The Galactic Heap was still a long way from qualifying as a functioning spaceship. But at least the most important systems were running again. Now the crew faced their next problem: they had no functioning navigation system.
“So,” Ziggy began, looking over at Kira and Axl, “how do we steer a spaceship without navigation?”
“We could use old star charts and navigate manually,” Kira considered. “Although that would be roughly equivalent to walking through a minefield while blindfolded.”
“Or we could hope for an intergalactic pizza delivery service,” Axl added dryly, absentmindedly running a hand over the damaged navigation module.
“Maybe we could just throw out an anchor and wait for someone to find us,” Ziggy suggested half-jokingly.
“No chance,” Kira said. “We have to get this ship back on course somehow.”
After thinking for a moment, her face suddenly lit up. “I've got it!”
Ziggy and Axl both flinched at the same time.
“You've got what?” Ziggy asked cautiously.
“We use the thrusters for maneuvering. Just small bursts at a time. It won't be elegant, but maybe we can at least get close to an inhabited planet.”
“That sounds like a controlled disaster,” Axl said. “So basically exactly our area of expertise.”
“Anyone have a better idea?” Ziggy asked.
Nobody answered.
A short while later, they were all at their stations. Kira monitored the systems, Axl controlled the engines, and Ziggy placed both hands on the thrust control.
“Very slowly,” Kira said. “Just a small burst.”
“Understood,” Ziggy nodded.
With a quiet hiss, the engines fired.
The Galactic Heap immediately shot backward.
“Wait a minute!” Kira shouted.
“I think,” Axl observed, “we've reversed the forward and reverse thrust controls.”
“Can this ship do anything normally?” Ziggy groaned as he frantically tried to correct their course.
After several frantic adjustments, the crew finally managed to point the Galactic Heap in the right direction. But every additional burst of thrust made the ship wobble, bounce, or spin slightly.
“It handles like a shopping cart with three wheels,” Ziggy muttered.
“At least it moves,” Axl said. “Most of the time.”
“Please don't encourage the universe,” Kira sighed.
For a few minutes, the Galactic Heap actually maintained a reasonably straight course.
“I think... we've done it,” Kira said cautiously.
At that exact moment, every warning light began flashing simultaneously.
“No,” Ziggy said simply.
The station began slowly rotating on its own axis.
Toolboxes, screws, and a single coffee cup flew across the cockpit.
“Not again,” Kira groaned.
With a combined effort, they stabilized the ship once more. Then there was silence for a moment.
“We need something else,” Kira finally said. “A powerful burst of thrust that can take us as far as possible.”
“How about a small controlled explosion?” Axl suggested.
“It worries me that this sentence is starting to sound reasonable,” Ziggy muttered.
“Actually, it could work,” Kira said after a moment's thought. “If we time the thrust precisely.”
“And if we don't?” Ziggy asked.
“Then others can learn from our mistake.”
“That doesn't reassure me at all.”
Axl started the countdown while Kira prepared the engines.
“Three... two... one... now!”
A tremendous explosion shook the Galactic Heap. The ship shot through space like a cork while the entire crew desperately grabbed onto anything they could find.
After several turbulent seconds, the flight finally became calmer.
Kira looked at the sensors and smiled with relief.
“We've found a planet.”
“And we're still alive,” Axl added happily.
“I'll take both,” Ziggy said, collapsing exhaustedly into his seat.
As the Galactic Heap slowly set a course toward the small planet, a sense of calm returned to the ship for the first time in a long while. The chaos was far from over — but at least the flying junkyard had found its next destination.