JENNA: Curious isn't it...That the Alien is an encephalon...
AMAROQ: What's so curious about that.
JENNA: It's curious because lower species can't adapt as quickly as higher ones. And this one's doing very well. A real survivor. Might even have as good a chance as we do.
AMAROQ: You're getting paranoid again.
JENNA: All right. What about the temperature. What happens if we change it.
AMAROQ: Let's give it a try. Most animals retreat from fire.

Pause.

MUCH: I can hook up a couple of incinerating units in about fifteen minutes.

Pause.

AUTUMN: Anybody got any better ideas.

Nobody does.

AUTUMN: Okay. When Much's ready, we'll work our way back down to 'C' deck.

EXT. OUTER SPACE
Nostromo at light plus four.

INT. PASSAGEWAY - "B" LEVEL
Much and Autumn lead.
Armed with flamethrowers.
They descend from companionway.
Suddenly both tracking devices beep frantically.
Sound of rending metal up ahead.
The move forward cautiously.

AUTUMN: It's in that food locker.

EXT. FOOD LOCKER NUMBER 12
More rending noises.

AAKA: Jesus. It must be huge.
MUCH: It's got to be using the airshafts to move around...

Autumn raises flamethrower.

AUTUMN: Do these things really work.
MUCH: I made them didn't I.
JENNA: That's what worries me.

Autumn indicates door handle.
Much reluctantly takes it.

AUTUMN: Now.

Much wrenches open door.
Autumn fires a long blast. Another.
Another and another...Silence.
They move inside...

INT. FOOD STORAGE LOCKER NUMBER 12 - "B" LEVEL
Charred wreckage.
Packages have been ripped to shreds.
Foodstuffs scattered over the floor.
Carefully, they poke through the smoldering garbage.

JENNA: We didn't get him.
AUTUMN: This is where he went.

On the wall, a ventilator grill has been ripped open.
They move to the shredded ventilator.
Shine their lights inside the shaft.

AUTUMN: This could work for us. The duct comes out at the starboard air lock. There's an exit on the way. But we can close that off. Then we drive it into the air lock and blast it into space.

AAKA: Yeah. All you have to do is crawl in the vent with it, find your way through the maze and hope it's afraid of fire.
AUTUMN: Well Much, you wanted an equal share...
MUCH: Yeah.
AUTUMN: Get in the pipe.
MUCH: Why me.
AUTUMN: I just wanted to see you get your full share.
MUCH: No way.
JENNA: I'll go.
AUTUMN: Forget it. You take the air lock. Much and Aaka cover the exit.

No doubt as to who's going inside the vent.

INT. STARBOARD AIR LOCK - VESTIBULE
Jenna stands in vestibule.
Looks through the Bulkhead door to air lock.
She throws a switch.
Watches airshaft entrance into air lock open.
The trap is ready.

INT. MAINTENANCE LEVEL
Much and Aaka get set.

INT. FOOD STORAGE LOCKER NUMBER 12 - "B" LEVEL
Amaroq hands Autumn the makeshift flamethrower.
He fires a couple of short bursts.

AUTUMN: It's still working.
AMAROQ: Why do you have to go. Why didn't you sent Jenna.
AUTUMN: It's my responsibility. I let Granite go into the craft. Now it's my turn.
AMAROQ: You're the captain. It'll be harder on the rest of us, if we lose you.
AUTUMN: Nothing I do that Jenna can't.
AMAROQ: I don't agree.
AUTUMN: The decision is final.

He removes the master computer key.
Hands it to Amaroq.

AUTUMN: If I don't take it back, Jenna will need this.

Amaroq nods.
Autumn turns and climbs into the ventilator opening.
Just large enough to crawl through.

INT. AIR SHAFT
Completely dark.
Autumn turns on his helmet light.
Flips switch on throat mike.

AUTUMN: Do you receive me. Jenna. Much. Aaka.

INT. EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AREA
The hum of vast cooling plants.
Large air shafts run off in different directions.
Much and Aaka stand ready by a duct.
Aaka hits the wall amp button.

AAKA: We're in position. I'll try and pick you up on the tracker.

Much hefts his flamethrower.

AUTUMN: (voice over) Much, if it tries to come out by you, make sure you drive it back in. I'll push it forward.
MUCH: Right.

INT. AIR LOCK VESTIBULE
Near the starboard air lock.
Jenna pops open the hatch.
The air lock now open and ready.
She moves to the air duct opening.

JENNA: Air lock open.
AUTUMN: (voice over) Ready.
JENNA: Ready.

INT. AIR SHAFT
Autumn begins to crawl forward.
The tunnel is narrow...
Only a foot or two wider than his shoulders.

AUTUMN: I'm under way.

Turns a corner.
Several more tight turns.
Instinctively Autumn pulls back.
Raises the flamethrower.
Fires a blast around the corner into the darkness.
It roars loudly in the confined tube.
Smoke drifts back into his face.

INT. MAINTENANCE LEVEL
A large rectangular duct in one wall.

MUCH: That's where it's got to come out, if it leaves the main shaft.

He throws a switch.
A metal pane rises and seals off the opening.

AAKA: Let's keep it open. I'd like to know if anything's coming.

Reluctantly, Much again throws the switch and raises the metal pane.

INT. AIR LOCK VESTIBULE
Jenna waiting.

INT. AIR SHAFT
Autumn still crawling on hands and knees.
Ahead the shaft takes an abrupt downward turn.
He moves toward the corner.
Fires another blast from the flamethrower.
Then starts crawling down, head first.

INT. EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AREA
Aaka sees something on the tracker.

AAKA: Beginning to get a reading on you.

INT. AIR SHAFT
The shaft makes yet another turn.
Puts Autumn into an almost immobilized position.

INT. FOOD STORAGE LOCKER NUMBER 12
Amaroq staring at the ventilator opening.

INT. AIR SHAFT
Autumn against a wall of the shaft.
Clutching his flamethrower.
Whispers into his throat mike.

AUTUMN: Jenna.

INT. AIR LOCK VESTIBULE
JENNA: Read you clear.

INT. AIR SHAFT
AUTUMN: I don't think this shaft goes much farther... It's getting hot in here.

He readies the flamethrower.

INT. EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AREA
Much readies his weapon.

INT. AIR SHAFT - DOUBLE-TIERED PASSAGEWAY
The air shaft tributary opens into a larger two-tier air tunnel.
Autumn crawls out and stands.
Moves to a catwalk floor. Looks about.
Moves forward. Reaches a repair junction.
Sits.
His feet dangle beneath the catwalk floor to the next level.

AUTUMN: Aaka, what kind of reading are you getting.

INT. MAINTENANCE LEVEL
Aaka huddled over her tracker.
Puzzled.

AAKA: I'm not sure. There seems to be some kind of double image.

INT. AIR SHAFT DOUBLE-TIERED PASSAGEWAY
Autumn sitting.
His feet still dangling in the dark beneath the catwalk.

AUTUMN: It may be interference. I'll push on ahead.

Autumn begins to rise.
From below, a gentle movement toward the hanging feet.
A hand reaches up.
Misses his leg as Autumn moves ahead.
Further on.

AUTUMN: Aaka, am I coming in any clearer.
AAKA: (voice over) It's clear all right, but I'm still getting two blips. (pause) I'm not sure which one is which.

Autumn stops.
Turns around.
Looks back down through the catwalk.
Lowers the nose of the flamethrower, his finger on the trigger.
From behind him, the hand reaches up.
The Alien is the front signal.

INT. AIR LOCK VESTIBULE
Jenna bends forward.
Hears the sounds of the struggle...
And Autumn' screams.
She cries out.

JENNA: Autumn...Autumn...

INT. EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AREA
Aaka and Much.
Hearing it all.

JENNA: (voice over) Oh my God.

Then silence.

INT. MESS
Autumn' flamethrower on the table surface.

MUCH: (voice over) We just found it laying there. No sign of him. Only a hole torn through to the central cooling complex.

The remaining crew standing at the table.

JENNA: This puts me in command.
MUCH: Okay.

For the first time he's dropped his bullshit.

JENNA: Unless someone's got a better idea about dealing with the Alien, we'll continue with the last plan.

Silence.

JENNA: How are our weapons.
MUCH: They're working fine...We could use more fuel for that one.

Indicating Autumn' flamethrower.

JENNA: Get it.
MUCH: Right.

He leaves.
Jenna turns to Amaroq.

JENNA: Any ideas. From you or Mother.
AMAROQ: Nothing new. Just the one you're operating under.
JENNA: You mean to tell me with everything we've got, we're still powerless against the Beast.
AMAROQ: That's the way it looks.
JENNA: I can't believe that.
AMAROQ: I'm sorry captain. what would you like me to do.
JENNA: Go back to Mother and keep asking questions until you get some better answers.
AMAROQ: All right...I'll try.

He starts to go.

JENNA: Autumn didn't leave the master computer key with you.
AMAROQ: You didn't get it.
JENNA: No.
AMAROQ: Well, we probably won't need it anyway.

He leaves.

JENNA: I know Amaroq has got the key.
AAKA: Why should he lie.
JENNA: He knows I want to check up on him...Without that key we've got no access to command priority information.
AAKA: Swell.

Aaka shrugs.
They start to leave.

INT. MAINTENANCE AREA - "C" DECK
Much selects two full methane cylinders.
He tests them.
Moves out.

INT. CORRIDOR TO BRIDGE
JENNA: Did you ever sleep with Amaroq?
AAKA: No. What about you.
JENNA: No.
AAKA: I never got the impression he was particularly interested...

INT. PASSAGEWAY - "B" LEVEL
Much returning with methane cylinder.
Turns a corner.
Comes to an abrupt halt.
A movement in front of him beyond the air lock.
He hesitates.
Then another shadowy movement...

INT. BRIDGE
Jenna and Aaka.
Much's voice on voice-amp.
Muffled.
Jenna hits a toggle.

JENNA: Jenna.

INT. PASSAGEWAY - "B" LEVEL
Much covers the wall communication with his hand.
MUCH: Keep it down...

Up the corridor, the movement stops.

INT. BRIDGE
JENNA: Can't hear you...Repeat...

INT. PASSAGEWAY - "B" LEVEL
Much whispering.

MUCH: The Alien...It's outside the main air lock door. Open the door slowly...When I shout... close it fast.

INT. BLISTER
Amaroq listens.

INT. PASSAGEWAY - "B" LEVEL
Much still whispering.

MUCH: Open it...slowly.

INT. BRIDGE
Jenna hesitates.
Starts to reply.
Throws switch.

INT. AIR LOCK

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