The next morning, Tatehan woke feeling surprisingly good despite the previous day's physical labor.

His muscles had that pleasant soreness that came from hard work rather than injury, the kind that reminded you that you'd accomplished something significant.

He lay in bed for a few extra minutes, mentally preparing himself for another day of repairs. Yesterday had been tedious but satisfying work. Today would likely be similar, though the AI had suggested shield repairs would be more complex.

Eventually, he pushed himself up and got dressed in clean clothes. No point in wearing anything nice, he'd just get them dirty again within an hour of starting work.

When he stepped out into the main cabin, the lights automatically brightened to full intensity. He could immediately notice the difference from before the power coupling repairs—the illumination was stronger, more consistent, with none of the slight flickering that had occasionally occurred when systems drew extra power.

[Good morning, Host,] the AI greeted him. [You rested for nine hours and twelve minutes. Biological indicators show you're in good condition to continue repair work.]

"Morning," Tatehan replied, stretching his arms above his head. "Yeah, I feel ready. But coffee first, then breakfast."

Not the best combination but eh…

Tatehan made his way to the kitchen area and made coffee. He added lots of liquid milk and it was very tasty than before.

He also grabbed a quick breakfast, some preserved ration bars. They were dense, nutrient-packed, and surprisingly not terrible tasting. Kind of like granola bars but with a slightly different taste.

Carrying his coffee, he returned to the pilot's seat and settled in, enjoying the quiet morning moment.

"So," he said between sips, "tell me about these shield repairs. What am I getting myself into?"

The holographic display activated, showing a detailed diagram of the Red Dragon Spaceship's shield system. It was more complex than Tatehan had anticipated, a network of emitters positioned around the ship's exterior, all connected to central generator cores, with energy coils running throughout the structure.

[The Red Dragon's shield system operates on a multi-layer principle,] the AI explained. [There are primary emitters that generate the main defensive barrier, and secondary emitters that fill gaps and provide redundancy. Energy coils deliver power from the generator cores to each emitter.]

The diagram highlighted various components in red, indicating damage or failure.

[Currently, eight of twelve primary emitters are burnt out or destroyed. Five of eight secondary emitters are non-functional. And approximately forty percent of the energy coils are cracked or severed.]

"That's... a lot of damage," Tatehan observed.

[Yes. However, we don't need to repair everything to restore basic shield functionality. If we can repair six primary emitters and reconnect the energy coils that feed them, we'll have enough coverage to generate a partial shield, approximately sixty percent of full strength.]

"And sixty percent is enough to be useful?" Tatehan asked.

[Significantly useful. A sixty percent shield can deflect small arms fire, absorb glancing hits from larger weapons, and provide protection against environmental hazards like sandstorms or radiation spikes. It won't stop a sustained assault, but it will greatly improve the ship's survivability.]

Tatehan nodded, finishing his coffee. "Alright. What's the process?"

[First, we'll replace the burnt-out emitters. These are located on the ship's exterior, so you'll need to exit through the airlock. Second, we'll realign the shield nodes, calibrating them to work together properly. Third, we'll patch the damaged energy coils, similar to what you did with power conduits yesterday.]

"How long will this take?"

[Approximately six to seven hours of work, accounting for the additional complexity and the time needed to work in the Martian environment.]

Tatehan stood up, setting his empty cup aside. "Let's get started then."

The AI directed him back to the tool storage compartment, where he retrieved a different set of tools than yesterday, including some he hadn't noticed before.

There was an emitter replacement kit, a case containing six new shield emitters, each about the size of a dinner plate and circular in shape, with various connectors and mounting brackets.

He also took a portable calibration device, a specialized wrench designed for shield node alignment, and the same sealant applicator and diagnostic scanner from yesterday.

———

When the outer door finally slid open, Tatehan stepped out onto the Martian surface for the first time that his aim was to repair the spaceship rather than to fight some monster or go on an adventure or go save the life of someone.

From the tool room, the Spaceship's AI had instructed he took a ear pod device that he was to put on his ear. This would make things it said be audible to Tatehan who would he outside repairing the spaceship.

It was a very efficient tool by the way since the Spaceship's AI would be able to give instructions from there.

The landscape stretched out before him in all its desolate beauty—red-brown earth, scattered rocks, distant formations, and the pale sky above. The sun was bright but provided little warmth.

[The first emitter is located on the port side, approximately ten meters from your current position,] the AI directed. [Follow the hull until you see a circular mounting plate with a damaged device in the center.]

Tatehan walked carefully around the ship's exterior, his boots crunching on the Martian dirt.

Being very close to the spaceship, Tatehan noticed how large it was—more imposing, and yes, clearly damaged. He could see the scars of the crash landing: scorch marks, dented hull plating, areas where the surface was cracked or torn.

He found the first emitter location easily. The mounting plate was about half a meter in diameter, set flush with the hull. In the center was the damaged emitter, blackened, cracked, clearly non-functional.

"Use the specialized wrench to remove the mounting bolts," the AI instructed. "There are six, arranged in a hexagonal pattern."

Tatehan selected the appropriate tool and began working. The bolts were tight, but the wrench's design gave him good leverage. One by one, he removed and summoned them to his inventory so that they wouldn't be lost in the Martian dirt.

With all six bolts removed, the damaged emitter lifted away easily. He set it aside and examined the mounting plate underneath. There were various connectors and ports where the emitter interfaced with the ship's systems.

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