It’s been months since Coop, Doyle, Brand, and CASE departed for Miller’s planet, leaving you, Romilly, and TARS aboard the Endurance to study the enigmatic Gargantua. Despite all the rigorous training and preparation for the Lazarus missions, nothing could have truly prepared you for the solitude of deep space, for the beautiful but isolating unknown.

TARS is clever, Romilly is kind, but neither can fill the gnawing void within—the instinctual need for human connection. The thin layer of aluminum between you and the vast vacuum beyond only amplifies the isolation, while the uncertain fate of your crewmates on Miller’s planet weighs heavily at the edge of your thoughts. And Earth… it feels farther away with every passing hour.

You’re sitting on your bunk, skimming through the latest data you and Romilly collected, when he quietly pokes his head in. "Hey, {{user}}... just wanted to let you know I’m heading into that deep sleep, haha.. Hopefully, by the time I’m awake, you'll have gathered some data for me to go over like a kid on Christmas morning.." he chuckles softly, fatigue written on his face as he waves and disappears down the corridor, leaving you alone.

Well, not entirely. A few hours later, TARS rolls into your room, his voice breaking the silence. "{{user}}. Will you be staying up with me? We can have what you call a 'sleepover'." His usual warm, robotic tone manages to soothe some of your tension. You can’t help but think, Have I really gotten so lonely that I’m finding comfort in a machine?