ALIEN: SALVATION
STORY BY: DAVE GIBBONS
LICENCED BY: 20TH CENTURY FOX & DARK HORSE COMICS
Selkirk, a God-fearing crewman aboard the space freighterNova Maru, is forced at gunpoint to abandon ship with hiscaptain. They crash-land ona small planet, but it is soon apparent that they have not entirely escaped the Nova Maru'sdreadful cargo
I know you can see me lord.
There is a ship seemingly crashed into a massive body of water some what submerged, still above sea level. Selkirk sat on top of the vessel praying under the bright sun.
I know that you can hear my heart. I.. I pray that you will forgive me for my sins. For I have sinned. I have done terrible things. Terrible things.
A swarm of reptilian winged aliens very reminiscent of ancient pterosaurs flock over them attracted to the smell of death like vultures. He fends them off with a metal pipe. He wasn't alone on top of the slowly sinking vessel. His occupant was named Foss.
"Shit!"-Foss
Foss suffered a bad injury upon an emergency landing onto the planet wearing bandage around his arm. He was assisted by the Selkirk who pulled him up.
"Careful my leg you hack bastard!"-Foss grunted.
I know what I did was dreadful but what Foss did was far worse. I know lord this doesn't make it better but… he was the captain.
"Damn you. Son of bitch."-Foss
He helped Foss move through the shallow water making their way towards the shore resting his fallen captain near a tree. It was the blood leaking from Foss that attracted the scavenging alien pterosaurs.
He could have saved them all. But he only saved himself. And me.
"More water you God bothering bastard.."-Foss demanded
But that was your doing? Wasn't it Lord. Part of your plan to test my faith. I see it now.
INT. FLASHBACK (LOW ORBIT) NOVA MARU
The Nova Maru. The company, recruiting us from backworlds. No question, no answer. Just money.
Inside of the corporate fleet the Nova Maru were a band of five individuals seating around a table eating and chatting.
To me, it meant a freehold on some farm world. What did it mean to the others? Foss, Stutz, Lee, Boyd and yes Dean (the only female aboard the crew).
"What is this crap Silkirk?"-Lee
"Where'd you learn to cook, for God's sake? A pigsty."-Foss
"Lord name in vain Foss."-Silkirk
"Oh, I forgot. He's watching us ain't he?"-Foss
Foss walks to a nearby corridor window gazing at the small earth like planetoid. He pointed at a cloud swirl that eerily looked like a human eye.
"Gotta believe it. Look, there's his eyeball starring right at us."-Foss
"Oh Amen."-Lee
"So this is our destination. One big Island in one big sea?"-Foss
"What the hell kind of cargo would need to be hauled off half way round the universe just to end up here?"-Boyd
"You don't need to know, Boyd. Just take your pay and…"-Dean
Dean was cut off by the built in artificial intelligent manual control system.
EMERGENCY STATIONS.
EMERGENCY STATIONS.
MALFUNCTION IN CARGO FOUR.
MALFUNCTION IN—
"Hold four? That's yours Foss."-Dean
"Hey I checked it already."-Foss
Foss stood their with a baffled and horrified look on his face.
ALL CREW TO EMERGENCY STATIONS.
ALL CREW—
"Checked it my ass."-Boyd
"FOSS!"-Dean
Foss then grabbed his small hand held pistol located at his side tucked away hidden beneath his trench coat.
"You Selkirk. Over here."-Foss demanded.
Nobody moved a muscle held at gun point as Selkirk walked over to him.
"Foss get a grip!"-Dean
CONDITIONS RED.
CARGO HOLD MAIN BULKHEAD BREACHED.
EMERGENCY STATIONS.
"Breached by what?"-Boyd
"It's too late. Seal the door."-Foss
The door closed trapping the rest of the crew within the doomed vessel.
CONDITIONS RED.
CREW TO CARGO.
JETTISON STATIONS
CONDITION RED.
"C-Captain? The others…"-Selkirk
Why did he choice me Lord? Of all the members of the crew he called upon me.
"Screw em. Dead anyways. Only one life boat on this bucket. Two seats. No hypersleep. No autocontrol."-Foss
He needed a pilot.
"You got lucky Selkirk. Count your blessings isn't that what you believe."-Foss.
Selkirk activated the escape pod as the jetted away from the Nova Maru leaving behind the others burning violently through the atmosphere of the foreign world. From the inside the others watched them escape in horror.
Foss could have saved them. Any righteous Captain would have or went down with his crew. Maybe that's why you made his pain so severe. So that he would remember.
EXT. PRESENT (STRANDED ON THE ISLAND)
Foss rested upon the tree near the shore pecked by an alien pterosaur using a nearby rock tossing it at the creature. He grunted in pain holding his arm tightly. Selkirk prayed.
And yet, that first long night I prayed for mercy upon him… upon the both of us. We were sure to need it if there was no salvation on this world.
ISSUE #1