I scurry through the scrap metals on the shelf, leaning against the wall and squeezing through the narrow space between the reactor and the fire control unit. The server—requiring a cool environment—is all the way on the other side, near the air conditioner.
It's cramped. And not gonna lie, this might cost me half of my remaining oxygen, with how much strength it takes just to pull myself through these tight spaces.
But it has to be worth it. This is the best shot I've got. I could fix the life support system right now, but that would mean sacrificing the only cable unit capable of connecting the server to the ship's main system.
Despite all the credits I've poured into this ship, I only ever bought one spare cable. Why? Because I had no fucking idea I'd end up in a situation like this. I thought I'd just be a semi-big-time scavenger, nothing more.
Anyway, I grab hold of a partially melted crate near the air conditioner—which itself had been scorched by the sheer heat from the reactor. Inside are emergency tools: screwdriver, wrench, hammer, some copper wire, a magnifier... wait, two magnifiers? And a bunch of cabling units of varying types—fiber optics, testers, some ancient device connectors… hell, even an RJ45?
Then I find what I'm looking for: Garan Crystal Cable.
It's capable of transmitting trillions of data packets instantaneously—perfect for AI connectivity.
Garan cable is reliable for local networks, but horribly impractical for long-distance transmission. It's fragile, melts at just a hundred degrees Celsius, and gets crushed by seafloor pressure—making it useless for continental cables. But for speed? It's unmatched.
It's comparable to Quantum Data Transmission—QDT—which literally teleports data across space. The difference? QDT is wireless and usable for interstellar communication, as long as both ends are equipped with paired units. Garan, on the other hand, is fast—but strictly wired.
I detach the spare Garan cable from its case and get to work. I open the server and inspect the existing one.
Yeah—there's the issue.
The old Garan cable had been severed, a third of its internal wiring burned away. The smell hits me—a bitter, metallic tang, like burnt egg. Not nauseating, but definitely unpleasant.
I quickly pull the damaged cable from the server. Thankfully, the server itself is intact. It was far enough from the reactor and right next to the air conditioner. It even has its own dedicated coolant.
I plug in the new cable to the server, tossing the charred remains to the floor. Then I reach for the wall socket where the old cable is still connected and insert the new one in its place.
With that done, I just need to replace the length of the cable running through the ship. I step out of the room and open one of the interior hull panels to extract the rest of the wiring. It's a mess in there. One wrong pull and I might short something vital—and get myself killed in the process.
Luckily, Garan cables are easy to identify.
I fish out the rest of the line through the compartment and slowly route it toward the cockpit. I don't care much about positioning anymore—I've got no time. My oxygen level just dropped by a staggering twenty percent. I'm down to ten.
Breathing heavily, I slump back into the seat, trying to catch my breath, making the most of what little oxygen remains.
God, I hope the drop pods still have emergency supplies.
"System, reactivate ship AI-assistance system."
[Enabling... please wait.]
A panel flickers to life on the viewport. Finally.
[Ship Assistance: Enabled.]
Oh fuck~ finally. Sweat drips from my face.
"Calculate our velocity based on the planet's gravitational pull. Position us into a stable orbit."
[Calculating...]
The ship shudders gently as it engages the thrusters, adjusting its trajectory.
I reach for one of the water rations and take a sip. It's been hours since I got stranded here.
[Ship has successfully entered stable low orbit.]
Haa~
I stand up and glance at one of the crates. Inside are the tools and supplies I've prepped for scavenging. Then I turn my eyes to the drop ship—its cargo bay roomy enough to store a decent amount of salvaging tools.
So, I get back to work… while keeping an eye on the oxygen level.