Elric crouched in the cramped maintenance shaft of the Ardent Horizon, the hum of the ship's engine thrumming in his ears. Sparks flew as he worked to realign a damaged power conduit, sweat beading on his forehead despite the ship's cool air.
"Vale, status report," Harris's gruff voice barked over the comm.
"Just about done, sir," Elric replied, tightening the last bolt. "Conduit's patched. Power flow should stabilize now."
"Good. Get up here. We've got a new salvage op, and I want you on drone control," Harris said.
Elric sighed, wiping his hands on his jumpsuit. "On my way."
The salvage operation was routine—or so it seemed. The Ardent Horizon drifted near a derelict freighter, its hull torn open from an old skirmish. Elric sat at the drone console, guiding the small machines through the wreckage to collect anything valuable.
"Careful with that panel," he muttered, his eyes narrowing as a drone maneuvered a delicate piece of tech into its cargo compartment.
"Vale," Harris called from behind him, "don't get too attached. We've got quotas to hit."
"Right," Elric said, forcing a grin. But his mind was elsewhere. The freighter's scattered debris could hold components he needed for the corvette—if he could get to them first.
As the drones returned, Elric quickly cataloged the parts, marking a few pieces as "damaged" to avoid scrutiny. Later, he'd slip them to the corvette.
Hours later, Elric stood in the corvette's engineering bay, examining the salvaged parts. The air was thick with the metallic tang of machinery, and the soft glow of Sigma's hologram cast faint shadows across the walls.
"These might do the trick," Elric said, holding up a circuit board.
Sigma scanned the parts. "The components are sufficient to restore additional power to the ship's subsystems. Prioritization is recommended."
Elric rubbed his chin, considering. "Weapons, navigation, or life support?"
"Life support," Sigma replied. "Enhanced functionality will allow extended operations independent of the Ardent Horizon."
Elric nodded, setting to work.
The repairs stretched late into the night. By the time Elric finished, his hands ached, and his eyes were heavy. He leaned back against the bulkhead, watching as the corvette's life support system hummed to life.
[Subsystem Restored: Life Support Operational.]
Bonus: +6 Hours Autonomy.
"Progress," Elric muttered, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Sigma flickered beside him. "You are exceeding expectations, Commander. However, your extended absence from the Ardent Horizon increases risk of detection."
Elric sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I know. I just... I need this ship. It's the only thing that's really mine."
The next day, Elric found himself back on the Ardent Horizon, standing before Harris in the engine bay.
"You've been distracted, Vale," Harris said, crossing his arms.
Elric stiffened. "I'm keeping up with my work."
"Barely. I've noticed you disappearing for hours at a time. You've got a good track record, but don't push your luck." Harris's tone softened slightly. "If something's going on, just say so."
For a moment, Elric considered coming clean. But he shook his head. "It's nothing, sir. I'll step it up."
Harris studied him for a long moment before nodding. "See that you do."
Back in his quarters, Elric slumped onto his cot, running a hand through his hair. The weight of his double life pressed heavily on his shoulders.
[New Quest Unlocked: 'Sustaining the Secret.']
Objective: Balance duties on the Ardent Horizon with progress on the corvette. Avoid detection for 14 days.
Reward: Enhanced Reputation and Subsystem Upgrade.
Elric let out a bitter laugh. "Figures the system would turn this into a challenge."
Sigma's voice chimed softly through his earpiece. "You are capable of maintaining equilibrium. Efficiency and discretion will ensure success."
Elric's gaze drifted to the small viewport, the stars outside endless and inviting. He clenched his fists, determination hardening his resolve.
"I'll make it work," he said quietly. "I don't have a choice."