythm of the wind.

			RIPLEY
		Where is the Big Boy -?

The Abbot points to the door.

			ABBOT
		On the other side of that door.
		Waiting for us to starve to death.

Ripley moves to the door and feels it's cold surface.

			RIPLEY
		It's playing with us.  It could get in
		here any time it wants.

			ABBOT
		Why should he enter?  He knows that one
		of the people in this room is in league
		with him.

			JOHN
		Sir.  We're all in the same coracle, so
		to speak.

			ABBOT
		Maybe more than one of us.

			RIPLEY
		Let's talk about the facts, Mr. Abbot.

She looks at the windmills.
WHOOSH...WHOOSH...

			RIPLEY
		This is your technology?

			ABBOT
		Even this is forbidden to us.

			RIPLEY
		Well then, the facts are that we're screwed.

She moves into the room.  Walks around one of the Windmills.

			RIPLEY
		An Eco system.  Nothing to recycle your
		atmosphere except the green plants.  Winds
		generated down here --
		     (looks at the floor)
		Windmills use the natural surface winds
		to turn wheels underground, create tides
		on the seas to recirculate your water...

			ANTHONY
		More than that.  There are pumps beneath
		the floor - I can feel their vibration.

			RIPLEY
		Probably pumping this air through charcoal
		filters.

WHOOSH...WHOOSH...

			RIPLEY
		It gets colder all the time here, right?

John looks at her questioningly.

			JOHN
		Yes...

			RIPLEY
		Your wood burning fires throw soot into
		the atmosphere, building the cloud layer -
		cutting off the sun's rays - cooling the
		planet, forcing you to burn more wood.

WHOOSH...WHOOSH...

			ANTHONY
		The Greenhouse Effect.  It's how the Earth
		almost destroyed itself in the late 20th
		century.

			RIPLEY
		Don't you see?  This is a planet set to
		self destruct.  Not in ten minutes or two
		hours but soon.  Your atmosphere here is
		finite.  If the plants die the fires will
		eat up all the oxygen - this planetoid
		will be dead - Everyone will die.

The Abbot has the look of a man who has been beaten in the last 
few meters of a Marathon.

			ABBOT
		It's here.  I was just hoping I would be
		dead long before it came to this.

			JOHN
		What?

			ABBOT
		We're supposed to die here.  That's the point.

			RIPLEY
		Wait a minute -- you were exiled --?

			ABBOT
		The punishment for our crime was death.

Anthony sits up.

			ANTHONY
		This planet is the supreme triumph of
		planned obsolesence.  A certain amount of
		primitive materials with an atmosphere
		processing system as fragile as a real
		environment but not replenishable.

The Abbot has a faraway look in his eyes...

			ABBOT
		Poetic justice for the anti-technologists.
		The Company's best work.  You know, I used
		to be a corporate executive.  Middle range
		V.P.  Then my wife got hit by a speed craft.
		I chucked it all and joined the order.
		Be a monk -- see the world.  Being here,
		being chairman of the board...

			RIPLEY
		No, now I understand why I landed here.
		To join you happy lunatics in your 
		deaths.

Ripley moves away...
John starts after her.

			JOHN
		Ripley, wait --

The Abbot stands, blocks his way.

			ABBOT
		Where can she go?  She's trapped.
		       (beat)
		Trapped inside her own prison.  A prison
		in her mind.  Inside her mind.  Dancing.
		Sparklets of light - dance with the june
		bugs in the recesses of ourmindstheyare
		coming to danceintheshadowof...

John and Ripley turn to look at the Abbot.
He begins to speak faster.  Faster.
He shakes.  Vibrates is more accurate --
A trickle of BLOOD runs from his left ear...

			ABBOT
		RidingthewildwindsofchangeNoescapeNo
		escapeforthewickedEvilEvilthynameis
		woman.Woman.Womanheiscoming.Heiscoming
		foryouuuuuuuuu --*

SPLORTCH-KT--!!
The Abbot's HEAD EXPLODES --!!!
Like a ripe melon dropped ten stories onto pavement.
Blood, bone, hair and brain matter SPRAY John.
John SCREAMS.


A HORRIBLE ALIEN HEAD BURSTER

Is all that sits atop the blood spurting neck of the Abbot.
It keeps it's hold on the Abbot's spinal cord -- The Abbot's
body continues to stagger around, arms jerking mechanically as
lack of fresh nerve impulses from the brain works its way
through the system.

Ripley SCREAMS.
The Infant Alien-headed corpse stumbles towards her --
She plucks Anthony's staff from the floor and SWINGS --
-- Like a child hitting a baseball from a TEE --
WHACK-K -!!
BLASTS the Chest/head burster across the room --

It hits the floor SCRAMBLING.  Scuttles down into where the
Windmills meet the floor.  Disappears.

			RIPLEY
		BASTARD!!  It came out of his fucking
		head!

			ANTHONY
		I didn't have to see that to know what
		that means.

			RIPLEY
		He sent him to us.  That bastard outside.
		I can't get away from him.  He's fucking
		with my mind.  He's my punishment!

			ANTHONY
		I'm confused.  Before you said it came out
		of the torso, not the head --

			RIPLEY
		I don't feel like a discussion of Alien biology.

John comes up next to her.

			JOHN
		Ripley, don't --

She pushes him away and sinks to the floor.

			RIPLEY
		I should just wait for the air to run out...

			JOHN
		I believe - I know - that we can win --
		there is an answer in our books.

			RIPLEY
		Your books?  Your books are gone, Brother.
		Your world is gone.  Once that thing starts
		to lay its eggs, all your brothers - if
		they aren't already - are dead.

			JOHN	
		If that's true, then all of us, the books,
		are consigned to ashes.

He clasps his hands and bows his head.
The Abbot's blood drips off his hands.
Plip - plop!
Into a little puddle at Ripley's feet.
She stares at the blood.  Aahk.
Feels the PAIN again.
Runs her hand across her chest...

			ANTHONY O/S
		Ripley?

			RIPLEY
		What?

			ANTHONY
		There are several inconsistancies between
		this and the other Aliens you described.

			RIPLEY
		Give it up.

			ANTHONY
		I think this is important.  This may help
		us fight it.  The creature that I fought
		in the hall - when I first saw it, it had
		camoflaged itself to look like wood.

Ripley looks up.
			
			RIPLEY
		Wood?  When I saw it in my room it looked
		the way it did before -- black, mechanical --
		unless that was a dream.

			ANTHONY
		I don't think it was.  I think that this 
		creature, if it is the efficient predator
		that you say it is, has the ability to
		adapt to its environment.

			RIPLEY
		Then the reason they've always looked the
		same to me is that I only ever saw them in
		the same environment.

			ANTHONY
		Or this may be an as yet unseen stage of
		development -- you saw a queen -- This
		could be like a King ant -- more highly
		advanced than the drone, bred for 
		survival -?

			JOHN
		How does this explain the thing that came
		out of the ewe's chest?  The Abbot's head?

			RIPLEY
		Maybe it can deposit different types of
		eggs.  The chest burster is probably
		dormant until the host eats - The first
		one I ever saw came out of Kane after he
		started to eat --

And in one horrible moment she realizes:
She hasn't eaten.  The pain in her chest...

			RIPLEY
		No.

Anthony "looks" towards her - does he realize as well?

			JOHN
		No what?

			RIPLEY
		No, we're not beat yet, Father --

			JOHN
		Brother --

Ripley gets up.

			RIPLEY
		Brother.  Not yet.  If he's taunting me,
		then maybe we can use that.  We can beat
		this bastard.  We can get to my ship.
		We can live.

								CUT TO:

INT. TECHNOLOGY ROOM

John stands by a ladder that runs up to a trap door in the 
ceiling.  Holds a torch.
Ripley is on the ground with Anthony, his injured leg splayed 
out in front of him.  Skin is palid.

			ANTHONY
		Don't have second thoughts.  Blind and
		crippled I would only slow you down.
		Give him time to figure out what you're
		doing.  Just leave me my staff.

			RIPLEY
		Okay.  Good luck.

She shakes his hand.  He pulls her closer.
Anthony's empty eye sockets seem to see as he looks at Ripley.

			ANTHONY
		Ripley, I know.  Good luck.

			RIPLEY
		Sit tight.

Ripley crosses to John.  Poised at the bottom of the ladder they
look up at the trap door on the ceiling.

			RIPLEY
		He could be waiting on the other side
		of that door.  We might not get ten feet
		before he kills the three of us.

He shakes his head.

			JOHN
		We had better go, then.

He smiles.
She smiles back.
They move up the ladder.

It leads up a damp, short shaft, walls GREEN with algae, to


AN UNDERGROUND DOCK - NIGHT

The ladder shaft opens onto a barnacled pier.  Ripley and John
climb out onto the wooden structure.  Before them:

AN UNDERGROUND SEA stretches the width of the entire planet,
over five miles across.  The floor of the lowest level of the
top half of the orbiter makes a ceiling that looms a hundred
feet overhead.

The water sparkles with a golden glow.

			JOHN
		Must be day on the surface of the planet.

			RIPLEY
		Where is the light coming from?
	
			JOHN
		Mirrors.  Reflect the outside light down
		great shafts -- through lenses.  That's
		what they make in the glass factory. 
		Lenses.  Look --

She turns:

A HUGE WATERFALL

Lit from within by daylight beaming down from above -- pours
into the sea a short distance from them.

			JOHN
		Opens to the surface.  Water flows in
		and out.  I don't know how.  There's one
		at either end.  I came down on the other
		side.

			RIPLEY
		What do we do?

John points to three small leather and wood coracles bobbing at
the end of their ropes.

			JOHN
		We cross.


INT. TECHNOLOGY ROOM - DAY

Anthony has dragged himself to a sitting position against the
bottom of one of the windmills.  He winces as he prods his
tender ankle with the end of his staff.  It SPARKS.
The large canvas arms of the windmill rotate above his head.
The wind blows through his hair.
WHOOSH...WHOOSH...
Feels good.

Anthony reaches up and waves his hand of his "eyes."

			ANTHONY
		Now the seer can only see what God wants
		him to.  Forty years on a planet of Monks
		and I've finally found religion.

A floor board CREAKS.
Anthony strains to hear:

			ANTHONY
		John?  Ripley?

WHOOSH...WHOOSH...
He knows it is not.

			ANTHONY
		Well come then.  I haven't got forever.

A shadow falls across his face.  He can feel it.
He doesn't have to see what is here.


THE UNDERGROUND OCEAN - DAY INTO NIGHT

The leather boat makes its way across the sea.
John rows while Ripley holds the torch aloft.
As night falls she takes the oars.

The Ocean is dead calm.  The coracle glides across the glass-
like surface.  John flexes his scarred fingers.

			RIPLEY
		Your hands okay?

			JOHN
		They'll be fine.  You've been on
		a boat before.

Ripley squints ahead of them.
The ocean seems to go on forever.

			RIPLEY
		I was a warrant officer on a ship --
		but I did all my sailing in space.

			JOHN		
		Father Anselm used to take me on his
		coracle when I was little.

Ripley leans forward - scans his face.

			RIPLEY
		How old were you when they towed
		this satellite out here?	

			JOHN
		Five.  The Abbot said they put us to 
		sleep for the thirty years it took
		to get here.  We've had almost forty
		more.  Until now.

			RIPLEY
		What happened to your mother?

			JOHN
		Never had one.  I mean, never knew her.
		I mean, I did, once.  She left my father
		when he joined the movement.  If she
		hadn't I wouldn't be here.  They kept
		the other children with the women, on
		Earth.  That was too long ago now.  Like
		a dream.

Ripley's face grows strangely dark.  She turns to the water.

			RIPLEY
		Did you know that I was a mother?

			JOHN
		The girl in the ship with -?

			RIPLEY
		No.  On Earth.  I never mentioned my
		daughter.  My daughter.  I have - had
		I guess, by now - a daughter on Earth.
		Kathy.  She was nine when I signed on to
		the Nostromo.  Mommy will be home before
		you know it I said.  My shares would have
		set us up good.  Then I lost sixty years
		floating around in a rescue pod.  Thanks
		to the Alien.  I came home to face a bitter,
		70 year old woman.  My daughter.  A little
		girl who's mother never came home.

			JOHN
		Jesus Christ.

			RIPLEY
		They said I should have been happy to be
		alive.  Funny, huh?  That's why I went
		back the second time.  Not so I could
		fight it -- You can't fight it -- So
		I could let it kill me.

She rubs her chest --

			JOHN
		You didn't choose to get lost in space.

			RIPLEY
		Thanks for the try Father --

			JOHN
		Brother.

			RIPLEY
		Brother, but I'm not looking for absolution.
		I couldn't be a good mother to my daughter.
		I couldn't be a good mother to Newt.  But
		I can be a good mother to you.  I can make
		sure you survive.

Suddenly they feel rain --
Ripley holds out her hand.
Her eyes open wide at what she sees.
John takes the oars as she holds the torch over the side:

The Ocean has become red with BLOOD.
Blood DRIPS down from the ceiling around them.

			RIPLEY
		Blood.

John looks up.

			JOHN
		From the levels above.

His face goes white.

			JOHN
		He must have slaughtered all --

			RIPLEY
		Don't think about it.  Don't think about
		what's up there.  Just row.

As Ripley takes the torch away from the water, tiny ripples move
across the surface.
She doesn't notice.


A SHAPE

Passes underneath the boat.  A swimming CREATURE.  The Alien.
Thanks to the reflective qualities of water, it appears HUGE.
Dwarfs their coracle.


INT. TECHNOLOGY ROOM - NIGHT

All the windmills are BURNING.
Flaming arms lazily turning.
Anthony is not in sight.
Whoosh...Whoosh...


THE OTHER SIDE OF THE OCEAN - NIGHT

Another dock with ladders going up and down.
Ripley and John climb out of the coracle.
Don't waste time tying off.  They go  --


UP THE LADDER

A hundred foot climb.  The wood is twisted.
Rungs have been torn away in some places.
They pull themselves up sections that have only the tiniest
foothold.  The temperature rises as they do.
Sweat runs into their eyes.

Soon they can see the floor above them:
BLACKENED by intense heat.
They climb.


INT. UNDERGROUND WHEAT FIELDS - NIGHT

Ripley and John come up from the level below.

			RIPLEY
		Holy shit.

John crosses himself.

Another testament to the terrible battle with the Alien.
Reduced to just a huge, blackened floor.
All the crops burned to ash --
Their charred stalks mingled with the corpses of roasted Monks.
Their nostrils assailed by the stench of the dead --
Ripley would puke if she had any food in her body.

			JOHN
		There's Andrew.  And Raphael.  Peter...

			RIPLEY
		Stop.  How far?

			JOHN
		We're right below the Abbey now.

They cross the smoldering field.
The scorched floor threatens to give way under John's feet --
Ripley pull him to one side.


THE MONASTERY LEVEL

Heaven has become HELL.
The ground, the buildings, the Sky-timber - all blackened.
FIRES burn everywhere.  Air choked with gray smoke and dust
pouring in from the Orbiter's surface through rends in the
vaulted ceiling.


RIPLEY AND JOHN

Climb through a hole where a trap door has been torn off it's 
hinges.  They look at the grim tableau:

Monks impaled on their own pikes.
Tangled together in their own pungy stakes.
Alien cocoon material cobwebbed over their bodies.


THE MONASTERY

Flickering fires lit the first few floor windows.
Ripley takes a step towards it --
Reaches back and pulls John...


INT. GLASS FACTORY - NIGHT

The Glass furnace boils almost to the point of overflow.
Small fires burn out of control around the room.
Finished glass pieces BURST from the heat.
Ripley and John enter.

			JOHN
		This is the glassworks.  They have
		tools here --
			(spots)
		Kyle --

He runs across the room --


BROTHER KYLE

Sits calmly at the Marver table.
He places playing cards on the table in front of him.
Solitaire.  
He sings to himself quietly.

			KYLE
		     (sotto)
		Can't see my baby.
		Don't see my baby.  Bay be.

John grabs him by the lapels - pulls him to his feet.
The playing cards fall to the floor --
Kyle watches them, not John.

			JOHN
		Kyle.  Brother Kyle.

			KYLE
		Cards on the floor, fifty two pickup.
		Black king on red queen, put the
		ace up --

John SHAKES him.

			JOHN
		Kyle goddammit!

Ripley moves closer.

			RIPLEY
		John - it's too late --

Kyle begins to sing faster.  Faster.

			KYLE
		Ace up.  Put the ace up.  Redaceupup.
		Blackaceup.Up.Pup-pup-pup-chaka-
		boomloommawhacka -- Booomalooma
		looma --

Ripley and John look at each other.
They know what this means.
John pulls a length of rope off a nearby table.
Moves in front of Kyle.  Looks into his glassy eyes.
A tear runs down his cheek.

			JOHN
		Keep singing, my friend.

John loops the rope around Kyle's neck.
Strangles him.
Eases the lifeless body to the floor.
Stares at it.


RIPLEY

Pulls a blowing iron from the rack.  Feels its weight and
balance.  A reasonable weapon.  She crosses to John.

			JOHN
		I killed him.  I'm a doctor and I
		killed him.

			RIPLEY
		You had to.  You're supposed to end
		suffering.

She hands him a pontil, a pointed iron spear used to form the
molten glass shapes.

			RIPLEY
		Let's get the hell out of here.


INT. STAIRWELL - NIGHT

Ripley and John move up the stairs.
Flickering orange lit from below.
Smoke and soot rise from the first on the lower floors.


INT. LIBRARY - NIGHT

They enter carefully.  The room is exactly as John left it,
books out of shelves, hanging on their chains.

			RIPLEY
		He's made a mess.

John pushes ahead of her.

			JOHN
		No.  He hasn't been up here yet.  I 
		did this.

He moves to the nearest shelf and uses his pontil to pry open
the lock --

			JOHN
		Here - philosophy - we'll start here --

AAAROO --!
A HAIRY BLUR flies out from between the stacks --
WHUMPH!  Knocks John to the floor --
Licks his face.

			JOHN
		Mattias!

The happy dog leaps all over his master.

			JOHN		
		He waited.  Ripley, this is Mattias.  My
		dog.  Good fellow.

Ripley crosses to them.

			RIPLEY
		I'm glad.  Really.  But we've probably
		only got a few minutes before this
		entire place goes up in flames.  Just
		grab whatever books you want and --

Ripley leans in to pet Mattias.
Mattias draws his lip back.  Growls.
He's looking over Ripley's shoulder.

She turns around slowly...


THE ALIEN

Standing in the open doorway.
It's in bad shape from the man traps.
Lost a foot.  Tongue hanging out, useless.
Parts of it look like wood.  Parts of it look like wheat.

It carries Anthony's waterlogged, limp body --
POPS off his head like a grape from the bunch.
Tosses the corpse at Ripley's feet.

I could swear it's trying to smile.


RIPLEY AND JOHN

Back against the book stacks.
John grabs Mattias' collar.
The Dog GROWLS at the Alien intruder...

			JOHN
		Easy, boy...

			RIPLEY
		Is there another way out?

			JOHN
		Not that will do us any good.


THE ALIEN

Limps into the room dragging one foot.
It's breathing is labored.  Dripping acid blood leaves a thin
trail of fire behind it.

			JOHN
		We hurt it.

The Alien draws itself up to its full height --
Even wounded it is one dangerous mother fucker.

			RIPLEY
		You wanna give it a bandage?  Look --
		Where is my ship from here?

			JOHN
		On the roof directly above this room.

			RIPLEY
		Here's the plan --
		
			JOHN
		But the books --

			RIPLEY
		Forget the books!

RUFF!!
Mattias pulls free from John's grasp --
Runs to the Alien --

			RIPLEY
		Shit.


MATTIAS

Snaps and barks at the Alien --
Leaping about to dodge its claws.
Draws its attention --


RIPLEY AND JOHN

RUN at the Alien.
It is trying to spear the dog with its tail.
John swings the iron rod -- THWAP -!
HITS the Alien across the back of its bulbous head --

It turns to him --

SPLIIIITCH -!
Ripley SHOVES the blowing iron into the Alien's torso.
His acid blood SPURTS out the end of the hollow tube --
SPLATTERS Ripley's cassock - she TEARS it off --

John grabs Mattias -- pulls him back.

The Alien SPINS in a circle --
Blood SPRAYING around him -

Creating a CIRCLE OF FIRE about him --
IGNITING the books --

			JOHN
		No!  THE BOOKS!!

			RIPLEY
		Don't --!

John steps forward -- Ripley grabs for him --
The ACID EATS through the wooden floor --


THE FLOOR COLLAPSES

The Alien, John and Ripley PLUMMET down -!
THROUGH the next floor --


INTO THE GLASSWORKS

The Alien FALLS into the molten glass vat --
SCREECHES - arms flailing as it sinks beneath the surface of
the thousand degree liquid.


JOHN

Finds himself HANGING over the bubbling glass vat - Caught -
DANGLING on the Flying Fox rope.  Five feet away - the ledge the
Flying Fox is launched from.  He looks down:

He can see the huge open vat of molten glass below him.  To its
right, the Water DUMP TANK - a large wine cask-looking affair
where finished pieces are cooled.  He looks up:

Ripley holding onto the edge of the broken floor above.

			JOHN
		Are you all right?

Ripley grunts an affirmative response.
At least is she falls, it will only be a twenty-foot drop to
the floor.  John is looking at instant par-boiling.
John starts to move hand over hand UP the rope.  He begins to
sweat.
A drop of sweat falls...
HSSS!
POPS AND SIZZLES as it hits the surface of the molten glass --


RIPLEY

Tries to pull herself up to the floor above --
The next level is a raging fire.

She can only hang and DROP.  She DOES -!
Falls the two stories.
Bends her knees and ROLLS on impact.


JOHN

Has reached the ledge overlooking the furnace.
He stands.  Sees Ripley slowly rising --

			JOHN
		Ripley -!

Ripley shakily gets to her feet.
Hops on one foot.

			RIPLEY
		Aargh.  I'm fine.  Let's get the fuck
		out of --

SUDDENLY

THE ALIEN'S head breaks the surface of the molten glass.
SCREAMING.  STEAMING.  It is white-hot -
translucent -- covered with -- 
It looks like MOLTEN GLASS!!

Hook-like hands grasp the edge of the tank --
It tries to climb out --

Ripley turns to run.  Tender ankle gives out.
She falls face down on the floor --
Rolls over --

THE ALIEN is going to climb out of the vat --
She SCREAMS --


JOHN

Grabs the Flying Fox handle.
SWINGS down the rope - across the room --
PAST the Alien --

It turns away from Ripley -
She scrambles across the floor...

John lands HARD.
Points --

			JOHN
		Ripley - the lever!!

Ripley looks next to her:  a burning wooden lever.

The Alien has one foot out of the glass furnace --

RIPLEY grabs the lever -- Hssssst!
Putting out the fire with her hand --
Pulls --


THE HUGE DUMP TANK OF WATER

DUMPS.  Empties a thousand gallons --
RAINS DOWN on the Alien. 
It HOWLS in pain --

The Molten Glass instantly COOLS --
The rapid extreme temperature change causes the beast to
BE-THWOOOoooOOM -!!
EXPLODE into a million pieces...!!!!

Ripley helps John off the floor.
They are battered.  Bloody.
They look into the vat.
The steam clears...

The room is littered with Alien Bits.
Each piece is encased in glass --
Trapped like a fly in amber.

			JOHN
		Saw that happen to a bottle once.

			RIPLEY
		    (panting)
		Beat... Beat him - ugh --

She grabs her stomach as her knees give out.
John gives her an arm for support.

			JOHN
		We've got to get to the Library --

			RIPLEY
		Don't worry.  Ship.  Just --

They look up:

Mattias looks down through the hole in the floor.
BARKS...


INT. LIBRARY - NIGHT

An INFERNO.
Every bookshelf ablaze.  The floor dotted with pools of flame.
Ripley and John are at the door - held back by the heat --

John tries to enter the room --
Ripley grabs him --

			RIPLEY
		Don't be stupid --

			JOHN
		Some of them!  I've got to save some of
		them!  Mattias!!

Mattias yelps in response.  Threads his way through to them.
Ripley spins him to face her.  Tears stream down his cheeks.

			RIPLEY
		They're lost.  You did your best.  If
		you get out, it wasn't in vain.
		We've got to live!!

She YANKS him into the hallway --

							CUT TO:

EXT. MONASTERY - THE ROOF - NIGHT

Ripley's good foot KICKS down the burning planks that surround
the escape ship.  John and Mattias stand behind as she climbs
through to the ship.  John looks around:

The ABBEY LEVEL is devastated.  The air is filled with smoke.
The Abbey is burning.  The Library is in flames.

John looks down at his medical bag.
Torn, bloody, scorched, it still hangs from his shoulders.
Inside: The only remaining book.

			RIPLEY O/S
		Come on in!

John and Mattias step through --


INT. SULACCO ESCAPE POD #4 - NIGHT

Ripley CLICKS on the lights.
John lifts Mattias into the hatch.

			JOHN
		The Library --

			RIPLEY
		I told you -- the Earth is still there --

Ripley checks an instrument:  Elapsed travel time.
Her brows knit.  She TAPS the gauge.

			RIPLEY
		Not working.

			JOHN
		What does that mean?

			RIPLEY
		It means I don't know how long I was
		in hyper sleep.

			JOHN
		It means the Abbot could've been right --
		
			RIPLEY
		It means my clock isn't working.  We have
		to get out of here.  Even if he was right
		this ship's onboard computer is filled 
		with man's knowledge.

			JOHN
		Not everything.  Some things will be
		lost forever. 

			RIPLEY
		Then man starts over.  He's done it
		before.

She pushes a few buttons.  Somewhere under the floor a 
propulsion source HUMS to life.  THROBBING through the soles
of John's feet.  Ripley is absorbed in her work.

			RIPLEY
		Okay.  The seals weren't broken so
		we're probably clear.  But those dead
		monks out there are going to start
		hatching soon.  Let's get ready to
		take off.

			JOHN
		What can I do?

			RIPLEY
		Here, I need a compressor tank from
		in that compartment.

She motions towards an open door.
John enters the compartment.
Whoosh-CLANG -!
The door closes behind him.

			JOHN
		Hey!  What?!

He looks out the window in the door.  

Ripley is staring at him, punching keys on a pad next to the
door.

			JOHN
		Hey - I'm locked in.

Mattias scratches at the door.

			RIPLEY
		I know.  I locked you in.

			JOHN
		What?

			RIPLEY
		I'm not going with you.  I've got one
		inside me.
	
			JOHN
		What?!  You can't --

She runs a hand across her midsection.

			RIPLEY
		I figured it out.  That's why it didn't
		kill me.  He must have impregnated me
		when I was in the stasis tube.
		    (remembers nightmare)
		It hasn't come out yet because I 
		haven't eaten, It's still dormant.  So
		either I eat and it kills me or I don't
		eat and I starve to death.  Either way 
		I die.

John pulls the Medieval Tome out of his medical bag.

			JOHN	
		My book -- I know what to do --

			RIPLEY
		What, an exorcism?  No good.

			JOHN
		You can't do this.  Ripley - listen
		to me - you're confusing feeling of
		guilt for actual sin - I can help you --

			RIPLEY
		    (ignoring)
		I've set a time lock.  When the pod escapes
		the Colony's gravitational pull this
		compartment will open.  Then all you have 
		to do is get into the Stasis tube with
		Mattias and press the blue button.  With
		any luck a freighter or something will
		pick you up.  Good luck.

He pounds his fists against the door.

			JOHN
		NO!  No, Goddammit - you can't do this.
		You can't let it win.

She turns away from the door.

			RIPLEY
		It always wins.  We killed it, but it's
		still inside me -- You're my last chance.
		If I can keep you alive it'll make up
		for all those I've lost.

			JOHN
		Listen to me!  You have to let me try!
		Ripley:  You're MY only chance!

She's listening...

			JOHN
		I told you Father Anselm raised me.
		He raised me and when he was dying I
		couldn't do anything to save him.  I 
		didn't know enough.  It was my fault
		he died.  If you don't let me try to
		save you my body will live but my soul
		will be dead.

Ripley turns and stares at him.

			JOHN
		Please.

								CUT TO:


THE PAGE

A MEDIEVAL ETCHING.
A Monk vomits up the devil.

Pull back as John lowers Ripley to the pod floor.
John closes his eyes.
Closes the book.

He pours some water into a small plastic cup.
Retrieves a small pouch of herbs.  Opens it.
Wrinkles his nose - they smell --
pours these ancient medicines into the space age cup.

			RIPLEY
		What is this stuff?

			JOHN
		     (forceful)
		Something that will make you well.
		Something that will make you sick.

			RIPLEY
		I don't --

			JOHN
		Shut up and drink.

He lifts the back of Ripley's head --
FORCES the drink down her throat.

John swings his leg over her midsection.  STRADDLES her.
Presses his two hands together in prayer.
Then balls them into one fist.
Takes a deep, preparatory breath...

Ripley starts to GAG -- Cough.
Her body starts to JERK --

John BRINGS HIS FIST DOWN INTO HER STOMACH --
WHAMM -!!

Ripley CONVULSES -- has the dry heaves --

WHAM!  WHAM --!
John PUMMELS Ripley's diaphragm!

She sputters -- VOMITS a thick mucous-like substance --
HEAVES --

Ripley's back arches --
She SCREAMS a gut wrenching WAIL --
Her torso BULGES as the creature is forced upwards.

John BEARS down --
Pushes UP under her ribs --
FORCING the chest-burster up her throat --

Ripley fights for air as the alien STOPS halfway up her 
esophagus -- She's choking --

John crosses himself -- takes a deep breath --
Lowers his mouth to hers --
Inhales.  Exhales.  CPR.


THE ALIEN CHEST BURSTER

SLITHERS out of Ripley's mouth --

INTO JOHN'S!!
Reptilian tail whips about before disappearing down his gullet.

John falls back against a computer console.
Gagging.  Fights to speak.

Ripley raises herself up on one elbow.
Alien mucous drooling down her chin.
Hair matted against her forehead.

			RIPLEY
		Why?
	
			JOHN
		Choking.  It was the only way.

He drops the open book in front of her:
She sees the etching.


JOHN

Gulps back the oozing slime.
Struggles to his feet.

			JOHN
		They knew.

			RIPLEY
		But you --

Ripley tries to stand - to go after him --
She can't sit up -- feels like a rib might be cracked.

			RIPLEY
		You'll die --

John stumbles to the Pod door.  Turns back.

			JOHN	
		That's idea.  Join...my brothers.  If
		we were right, Heaven.  If we were wrong --
		either way, where we belong.  World of
		books.  Pages.

He draws the parchment out of his bag.
Drops it to the floor.

			JOHN
		You... are from the real world.

He starts to step through the door --
Mattias tries to follow.

			JOHN
		Stay -- both of you.

He exits the Pod.

Ripley drags herself across the floor.

			RIPLEY
		No - wait!  John!

To the Door.  Looks out:


BROTHER JOHN

Dawn's rays are peeking through the battered ceiling as he
walks slowly across the smoking roof.
Into the inferno that is the burning Abbey.

Ripley watches as John and the alien horror inside him are
INCINERATED.

The heat of the flames grows.
She must pull back --
Reaches up for the door handle.
It closes with a THUD.

She rolls onto her back.
She weeps.  For the first time in years.
She's been absolved.

CREeeek -!!
The escape pod SHIFTS.
Ripley's eyes SNAP open --

The Roof beneath the Pod is beginning to GIVE WAY.

Ripley rolls onto her stomach and drags herself to the
pilot's chair.  Pulls herself into the seat.
Straps herself in --


SULACCO ESCAPE POD #4

Blasts THROUGH the wooden outershell of the Orbiter Arceon.
ROARS towards us - past us.


INT. SULACCO ESCAPE POD #4 = DAY

Ripley places Mattias into the Hyper sleep tube.
Rubs under his chin.  Is about to climb in with him when she
spots something on the floor --


JOHN'S PARCHMENT

Ripley picks it up and unrolls it.
She hears John's voice:

			JOHN V.O.
		I, Brother John Goldman of the orbiter
		Arceon, Minorite abbey and gaol, know
		the Abbot was wrong.  There is a great
		evil here.  I have seen it.  I put pen to
		paper now lest this plague - this creature
		stills my hand.  I have gone down below -
		both to try to warn the others and get 
		the woman - Ripley - get from her some
		clue as to how to battle this evil, or
		at least to make my peace for not
		defending her.  She believes there is
		still and Earth and I hope she is right.
		I hope she will be able to find out.
		I hope she can find some rest for the
		devils that torment her.

Ripley looks at the elapsed time counter on the command
console.  Pulls a pen from it's holder.  She adds:

			RIPLEY V.O.
		Whether the Earth exists or not, whether
		we end up in Heaven, or Hell, or the cold
		vacuum of space, she has.

She sets her course.
Gets back into her tube.
Closes the lid.


DEEP SPACE

The escape pod moves through the jet-black void...


ARCEON

Dwindles into the darkness behind her, a smouldering, slowly
dying ember...

							THE SCREEN GOES BLACK


END CREDITS ROLL...


		Teenager in the back of the movie theater shouts,
				"It's in the dog!"






Alien 3
Writers :   Rex Pickett
Genres :   Action  Drama  Horror  Sci-Fi  Thriller
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