6. Davrik
CHAPTER 6
DAVRIK
I wipe the sweat from my brow, leaving a streak of grease across my skin. The sun beats down mercilessly, turning the wreckage of my ship into a makeshift oven. I've been at this for hours, trying every trick in the book to coax life back into the battered hull.
"Come on, you piece of junk," I mutter, giving the engine one last kick. Nothing. Not even a spark.
I step back, hands on my hips, and survey the damage. It's worse than I thought. The hull's torn open like a tin can, wires spilling out like mechanical guts. The hyperdrive's shot, the life support systems are fried, and the nav computer... well, that's a whole other headache.
"Navi?" I call out, hoping against hope. Silence. My chest tightens. I've never been one for sentimentality, but Navi's more than just circuits and code. She's saved my ass more times than I can count.
I crawl into the cockpit, ignoring the way the metal groans under my weight. It takes some doing, but I manage to extract Navi's core. The usually gleaming cylinder is dull and lifeless in my hands.
"Don't you dare be dead," I growl, tucking the core into my jacket pocket. "Who else is gonna keep me from flying into a star?"
With Navi secured, I turn my attention to the cargo hold. My breath catches as I pry open the door. If the shipment's damaged, fried, or been pecked at by wildlife my ass is dead on arrival.
But no, there it is. The unmarked crate sits untouched, mocking me with its near pristine condition. At least something survived this clusterfuck.
I slump against the ship's hull, sliding down until I'm sitting in the dirt. The reality of the situation hits me like a punch to the gut. I'm stranded on this backwater planet, my ship's beyond repair, and I've got a delivery that's already late.
"Fuck," I breathe, running a hand through my hair. "What now, hotshot?"
The answer, of course, is Alice. The thought of asking for more help from the human scientist makes my skin crawl, but I'm out of options. I need to get off this rock, and fast. The boss isn't known for his patience or forgiveness.
I push myself to my feet, dusting off my pants. Time to swallow my pride and see what Alice can do. But what can she even do?
Any legitimate transport service would want to inspect the cargo, and that's not going to happen. And any illegitimate one would want a cut of the profits.
That's certainly not an option, even without the looming knowledge that I'll need to buy a brand new ship.
I trudge back to Alice's research station, Navi's core tucked under my arm like a wounded child. The sun's starting to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple. It'd be beautiful if I weren't so damn frustrated.
Alice looks up from her workstation as I enter, her eyes widening at my disheveled appearance. "Rough day?"
"You could say that," I grunt, dropping Navi's core onto the table with a heavy thunk. "Got any tools I can borrow?"
She nods, gesturing to a nearby cabinet. "Help yourself. What are you working on?"
I rummage through the drawers, grabbing a handful of tools that look vaguely familiar. "Trying to fix my nav assistant. Ship's busted, but maybe I can at least get her online."
"Her?" Alice raises an eyebrow. And did I detect a hint of jealousy? I try hard not to smirk at that.
"Figure of speech," I mutter, settling down at the table. I pry open Navi's casing, wincing at the mess of fried circuits inside. "Come on, girl. Don't do this to me."
Hours pass in a blur of soldering, rewiring, and increasingly creative cursing. Alice hovers nearby, occasionally offering suggestions or handing me tools. I barely notice her presence, lost in the intricate dance of circuitry and code.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, I connect the last wire. "Moment of truth," I breathe, hitting the power switch.
Nothing.
"Dammit!" I slam my fist on the table, sending tools scattering across the floor.
Alice jumps, startled by my outburst. "Maybe... maybe it's time to call it a night?" she suggests tentatively.
I shake my head, already reaching for another set of tools. "Not yet. I can fix this. I have to."
"Davrik," she says softly. "You've been at this for hours. You need rest."
"What I need is to get off this rock. And for that, I need Navi."
Alice sighs, but doesn't argue further. She retreats to her own work, leaving me alone with the broken pieces of my only real companion.
I stare at Navi's lifeless core, willing it to spring back to life. "Come on," I whisper, my voice barely audible. "Don't leave me alone out here."
I rub my eyes, exhaustion seeping into my bones. The tools in my hands feel heavier with each passing minute. Alice's voice cuts through my fog of frustration.
"You know, my employer's due to pick me up in less than three months. You could always catch a ride with them."
I freeze, her words sinking in slowly. "Three months?" I repeat, my mind racing.
Alice nods, a small smile on her face. "Yeah, they'll be here to collect all my research and equipment. It's not the fastest solution, but..."
"But it's a solution," I finish, hope flickering to life in my chest.
She shrugs, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I mean, it's not ideal, but it's better than being stranded here forever, right?"
I lean back in my chair, considering the possibilities. Three months is a long time to keep Freynal waiting, but it's better than never delivering at all. And if I play my cards right...
"This equipment of yours," I say casually, "I'm guessing it takes up a fair bit of space?"
Alice nods, gesturing around the cramped research station. "Oh yeah, tons. Why do you think they stuck me out here all alone? No room for anyone else with all this junk."
I can't help but smirk. "Well, what's one more crate among friends?"
She raises an eyebrow, curiosity sparking in her eyes. "What exactly are you suggesting, Davrik?"
I wave a hand dismissively. "Oh, nothing. Just thinking out loud." I stand up, stretching my arms above my head. "You know what? I think you're right. It's time to call it a night."
As I head to the small cot Alice has set up for me, my mind is already formulating a plan. Freynal should consider himself lucky to get any cargo at all after this mess. What's a few months' delay compared to a total loss?
He'll get his contraband, and I'll get my payment. Navi can make jokes all she wants, I get what's owed to me. Every time. And Freynal owes me big for whatever trouble he had me delivering to his doorstep.
I lie down, staring up at the ceiling. For the first time since crash-landing on this forsaken rock, I feel a glimmer of hope. It's not much, but it's something to work with.
Now, I just need to figure out how to keep myself busy for the next three months without going stir-crazy or pissing off my gracious host.