The shuttle drifted through the hushed void, silent save for the low, ever-present hum of life-support systems. Kael sat alone in the pilot's seat, bathed in the pale blue glow of status readouts and mission parameters flickering on the main console. Outside the viewport, twisted remnants of civilization spun endlessly, reduced to tumbling shards of alloy and scorched composites. The debris field was so dense in this sector, it sometimes looked like a broken planet, dismembered and suspended in place.
Four mission icons blinked at him from the central interface—tiny points of direction in an ocean of uncertainty.
Available Missions:
Storage Module ConstructionDrone Components RecoverySignal InvestigationMetal Salvage Operation — Recommended to be last
Kael's eyes lingered on the last line.
The metal salvage operation promised a significant upgrade: hull reinforcement, expanded living quarters, structural additions. But if he moved too soon, the shuttle's other systems would lag behind. Power was no longer an issue—he'd fixed that—but what good was more space if he lacked the ability to use it well? He needed cargo capacity, tools, automation.
And more than anything, he needed help.
He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, and studied the icon for Drone Components Recovery. The mission offered materials to fabricate and deploy autonomous drones—mechanical assistants to scout wreckage, ferry materials, and conduct repairs.
The shuttle hummed softly around him, a living tomb repurposed for survival. There was no crew to debate with, no mission commander to coordinate strategies. Only Kael—and the cold, reasoning presence of the AI.
"Run a breakdown," Kael said. "Drone mission. What do we have, and what are we missing?"
The AI responded immediately.
"Current inventory contains sufficient parts for one maintenance drone chassis. Mission requirements include:
1 Hauler drone1 Scavenger drone2 Maintenance dronesRemaining drone components must be retrieved from regional debris fields."
Kael rubbed his temple, processing. Enough for one. Not a total loss, but far from the efficiency the full fleet would offer.
"Do we have the capacity to fabricate at least one now?"
"Affirmative. Maintenance drone chassis can be completed within forty-eight minutes. System readiness: optimal."
He nodded slowly. "And what do I get out of the completed fleet?"
"Maintenance drones will monitor and repair internal systems, increasing shuttle longevity and reducing manual upkeep. The scavenger drone can identify and extract valuable materials. The hauler drone will transport collected resources directly to the cargo hold. Combined, these units improve mission efficiency by an estimated 62.7%."
Kael let out a slow breath, staring at the cracked edge of an orbital station floating past. It was scorched black on one side, open like a severed artery. Beyond it, a half-melted comms dish drifted, caught in an endless spin.
He stood up, pacing the cramped interior.
"Storage Module Construction?"
"Mission provides materials to expand cargo capacity. Required containers and framework not currently in shuttle inventory. Likely located in reinforced hull fragments or utility barges within medium-range debris clouds."
He looked back at the console. Storage would be useful—but only once he had enough to store. A drone fleet would bring those resources in. The logic made itself clear. Step by step.
"And the signal?"
"Signal Investigation remains volatile. Source appears stationary within high-density wreckage cluster. Emission matches Fleet-level emergency distress protocols. Decryption ongoing. Possible risk of entrapment or exposure to hostile conditions."
He hesitated. That signal had been flickering on the edge of his perception for days—silent, persistent, whispering something that felt just out of reach. But without context, chasing it could be a death sentence. Or a breakthrough.
Kael exhaled and sat back down. "We go with the drones."
"Confirming mission selection: Drone Components Recovery."
The screen flickered.
Mission Active: Drone Components Recovery
Objectives:
[x] Fabricate one maintenance drone (available)
[ ] Recover components: maintenance drone
[ ] Recover components: scavenger drone
[ ] Recover components: hauler drone
"Begin fabrication with what we have," he said.
"Acknowledged. Initial maintenance drone fabrication underway."
The AI routed power to the fabricator tucked into the rear bulkhead, where it began reshaping salvage metal and wiring into something usable. Kael crossed the compartment to watch the process. The machine's movements were efficient, methodical—faint clanks and hisses accompanying the slow emergence of a skeletal drone body from the fabrication tray.
Watching it come to life stirred a strange mix of feelings: hope, unease, even a flicker of guilt. He couldn't shake the thought that he was playing god with scraps—constructing artificial companions from the remnants of the dead.
Forty-five minutes later, the first drone activated.
It hovered a few centimeters off the fabrication tray, repulsorlifts engaging with a soft hum. The frame was compact, its appendages retracted and diagnostic lights pulsing a soft green. It turned toward Kael, then emitted a soft confirmation chirp.
"Unit 1 online. Maintenance protocol active."
Kael gave a short nod. "Name it 'Patch.'" A little humor to break the silence.
The AI acknowledged the designation silently.
Patch immediately drifted to a corner of the cabin where a stress fracture in a coolant pipe had been logged earlier. It extended a micro-arm and began applying a sealant gel, sensors scanning the weld's integrity.
Kael watched, arms folded. Even one drone already felt like a weight off his back.
But the real work was just beginning.
"Update me on likely salvage zones for the missing parts."
"Survey of local debris suggests three potential clusters with high component density.
Zone A: Civilian service frigate — likely to contain utility drone parts.
Zone B: Industrial barge wreck — contains heavy-lift equipment, possible hauler chassis.
Zone C: Relay node husk — contains advanced scanning arrays, potential scavenger core."
The icons blinked into view on his nav display, each one a beacon in the darkness. He recognized the formation of Zone A—once a refueling hub, now little more than a drifting shell.
"I want a path to Zone A first," he said. "We'll look for the second maintenance drone parts."
"Plotted. Course time: 32 minutes at standard drift."
The shuttle began a slow orientation, inertial thrusters gently adjusting their position.
Kael sat back in the pilot's seat and stared at the stars.
The journey to Zone A was slow, deliberate.
As the shuttle glided through the darkness, Kael tapped through old logs on the console. Most were corrupted—burned-out timestamps, blank data entries—but a few still held glimpses of what once was. Names of cryo-bay personnel. Half-finished engineering requests. Routine dispatches, mundane and obsolete.
He tried not to think about the voices behind those messages. Tried not to imagine the weightless silence that had followed them. Or the countdown clock that ticked down on his survival—quietly, invisibly, behind the hum of systems he barely understood.
The drone moved behind him, repairing a loose panel near the air recycler. Patch let out a small success chirp and moved on.
Kael allowed himself a faint smile. It was progress.
"Approaching Zone A. High-density wreckage ahead. Hazard warning: unstable mass clusters."
He tightened the harness and engaged soft maneuvers. The debris grew thicker ahead—a wall of broken ship fragments, tangled in slowly rotating nets of steel and carbon fiber.
Lights flickered outside as the shuttle's sensors pinged returns.
"There," Kael muttered, pointing at a jagged silhouette floating just ahead. It was a maintenance wing, mostly intact, still bearing the faded insignia of a civilian fleet contractor.
"Structural analysis complete. Local debris contains high probability of maintenance drone components. Caution advised: metallic shearing risk."
He activated the mag-harness and rose from the chair.
"Prepping for manual recovery. Keep watch on structural integrity and stabilize external path."
"Understood. EVA protocols enabled. Good luck, Kael."
The airlock hissed open.
Kael stepped into the void.
Even tethered to the shuttle, space felt endless—cold and oppressive, yet breathtaking. He moved carefully, mag-grip boots locking onto each fragment he touched.
The wreckage was silent. Broken consoles hung in zero-g, trailing cables like veins. Somewhere, a frozen body drifted through a shattered corridor, face obscured by a cracked visor. Kael looked away.
He reached what had once been a storage rack and began cutting through the twisted frame with a handheld plasma blade. The moment it gave way, he spotted it: a partially intact drone frame, badly dented but salvageable.
"Got one," he said over comms.
"Telemetry received. Estimated component recovery: 62% of required maintenance chassis."
He hauled the frame to his pack and secured it, heart pounding.
Two more parts to go.
Back aboard the shuttle, Kael slumped into his seat, sweat beading along his brow.
The AI updated the mission screen.
Mission Progress:
[x] Fabricate maintenance drone (Patch)
[x] Recover components: maintenance drone
[ ] Recover components: scavenger drone
[ ] Recover components: hauler drone
The sense of accomplishment was muted—but real. One more drone frame. Three left to build the full fleet. He sat quietly for a long moment, watching Patch continue its work in the corner, humming faintly as it sealed another microfracture in the cabin wall.
"Route us to Zone C next," he said eventually. "Scavenger components. Let's keep this momentum going."
"Course plotted. Zone C: relay node husk. Estimated travel time: 41 minutes."
Kael closed his eyes and let the silence hold him.
Progress was slow. Survival uncertain. But for the first time in weeks, the steps ahead felt like something more than desperation. They felt like a plan.