The pod sat next to Adrian as he awoke. Its familiar profile jutted up, black against the dimly-lit pilot chamber.

"Adrian," Bishop's voice invaded his ear. The boy reached instinctively for the headphone and adjusted it.

"Yes, Mr. Bishop?" he answered.

"Good, you're awake." The voice in his ear took a deep breat before continuing. "The being you encountered four hours ago was not native megafauna. It is not a machine."

Mr. Bishop paused. The pilot crawled over to the pod, anticipating his next mission.

"It was a Predator."

Adrian blinked. That thing... a Predator? But there were only two other Predators on Sabazios, and neither of them had a pilot. And Genotek hadn't sold a Predator to any corporation stationed on the planet.

"We believe that the Predator is stolen property, and we wish to retrieve both it and its pilot. Your training has been designated as a secondary priority. Your new purpose is the recovery of Genotek's assets."

The lights above Adrian flickered on, and the doors opened to admit Genotek's lab workers. Adrian rose, stretching out his arms in preparation for the insertion of lines and wires. Gloved hands reached around his various limbs to open his dull violet plugs and clamp tubes into them. Then, the impersonal hands slid a watertight oxygen mask around his mouth.

The boy closed his eyes as he was plunged into the pilot pod.
________________________________________

Bishop's voice rang through the pilot's head. "Sniff out the Predator," he commanded. "Track anything unusual."

Crusher put his nose to the snow-coated ground and breathed in the scents of the forest. The musky odor of various herbivorous creatures mixed with the distinct smell of the massive trees. He crawled quadruped across the forest floor, inhaling his world.

The beast's hot breath melted the snow beneath it. He continued to wander aimlessly in search of any lead. Blood. Human blood. Adrian paused. Nobody lived in these forests, and anyone who entered knew to carry a gun and shoot first. He sniffed again before trailing the scent like a bloodhound.

The scent was strong in this spot. Crusher cocked his head and peered down, blowing away some snow with his heated breath. What was that... strange light? Was there something buried down there?

The creature's tongue lapped at the spot beneath him to expose whatever object was below. It wrapped around something- a body? It certainly felt like one. It closed its teeth around the thing gently and dragged it out onto the snow to get a better look.

The human before him was gaunt and wore some kind of... plugsuit. He nudged it a little using his horn. A girl? About his own age, too. What was this kid doing here?