The next day dawned with the sound of birds chirping, though the sky above was hidden by thick, heavy clouds. Sera sat on the stairs leading into the landship, eating a small snack while her mind ran through the list of tasks for the day. Now that we've got more hands, things should go faster, she thought, finishing the last bite. If we can gather enough food, we'll finally be able to look for the engine room. Maybe we can get it running. It's old as hell, though. There's no guarantee it'll work, but if it does, it'll open up more areas of the ship. And with any luck, we might even find some supplies buried somewhere.
Alaric approached quietly, glancing around at the surrounding forest. His sharp eyes missed nothing as they roamed over the edges of the clearing. "We're all set, Sera. Dmitri's group is ready to hunt for food. It should be easier now with more people."
Sera nodded, standing and brushing off her hands. "Good," she said, her voice firm. She turned and headed toward the cargo bay, where the 60-strong group was waiting for instructions. Dmitri stood near the front, arms crossed as he waited silently. His group, newly integrated into the larger crew, looked on with a mix of curiosity and unease, still adjusting to the presence of strangers.
Sera's voice carried across the room. "Alright," she began, addressing everyone. "Dmitri, you'll take your group out to hunt for food. Anything useful you can scavenge, bring it back. We'll need it. My group will stay here and see if we can find the engine room. If we can power this ship, even partially, it'll help us a lot. Moving it isn't an option yet, but opening up more areas is the priority."
Dmitri nodded in agreement. "Understood," he said, meeting her gaze. "We'll prove our worth. You won't regret keeping us around."
As Dmitri's group headed out, Sera turned to her own team, which included Zyra, Alaric, Ava, and the engineers who had been with Ava when Sera helped fend off the mercenaries. The engineers were more at ease now, having settled into the landship's makeshift routine. Though worn and weary, they shared a sense of purpose that came from knowing they were part of something larger than just survival.
"We're up," Sera said, turning toward Ava, Alaric, Zyra, and the others. "Let's go find that engine room."
The group made their way deeper into the landship, the path winding through long-forgotten corridors that seemed to stretch on endlessly. The engineers exchanged murmurs of curiosity, some of them recalling their own experiences with similar, though much smaller, vessels. The walls of the ship creaked as they moved, the air growing cooler and mustier as they descended toward the lower levels.
Zyra glanced at Sera as they walked. "Do you think this engine room is even worth finding?" she asked, her voice a low murmur. "This ship's been out of commission for who knows how long."
Sera's eyes remained fixed ahead. "It's worth a shot," she replied. "Even if we don't get full power, anything we can get will help us unlock more areas. And that's where we might find real supplies—something we desperately need."
Ava, who had been trailing a few steps behind, piped up. "I bet we'll find it! And who knows, maybe it's not as dead as it looks." She smiled, her optimism contagious even in the gloom of the landship's lower decks. The engineers behind her seemed to perk up at her enthusiasm.
They reached a rusted set of double doors, faded markings above them hinting at something important beyond. Ava ran a hand over the metal, brushing away the dust. "Looks like we've found it," she said, a hint of excitement creeping into her voice.
Alaric pushed against the door, his strength barely enough to force it open as the rusted hinges groaned loudly in protest. When the doors finally swung wide, the group stepped inside and froze for a moment, taking in the sight before them.
The engine room was a mess of tangled wires, corroded machinery, and rusting pipes that snaked across the walls. Some of the pipes had cracked, leaking stagnant water into small pools on the floor. The room felt like a relic, long forgotten and neglected, but there was still a faint sense of power in the air, as though the room itself remembered what it once was.
"Well, this is going to take some serious work," Zyra muttered, stepping cautiously inside. "It's seen better days, that's for sure."
Ava, unfazed, darted over to one of the control panels. Her fingers flew over the buttons, inspecting each one. "It's not all bad," she said, a grin spreading across her face. "With some patchwork, we can probably get this thing running again. The parts are ancient, but we'll figure it out."
Sera knelt beside the largest piece of machinery in the room, her eyes scanning the rusted exterior. If we can get this running... it'll change everything.
"Let's get to work," she said, standing up. "Alaric, check the wiring. Zyra, see what you can do with the pipes. Ava, assess the damage and let's see what parts we need. Engineers, split up and see what's salvageable. I'll work on the main engine."
Hours passed as the team moved around the room, each member focused on their task. They encountered obstacle after obstacle—pipes that were too damaged to repair, wiring that needed replacing, and machinery that had long since rusted beyond use. Yet, slowly but surely, they made progress.
The engineers who had worked with Ava during the mercenary attack proved invaluable. Their hands were steady as they reattached wires and tightened bolts. They may not have been trained for this kind of large-scale machinery, but their adaptability kept the work moving forward.
"How's it looking?" Sera asked after a particularly difficult section of the engine was finally patched up.
Ava wiped a streak of grime from her forehead and nodded. "We're getting there. It's still not ready for a full test, but we're close."
Alaric glanced up from his work, wiping his hands on a rag. "We'll need to find more replacement parts to get it fully operational, but for now, we've stabilized the worst of the damage."
Zyra fixed a leak in one of the pipes and leaned back, surveying the room. "At least the leaks won't flood us out now," she said, giving a tired smile.
By the time the sun began to set, casting a dim light through the broken windows of the landship, the engine room was in better shape. The group stood back, exhaustion settling in, but a faint sense of accomplishment growing between them.
Sera moved to the control panel, her hand hovering over the switch. She paused for a moment, taking in a breath before flipping it on.
For a few agonizing seconds, nothing happened.
Then, with a low rumble, the engine sputtered to life. The sound filled the room, weak at first but growing stronger as the machinery groaned back to life. Lights flickered, casting a faint glow over the rusted equipment.
"It worked!" Ava cheered, her face lighting up. "It actually worked!"
Sera allowed herself a small smile. "Not bad," she muttered. "We'll need more work to get it fully running, but this is a start."
Alaric crossed his arms, nodding in approval. "A good start."
Zyra stretched, a weary grin on her face. "Now we just need to see what other areas of this ship we can access. With this much power, more sections should open up."
The group gathered their tools and prepared to head back up to the cargo bay, tired but hopeful. The engine wasn't at full capacity, but it was alive—just like the landship. And with it, a small glimmer of hope returned to the crew.
Sera glanced back at the engine one last time before leaving back to the cargo bay where Dmitri's group was waiting as some lights were seen on as they walked closer. We're one step closer.