“Fifty-five percent,” Nori said, looking concerned. “The last flight up there depleted twenty percent of the cells, and the damage we took to the thrusters causes us to spend faster than normal. After this visit, we’ll only have one more chance to go up there, assuming we don’t waste too much in the meantime.”
Bulco nodded. “No point in wasting any more power, let’s head up there.”

“On it.”

The monitors’ view of the ground zoomed out until the plane’s circumference was visible. As before, the inertial dampener prevented them from feeling the press of the rapid acceleration.

Several minutes later they broke away from Earth’s gravitational pull and soared weightlessly through space. Nori poured over the console, aligning the shuttle’s trajectory using the space station’s homing beacon.

Several minutes later, the bong-shaped station came into view. Now with experience to guide her, Nori confidently maneuvered the shuttle into the docking hangar.

The hangar lights were on this time as they exited the shuttle and Alzigo appeared before them.

“Welcome back, valued customers!” He beamed, as much as a two-and-a-half-meter tall alien with two jaws could. “And so soon. I trust you found the Zappers to your liking?”

“They worked really well, thank you,” Lana said warmly. She shot a warning look at the others and continued. “We’ve procured the blueprints for your Fabricator.”

“Of course, of course.” His jaws parted into a gruesome smile. “I’ll take you there in a moment, but first. I noticed your shuttle has taken some damage, may I suggest you use the station’s automated repair system? You may also use the recharge banks if you desire.”

“Wait, you can fix our shuttle?” Nori blinked at him in surprise.

“Of course. I might not be able to do full retrofits, but it wouldn’t be much of a planetary station if I couldn’t offer that much, would it? Mind you, the automatic repair can’t fix complex issues, but it should be more than enough to handle the damage you have sustained. The power banks are standard throughout the known galaxy, so recharging cells is relatively cheap.”

Lana smiled at him. “I’m glad to see you’re in a better mood since the last time we spoke.”

He nodded, still keeping a positive outlook. “I have thought of that. I might not have actively chosen to be your ambassador to the enlightened universe, but that is the role fate has handed me, and I will strive to do my best to aid your entry to it. It might take longer, but I’m confident we can turn things around and work together toward mutually beneficial agreements.”

“When life gives you lemons …”

The tall alien tilted his head. “I do not understand. Are lemons some sort of bartering tool in human culture?”

Lana chuckled. “No, it’s just an idiom, it’s not important. So you said you could fix our shuttle?”

Alzigo still seemed baffled, but he nodded. “Yes. Please consult the control console for your docking bay.”