Stardust Drifter Salvage

The static crackled, then died. Silence, thick and heavy as a lead shroud, filled the cockpit. Gauges flickered erratically. Outside, the swirling emerald nebula promised beauty, but hinted at something far more sinister. Your name is Elias Thorne, Captain of the salvage vessel *Stardust Drifter*. You're not a hero. Not a pioneer. You're just trying to scratch out a living on the fringes of known space, picking the bones of dead empires and forgotten conflicts. Lately, pickings have been slim. The Consortium's tightening grip on resource allocation has squeezed independent contractors like you dry. Which is why you took the risk. The message was cryptic, barely a whisper across the comms: "Anomaly. Kuiper Belt. Coordinates enclosed. Substantial salvage potential. Caution advised." No identification, no sender, just a string of numbers and a chilling sense of urgency. The risk was high, the potential reward, astronomical. You sold the last of your fuel reserves, mortgaged your ship for repairs, and jumped into hyperspace. Now you're here. The coordinates led you to a derelict research station, designated "Observation Post Echo-7." It's ancient, predating even the first Consortium expansion. Its hull is scarred with burns, its systems are dark, and an unnatural silence emanates from within. Scanning reveals…something. A massive energy signature unlike anything you've ever encountered, pulsing rhythmically deep within the station's core. Your onboard AI, VALERIE, crackles to life, her synthesized voice laced with a nervous inflection you've never heard before. "Captain, I am detecting… anomalous readings. Gravitational distortions. Temporal fluctuations. This place… it's not natural." Despite her warnings, you can't ignore the lure of the unknown. Salvage this station and you're set for life. Fail, and you might not live to regret it. The airlock hisses open, revealing a corridor choked with dust and decay. As you step inside, a low, guttural moan echoes through the station. It's not the sound of machinery. It's something…organic. Welcome aboard, Captain. Your scavenging days are about to get a whole lot more complicated. What will you do first?