What if... The USCSS Nostromo wasn't destroyed?

This is probably the hardest what if scenario I can wrap my brain around hahaha Upon the blast subsiding would we not see the Nostromo floating away in the distance? And in order to push a shop that large that quickly to escape the blast radius of its nuclear core would take far longer than it did for Ripley's escape pod. Not to mention, we full well see the Nostromo explode from Ripley's perspective, the Nostromo is partially viewable as it bursts into a massive ball of light. It's a very out there theory but there's too many variables to discount it I feel than there are to support it. Fun to read, regardless though!

I like it!

Nostromo class starships have Cores with thrusters on them and a ejection port(able to eject the core at 35KMH)...So they can be launched as fast and far as possible...ensuring the safety of the cargo...(and crew)!

Ripley saw the explosion of the core. Not the Nostromo. You eject the unstable core and wait for rescue. This happens often with the old NU867 Cores on the Nostromo Class

Love to see a rescue ship visit the derelict Nostromo! 

That ship was so huge I think of how it was launched in the first place, or was it assembled in space?

Interesting! Haha as I read this I was thinking that it is kind of a stretch, but I think you could have something good here. And MonsterZero...oh man. "Love to see a rescue ship visit the derelict Nostromo!" YES PLEASE!!

That would be an AWESOME moment to see on camera, or in game or whatever. Aw yeah man

It was a standard RTC ('Restore The Core') mission...Three months tops.

LV-426 system....Never heard of it....some old witch ship..the Nostromo.

Weyland pays good... put a new core inta' her and send it 'er home....

...simple.

Saddled up the crew: Blain, Billy, Mac, Ponch and Dillon. I told 'um weed be underway in a hour.

Dillion "You ready Dutch?"

Dutch "As ever"

Re-watched ALIEN late last nite so this makes me extra intrigued c:

I agree with Sir Chris that there ARE too many variables for this to truly hold up buhhhh I do Love the idea & the proposed "how it could be done" ^_^

Potentially it could be explored.

But as far as the Timeline in would beg the Question for going after the Xenomorph in Aliens and Alien 3 and if we look at the Nostromo simply floating through space for many years without being picked up like the Narcissus, i would still think the company would have recovered the Nostromo by Alien Resurrection and so why bother cloning Ripley?

But off course you could have it that they optained a Organism from some other event and well just as in the Alien Series the company ended up empty handed again due to a disaster and then having to destroy the Organism.

"As Alien fan's we are all aware of Special Order 937 which ordered Ash and MUTHUR to acquire a specimen of the Xenomorph from the derelict Juggernaut on Acheron LV-426, even if it was at the expense of the crew."

SO 937 was for the Science Officer. There's no evidence Mother was involved. Or even had the capacity to be involved.

"Keeping within the confines of the theatrical release, while taking special order 937 into consideration with the possibility that Dallas and Brett remain undiscovered within the bowels of the Nostromo, MUTHURS actions later in the movie become questionable if we assume MUTHUR knows of Dallas and Bretts predicament."

On what basis do we assume Mother knows what happened to Dallas and Brett?

"Later, after Ripley successfully shuts down the self-destruct sequence within the time limit MUTHUR ignores the command and continues with the sequence, much to Ripleys angst and definitely putting Egg-Brett at risk, breaching SO 937."

But Ripley didn't shut it down within the time limit. The option to override expires before she finishes.

"The plan was simple - to eject the nuclear reactor core moments before the self-destruct sequence finalized, using conventional thrusters to move the Nostromo to the minimum safe distance from the blast, thus ensuring the survival of the Xenomorph specimen that former crew member Brett was becoming."

If the plan was "simple" why didn't Ripley eject it when she couldn't shut down the scuttle procedure?

" With Ripley drifting toward the core systems The Nostromo would drift past and beyond the Thedus mining colony."

Both ships would fly in the same direction towards the Core systems.

This reminds of those film sequels that have explinations for certain events that happened in the originals. Then you watch the original to see if that outcome could have been possible and you're left with the question "maybe?"

That's what I thought when reading the OP, "Maybe?"

But then I read S.M's reply and (even though I don't want to admit it,) he's absolutely correct.

I tell you what S.M, you certainly know your ALIEN shit!

"Both ships would fly in the same direction towards the Core systems"

That would depend on how long they would be drifting, as if the Narcissus was heading away from the Nostromo i think after 50 years they would have ended up quite a distance apart.

But they could still be witin the same sector of space it depends how big you mark a sector to be... i.e when looking for wreckage of a crashed plane at Sea.

The Search Grid lets say would be hard to find all parts of the Plane.. but if we say the grid of the ocean is split into 100'000 SQ Miles there is more chance of them being located in same area.

I would assume the ships would drift way more than a 4 Billion Miles, which is average approx distance from our Sun to Pluto and well that kind of Range would be easy to detect and find two ships within such a distance.

But we have no Technical Data on the distances or how fast the ships would drift, but all we can logically assume would be the greater length of time after the incident to when the ships are recovered would lead to a greater distance between them and different are of space.  But space is so vast and well with how Advanced Technology is in Aliens i am sure any ship within a few LY would have detected them.

But besides, this is only if we assume the theory of the Nostromo being in one piece is a possible one.

But apart from this SM your counter Arguments do make sense.

Who says the Nostromo survived? :-)

I would have the rescue squad arrive and install the new core...start the engines plot a course....THEN...discover the eggs and xeno(maybe a queen or two) wreck the ship ...have to hide in the cargo holds of the mother ship. the dead xeno's acid/blood would destroy the hull, sending the Nostromo off her course and into the gravity well of the nearest moon......KABOOM!

It would be a hell of a firefight and a spectacular scene!

Billy "Whoa...Something bad happened here..."

Dutch "Not our concern. Get the core back on line"

Narcissus and Nostromo were flying in the same direction, Narcissus was initially just a little slower.  But then Ripley fired the thrusters so she sped it up again.

Indeed maybe, but i think what i was trying to say is that do we assume after a initial boost the Narcissus just drifted?

Indeed if the Nostromos impulse Engines where taking the Nostromo at the same KMPH as the Narcissus then potentially yes they could end up very close, but if there is a difference in speeds, then over years this could change, and also be aware of gravitational forces that could effect the speeds and direction to and so over 50 year period we cant be 100% sure how close they would end apart?

But i dont think any of its relevant really because the chances are near 100% that the Nostromo was destroyed.

But i guess its nice to have a few fan theories and well if we look at Alien 5 how can that happen with the events of Alien 3?  But they are tackle this somehow and so for the same way Blomkamp is going to explain away Alien 3, then yes maybe other explanations for what happens after Alien are viable.

I mean the whole Novel, and Comic series are based on many such what ifs, and are not stuck on the Scenario that after Alien, the company are not 100% aware or are they of the Derelict, and after Aliens its assumed the only route to the Xeno is from Ripley

Absolutely love to see how Discussions divulge over time.

SM does raise true counterpoints. The idea of such Mayhem (the theorized corroded Derelict Nostromo), past the ALIENS Timeline could prove to be an interesting monkeywrench (wellplaced facehugger?) in the Company's Plans leading up to Alien 5 & it's (hopefully) Three Plot Points ^_^

~IncomingTransmission~

MUTHUR HAS GAVE BIRTH TO NONFEARING CHILDREN

~EndTrasmissiontoWeylandYutani

@BigDave - It depends on how one defines "drifting". Narcissus "drifted" at a pretty significant percentage of (if not faster then) the speed of light.

But yes, ultimately I think the point is moot.

"SO 937 was for the Science Officer. There's no evidence Mother was involved. Or even had the capacity to be involved."

Both Ripley and Ash mention the latter's frequent collations with MUTHUR, suggested that Ash and MUTHUR were working together to enforce SO 037

"On what basis do we assume Mother knows what happened to Dallas and Brett?"

Internal sensors, or more simply for pure narrative exploration.

"But Ripley didn't shut it down within the time limit. The option to override expires before she finishes."

Actually this open to interpretation. It does appear that Ripley just manages to stop the sequence with a second to spare but MUTHUR continues counting down anyway, hence Ripleys cry of "Goddamn you MUTHUR!"

"If the plan was "simple" why didn't Ripley eject it when she couldn't shut down the scuttle procedure?"

As I think I mentioned this was MUTHUR's protocol, not Ripley's. Ripley had to read the instructions on how to operate the self-destruct sequence, and because she was just a blue collar worker transporting ore and for narrative reasons, maybe she wasn't aware of the Nostromo's ability to jettison its core.

"Both ships would fly in the same direction towards the Core systems."

Again, as I think I mentioned, but maybe wasn't clear - before initiating the drop of the core the Nostromo engaged its thrusters in the opposite direction. I have included images to further clarify this. Using Zeta II Reticuli as the central point and taking into account the narcissus headed toward and eventually through the core systems, the opposite direction would take the Nostromo past Thedus and beyond.

And finally, why do Weyland-Yutani have to rescue the Nostromo. What would happen if 35 years after the events of Alien the Nostromo drifted into the territory of colonies ran by another, competing company?

"Both Ripley and Ash mention the latter's frequent collations with MUTHUR, suggested that Ash and MUTHUR were working together to enforce SO 037"

How could Mother enforce SO937? And Ash only mentions "collating" with Mother once, which sounded like he was just making things up to avoid actually having to do anything to combat the Alien.

"Internal sensors, or more simply for pure narrative exploration."

Ripley specifically mentions that they're blind on B and C deck, hence the need to manually find the Alien with trackers.

"Actually this open to interpretation. It does appear that Ripley just manages to stop the sequence with a second to spare but MUTHUR continues counting down anyway, hence Ripleys cry of "Goddamn you MUTHUR!""

The countdown ticks over 5:00 minutes before she has restored either the system over-ride levers. Not sure what another interpretation might be?

"As I think I mentioned this was MUTHUR's protocol, not Ripley's. Ripley had to read the instructions on how to operate the self-destruct sequence, and because she was just a blue collar worker transporting ore and for narrative reasons, maybe she wasn't aware of the Nostromo's ability to jettison its core."

Would the chief engineer of the ship not know an engine reactor could be jettisoned? And perhaps mentioned it instead of 'If you're not out of here in 10 minutes you won't need a rocker to fly through space'?

"Again, as I think I mentioned, but maybe wasn't clear - before initiating the drop of the core the Nostromo engaged its thrusters in the opposite direction. I have included images to further clarify this. Using Zeta II Reticuli as the central point and taking into account the narcissus headed toward and eventually through the core systems, the opposite direction would take the Nostromo past Thedus and beyond."

I can't see the image, but I'll have a stab at this anyway.

- If the Nostromo did a 180, Narcissus would've flown straight past it.

- If the Nostromo did a 180, it would end up in deep space, rather than Thedus. They were off course when they ended up at Z2R.

"How could Mother enforce SO937? And Ash only mentions "collating" with Mother once, which sounded like he was just making things up to avoid actually having to do anything to combat the Alien."

MUTHUR could have allowed the Alien access to any area of the ship, or shut down the life support to incapacitate the crew. It is inferred from Ripleys mention of Ash and MUTHUR's collations that they have done so more than once, giving the impression that the two are conspiring against the crew or observing the crew.

"Ripley specifically mentions that they're blind on B and C deck, hence the need to manually find the Alien with trackers."

Yes Ripley and the crew was blind on B and C decks, there is no mention of MUTHUR's capabilities.

"The countdown ticks over 5:00 minutes before she has restored either the system over-ride levers. Not sure what another interpretation might be?"

Having just checked Alien you are right, although one could argue that the timer shown immediately after shows that Ripley may have restored the levers just in time and that MUTHURS vocal countdown was a second or two ahead of the actual countdown.

"Would the chief engineer of the ship not know an engine reactor could be jettisoned? And perhaps mentioned it instead of 'If you're not out of here in 10 minutes you won't need a rocker to fly through space'?"

Did Parker even know? The impression I have of the crew of the Nostromo is that of a rag-tag bunch of incompetent workers. Ripley had to tell Lambert it wasn't their system, Parker and Brett were more concerned out the bonus situation, and although not mentioned in the movie executive officer Kane was a recovering addict and alcoholic. The crew were even flying deep space missions with only one lifeboat capable of sustaining only one occupant, the Narcissus. the Nostromo itself was probably bought from a space junkyard so one could assume that parker wasn't familiar with all of the ships systems. 

"I can't see the image, but I'll have a stab at this anyway.

- If the Nostromo did a 180, Narcissus would've flown straight past it.

- If the Nostromo did a 180, it would end up in deep space, rather than Thedus. They were off course when they ended up at Z2R."

The images I mentioned have been added to the bottom of the OP, showing the Nostromo engaging its retro thrusters, not performing an 180-degree turn. An 180-degree turn would take to long and the Nostromo's retro thrusters would be more than capable of doing the job. As for where the Nostromo ends up check the following image (which you may find familiar S.M.) which clearly shows the opposite direction of the core systems from Zeta II Reticuli is more in the direction of the Thedus mining colony than Alpha Corvi, but not exact at the mining colony, which is why Ii said "past Thedus and beyond."

You seem to be applying a lot of baseless assumptions to Mother's capabilities. If she is capable of doing all these things you say - independently controlling life support endangering the crew, tracking the movements of creatures on decks where the crew can't - then why:

1) Did they need Ash on board?

2) Did she not actually do any of these things?

In regards to the crew, there's nothing to suggest they're incompetent in their duties.  Parker and Brett know the systems and how to fix them. When Ripley says "That's not our system" Lambert says "I know that". There's no indication Kane was under the influence.

Again, because of my browser and connection I can't see a lot of images, but I'm assuming you've posted my starmap.  Due to the difference in declination between Z2R and Epsilon Reticuli (Thedus), the Nostromo is going to end up a long way from Thedus, deep outside populated space.

And the shuttle (which is it's primary purpose rather than being a lifeboat) can take a crew of three, with two in hypersleep.

There's nothing to suggest that the crew of the Nostromo are "rag-tag bunch of incompetent workers."

One prime example is Parker and Brett fixing the Nostromo after it gets stalled on LV426. They got the job done.

I think mother was important.

Ash was in hypersleep during the voyage(I realize he could have been faking and wandered around the ship like David 8, after the crew were a sleep....but there is no evidence of this) So I would think Mother did many things.

Why did Ripley call out to Mother!? She must have thought mother could do something.  I like the thought that Mother was HAL9000(like).

Desperation and frustration.

"Desperation and frustration."

I'm sorry, I don't follow?

Ripley was screaming at Mother that she turned the cooling unit back on, out of desperation and frustration (because she knew she was too late).

Gavin Singleton

By far, this is the most incredible theory I've read on Scified.

Astonishingly clever.

However if it were up to me, I would exclude MU/TH/UR's role in this, for I imagine MU/TH/UR would have no capacity for self-improvisation like HAL from 2001.

More likely, the Weyland-Yutani corporation set it as standard protocol for Star Freighters to eject their explosive core in order to preserve the mineral ore on-board (worth millions of dollars of course). By then the ship would go into stealth mode, undetectable, awaiting pick-up by the company.

"Astonishingly clever."

Which bit?

Meh. Even if that happened, the Nostromo would have been heavily damaged. I could see them finding a wrecked hulk of the refinery floating in space, but it would never be habitable for humans ever again. Seeing how they couldn't find Ripley floating for nearly a century in the core systems, the Nostromo wreckage would likely be lost forever, or at least for many hundreds perhaps thousands of years. Anyone know if the reactor had any form of spacetime-warping tech?