]In the swirling fog around Borgo Pass, a coachman waits for the arrival of the dutiful English businessman on his important journey.He first rescued trapper workers on a roof, and then was told by one of the White-Coated lab Scientists (Pat Starr) that vials of Beltric acid, if heated up to over 180 degrees, would create a major crisis: the production of clouds of corrosive vapor could cover the entire Eastern seaboard - "If it begins to heat up, it""ll turn volatile.]Regan was Sternwood""s bodyguard and close companion, an Irish Republican Army adventurer who acted as the General""s surrogate son-substitute.The screenplay for director Ridley Scott""s film (only his second feature film followingThe Duellists (1977), although Walter Hill was originally to be the director) was written by Dan O""Bannon, who based the script upon a story (originally titledStar Beast) that he had written with partner Ronald Shusett.Their exasperating conversation, embedded with conflict, is a classic screwball conversation:David: Well, you don""t understand - this ismycar!Susan: You mean,thisis your car?David: Of course.