Alien- Charge Thumper

  “There are the thumpers,” Garcia said. “They use them to fire charges deep into loose sand.”

  Hoop nodded.

  “Can we really use them in the Samson?” Baxter asked.

  “We don’t have to use the explosive charges,” Welford said. “Substitute bolts, or something, and you have a pretty good projectile weapon.”
…

  Kasyanov leapt across two rows of seats, braced her legs, and fired her charge thumper at the burning alien. The shot was deafening, pulsing in Ripley’s ears and blowing the flames back from the creature’s sizzling hide.

  It screeched louder. But it continued on toward Powell, falling on him, and Ripley didn’t quite close her eyes in time. She saw Powell’s head erupt beneath the impact of the burning thing’s silvery mouth.

Out of the Shadows, Chapters 5, 7