Elric leaned against the bulkhead of the derelict corvette, a datapad in one hand and a toolkit in the other. The dim lighting barely illuminated the gutted interior, wires dangling from exposed panels and cracked screens flickering sporadically. Restoring the ship to operational status felt like trying to rebuild a house from the ashes, but Elric wasn't alone.
Sigma's hologram flickered to life beside him, projecting a faint blue glow.
"Assessment complete," the AI reported, its voice calm and precise. "Hull integrity: 64%. Primary systems: offline. Power core: unstable. Estimated repair time with current resources: 78 hours."
Elric whistled, shaking his head. "That bad, huh?"
"It is better than anticipated," Sigma replied. "Your optimism regarding this vessel is statistically improbable, yet admirable."
Elric chuckled. "You'll learn quickly—I'm full of improbable ideas."
[New Quest Unlocked: 'Salvage for Restoration.']
Objective: Locate and retrieve functional components to repair the corvette's key systems.
Reward: Partial system restoration and AI capacity expansion.
"Looks like we're going scavenging," Elric muttered, tucking the datapad into his pocket.
The Ardent Horizon had a wealth of scrap and spare parts in its cargo hold, much of it collected during its routine salvage operations. Convincing Harris to let Elric raid it, however, wasn't easy.
"You want parts for what?" Harris crossed his arms, fixing Elric with a skeptical glare.
"The derelict," Elric replied casually, as though it were the most normal thing in the galaxy. "It's still got potential. We're wasting a prime opportunity if we leave it adrift."
"You mean we'd waste time trying to salvage something that's probably beyond repair."
"Come on, Harris. Don't tell me you've never wanted to restore a ship like that. A corvette! Think of what we could do with it."
The chief engineer's frown softened ever so slightly. "I'll allow it on one condition: if this thing doesn't show signs of progress within a week, we leave it behind. Got it?"
Elric grinned. "Deal."
Back aboard the derelict, Elric hauled the first crate of components into the engineering bay. Sigma observed as he unpacked the contents, methodically sorting them into piles.
"Where do we start?" Elric asked.
"The power core," Sigma replied. "Stabilizing it will allow limited functionality for secondary systems, including life support and diagnostics."
Elric nodded, rolling up his sleeves. The next few hours passed in a blur of welding, wiring, and rerouting conduits under Sigma's guidance. By the time he finally stepped back, the core emitted a faint but steady hum.
"Power core stabilized," Sigma reported. "Activating secondary systems... now."
The ship shuddered faintly as lights flickered to life throughout the corridors. Monitors booted up, and a soothing female voice announced, "Welcome aboard. System diagnostics initializing."
Elric wiped his brow and let out a breathless laugh. "We're alive!"
[Quest Complete! Reward Issued.]
Reward: Partial system restoration. AI capacity expanded.
"You've performed admirably," Sigma said, its tone carrying a rare note of approval. "This vessel is now at 23% operational capacity. Additional repairs will unlock advanced functionality, including weapons and navigation."
"What about your own systems?" Elric asked, leaning against the console.
"Integration with this vessel has expanded my capabilities," Sigma replied. "However, unlocking additional AI crew members will greatly enhance efficiency. I recommend focusing on recruitment efforts."
[New Quest Unlocked: 'Crew Expansion.']
Objective: Discover and recruit a second AI Specialist.
Hint: Explore the wreckage of nearby derelicts for dormant AI cores.
Reward: Additional Crew Member and Navigation System Upgrade.
"Another AI, huh?" Elric muttered, his excitement building. "Alright, Sigma. Let's see who else we can bring into the fold."
The next morning, Elric presented his progress to Harris and the other crew members of the Ardent Horizon.
"You weren't kidding," Harris said, his expression shifting from doubt to grudging respect as he examined the powered-up systems. "You might actually make this thing fly again."
"It's not just me," Elric said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I've got help."
"Help?" Harris raised an eyebrow.
"Let's just say this ship came with a few surprises," Elric replied cryptically. "Give me a little more time, and I'll have something that makes this whole salvage run worth it."
Harris huffed but nodded. "You've got three days."
"Plenty of time," Elric said, already running through plans in his head.
Back aboard the derelict, Elric stood on the bridge, staring out at the endless expanse of stars. The ship might have been a wreck, but it was his wreck. And soon, it would become something far greater—a beacon of his ambition.
Sigma's hologram flickered beside him. "You appear... hopeful."
"Because I am," Elric replied. "This is just the beginning, Sigma. We're going to rebuild this ship, find more AI, and carve out a place for ourselves in this galaxy."
Sigma's expression softened, the faintest trace of a smile forming. "Then let us proceed, Commander. The stars await."