Zion and Uriel worked nonstop for the next few days, only coming to a stop to rest or recharge.
They rapidly moved through the basic frame and cablework, their movements having reached a perfect rhythm. When Zion reached for a tool, a drone was already there with the one he needed. When he just finished welding a plate, another one would already be in position in the next location.
They barely even spoke anymore unless it was about work. Every weld, wire, and adjustment came faster than the last; it looked like they had worked together for decades already.
As the days flew by, the half-built ship slowly transformed into a real vessel. The ship's frame was sealed completely, and even the wiring on the inside had almost completely been done already.
'The only thing left are the core systems,' Zion thought, glancing at the pile of items he'd brought with him from the resource pod.
An anxious feeling spread through his chest as he stared at the gravity regulator. 'I really hope it isn't damaged.'
[There's a 72% chance it survived, host,] Uriel said.
"72% chance, huh," Zion muttered, shaking his head.
Though the odds were in his favor, they were still far too low for his liking.
'And that with barely any food,' he thought, clenching his fist. 'The nearest mercenary planet is twelve days out, while I have a total of eight days' worth of food right now.'
Every additional day he spent on the death planet was another day without food while traveling.
Zion rubbed his temples, forcing his tired mind to focus. "Alright. Let's start with the gravity regulator," he muttered. "If that thing fails, everything else is pointless."
[Understood, host.]
Letting out a deep breath, Zion picked up the silver cylinder and walked into the ship. Two of Uriel's drones followed right after him, their blue lights scanning the empty space in the wall where the regulator needed to be installed.
The cavity for the regulator was surrounded by thick cables and cooling lines. Zion crouched down, wiping the sweat from his forehead before sliding the cylinder into the empty slot.
[Rotate the base five degrees clockwise,] Uriel instructed. [Then attach wire one to the left port, and wires two through five in order on the right side.]
Zion nodded silently, rotating the cylinder carefully before connecting the wires one by one. Each cable clicked into place with a sharp snap, followed by a faint hum as the first bits of energy ran through it.
"It's done," Zion mumbled, heart pounding. "Uriel, can you scan it now?"
[Scanning system…] Uriel immediately said, its voice cold and detached.
The two drones attached themselves to the loose wires and slowly began running energy through them.
Zion felt his stomach knot as the gravity regulator powered up and a string of data ran on its display instead of the clear numbers he was used to.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, stable numbers popped up.
[Structural integrity at ninety-six percent,] Uriel reported. [Minor degradation detected, but performance remains within safety settings.]
Zion let out a long breath, the tension leaving his shoulders.
"Good," he said, closing his eyes for a moment. "That's one down."
[Do you wish to continue with the next piece right away?] Uriel asked softly.
"Sure," Zion answered, smiling slightly. "It would be a waste to stop now while we have such great fortune."
It didn't take long before Uriel's drones flew back into the ship carrying an oval-shaped module covered in vents and tubes.
'The life-support core,' Zion thought, already crouching down. 'Thankfully there aren't many things I need to attach for this one.'
As expected, he managed to install the core with relative ease, only needing to spend two hours fixing up a line of pipes.
[Oxygen circulation stable now. CO₂ filters are active.]
"Perfect," Zion said quietly. "Only three more items to go, then."
Without stopping, Zion and Uriel continued for an entire day before finally finishing up the final items.
"Uriel, can you integrate yourself into the navigation core now?" Zion asked.
[Once the ship is fully charged, I can upload myself right away.]
Zion nodded slowly. "Then let's start the charging process."
[Understood, host.]
Before he got the chance to respond, a loud mechanical clunk echoed through the repair bay, and the ground started vibrating softly.
"That's you, right?" Zion asked, worried something went wrong.
[Correct. The charging wire has been attached.]
"Alright," he mumbled. "How long until it's fully charged?"
[Estimated time: five hours, twenty-two minutes.]
Zion sighed. "Guess that's just enough time to double-check everything."
He pushed himself to his feet and started another inspection pass through the ship, starting with the outside layer.
[Host, your vitals show signs of exhaustion. I recommend resting during the charge cycle.]
"I'll rest when we're in orbit," Zion muttered, running his hand along the smooth console. "Not before."
[Fatigue will severely reduce your reaction time.]
"I'll manage," he muttered.
By the time he reached the cockpit, his muscles ached, and his eyes felt heavy from the severe lack of sleep.
Uriel's voice finally echoed through his mind again, snapping him out of his daze.
[Main reactor charged to one hundred percent. All systems operational. We are ready for launch.]
"Already?" Zion said, eyes widening slightly.
[Correct.]
He stood up and glanced around the barren scout shuttle he'd managed to build over fifteen days.
Outside of the small projector and the crate filled with the remaining food, there wasn't much else inside. Nonetheless, a warm feeling of pride spread through Zion's chest.
"Uriel," he said, heart pounding as he slowly stood up. "I'll leave everything in your hands now."
[Affirmative, host.]
A soft vibration rolled through the deck as Uriel began activating the ship's systems one by one.
Zion clenched his jaw. From here on out, there was nothing more he could do except pray.
[Opening repair bay doors…]
[Opening hangar doors…]
Metal groaned loudly outside as the doors split apart one by one.
"Please," Zion prayed, closing his eyes.
[Initializing thruster sequence.]
[Atmospheric pressure equalized.]
[Launch in ten seconds.]
Seconds passed painfully slowly, Zion's heartbeat spiking with each one.
[Launching in 3… 2… 1.]