The insystem liner released the shuttle with a jarring thud that shook the entire ship. I glanced over my readout one more time, “How does it look Tinker?”

My engineer growled, “She is an ancient bitch but we are still in the green. Just stay away from that damn brat.”

I grinned as I keyed the comm, “Beta Seven control, this is Green Two. Free of Sister’s Delight.”

“Copy Green Two. Your course is clear for decal and entry.” The control room's voice echoed in the cockpit.

I grinned and glanced at Tinker, “My engineer requests I avoid the brat since we have had two prior encounters. We request you check her location.”

There was a long pause, “Green Two, Beta Seven Major says to just stay your course.” The control officer sounded concerned.

I laughed and then a flash of yellow on my course scan caught my eye. I flipped to another check and the flight scanner screamed and flashed red.

There was an unpowered ship in front of us and we had no chance to miss it! I spun the ship upside down and jerked down towards the planet, “Divert power to shields!”

I could hear Tinker cussing and the comm came alive with demands I ignored. “Breaking atmosphere Tinker we will need the fins half open.”

The shuttle was shaking and being tossed around as the shield glowed red. I flicked open the comm as I righted the ship and tried to bring the nose up.

“Beta Seven control, Green Two. Declaring an emergency, an unpowered ship registered to the Ducal family was in our flight path.”

I glanced at Tinker as he cursed and spun to the shield panels. I looked at my readout to see it jumping from past redline to dead.

“Shit Tinker, divert the generators!” He glared at me as his hands flew over the panels, “Just fly the damn ship!”

I shook my head and spun the ship with auxiliary jets until we were actually flying backwards. I shoved the throttles forward and the whole ship screamed.

Tinker turned to say something but I was already bringing the ship back around and killing the thrust, “Breakthrough in one minute Tinker just hold the shield together.”

I checked my readout and shook my head, “The anti grav is in the yellow Tinker.” “Shut the hell up and get us down!” Tinker shot back.

I grinned, “Maybe you should ask the duke if the brat can fly second seat. At least we would know where she was.” He grinned back, “You do know the comm is open right?”

I glanced down and shook my head as another readout flashed from yellow to red. “They can yell at me if we live.” I shot back, focusing on the controls.

The shield flared and changed color, “Breakthrough Tinker. Open the fin vents completely and start generator checks. Beta Seven control, Green two. In atmosphere and flying hot.”

I ignored their answer as I inverted the ship and rotated again and then fired the main engines for a short burst that almost made me think the ship was going to shake apart.

Tinker spun to the generator panels, “Anti grav in the red!” I cursed and checked my speed before bringing the ship back around killing the thrust again.

“Alright Tinker, shields are holding, the anti-grav is stabilizing. We're in the clear for now." Tinker sighed, relief evident in his eyes.

We managed to land the ship, the hull scraping the ground with a deafening screech. The ordeal was over, but we knew we weren’t safe yet.

“Beta Seven control, Green Two. We've landed. Requesting immediate emergency aid.” I reported, my voice hoarse from the stress.

Tinker was already on his feet, checking the damage to the ship. His eyes were focused, determined. He wasn’t one to give up easily.

Our survival depended on our ship. Until help arrived, it was our only source of life support. We had to ensure it stayed functional.

“Green Two, rescue team is on its way. Hang tight.” The voice from the control room was our only source of hope in that moment.

“Copy that, Beta Seven. We’ll be waiting.” I replied, turning to help Tinker with the repairs. We had a long night ahead of us.

As the hours passed, we worked tirelessly to keep the ship functional. But as dawn broke, we saw the rescue ship on the horizon.

“Rescue team here, Green Two. We're closing in on your location. Prepare for extraction.” The voice on the comm was a welcome relief.

And so, we survived the ordeal. The ship was damaged, but we were alive. Adrift in space, we had faced the unknown and come out victorious.

As we boarded the rescue ship, I couldn't help but glance back at our own ship. It had been a tough journey, but we had made it.

As the rescue ship ascended, leaving the wreck of our ship behind, I knew we had a story to tell. A story of survival, of courage, and of hope.

Looking at Tinker, I couldn't help but feel grateful. We had been through hell and back, but we had done it together.

Adrift in space, we had faced the worst and survived. And as we journeyed back to civilization, we knew we had a tale for the ages.