a large spacecraft is suspended in orbit around the planet; the predator mothership. the shuttle heads swiftly towards it.
we see a pod ejected from the mothership, rocketing away from the planet into deep space. the inference is obvious; the predators are seeding worlds with aliens to hunt.
in center frame, the planet sits still and green, awash with nebulous clouds. a hulking metal form rolls right-to-left across our view, sunlight glinting from it's surface. it's a rectangular satellite- construction comprised of hundreds of communication dishes in a latticework of steel tubing. we hear filtered human voices o.s. subspace chatter.
a cluster of thruster rockets on one corner of the relay frame ignites, and the darkened bulk of the satellite begins to move.
framed against the green backdrop of ryushi, the predator pods rocket towards the communications platform.
the mass of the satellite tumbles end-over-end. a gaping rent is torn through it; something sparks and flashes within. the second pod accelerates off curving into the atmosphere.
a peculiar blue scanning beam plays over the rotating mass of the incapacitated satellite, examining every section. it comes to the rent torn through it, and pauses.