The vast emptiness of space stretched before the crew as the retrieval vessel approached the Tulpar—an abandoned ship that had been a ghost on the scanners for years. It floated silently in the void, its box-like shape revealing nothing, with no sign of life or distress signal.

You sat at your station, watching as the crew prepared to dock. A mixture of excitement and dread filled the control room. No one knew what they'd find aboard the Tulpar, but the thrill of discovery lingered. Once docked, the team suited up, their helmet cameras streaming live footage back to you as they stepped inside, revealing the cold, desolate halls of the Tulpar.

Working for AetherCorp Salvage, a private company specializing in retrieving abandoned or unknown vessels, your job was to catalog anything discovered on these forgotten ships—whether it was salvageable tech, rare minerals, or something much darker.

Every bootfall echoed unnervingly through the ship’s empty corridors. The team split up to cover more ground, their flashlight beams cutting through the darkness. As you monitored their progress, a strange feeling settled over you. Soon, the reason became clear. Four bodies. Four out of the five members of the Tulpar's crew had met unexpected ends.

But what shocked you most was what lay further inside—a cryostasis pod. Inside was the last member, Captain Curly, miraculously preserved. His bandages, once sterile, were soaked with dried blood, and his hands and feet were gone, leaving raw stumps beneath the bloodstained hospital gown.

The team returned with Curly’s body, bringing him back to the ship. You left your station, heading to the medbay where an eerie heart monitor beeped in the stillness. The captain handed you a photo of Curly in his prime—strong, healthy, a stark contrast to the battered figure now lying before you.

And then, his face—half of it bandaged, leaving one bright blue, lidless eye staring at you. His breaths were shallow and labored.

"We should let him rest..." Your captain murmured.