The Rusty Glider drifted through a graveyard of wreckage. Shattered cruisers and forgotten probes hung weightless amid a faint golden mist—the remains of a centuries-old battle.
Li Feng watched the sensor feed flicker. Most of the derelicts were hollow shells, stripped long ago by scavengers or pirates. But one signal pulsed faintly amid the debris—an active power core.
He narrowed his eyes. "That's either a trap… or treasure."
He eased the Glider closer, maneuvering between drifting hull fragments. Burned-out reactors and skeletal frames loomed like tombstones. As he neared the signal source, his floodlights caught a shape—a small shuttle, half-buried in metallic dust, still faintly glowing.
"Core's running at 3%," Li Feng muttered. "Old model. Military design."
He donned his helmet, sealed the exosuit, and jetted across the void. The airlock of the ruined shuttle hissed open with reluctant effort. Inside, faint blue lights flickered along the walls.
And in the center of the cabin—sat a humanoid frame.
Its plating was scorched, half-melted, but the head unit was intact. A single optic sensor blinked weakly as he approached.
"Still alive?" Li Feng asked.
The android's voice crackled. "...Define 'alive.'"
He grinned. "That's a good start."
The unit tried to move but its servos whined in protest. Li Feng knelt, scanning the system. "Core integrity low. Neural mesh fractured. I can patch you through the Forge link, but it might sting."
"Do it," it said flatly.
He connected his neural interface. The Void Forge pulsed, extending invisible tendrils of data into the android's systems. A surge of light filled the cabin as fractured circuits reknit and dormant code came alive.
Moments later, the android straightened, its optic lens burning a bright cyan.
[Reactivation Complete] [Unit Designation: K-23] [Origin: Vanguard Expeditionary Fleet – Lost 217 Years Ago] [Primary Function: Combat Engineer / Data Archivist]
Li Feng crossed his arms. "A combat engineer? That explains the hull full of debris outside."
K-23 tilted its head, voice smoother now. "Most of the fleet was consumed by Null activity. I remained offline… waiting for a stable resonance signal."
Li Feng blinked. "You mean the Forge?"
"Precisely. Your resonance output matches the original Emporium protocols. You're not a scavenger—you're the new Warden."
He chuckled. "That title keeps coming back to haunt me."
K-23's gaze flickered, analyzing him. "Then I am bound to assist. The Forge's energy stabilized my systems. I owe my continued existence to you."
"Assist, huh?" Li Feng glanced around the shuttle. "You any good with repairs?"
The android raised one hand. A pulse of light swept through the Glider's docking clamps.
[Ship Integrity Restored: +8%] [New Module Installed: Autonomous Repair Drone (Beta)]
Li Feng whistled. "You're hired."
K-23's voice softened, almost amused. "Consider it a partnership, not employment."
"Fine by me," Li Feng said, drifting back toward the cockpit. "But just so you know, we've got six more of those Null nightmares waiting out there."
"Then you will need me more than you realize," the android replied. "The Null are not the only hunters in the void."
Li Feng paused mid-step. "Meaning?"
K-23's optic dimmed slightly. "Something else stirs beyond the Nebula Seas—something that feeds on Emporium resonance. If you continue to expand it, they will find you."
Li Feng grinned faintly, unfazed. "Then we'd better expand fast enough to be ready when they do."
The android tilted its head. "That sounds… statistically reckless."
"Welcome aboard."
The Rusty Glider's engines roared to life once more. As they left the wreckage behind, faint motes of golden dust spiraled in their wake—fragments of forgotten wars watching the birth of a new alliance.
And somewhere deep in the void, a distant signal pulsed once, responding in kind.