Zed hovered over the lake, his anti-gravity module keeping him steady as he slowly descended toward the water''s surface. His sensors activated, and a soft hum filled the air as Ai began scanning the depths. The water below was dark, its surface almost unnervingly still, but Zed’s heads-up display showed the information as the scan expanded beneath him, penetrating the murky water and searching for any remnants of the wreckage.


    Ai sifted through the data, piecing together images of submerged debris, fragments of metal, and broken components. Zed’s anticipation rose slightly as the scan highlighted various objects scattered beneath the water. He could make out the outline of what appeared to be hull fragments and twisted wreckage—likely pieces of their ship. Ai marked several clusters of debris, providing an estimate of their size and location.


    There they are! Multiple pieces from the ship’s structure were detected, I suggest recovery of high-priority items, Ai’s calm voice reported to Zed.


    Zed’s gaze sharpened. Among the wreckage, he spotted something of interest—a larger, more intact structure. Based on the scan, it was located just a few hundred meters below the surface. Zed mentally noted its coordinates and readied himself for the next phase of the operation.


    Zed descended deeper into the murky waters, his anti-gravity module adjusting to the shifting pressure as he carefully navigated through the wreckage of twisted remains of a part of the ship, scattered debris, and broken machinery surrounded him.


    As his eyes further scanned the wreckage, something caught his attention: three intact drones. They were battered, their systems fried from the impact, but structurally, they appeared sound. Zed’s fingers brushed against their surfaces, carefully prying them loose from the tangled wreckage. The drones were far from useless. With a little work, their systems could be restored, and they could still serve valuable functions. He tugged them free one by one, each one heavier than the last, and carefully ascended toward the surface, depositing them along the shore.


    His HUD displayed an updated assessment of the surrounding wreckage, and his eyes then fell on a more substantial find—a Manufactory. He dived down once again returning to where the wreckage is. It was mostly intact, but a few key components had been damaged, leaving it in a state that required only minor repairs to get it up and running, but more effort and resources are needed to bring it to full capacity. The thought of what this machine could bring—capabilities to rebuild, to fabricate, perhaps even to create advanced technology.


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    Zed didn’t hesitate. He extended his anti-gravity module’s reach, the familiar hum filling the air around him as the module’s power pulsed. It enveloped the large manufactory, lifting it gently off the lakebed. The sheer size of the structure strained the module''s power, but Zed kept it steady, raising the manufactory slowly toward the water’s surface.


    The wreckage shifted and groaned as it broke free of the lake’s grip, the machine’s broken frame glinting in the dim light. As the manufactory broke through the surface, Zed directed it toward the shore. With the right tools, it could be a key asset for him, possibly even a foundation for the technology he would need to rebuild.


    Zed dove back into the water, he effortlessly maneuvered through the other submerged wreckages. The lake''s depths seemed to stretch endlessly before him, dark and silent except for the occasional creak of broken metal. But his sensors picked up something new—something more significant than the scattered debris he had already found.


    A faint outline emerged from beneath a pile of twisted rubble. Zed focused his gaze, and as he approached, he realized it was an escape pod, partially buried in the mud and debris at the lake''s bottom. His pulse quickened with a mix of curiosity and caution. An escape pod could contain anything—people, supplies, or vital technology. The possibility that someone had survived the crash made him wary but hopeful.


    Zed scanned the pod, his HUD providing a detailed readout. The hatch was slightly cracked, just enough to hint at the potential for life inside. He cautiously approached, careful not to disturb the debris too much. A few quick diagnostic pulses confirmed that the pod itself was still intact, though it had been submerged for some time. The data indicated a cryo-sleep chamber inside, its life support systems still functional despite the damage around it.


    He floated closer, assessing the situation with a sharp eye. If there was someone alive in there, they''d been in stasis for who knows how long. The cryo-sleep chamber would have kept them alive, but who they were—and why they had been in this escape pod—remained a mystery. Alright, Zed muttered to mentally, preparing for the next step. Let''s see what we’ve got.


    +++


    After carefully guiding the escape pod to the shore, Zed gently set it down beside the debris he had already salvaged. The pod’s metallic surface was weathered, but intact. The hatch mechanism had a slight crack from the impact, but it seemed functional. With a few deft movements, Zed reached for the pod’s control panel. A quick diagnostic scan revealed that the pod was still operating on its backup power, and the cryo-sleep chamber was beginning to thaw, though slowly.


    The occupant appeared humanoid, their features obscured by the frosted glass of the chamber. Zed stepped back, waiting as the chamber’s lights shifted from a dim glow to a more intense pulse. The occupant’s body stirred slightly within the chamber, the slow movement signaling the thawing process had begun. The pod''s occupant slowly regained consciousness, his eyes blinking open as he assessed his surroundings.