After spending months in hyper-sleep aboard the cargo transport ship Solar System Shipping Vessel No.17 (SSS-17), two crew members, [Jason London](../actor/jason-london) (Chris McNiel) and [Missy Crider](../actor/missy-crider) (Theta Kaplan), unexpectedly awaken. Their awakening, initiated by the ship's computer, occurs nearly ten months later than scheduled, indicating that a critical malfunction has occurred onboard. The ship's internal systems are severely damaged, leaving them with minimal fuel, and their current position is notably off the expected course, far from the ecliptic.
As Chris and Theta begin to assess their situation, they come to realize a grim truth: the first shift of crew members before them likely turned against each other, leading to a catastrophic event that left the ship in ruins. They find themselves in a race against time because life-support systems are predicted to fail in just nine hours, threatening their survival. Using the ship's logs, they uncover evidence of a space probe brought onboard by a member of the first crew shift, along with a strange strange substance, which they promptly begin analyzing.
Tensions quickly escalate between the two survivors after their discoveries. Disagreements over the nature of the strange substance ignite into violent confrontations, resulting in a desperate struggle that takes place across the damaged corridors of the ship. Meanwhile, a nearby space research vessel, following a comet and alerted to the distress signal, evaluates whether they can mount a rescue attempt.
In the cargo hold, Theta manages to regain her composure when she is nearing hypothermia. She discovers that the mysterious substance is a biological agent causing psychosis—an agent that becomes inert at lower body temperatures. Based on this insight, the ship's computer suggests a specialized drug to potentially cure the infection. Theta injects herself with the antidote, which temporarily stabilizes her, allowing her to confront Chris and eventually subdue him.
Realizing the threat they pose to potential rescuers and others, they work together to convince the research ship to attempt a rescue through a slingshot maneuver. As preparations are made, the devastating truth emerges: the cure only provides a temporary reprieve, and both remain infected. Risking contamination of the other crew, they resolve to transfer the uninfected sleepers over to the rescue ship, just moments before their own sleep chambers will fail.
With a heavy sense of duty, Chris and Theta choose to stay aboard No.17, which is heading tragically toward the Sun, to prevent any further spread of the contagion. In their final moments, they dismantle the probe, discovering it contains a canister filled with the mysterious blue contaminant. The story then reveals that the probe originally originated from Earth, accidentally picking up the virus during its journey through space. It is theorized that this virus—originating from space—contaminated an unknown alien civilization. In a twist of cosmic retaliation, the alien race then sent the probe back to Earth, instigating this deadly chain of events.
> "They might have come from us, but now they aim to destroy us." This quote encapsulates the tragic cycle of cause and effect driving the story to its somber conclusion.
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