It was a strange glitch in the matrix but all things considered, it could have been a lot worse. Sure some of the other crewmates thought he was insane when he swore he could see and talk to Corpse's ghost, but hushed, pitied whispers drowned out the incredulous scoffs.

But Sykkuno knew he wasn't going crazy and even though he couldn't explain why he could see Corpse's ghost didn't mean it wasn't real!

Whatever. It didn't matter. The sooner they got this ship to safety, the sooner he could get out of this nightmare. Corpse's murder was the fourth crewmate death and the tension, fear, and paranoia on The Skeld was climbing higher and higher every second.

Sykkuno carefully selected the anomaly of the set of lab samples and set them aside, hands shaking so badly he almost dropped the vial.

"Careful Sykkuno," Corpse said fondly, voice echoing through the Medbay.

Sykkuno winced. "Sorry, my hands are shaking," he said, turning around to watch Corpse float closer to him.

"Hey just like me," Corpse replied, affection clear in his voice despite the dark, blank, helmet faceplate.

Sykkuno frowned, confused, then his eyes widened as the joke registered. Before he could tamp it down, he laughed, a bright clear sound ringing out across the empty room, a hand jumping up to his face to hide his smile.

Corpse laughed with him, spinning around in midair, looking rather pleased with himself for the joke.

"Sorry, that was a dumb joke," he said, though still looking thrilled by the reaction.

It kind of was a dumb joke but God he hadn't laughed in days. Not since Corpse was killed—

His smile faded and his laughter died almost instantly.

Oh God.

He would never forget the day Corpse's mangled body was carried out of electrical and dragged to the center of Cafeteria. The yelling and the screaming and the numbness. Rae and Poki angrily throwing Marcel out of the airlock, grief and anger blazing in their eyes.

Sykkuno had only felt numb and cold as Corpse's body was disposed of, barely managing to keep himself upright.

It had only been two days and even if Corpse was here, talking to him, laughing with him like they used to when he was alive, it still hurt.

Sensing the dramatic tone shift, Corpse floated down closer to Sykkuno and they stared at each other silently, the silence both comforting and filled with a lifetime of pain and grief.

"I wish you were still alive," Sykkuno finally sighed, "We should have never split off at electrical."

"At least the imposter was ejected, Sykkuno."

"But it was only luck that Rae and Poki got there in time to see Marcel over your body. And-" Sykkuno glared down at his lab samples, "And- well, it doesn't change the fact that you're dead." He trailed off.

"Hey Sykkuno, I'm still here, we're talking right now."

Corpse floated closer and tried to put a comforting hand on his arm, but it just passed though him and Sykkuno only felt a faint gust of air.

Sykkuno stared at where his hand passed through his arm and felt day's old grief start to resurface, like claws gripping his insides and twisting them around until he felt nauseous and ill.

"It-it's not the same," he muttered.

"Syk-" The Medbay doors slammed shut with a loud HISS, and they fell silent in horrified realization. After a second of stunned silence, Sykkuno bolted towards the door, arm accidentally knocking over the vials on the counter, sending them crashing to the floor. They shattered to pieces and as if on cue, the lights started to flicker and dim.

"Oh my god! Oh my god, oh my god, Corpse!"

"Sykkuno! Look out I think-"

In half a second, the top of the vent at the corner of the room flew open and a dark purple figure launched herself out of the hole towards Sykkuno.

With a swift punch, she clocked Sykkuno hard across the side of his face and he staggered forward, letting out a strangled scream.

"SYKKUNO!"

"CORPSE!"

BANG!

The sound of the gunshot exploded into his eardrums and he crumpled face first into the cold hard ground, mind hazy with pain.

That was fast, he thought numbly. Then, Huh, so it was Neytiri.

When he looked up again, Corpse was staring at him in horror. "Fuck…fuck! Holy shit Sykkuno!"

Sykkuno blinked. "Huh?"

Sykkuno looked down at himself, at his now transparent ghostly body, and swore.

"Ah poop."

Staring at his dead body was certainly an experience, Sykkuno thought, as he watched the blood drip out of his head and stain the clean white floor.

"I'm sorry Sykkuno," Corpse said, gaze also fixed on his body. "I should have warned you sooner."

"It wasn't your fault, Corpse," Sykkuno said, reaching over to pat his arm. "It's okay."

If he was being honest, it was kind of a relief to be dead. Not that Sykkuno would ever say that, but The Skeld's mission was doomed weeks ago when Leslie's dead body had been discovered. It was only a matter of time the imposters would take control of the ship and the less time Sykkuno had to spend choking on fear and paranoia, the better.

"I just wish that…" Corpse trailed off.

"Listen!" Sykkuno cut him off eagerly, reaching for his hand to comfort him, "I don't mind being a corpse. Being a corpse is cool because you're cool!"

Corpse was silent for a few seconds and Sykkuno internally winced. Maybe that was a bit too soon?

Then, Corpse hunched over and began to laugh, low rumbling chuckles sending vibrations Sykkuno could feel up his arm from where he was gripping Corpse's hand.

Sykkuno grinned, his other hand instinctively jumping up to cover his smile.

Corpse turned away from the body on the floor and bumped Sykkuno's shoulder, squeezing his hand tighter. "Let's go somewhere else, Sykkuno," he said, slowly floating upward and towards the wall separating Medbay and Cafeteria. "I can't wait to show you how the stars look from outside of the spaceship. They look amazing."

"Really?"

"Really. I wouldn't look at stars with anyone else, Sykkuno."