Earth Reference Year: 2415.08 AD

The devastation had been swift, complete. The giant rocks had fallen onto almost every continent and island of Droog, punching effortlessly through the planet’s crust, and showering chunks of molten death high and wide. In just a few hours more than three billion souls had perished in torment, overwhelmed by the blast of violent fire that had engulfed their world.

Only a privileged few had made it to the bunkers in time. The fledgling civilisation of the Stoidi had ended.

A sphere, no larger than a fist, rose out of the ocean. It turned slowly on its shaft to face the distant shoreline, and then extended various instruments. The flaming ruins of a once towering city could be seen. Smoke, thick and black, billowed into the soot-filled sky. It was a truly desolate sight.

Debris, still molten, splashed down nearby in a cloud of steam. The sphere angled upwards to image the sky. More glowing debris appeared out from the clouds like a rain of orange stars.

The sphere watched for a few seconds, and then retracted its instruments. The sphere descended below the waves.