INT. DREAMCRAFT – SURFACE SCAN BAY | EXT. ALPHA CENTAURI B-II – DRONE FEED

The feed focuses tighter, adjusting for atmospheric static.

Suddenly—

A shadow bursts into frame. Bright, iridescent wings snap open mid-air, catching the drone’s light.

The creature is stunning. Violet carapace, almost armored like beetlebone.

Wings that shimmer in electric blue in strobe rhythm.
It flaps hard—toward the drone.

SAI (dryly)
“We’re definitely annoying the locals…”

The drone pulls gently upward and to the right, tucking into a shielded canopy, hidden under the towering spires of spiralwood trees. Bioluminescent bark pulses in slow waves, like a
heartbeat.

SABINE (softly)
“Drone stability holding. They’re… curious. Not immediately hostile.”

The Traveler leans in, eyes locked on the feed.

TRAVELER
“Curious. Until we disrupt the wrong part of their world.”

The drone camera zooms toward a horizon flicker.

A ripple.

Suddenly—

A dusty green cloud erupts over a distant offshore shelf.
The light fractures—colors explode across the surface.

Orange. Yellow. Blue. White.

A planetary sunset detonation.

Out of the sea, massive ancient fish erupt—sleek, fluid, moving in trios.

They look like dolphins, but longer. Bone narwhal-like jaws curve upward, their bodies patterned in chromatic fractals.

They lunge upward, scooping surface phytoplankton in arcing spins—feeding with urgent grace.

SABINE (low)
“They’re big.”

“I’m not sure we should stay for too long.”

SAI (amused)
“What if something else—”

BOOM.

The feed jolts.

Camera wobble. A flash.

A winged creature has slammed into the drone—its armored body colliding with precision.

SABINE
“Impact registered!
Systems adjusting—
Wait—turning… re-orienting camera—”

The drone spirals to regain stability.

As it steadies, the view reorients on the attacker—circling again, eyes glowing.

TRAVELER (quietly, almost to himself)
“They won’t… know we’re here, will they?”

A pause.

SABINE (evenly)
“No. I’m not sure they will, Traveler.

There doesn’t appear to be any… formal communication structure. But…”

She hesitates.

“I could be wrong.”

The drone feed crackles.

Another ripple.

Something is rising from the deep.