Terry Bisson

Home > Other > Terry Bisson > Page 1
Terry Bisson Page 1

by Alien Resurrection Script [lit]




  Alien Resurrection Final Draft Script

  TERRY BISSON

  To be used for educational and review purposes only

  EXT. DEEP SPACE SILENT BLACK.

  We sweep slowly across an endless tapestry of stars. Finally she comes into view:

  the U.S.S. AURIGA. A massive research vessel that sits majestically just beyond Pluto's orbit.

  We TRACK ALONG the side of the ship, and

  INT. AURIGA

  along the silent, empty corridors, coming at last to a door with two guards standing rigid in

  front of it. Full armour, powerful shockrifles, expressions empty and cold.

  INT. MEDLAB

  Along a row of screens, where we see the first signs of life readouts, lights, data -- all

  shifting and collating on the blinking screens.

  As we move ALONG them, a figure-in a labcoat passes through the frame, then another,

  leading us along the lab to settle on what looks like a Cryogenic tube, not big enough

  for a human.

  Still TRACKING around it, we glimpse inside some vague, fetal mass encased in a clear,

  aspic-like gel.

  Tubes and cables a attached to the mass, running out of the machine.

  As we still CIRCLE, the shape begins to be more coherent, till we can see what might even

  be a face.

  Eyes, shut tight. Sleeping.

  Dreaming.

  ANGLE: WHEAT.

  A birds eyes view of a field, the soft golden waves filling the screen. Sharp contrast to

  what we have seen before.

  There is a woman wandering through the field. Beside her a girl, seven or eight, in dingey

  sundress. Both have black, tousled hair.

  GIRL'S VOICE

  My mom always said there were no monsters -- no,real ones -- but there are.

  The girl stops, looks around her. The wheat comes all the up to her chest, and nothing

  else is visible as far as she see.

  She looks back at the woman but the woman is already more than fifty yards away.

  The girl's expression becomes perplexed.

  She slaps a bug on the back of her neck. Pulls it off and is HUGE, wriggling fleshily in

  her hand. Her expression becomes even more distraught, but she cannot muster forth a shout.

  The sound of insects-fills the air. Another bug lands on her, another. She looks down in

  growing horror and sees:

  Blood. At her feet, rising, filling the field, rising above the wheat, a sea of blood now,

  dark, thick.

  The girl tries again to scream, raises her arms. She is completely covered in insects,

  a skittering black shroud of them, and when she finally does SCREAM they flood into her mouth.

  CUT TO:

  INT. LAB

  Instruments show a jolt in heart rate, blood pressure.

  Scientists note it down, look over at the thing in aspic.

  We can tell that time has passed because it is much bigger, nearly

  the size of a man, and in a new case.

  The camera moves in on the cardiograph, then moves down, to

  show a second one. Tracking a smaller, much faster heartbeat.

  CUT TO:

  INT. HALLLWAY

  Tiny. dark, and we are moving through it at impossible speed turning into

  another without slowing, up into an air vent, still moving, moving

  until we reach a chamber, some place where all we can see is a mass of dark,

  moving, inhuman fle it welcomes us in, envelops us...

  ANGLE: RIPLEY

  Lying somewhere, maybe the dark-chamber -- in the dream it keeps shifting.

  She opens her eyes, but they are dark, whiteless.

  She reaches for her chest and begins scratching . Hard.

  Tearing at it, as blood wells up, spilling over her sides.

  CUT TO:

  INT. OPERATING CHAMBER

  And the cause of this dream becomes apparant:

  ANGLE: RIPLEY'S CHEST

  being cut open with a lasersaw.

  We see her body still has a layer of the aspic-slime clinging to it. And her skin is

  unnaturally blue. But as we PAN from her chest to her face her identity is unmistakable.

  Around her are several men in operating masks. Cutting her GEDIMAN, a young and enthusiastic

  scientist. One man, seemingly in charge, stands a bit off, watching. This, by tag on

  his coat, is DR WREN.

  WREN

  Careful ... ready with the amnio...

  Gediman finishes cutting. Another man steps in with a clamp. Sets it. Pulls apart the chest.

  GEDIMAN

  There she is ...

  He says it like he's found a lost kitten. He reaches in an pulls out a sleeping, fetal

  but nearly ready to burst ALIEN. Others work at severing umbilical threads that tie it

  to Ripley's chest.

  GEDIMAN

  Here we go.

  He holds it up and others step in with the amnio, a sort of incubator filled with amniotic

  fluid.

  The alien SCREAMS, its tiny mouth full with teeth, and wriggles out of his grasp.

  WREN

  Watch it!

  Everybody panics -- but before the thing can get completely away from him, Gediman grabs it

  and sticks it in the amnio. Someone shuts the top rapidly.

  Everybody looks at each other for a moment.

  GEDIMAN

  Well ...

  WREN

  The host?

  A surgeon looks at Ripley's readings.

  SURGEON

  Doing fine.

  Gediman looks at Wren, hopefully. Wren nods.

  WREN

  Sew her back up.

  Gediman and the surgeon get to work, as the others carefully remove the alien.

  GEDIMAN

  Well, that went as well as could be expected--

  Ripley's hand LASHES OUT, GRABS the surgeon's forearm. He yells in pain as her fingers

  dig into him, the others scramble knocking things over and we HEAR HIS BONE CRACKING.

  SMASH CUT TO:

  INT. RIPLEY'S CELL

  Sudden stillness.

  Ripley crouches in the middle of a small, dark chamber. She's wide eyed, staring straight

  ahead in a state of near catatonia. Hair tangled and wild. But at least she's not so blue

  as before.

  The only light on her comes from directly above, from a thick pane of glass in the center

  of the ceiling.

  ANGLE: ABOVE THE CELL

  A guard stands on the floor above, looking into the cell through the square of glass in

  the floor, directly above Ripley.

  (We see other panes of glass lining the floor, indicating more cells below.)

  ANGLE: RIPLEY

  She is still for a long while. Then she lifts her hands, looking at them.

  Touches her face, her skin.

  She fingers her tunic, pulls down the neck. There is a scar running along her chest.

  She fingers it thoughtfully. -

  She looks at her forearm. Tattooed near the crook of her elbow is the number 8.

  She looks up, her face unreadable.

  CUT TO':

  INT. LAB

  Ripley is sitting on a table as Gediman draws blood from her.

  He deposits it in a test beaker, studies her eyes.

  Wren enters, looking at a chart.

  WREN

  How's our number Eight today?

  GEDIMAN.

  Appears to be in good health...

  WREN

  (noticing his to
ne)

  How good?

  GEDIMAN

  Extraordinary . As in, completely off our projected charts.

  (shows him some photos) Look at the scar tissue. See the recession?

  WREN

  This is from --

  GEDIMAN

  Yesterday!

  WREN

  This is good. This is very good.

  GEDIMAN

  I'd like to run some tests: strength, coordination... We're not looking at a

  normal cloning arc.

  WREN

  Approved.

  Wren goes up to Ripley, studies her face with satisfaction.

  WREN

  Well, it looks like you're going to make us all very proud.

  She grabs his throat with dazzling speed, applying deadly pressure as she

  brings his face to hers. Her eyes are burn but lost.

  RIPLEY

  Why?

  GEDIMAN

  Oh my god...

  He is as wide eyed as WREN , and he isn't having his windpipe crushed.

  After a moment the shock wears off and he slams his hand into the alarm.

  Klaxons, red light fire up.

  A guard rushes in, levels his weapon at Ripley. After a moment of staring him down,

  she opens her hand. Wren falls to his knees gasping.

  The guard FIRES his rifle at her -- a powerful electrical charge lashes out

  and sends her flying back into the corner.

  WREN

  No! No! I'm all right!

  The guards keep their weapons -- 'burners' , these shockrifles are called -- leveled

  at Ripley. She has recovered from the shock quickly, sits crumpled in the corner,

  looking at nothing in particular.

  RIPLEY (wearily)

  Why... ?

  CUT TO:

  INT. OBSERVATION ROOM

  Wren and Gediman watch through a one way mirror as a scientist tests Ripley.

  With them is General PEREZ, the man in charge this boat. Ramrod straight and about

  as gruff as you would expect, he stares at Ripley suspiciously.

  ANGLE: RIPLEY

  The scientist is holding up cards with pictures on them: house, dog, boat.

  Ripley gives answers we can't hear through the glass, looking pissed off and bored.

  WREN

  It's unprecedented.

  GEDIMAN

  Totally! She's operating at a completely adult capacity.

  PEREZ

  And her memories?

  WREN

  There are gaps. And there's some degree of cognitive dissonance.

  GEDIMAN

  She's freaked.

  Wren shoots Gediman a stern look at his unscientific parlance.

  WREN

  "It" has some connective difficulties. A kind of low level emotional autism.

  Certain reactions....

  Perez looks at Ripley through the glass, then exits into the hall.

  TO:

  INT HALL - CONTINUOUS

  The two scientists follow, pace him as he strides down towards a second observation room.

  GEDIMAN

  But the thing is, we can't terminate her. It.

  PEREZ

  You haven't told me what you think has caused this.

  Cloned genes don't contain memory cells, not even when they're brought

  to adult term. I'm right?

  GEDIMAN

  There's been cases

  PEREZ

  Not like this.

  WREN

  Well, we don't have nearly enough data... but in some cases there is a collective

  memory passed down generationally . At a genetic level. Like instinct,

  only more complex structurally.

  PEREZ

  In some cases . You're talking about the alien.

  WREN

  Yes.

  PEREZ

  You promised me there wasn't going to be any crossing.

  WREN

  It's not like the other ones..

  Perez punches code, puts his hand on the scanner and the second observation

  room door opens.. He steps in, the other two right behi nd him.

  CUT TO:

  INT. OBSERVATION ROOM TWO

  Darker than the first one, and with two of the heavily armoured guards by the door.

  Apart from-that, identical. Perez turns to the others.

  PEREZ

  But there is some genetic mix.

  WREN

  Yes.

  PEREZ

  Will there be further mutation?

  GEDIMAN

  Mutation isn't exactly... I don't think so.

  WREN

  That's one of the things we need to study.

  PEREZ

  All right. You can keep it. But secure, under obso , and for God's

  sake keep it away from here. I don't want any more surprises.

  And as he speaks the ALIEN RISES RIGHT BEHIND HIM -- it's big, the ridges on

  its head indicating a young queen -- it hisses and LUNGES at the back of his head.

  The reinforced plastic window between them, which we couldn't see, stops it.

  As it hits, a thin laser grid buzzes to life, sparks crackling on the alien's face.

  Its bile trails darkly on the glass as it backs off.

  Perez turns to look at it with the others.

  PEREZ

  It took a hell of a lot to get us here.

  GEDIMAN

  No shit.

  Wren shoots him another look.

  PEREZ

  How soon before this one's ovulating?

  WREN

  Days.

  PEREZ

  Is that normal?

  WREN

  No way of knowing for sure, but I'd say it's accelerated.

  (After a moment) We're going to need the supplies.

  PEREZ

  They're coming. Soon.

  CUT TO:

  INT. MESS HALL

  Ripley sits across from Gediman. He is eating at a good pace - Ripley, however, has

  stopped. She is staring at her fork, her brows furrowed. Turns it over in her hand,

  in her mind.

  GEDIMAN

  "Fork".

  The memory comes, and she shakes her head wearily.

  RIPLEY (softly)

  Fuck....

  GEDIMAN (pretending to correct her)

  "Fork".

  Ever so slightly, she smiles. The smile fades, and after a moment:

  RIPLEY

  How did you...

  GEDIMAN

  How did we get you? Blood samples from Fiori 16. On ice.

  Do you remember that place?

  RIPLEY

  Does it grow?

  GEDIMAN

  Does it.....Yeah. Rapidly.

  RIPLEY

  It's a queen.

  GEDIMAN

  How did you know that?

  RIPLEY

  It'll breed. You'll die. Everyone in the ... fucking....

  (searches for the word, then spits it out) ... company. Will die.

  GEDIMAN

  Company?

  WREN (O.S.)

  Weyland Yutani.

  He has entered behind her, comes up to the table.

  WREN

  Our Ripley's former employers. Terran Growth conglom, had some defense contracts

  under the military. Before your time, Gediman -- they went under decades ago, bought

  out by Walmart. Fortunes of war.

  (to Ripley)

  You'll find things have changed a good deal since your time.

  RIPLEY

  1 doubt that.

  WREN

  We're not flying blind here, you know. This is United Systems military, not some

  greedy corporation. The potential benefits of this race go way beyond urban pacification.

  New alloys, new vaccines ... there's nothing like this in any world we've seen.

  You should be v
ery proud.

  She laughs, bitterly.

  RIPLEY

  Oh, I am.

  WREN

  And the animal itself is wonderous. They'll be invaluable once we've harnessed them.

  RIPLEY

  It's a cancer. You can't teach it tricks.

  This stops Wren, and he retreats silently. Ripley repeats word to herself, thinking.

  RIPLEY

  "Them" ...

  CUT TO:

  INT. HALL CONTINUOUS

  As Wren is leaving the mess, he is accosted by an ensign.

  ENSIGN

  Doctor, General Perez is asking for you. We've been hailed.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. DEEP SPACE

  we see the Auriga far in the distance Suddenly A SHIP ROARS INTO FRAME, heading for it.

  A small vessel, it is every bit dirty and jerry-rigged as the Auriga is pristine.

  To accentuate the difference, the sudden roar of its engines is accompanied by

  HEAVY, THRASHING ROCK MUSIC.

  CUT TO:

  INT. COCKPIT CONTINUOUS

  The music is coming from nearby. Piloting the ship toward the Auriga is HILLARD,

  a roughskinned woman in her forties, along with RANE, a slight and quiet fellow.

  Behind them stands ELGYN, the leader of the group.

  Has the kind of authority that doesn't need to flaunt itself.

  Maybe fifty, by the silver in his hair. He speaks into the vidcom

  ELGYN

  (good naturedly)

  My authorization code is 'fuck you' , son. Now open the goddamn bay or General Perez

  is gonna do a Wichita stomp on your virgin ass.

  He switches off.

  RANE

  Wichita stomp?

  ELGYN

  I guarantee that boy's. never seen the inside of a woman.

  (to Hillard)

  Bring us in on three-oh descent, ride the parallel.

  HILLARD

  Darlin', it's done.

  ELGYN

  Don't cut thrust till six hundred meters. Give em a little fright.

  He puts his hand on her shoulder, runs it up along her cheek as he exits.

  They're more than friends.

  He moves through a hallway, sticks his head in a cubicle.

  ELGYN

  Christie! St Just! Rise and shine. We're docking.

  He proceeds into:

  INT. CARGO BAY - CONTINUOUS

  It's the largest space in this boat, two stories high. Taking up most of the space

  are two HARVESTERS, big rusty hovering threshers roughly the size of winnebagos.

  As Elgyn enters, we CRANE UP to reveal ANNALEE-CALL working atop one of them.

  She's young, tough -- at home with this motley bunch despite her youth and prettiness.

  ELGYN

  Call! CALL!

  The music is louder here -- it's blasting from a box in the corner.

  Elgyn switches it off.

  ELGYN

 

‹ Prev