As the clock ushers in the dawn of the 23rd century at the mining station O.I. Infini, an urgent atmosphere envelops the facility as an emergency declaration initiates a desperate search and rescue (SAR) mission. Utilizing Slipstream, a pioneering teleportation technology, the team is acutely aware of the severe time dilation they face, due to their proximity to a treacherous cluster of black holes. They return in mere moments—a harrowing 30 seconds later—yet find themselves in a state of chaos, casting a shadow on the nature of the crisis at hand.
On his inaugural day as a SAR operative, Whit Carmichael defies explicit protocol, opting for an illicit teleporter to reach Infini after West Coast HQ enacts a lethal lockdown to manage the unfolding chaos. Just before his departure, his wife's heartfelt plea rings in his ears: “Do whatever it takes to return safely.” This mantra becomes a beacon of hope as he confronts the unknown horrors above.
Less than an hour into the catastrophe, East Coast SAR receives alarming reports of an outbreak and the devastation of West Coast SAR. The situation escalates dramatically with news of a deranged survivor's plan to teleport a devastating payload from the station to Earth, posing an existential threat to humanity. With urgency pressing down, East Coast SAR rushes to halt this impending apocalypse and locate Whit, now the lone survivor of his team.
Upon arriving at the remnants of the West Coast SAR outpost, the team encounters a scene of unspeakable horror—a frozen slaughterhouse where the mining staff wreaked havoc upon one another. This grotesque tableau leaves the survivors questioning the very essence of humanity. In the midst of the wreckage, Whit reunites with his fallen comrades, who have spent a week unraveling the station's dark mysteries.
As he traverses this eerie landscape, Whit begins to comprehend the true terror that grips the mining staff; driven by an unknown force, they committed acts of cannibalism, tearing each other apart in a nightmarish existence. With anxiety mounting, Whit realizes he must stop the payload from triggering global destruction while battling an infection whose spread is accelerating.
In a moment of dark clarity, Whit discovers a laboratory housing a medical log that shocks him to his core: the planet is entirely composed of alien organic material referred to as “primordial ooze.” This ancient substance, which has the ability to infect, mimic, and dominate any biological tissue, may very well be the catalyst for the apocalyptic events sweeping through the station.
As Whit grapples with the psychological deterioration brought on by the infection, he seeks aid from his once-resilient team, now fractured by affliction. Some succumb to violent tendencies, while others choose self-destruction or even turn against Whit. The harmony they once shared has crumbled into chaos, leaving Whit entirely alone.
In a desperate and poignant expression of hopelessness, he records a scathing indictment against the ooze, lamenting its failure to elevate the human spirit. He chastises the ooze for exploiting humanity’s darkest tendencies rather than nurturing authentic collaboration. In an act of ultimate defiance, Whit takes his life, casting a haunting shadow over the remnants of this ill-fated mission.
As the ooze envelops the fallen bodies, it astonishingly revives them, wrapped in an unnerving tranquility yet bearing the weight of psychological scars. The team members, now free from their anguish, agree to teleport back to Earth, their story reduced to a sanitized version of the calamity they endured. Meanwhile, the essence of Whit remains, his spirit lingering amidst the desolation of the station.
As they prepare for their departure, Whit notices several humanoid figures formed from ooze, their unblinking gazes fixated on the group. One figure clutches a photograph—a poignant reminder of his beloved wife. Their return to Earth is accompanied by a meticulous scan, which confirms they harbor no biological contaminants.
Ultimately, Whit arrives home to find his unsuspecting wife, who has been led to believe that he would never again walk the earth they once shared.
