Streaking through the sky, the capsule had returned – five hundred years late. Long forgotten, a sudden burst of ancient radio signals from the craft two days earlier caught everyone by surprise. The Central Council dispatched a recovery team, as did every news organization in the world.
At the landing site, the recovery team worked to open the long-sealed hatch. The media crowded around, handhelds sharing the exciting event with billions. The hatch opened, filling the air with pungent smoke. Excitement quickly turned to horror as two huge claws suddenly reached out, viewscreens went dark…and more capsules started to arrive.