The first piece of metal came off the milling machine at seven forty-three.
It was approximately the size of Thane’s palm, machined from a block of high-conductivity copper alloy, and represented nearly three hours of Mark’s careful preparation.
Gabriel looked at it.
Then at Mark.
Then back at the piece of metal.
“Thirty-eight thousand credits’ worth of equipment, six hours of engineering calculations, and an entire morning of work.”
Mark didn’t look up from the inspection bench.
“Your point?”
Gabriel held up the finished component.
“You made a shiny doorstop.”
Thane laughed from the adjacent workstation.
Mark slowly raised his head.
“Put that down.”
“It’s beautiful, really. Very modern. Very artistic.”
“Gabriel.”
“Could sell these in upscale gift shops.”
“Put. It. Down.”
Gabriel carefully returned the component to the padded inspection tray.
Then he grinned.
“Touchy.”
Mark picked up a precision measuring instrument.
“Some of us are attempting to accomplish something useful.”
“And some of us,” Gabriel replied cheerfully, “are providing essential morale support.”
Thane looked over.
“Gabriel, go provide morale support somewhere else.”
The black wolf placed a paw against his chest.
“Wounded. Betrayed. Rejected by my own pack.”
“Go make coffee.”
“Ah! A task worthy of my extraordinary talents.”
He turned toward the workshop door.
“Would either of you gentlemen like anything?”
“Coffee,” Thane said.
“Silence,” Mark added.
Gabriel smiled over his shoulder.
“One of those I can manage.”
The door closed behind him.
Mark waited three seconds.
Then he looked at Thane.
“Why do we keep him?”
Thane grinned.
“Because nobody else would put up with him.”
“Fair point.”
Freya’s fabrication shop occupied a substantial compartment along the forward portion of Deck Four, adjacent to the main cargo bay.
It was one of the areas the three wolves had spent the most time modifying during the ship’s reconstruction.
The original designers had provided a modest machine shop sufficient for routine maintenance and emergency repairs.
Thane and Mark had considered that entirely inadequate.
Over the years, they’d installed precision milling equipment, automated lathes, materials analyzers, welding and cutting systems, heat-treatment equipment, and an assortment of specialized tools accumulated through salvage contracts and carefully negotiated purchases.
Gabriel maintained that the shop represented the galaxy’s most expensive collection of objects Mark didn’t want anyone else touching.
He wasn’t entirely wrong.
The new fabrication unit they’d purchased at Calder remained secured in the neighboring storage compartment, awaiting installation after the current contract.
Mark had resisted the temptation to commission it immediately.
For once, he had a perfectly functional machine already available, a validated process, and absolutely no reason to complicate the job.
The replacement contact assembly resting on the inspection bench was the first major component of the Mercy Dawn’s restoration.
And Mark intended to make certain it was right.
He adjusted the measuring instrument, checked the component’s contact surface, and compared the reading against his design specifications.
“Three hundredths,” he murmured.
Thane looked over.
“High or low?”
“High.”
“Within tolerance?”
“Technically.”
Thane smiled.
There was that word.
Technically.
In Mark’s vocabulary, technically acceptable and actually acceptable were two very different things.
“How much material?”
“Thirty microns on the outer contact shoulder.”
Thane studied the measurement.
“Surface finishing?”
Mark nodded.
“That’s what I’m thinking.”
He rotated the component beneath the inspection light.
The polished copper alloy reflected the bright overhead illumination.
“Geometry’s good. No chatter marks. No measurable distortion.”
“Then we’re close.”
“Very.”
Thane folded his arms.
“Want me to set up the finishing station?”
“Already programmed.”
“Of course you did.”
Mark looked at him.
“Would you prefer I didn’t?”
“Nope.”
“Then stop complaining.”
Thane laughed.
It was going to be a good day.
The replacement assembly was more complicated than its appearance suggested.
A high-current electrical connection aboard a commercial freighter might look like a relatively simple piece of metal, but its performance depended on several interacting factors.
The contact surfaces had to distribute electrical current evenly.
The fastening system needed to maintain consistent pressure through repeated heating and cooling cycles.
The materials had to withstand vibration, mechanical stress, and the electrical demands of propulsion startup.
And perhaps most importantly, the finished component had to remain compatible with the original equipment’s certified operating limits.
Mark had no intention of installing some clever improvised part that worked beautifully until an insurance inspector asked where its certification came from.
He’d designed the replacement using the manufacturer’s approved dimensional envelope, making modest improvements to the contact geometry without altering its fundamental operating characteristics.
Even so, he had spent much of the previous evening comparing material specifications, running thermal simulations, and reviewing the manufacturer’s service documentation.
Now he was verifying that the actual component matched the design.
Thane stood beside him as the automated surface-finishing system completed its programmed cycle.
The machine emitted a soft chime.
Mark removed the component.
He examined it under magnification.
Then measured it again.
And again.
Finally, he nodded.
“That’s better.”
Thane leaned closer.
“How much?”
“Within eight microns of nominal.”
“Happy?”
Mark considered that.
“Reasonably.”
Thane laughed.
“High praise.”
Mark placed the component into a protective tray.
“Now we test it.”
By nine thirty, the replacement assembly was mounted inside a dedicated electrical test fixture.
The fixture was a heavy, insulated apparatus designed to simulate the mechanical and electrical conditions experienced by industrial power connections.
Freya carried it primarily for testing recovered components and verifying fabricated replacement parts.
It was not particularly glamorous equipment.
But it was exactly the kind of machinery that separated a professional repair operation from somebody improvising with a wrench and a prayer.
Mark connected the measurement leads.
Thane checked the fixture’s mechanical clamps.
“Contact pressure nominal.”
“Good.”
“Thermal sensors responding.”
“Good.”
“Current monitoring calibrated.”
Mark nodded.
“All right. Let’s start at ten percent.”
Thane enabled the test sequence.
The fixture’s power supply began applying a controlled load through the component.
A series of readings appeared on the display.
Voltage drop.
Contact resistance.
Temperature.
Mechanical expansion.
Mark watched every value.
“Looking good.”
Thane increased the current.
Twenty percent.
Forty.
Sixty.
At eighty percent, the component’s temperature began rising.
Not unexpectedly.
Every electrical conductor generated heat under load.
The question was whether the connection could dissipate that heat without exceeding its operating limits.
Mark studied the temperature curve.
“Nice.”
Thane looked over.
“Very nice?”
“Don’t push it.”
Thane grinned.
The test continued.
At full rated current, the component stabilized comfortably within the manufacturer’s thermal limits.
Then Mark initiated a controlled transient-load sequence simulating the brief current demands associated with propulsion startup.
The readings climbed.
The contact warmed.
The test fixture hummed.
Thane watched the temperature display.
“Still good.”
Mark nodded.
“Hold it.”
The transient ended.
Current returned to nominal.
The component began cooling.
Mark reviewed the data.
Then, very slowly, a satisfied smile spread across his muzzle.
Thane saw it.
“There it is.”
Mark glanced at him.
“What?”
“That smile.”
“What smile?”
“The one you get when something works exactly the way you wanted.”
Mark looked back at the display.
“Well, it does.”
Thane clapped him on the shoulder.
“Beautiful work.”
The engineer’s tail moved once.
“Thanks.”
At that exact moment, Gabriel’s voice erupted from the workshop speakers.
“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! ANOTHER MIRACLE OF MODERN ENGINEERING!”
A short burst of triumphant orchestral music followed.
Thane doubled over laughing.
Mark closed his eyes.
“Gabriel.”
The music swelled.
“Gabriel.”
A recorded crowd began cheering.
“GABRIEL!”
The music stopped.
A moment later, the black wolf’s cheerful voice answered.
“Yes, darling?”
Mark stared toward the ceiling.
“I’m going to disconnect every speaker on this ship.”
Gabriel laughed.
“Then how will you hear my beautiful voice?”
“That is precisely the objective.”
The humor lasted approximately another ten minutes.
Then the three wolves returned to work.
The replacement contact passed its mechanical inspection and electrical tests. Mark completed the certification documentation, attached the test results, and transmitted the package to the insurer’s engineering representative.
The component was ready for installation.
Unfortunately, it was only one piece of the problem.
The Mercy Dawn’s propulsion distribution system contained three damaged assemblies: the primary high-current connection, a secondary switching contact, and a protective relay that had failed during the repeated overload events.
Mark had already determined that the switching contact was too badly damaged to justify rebuilding it.
Fortunately, the replacement was a standard industrial component.
Unfortunately, Freya didn’t carry one.
Gabriel had spent much of the morning locating an approved equivalent through Rellan’s commercial supply network.
At eleven fifteen, he appeared in the fabrication shop carrying his tablet.
“Gentlemen, I have good news and bad news.”
Thane looked up from the workbench.
“Bad news first.”
“The manufacturer doesn’t have a local distributor.”
Mark sighed.
“Of course they don’t.”
“Good news: a mining equipment supplier on Rellan Four has four compatible units in stock.”
Mark’s ears perked.
“Exact model?”
“Manufacturer-approved replacement. Same voltage and current ratings, matching control interface.”
“Price?”
Gabriel winced theatrically.
“Don’t ask.”
Thane folded his arms.
“Gabriel.”
“Eight hundred forty credits.”
Mark blinked.
“That’s not terrible.”
“For a component that sells for two hundred sixty on Calder?”
“Frontier markup.”
“Highway robbery with a docking permit,” Gabriel muttered.
Thane smiled.
“Can we get it delivered?”
“Already arranged. They’re sending it up on the next commercial shuttle.”
“How long?”
“Six hours.”
Mark nodded.
“That’ll work.”
Gabriel brightened.
“And before either of you asks, yes, I negotiated the price.”
“To what?” Thane asked.
“Six hundred twenty, including delivery.”
Thane grinned.
“Nicely done.”
Gabriel bowed.
“I live to serve.”
Mark looked at him.
“Then you can help us carry the diagnostic equipment back to the work pod.”
Gabriel’s smile vanished.
“Apparently I live to serve selectively.”
The afternoon boarding operation was more involved than the initial inspection.
This time, Thane and Mark carried the tested replacement contact, diagnostic instruments, electrical isolation equipment, portable work lights, and an assortment of tools.
Gabriel remained aboard Freya to coordinate the parts delivery, maintain communications with the insurer, and monitor both vessels’ operating systems.
The EVA transfer proceeded without difficulty.
Once aboard the Mercy Dawn, Thane and Mark returned directly to engineering.
The compartment looked much as they’d left it.
Access panels remained open.
Protective covers were stacked neatly beside the distribution cabinets.
Maintenance tags identified isolated equipment.
The damaged assemblies were clearly marked.
Mark inspected the work area before opening his equipment case.
“Everything’s where we left it.”
Thane looked around.
“Would’ve been concerning if it wasn’t.”
“True.”
They began with the main distribution cabinet.
Before installing the fabricated contact, Mark repeated the electrical isolation checks.
Thane verified the lockout status independently.
Only then did they proceed.
The replacement assembly slid into position with the precise fit Mark had designed.
He secured the mounting hardware using the specified clamping sequence, checking contact pressure and alignment as he worked.
Thane held the inspection light and passed tools.
Neither needed much instruction.
“Torque wrench.”
Thane handed it over.
“Insulation probe.”
Already in his paw.
“Retaining clip.”
Thane held it out.
Mark glanced at him.
“You’re getting annoyingly good at that.”
Thane smiled.
“Thirty years of practice.”
Mark secured the final connection.
Then he leaned back.
“All right.”
Thane studied the installation.
“Looks good.”
“Let’s verify it.”
The next forty minutes consisted of mechanical measurements, insulation checks, and continuity testing.
Every reading fell within specification.
Mark saved the results.
Then he looked at Thane.
“One down.”
“Two to go.”
The protective relay proved more troublesome.
Its replacement was a standard industrial unit, and Freya had a compatible spare aboard.
But when Mark removed the failed relay from the Mercy Dawn’s distribution cabinet, he discovered something that made him stop working.
“Well, that’s interesting.”
Thane looked over.
“Good interesting or bad interesting?”
“Undetermined.”
Mark turned the relay in his paws.
The component’s exterior showed no obvious damage.
Its identification markings matched the maintenance records.
But the connector housing had been modified.
Not crudely.
Not carelessly.
In fact, the work appeared quite professional.
Someone had installed a small adapter assembly between the relay and the original wiring harness.
Thane examined it.
“Part of the controller upgrade?”
“Probably.”
“Problem?”
“Maybe.”
Mark connected the adapter to his diagnostic terminal.
The display showed the pin assignments and control-signal routing.
He frowned.
Then checked the schematic.
Then frowned harder.
“Oh, for crying out loud.”
Thane smiled faintly.
“Found something?”
Mark pointed toward the display.
“They adapted the relay interface to work with the new controller.”
“Which makes sense.”
“Except they didn’t update the isolation feedback circuit.”
Thane leaned closer.
The diagram showed two independent feedback paths: one confirming that the main distribution contactor was open, and another confirming that the protective isolation relay had disengaged.
The adapter routed both signals through a common interface.
Thane studied the arrangement.
“That means the controller couldn’t distinguish between the two?”
“Exactly.”
“Wouldn’t that cause a fault?”
“Not under normal conditions. Both signals would usually agree.”
“But during the shutdown…”
Mark nodded.
“The controller may have received an ambiguous isolation status. That could explain why it attempted repeated recovery cycles before the manual shutdown.”
Thane considered that.
“So we have two problems from the same upgrade.”
“At least two.”
“Wrong protection profile and an improperly adapted feedback circuit.”
“Right.”
Thane shook his head.
“Somebody really made a mess of this.”
Mark examined the adapter again.
“To be fair, the wiring work itself is excellent.”
Thane looked at him.
“You’re defending them?”
“No. I’m saying whoever installed this knew how to make a proper electrical connection.”
“Just not how the system was supposed to operate.”
“Precisely.”
Thane laughed.
“That’s almost worse.”
Gabriel listened to the explanation over the communications channel.
“So the previous repair crew knew how to wire things together but didn’t understand what they were connecting?”
Mark sighed.
“That’s a simplified description.”
“Is it inaccurate?”
“No.”
“Then I stand by it.”
Thane leaned against the cabinet.
“Gabriel, we need the complete documentation for that adapter.”
“Manufacturer?”
“Possibly custom-fabricated.”
“Wonderful.”
Gabriel tapped something on his console.
“Give me a minute.”
Mark continued examining the device.
The adapter housing carried a small identification plate bearing the name of a maintenance contractor.
Harrow Technical Services.
Mark read the name aloud.
Gabriel searched the commercial registry.
A moment later, he whistled.
“Well, there’s a surprise.”
Thane looked toward his communicator.
“What?”
“Harrow Technical Services ceased operations four weeks ago.”
Mark stopped.
“Really?”
“Yep. Commercial license inactive. Registered business dissolved.”
Thane frowned.
“That’s unfortunate.”
“Depends on your perspective.”
“How so?”
Gabriel continued reading.
“Looks like they were a small independent maintenance outfit operating in the outer settlements. Their primary contracts were industrial transport repairs and equipment upgrades.”
“Any indication why they closed?”
“Not in the public registry.”
Mark looked toward the damaged controller.
“Could be unrelated.”
“Absolutely,” Gabriel agreed. “Businesses fail all the time.”
Thane nodded.
“Let’s not invent a conspiracy where there isn’t one.”
“Agreed.”
Gabriel paused.
“But it does mean getting documentation might be difficult.”
Mark considered that.
“Then I’ll trace the adapter manually.”
Thane grinned.
“Of course you will.”
By sixteen hundred, Mark had identified the adapter’s complete signal routing.
The device wasn’t beyond repair, but he didn’t like its design.
More importantly, it didn’t meet the isolation-feedback requirements specified by the replacement controller’s manufacturer.
He documented the discrepancy, photographed the assembly, and added the findings to the insurer’s report.
Then he turned toward Thane.
“We’re not reinstalling this.”
“Agreed.”
“I want to replace it with a proper interface.”
“Can we fabricate one?”
“Yes. But we’ll need to run a dedicated cable from the isolation relay back to the controller.”
Thane looked at the wiring conduit.
“Through there?”
Mark nodded.
“About twelve meters.”
“Fun.”
“Could be worse.”
“How?”
“Could be twenty.”
Thane laughed.
They began tracing the existing cable route.
The work was awkward.
The conduit passed behind several equipment cabinets, through a narrow maintenance passage, and beneath an overhead support structure.
At one point, Thane found himself lying on his side inside a service compartment, reaching behind a bundle of heavy electrical conduits.
His broad shoulders barely fit.
“Mark?”
“Yeah?”
“Remind me why we didn’t bring someone smaller.”
Mark looked toward the access opening.
“Because there are only three of us, and Gabriel’s busy.”
“Gabriel would fit better.”
“Gabriel would complain more.”
Thane considered that.
“Fair.”
He reached farther into the compartment.
His claws scraped lightly against the metal housing.
“Got it.”
“Can you see the connector?”
“Yep.”
“Release the upper retaining clip.”
Thane manipulated the clip.
It came free.
“Done.”
“Now the lower one.”
“Hang on.”
He adjusted his position.
The compartment was warm, cramped, and smelled faintly of electrical insulation.
Thane worked his paw around the back of the conduit.
There.
He pressed the clip.
It released with a soft snap.
“Got it.”
“Good. Pull the harness toward you.”
Thane did.
The connector came free.
Mark leaned into the opening.
“Beautiful.”
Thane looked at him.
“You’re buying dinner.”
Mark smiled.
“Put it on my tab.”
They finished the cable route shortly before eighteen hundred.
The new interface would require several small components, all of which Freya carried in stock.
Mark could assemble and test the replacement the following morning.
Thane was satisfied with the day’s progress.
But when they returned to Freya, he noticed something unusual.
Gabriel wasn’t waiting in the cargo bay.
He wasn’t in the galley.
And he wasn’t on the bridge.
Thane checked the ship’s internal location system.
Gabriel was in the communications office.
The captain headed there.
He found the black wolf sitting at his desk, staring at a message on his terminal.
His ears were angled backward.
His tail was still.
Thane recognized the signs immediately.
“Problem?”
Gabriel looked up.
“Not exactly.”
“That sounds encouraging.”
Gabriel turned the display toward him.
“The insurance company wants an updated estimate.”
“Fair enough.”
“They’re questioning the additional labor associated with the controller interface.”
Thane frowned.
“Why?”
“Because the original survey didn’t identify it.”
“Neither did we until today.”
“Exactly.”
Thane leaned against the desk.
“What did you tell them?”
“That the adapter was an undocumented modification that failed to meet the controller manufacturer’s specifications, and that replacing it was necessary to restore safe operation.”
“Sounds reasonable.”
“It is reasonable.”
Gabriel’s voice had acquired a sharp edge.
Thane glanced at him.
“Gabriel.”
“What?”
“What’s really bothering you?”
The black wolf exhaled.
“They suggested we could simply reinstall the old adapter and document it as an existing condition.”
Thane’s expression changed.
“Who suggested that?”
“One of their technical claims reviewers. Not Ellison.”
Thane stared at the message.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he looked at Gabriel.
“Absolutely not.”
Gabriel gave a short, humorless laugh.
“That’s what I said.”
Thane read the exchange.
The reviewer had indeed suggested that the existing adapter might be reused if it had not directly caused the original failure.
Gabriel’s response was considerably more forceful.
It was also entirely professional.
Barely.
Thane smiled despite himself.
“You showed remarkable restraint.”
Gabriel looked offended.
“I always show remarkable restraint.”
“You called his proposal technically indefensible.”
“It is.”
“And commercially irresponsible.”
“Also true.”
“And you suggested he consult an actual engineer before commenting further.”
Gabriel’s ears shifted.
“That may have been a little pointed.”
Thane laughed.
“A little.”
Gabriel folded his arms.
“I’m not putting our names on a repair we know isn’t right.”
“Neither am I.”
“Good.”
Thane straightened.
“Send the complete findings to Ellison. I’ll add my authorization to the repair recommendation.”
Gabriel nodded.
“Already drafted.”
“Of course you did.”
He paused at the doorway.
“And Gabriel?”
“Yeah?”
“Nice work.”
The black wolf’s expression softened.
“Thanks.”
Mara Ellison called the following morning.
Thane, Mark, and Gabriel gathered in the communications office.
Ellison appeared on the display looking mildly irritated.
Not with them.
With someone else.
“Gentlemen,” she began, “I’ve reviewed the revised engineering report.”
Thane nodded.
“Good morning, Ms. Ellison.”
“First, let me apologize for the earlier correspondence.”
Gabriel smiled pleasantly.
“No apology necessary.”
Thane glanced at him.
Gabriel’s smile widened.
Ellison continued.
“Our technical reviewer was working from the original survey and had not yet examined the adapter documentation.”
Mark nodded.
“That explains the recommendation.”
“Yes. It does.”
Ellison looked directly at the engineer.
“Your proposed replacement is approved. Documented materials and labor remain within the existing amendment’s authorization.”
“Thank you,” Mark replied.
“And for the record, I agree that reinstalling a component known to be incompatible with the controller would be unacceptable.”
Thane smiled.
“Glad we’re on the same page.”
Ellison leaned forward.
“Captain, I want this vessel restored properly. If we can’t achieve that, I want it recovered under tow. I’m not interested in cutting corners to save a few hundred credits.”
“Neither are we.”
“Good.”
Her expression softened slightly.
“How’s the work progressing?”
Mark brought up the repair schedule.
“Primary contact installed and tested. Secondary switching component arriving from the local supplier. We’re fabricating a replacement relay interface today.”
“And the remaining distribution network?”
“Insulation and continuity checks are complete. No additional damage identified.”
Ellison nodded.
“Excellent.”
Thane folded his arms.
“If everything continues as expected, we should be ready for controlled power restoration tomorrow.”
“That’s encouraging.”
“After that, propulsion testing.”
“Understood.”
Ellison looked toward Gabriel.
“I’ll have the updated authorization transmitted within the hour.”
“Thank you.”
She smiled faintly.
“And I hope your next message is less colorful than the last one.”
Gabriel’s ears twitched.
Thane bit the inside of his cheek.
Mark looked down at his tablet.
Gabriel maintained an expression of perfect innocence.
“I’ll do my best, Ms. Ellison.”
The connection ended.
For approximately three seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Thane burst out laughing.
Gabriel threw up his paws.
“Oh, come ON!”
Mark shook his head.
“Less colorful.”
“She was joking!”
“Was she?”
“YES!”
Thane laughed harder.
Gabriel pointed at both of them.
“I hate you.”
“Love you too, Gabriel.”
By midday, the replacement relay interface was complete.
Mark had fabricated a compact mounting bracket, installed approved terminal hardware, and assembled the new signal connections according to the controller manufacturer’s specifications.
The assembly was not particularly impressive to look at.
A small metal enclosure.
Several connectors.
A short length of shielded cable.
But its function was critical.
It provided independent status feedback for the main distribution contactor and protective isolation relay, ensuring the controller could correctly identify which portions of the electrical network were connected or isolated.
Before installation, Mark subjected the assembly to a simulated fault sequence.
He deliberately created conditions representing an open contactor, a failed relay, and conflicting feedback states.
Each time, the controller correctly detected the condition and inhibited power restoration.
Thane watched the results.
“Exactly what we want.”
Mark nodded.
“Fail safe.”
“Beautiful.”
Gabriel, standing nearby, studied the test display.
“So basically, if something goes wrong, the controller knows what’s wrong instead of guessing?”
Mark considered that.
“That’s a reasonable summary.”
Gabriel grinned.
“I should’ve been an engineer.”
Mark looked at him.
“God help us.”
The replacement switching contact arrived from Rellan Four at thirteen twenty.
Gabriel accepted delivery through Freya’s cargo airlock, inspected the packaging, and verified the part number against the order.
Then he carried the component into the fabrication shop.
“Your ridiculously overpriced electrical widget has arrived.”
Mark looked up.
“Six hundred twenty credits isn’t ridiculous.”
“For something that costs two hundred sixty on Calder?”
“Gabriel.”
“What?”
“Did you get the right one?”
“Of course.”
“Then thank you.”
The black wolf smiled.
“You’re welcome.”
Thane examined the component.
“Manufacturer seal intact?”
“Yep.”
“Documentation?”
“Included.”
“Good.”
Mark accepted the package.
He opened it carefully, inspected the contact assembly, and checked the manufacturer’s test certificate.
Everything matched.
He looked pleased.
“Perfect.”
Gabriel folded his arms.
“See? I do good work.”
Thane grinned.
“Occasionally.”
They boarded the Mercy Dawn again that afternoon.
This time, all three wolves made the trip.
Gabriel had completed his immediate contract work and wanted to see the repair operation firsthand.
He was also, by his own admission, getting tired of staring at paperwork.
The EVA transfer went smoothly.
Once aboard, the three wolves removed their helmets in the pressurized forward compartment and continued into engineering.
Gabriel looked around the machinery space.
“Well, this is cheerful.”
Thane smiled.
“Welcome to the glamorous world of commercial freight transportation.”
“Remind me never to buy a freighter.”
Mark looked over.
“You already own part of a salvage company.”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“Our ship has better furniture.”
Thane laughed.
They carried the replacement components to the main distribution cabinet.
Mark directed the installation.
Thane handled the heavy mechanical work.
Gabriel assisted with tools, cable routing, and documentation.
The black wolf was not an engineer, but he had spent enough years rebuilding Freya alongside the others to be entirely comfortable working around industrial equipment.
He knew how to follow procedures.
He knew when to ask questions.
And, despite his usual joking, he knew when to shut up and concentrate.
The switching contact went into place without difficulty.
The new relay interface required more work.
The additional feedback cable had to be routed through the service conduit they’d prepared the previous day.
Gabriel fed the cable from the distribution cabinet while Thane guided it through the access passage.
Mark monitored the installation from the controller end.
“Another half meter,” Mark said.
Gabriel pushed.
“How’s that?”
“Good. Hold it.”
Gabriel stopped.
Thane secured the cable.
“Clamped.”
Mark checked the routing.
“No sharp bends. Good separation from the high-current conductors.”
Gabriel leaned against the cabinet.
“Look at us. Three professional electricians.”
Mark gave him a sideways glance.
“Two technicians and a nuisance.”
Gabriel grinned.
“An exceptionally handsome nuisance.”
Thane laughed.
“Keep feeding that cable, handsome.”
The final connection was completed at seventeen forty.
Mark stepped back from the distribution cabinet.
He studied the installation.
Every cable was properly secured.
Every connector was labeled.
Every protective cover had been restored.
The replacement components matched the approved documentation.
The damaged assemblies had been tagged and packaged for the insurer.
Thane stood beside him.
“Well?”
Mark considered the question.
“Mechanically complete.”
“Electrically?”
“Initial checks passed.”
“Ready for power?”
“Not yet.”
Gabriel groaned.
“Oh, come on.”
Mark turned toward him.
“We have to verify the protection settings, test the isolation sequence, and confirm the controller responds correctly to simulated faults.”
Gabriel raised both paws.
“All right, all right. I know. No shortcuts.”
“Exactly.”
Thane smiled.
“How long?”
“Another hour or two.”
“Then let’s do it.”
The controlled test sequence began at eighteen fifteen.
Mark connected his diagnostic terminal to the replacement controller.
Thane monitored the distribution cabinet.
Gabriel recorded the test results and maintained communications with Freya.
The first test verified the controller’s response to a simulated overload.
The system detected the condition.
Opened the protective contactor.
Isolated the affected circuit.
And refused to restore power until the simulated fault was cleared.
Mark nodded.
“Good.”
The second test simulated a failed isolation relay.
The controller correctly identified the disagreement between the contactor and relay feedback signals.
It inhibited restoration.
“Excellent.”
The third test verified the revised propulsion startup profile.
Mark carefully entered the manufacturer’s approved parameters for the Mercy Dawn’s induction stage.
Then he initiated a simulated high-inrush startup.
The controller recognized the transient as an expected operating condition.
No protective trip occurred.
Thane watched the display.
“That’s what we wanted.”
Mark smiled.
“Exactly.”
Gabriel leaned forward.
“So the thing finally knows what ship it’s installed on?”
Mark sighed.
“Yes, Gabriel.”
“Wonderful. Can we go home now?”
“One more test.”
Gabriel stared at the ceiling.
“Of course there is.”
The final test verified the complete protective shutdown sequence.
Mark initiated a simulated fault.
The controller detected it.
The main distribution contactor opened.
The protective relay disengaged.
The system confirmed electrical isolation.
And the controller entered a safe shutdown state.
No repeated recovery attempts.
No ambiguous feedback.
No uncontrolled cycling.
Everything happened in the correct order.
Mark studied the results for several seconds.
Then he slowly leaned back.
“Well.”
Thane looked at him.
“Well?”
Mark smiled.
“That’ll do.”
Gabriel threw both arms into the air.
“HALLELUJAH!”
Thane burst out laughing.
Mark shook his head.
“You’re an idiot.”
“A happy idiot!”
Thane clapped Mark on the shoulder.
“Beautiful work, brother.”
The engineer looked at the repaired distribution cabinet.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he nodded.
“Thanks.”
It was a small moment.
No dramatic music.
No flashing lights.
Just three experienced wolves standing in the engineering compartment of an old freighter, looking at a repair that had been done properly.
Thane understood exactly how much satisfaction Mark took from that.
He felt much the same way.
They returned to Freya shortly after nineteen hundred.
The work had gone well.
The replacement components were installed.
The distribution controller was correctly configured.
The protective systems had passed their simulated tests.
And the documentation package was complete.
But one major step remained.
They had not yet energized the repaired propulsion distribution network.
That would happen the following morning, after a final inspection and a review of the full restoration procedure.
Thane insisted on it.
Mark agreed.
Gabriel complained mildly about the delay, but only because he enjoyed complaining.
They gathered in the galley for a late dinner.
Thane had prepared a large pot of stew earlier that morning, leaving it in the automated cooker while they worked.
Now the three wolves sat around the table, tired, hungry, and thoroughly satisfied with the day’s progress.
Gabriel tasted the stew.
Then looked at Thane.
“Captain.”
“Yeah?”
“This is fantastic.”
“Thanks.”
“Seriously. You should open a restaurant.”
Mark looked up.
“Don’t encourage him.”
Thane laughed.
“Why not?”
“Because then he’d have two businesses to run.”
Gabriel grinned.
“I could handle the contracts.”
Mark stared at him.
“Absolutely not.”
Thane laughed again.
They ate in comfortable silence for several minutes.
Then Gabriel set down his spoon.
“You know, I think we’re going to pull this off.”
Thane looked at him.
“The Mercy Dawn?”
“Yeah.”
Mark nodded.
“Assuming the power restoration goes as expected.”
Gabriel smiled.
“Always with the qualifications.”
“That’s how engineering works.”
“I know, I know.”
Thane leaned back.
“We’ve got a good chance.”
Gabriel considered that.
“Imagine Ellison’s face when we bring that freighter back under her own power.”
Thane smiled.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“Oh, come on. You have to admit it’d be satisfying.”
“It would.”
Mark took another bite.
“Still have to test the propulsion system.”
Gabriel sighed.
“Yes, Mark.”
“And the thermal controls.”
“Yes, Mark.”
“And the emergency isolation sequence under actual load.”
“YES, MARK.”
Thane laughed.
Mark smiled faintly.
“Just making sure.”
Later that evening, after Gabriel had retired to the common room with his guitar, Thane found Mark in the engineering office.
The gray-and-white wolf was reviewing the next day’s test procedure.
Thane leaned against the doorway.
“Still working?”
Mark looked up.
“Just finishing.”
“Everything ready?”
“Almost.”
Thane entered and sat opposite him.
“What’s bothering you?”
Mark considered that.
“Nothing specific.”
“That’s not an answer.”
The engineer sighed.
“I want tomorrow to go smoothly.”
Thane smiled.
“So do I.”
“We’ve replaced the damaged components. Corrected the configuration. Verified the protective systems.”
“Yep.”
“But we haven’t actually put the propulsion network under load.”
“That’s what tomorrow is for.”
Mark nodded.
“I know.”
Thane studied his old friend.
For all his technical brilliance, Mark never took a successful repair for granted.
He understood that simulations and bench tests were only part of the process.
Machinery had a way of revealing its true condition when asked to work.
And sometimes, despite every precaution, it surprised you.
Thane appreciated that caution.
It had saved them more than once.
“Mark.”
“Hmm?”
“You’ve done good work.”
“Thanks.”
“Whatever happens tomorrow, we deal with it.”
Mark smiled faintly.
“I know.”
“We always do.”
The engineer nodded.
“Yeah.”
Thane stood.
“Come on. Gabriel’s playing something in the lounge.”
Mark raised an eyebrow.
“Anything good?”
“Actually, yes.”
“That’s unusual.”
Thane laughed.
“Don’t let him hear you say that.”
They headed toward the residential deck together.
The following morning, Freya floated quietly beside the Mercy Dawn.
The two vessels remained separated by several hundred meters, their relative positions maintained by automated maneuvering systems.
Beyond them, Rellan Four turned slowly beneath the distant sunlight.
Aboard the disabled freighter, the repaired propulsion distribution network waited in a cold, isolated state.
Every replacement component had been installed.
Every connection had been tested.
Every protective parameter had been verified.
And in Freya’s galley, three wolves were finishing breakfast.
Thane checked the time.
“All right, gentlemen.”
Mark looked up.
Gabriel finished his coffee.
“Ready?” Thane asked.
Mark nodded.
“As ready as we’re going to be.”
Gabriel grinned.
“Then let’s go make an old freighter do something she hasn’t done in a month.”
Thane smiled.
“That’s the plan.”
He stood, his broad bare paws settling against the deck.
“Let’s get to work.”