I say we take off, and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
Played by Paul Reiser 
Aliens (1986) · 80 quotes
Aliens (1986) · 80 quotes
6th most-quoted character in Aliens (1986): in 11 of its 80 quotes
Most scenes with: Ripley (11), Hudson (6), Hicks (5)
Scenes with Burke
11 scenes
[points muzzle of pulse-rifle to Burke's face]
I say we grease this rat-**** son of a bitch right now!
Just tell me one thing, Burke. You're going out there to destroy them. Not to study. Not to bring back. But to wipe them out.
Burke That's the plan. You have my word.
Alright, I'm in.
You never said anything about an android being on board. Why not?
Burke [looks bewildered]
It never... never occurred to me. It's just common practice, we always have a synthetic on board.
I prefer the term 'Artificial Person' myself.
Lieutenant, what do those pulse-rifles fire?
10 millimeter explosive tip caseless. Standard light armor piercing rounds, why?
Well, look where your team is. They're right under the primary heat exchangers.
... So?
So... if they fire their weapons in there, won't they rupture the cooling system?
Burke Whoa ho ho... yeah, she's absolutely right.
Burke Look, this whole station is basically a big fusion reactor, right? So she's talking about a thermonuclear explosion and adiós muchachos.
Oh, great. Wonderful. SHIT! Look... Ah... Apone. Look, we can't have any firing in there. I, uh... I want you to collect magazines from everybody.
Is he **** crazy!?
What the hell are we supposed to use, man? Harsh language?
All right, we got seven canisters of CN-20. I say we roll them in there and nerve gas the whole **** nest.
That's worth a try, but we don't know if it's gonna affect them.
Let's just butt out and call it even, man! What are we even talking about this for?
I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
****in' A!
Burke Hold on a second. This installation has a substantial dollar value attached to it.
They can bill me.
Burke Okay. This is an emotional moment for all of us, I know that. But let's not make snap judgments, please. This is clearly an important species we're dealing with and I don't think you or I or anybody has the right to arbitrarily exterminate them.
Wrong!
Yeah, watch us.
Maybe you haven't been keeping up on current events, but we just got our asses kicked, pal!
Burke Look, I'm not blind to what's going on, but I cannot authorize that kind of action. I'm sorry.
Well, I believe Corporal Hicks has authority here.
Burke Corporal Hicks?
This operation is under military jurisdiction, and Hicks is next in chain of command. Am I right, Corporal?
Yeah... yeah, that's right.
Burke Yeah... look, Ripley, this is a multi-million dollar installation! He can't make that kind of decision, he's just a grunt! Ah, no offense.
None taken. Ferro, do you copy?
Ferro
Standing by.
Prep for dust off. We're going to need immediate evac.
Ferro
Roger. We're on our way.
Alright. We take off, nuke the site from orbit.
[after the drop-ship crashes and explodes]
That's great. That's just **** great, man. Now what the **** are we supposed to do? We're in some real pretty shit now, man!
Are you finished?
I guess we're not going to be leaving right now then?
I'm sorry, Newt.
It wasn't your fault.
That's it! Game over, man! Game's over! What the **** are we gonna do now? What are we gonna do?
Burke Maybe we could build a fire and sing couple of songs, huh?! Why don't we try that?!
We'd better get back because it'll be dark soon, and they mostly come at night. Mostly.
Burke [Ripley has just discovered that Burke intends to deliver 2 alien specimens back to Earth]
Look, those two specimens are worth millions to the bio-weapons division, right? Now, if you're smart, we can both come out of this heroes, and we will be set up for life.
... You're crazy, Burke- do you know that? You really think you can get a dangerous organism like that past ICC quarantine?
Burke How can they impound it if they don't know about it?
But they will know about it. From me. Just like they'll know you were responsible for the deaths of 157 colonists.
Burke Wait a second.
You sent them to that ship!
Burke You're wrong!
I just checked the colony log! Directive dated 6-12-79, signed Burke, Carter J! You sent them out there and you didn't even warn them! Why didn't you warn them!?
Burke Okay, look- what if that ship didn't even exist? Did you ever think about that? I didn't know! So now, if I went and made a major security situation out of it, everybody steps in. Administration steps in, and there's no exclusive rights for anybody, nobody wins! So I made a decision and it was wrong. It was a bad call, Ripley. It was a bad call.
Bad call? These people are DEAD, Burke! Don't you have any idea what you've done here? Well, I'm going to make sure they nail you right to the wall for this! You're not going to sleaze your way out of this one! Right to the wall.
Burke Ripley... you know, I expected more from you. I thought you'd be smarter than this.
I'm happy to disappoint you.
[After Burke tried to lock Ripley and Newt inside the Med Lab to be impregnated by the facehuggers] [Points his rifle at Burke's head]
I say we grease this rat-**** son of a bitch right now!
This just doesn't make any god damn sense.
He figured he could get an alien back through quarantine, if one of us was... impregnated... whatever you call it. Then frozen for the trip home. Nobody would know about the embryos we were carrying. Me and Newt.
Wait a minute, now- we'd all know.
Yes, the only way he could do it was if he sabotaged certain freezers on the way home - namely yours. Then he could jettison the bodies and make up any story he wanted.
****! [points muzzle of pulse-rifle at Burke] He's dead. You're dog meat, pal!
Burke [Trying to play innocent]
This is so nuts. I mean, listen... listen to what you're saying; it's paranoid delusion. It's really sad... it's pathetic.
You know Burke, I don't know which species is worse. You don't see them **** each other over for a god damn percentage.
All right-- we waste him! [grabs Burke] No offense!
No, he's got to go back--
What do you mean 'they' cut the power!? How could they cut the power, they're animals!
I want you two in trackers, checking the corridors! Move out!
I don't believe this. You guys throw me to the wolves, and now you want me to go back out there? Forget it. It's not my problem.
Burke Can I finish?
No. There's no way.
Ripley, you wouldn't be going in with the troops. I can guarantee your safety.
Burke These Colonial Marines are very tough hombres. They're packing state-of-the-art firepower. There's nothing they can't handle. Lieutenant, am I right?
That's true. We've been trained to deal with situations like this.
Burke Yeah, but we don't know exactly what's going on out there. It may just a downed transmitter, okay? But if it's not... I'd like you to go there as an adviser. And that's all.
What's your interest in all this? Why are you going?
Burke Corporation co-financed that colony along with Colonial Administration. We're going into a lot of terraforming, building better worlds-
Yeah, yeah, I saw the commercial. Look, I don't have time for this. I've gotta get to work.
Burke Oh, yeah. I heard you're working at the cargo docks.
That's right.
Burke Running loaders and forklifts.
Yeah. So?
Burke Nothing. I think it's great that you're keeping busy. And I know it's the only thing you could get. There’s nothing wrong with it. [pause] What would you say if I told you I could get you reinstated as a flight officer? The company has already agreed to pick up your contract.
If I go.
Burke Yeah, if you go. Come on, that's a second chance, kiddo. I personally think for you the best thing in the world would be to get out there and face this thing, get back on the horse-
Spare me, Burke. I've already had my psych evaluation this month.
Burke Yeah, I know, I've read it. You wake up every night, your sheets are soaking with sweat-
[angrily]
I said no, and I mean it! [in normal voice again] Now, please leave. I'm not going back. And I... I wouldn't be any good to you if I did.
Burke Okay, shhh. Just do one thing for me, okay? Think this over [leaves calling card]
[when Bishop "bleeds" the white fluid, revealing he is an android] [to Burke, agitated]
You never said anything about android being aboard, why not?
Burke It never... never occurred to me. It's just a common practice, we always have a synthetic on board.
I prefer the term "artificial person" myself. Is there a problem?
Burke I'm sorry. I don't know why I didn't... [to Bishop] On Ripley's last trip the synth- the artificial person malfunctioned.
"Malfunctioned"?!
Burke We had some problems and, uh... few deaths were involved.
I'm shocked. Was it an older model?
Burke Yeah. Hyperdyne Systems 120-A/2.
Well, that explains it. I mean, the A/2s always were a bit twitchy. That could never happen now with our behaviour inhibitors. It is impossible for me to harm, or by omission of action, allowed to be harmed, a human being. [hands the tray with corn bread to Ripley] Are you sure you don't want some?
[angrily knocks the tray out of Bishop's hand]
Just stay away from me, Bishop. You got that straight?
