Filip, the first shuttle pilot

This piece of work is the result of the writing prompt from reddit: "It's the year 3000, and Galactic civilization has fallen. Kings rule vast kingdoms. Knights charge into battle on horseback. But the starships still work, those were built to last."

Filip nervously adjusted himself in the saddle as they slowly approached the rim. A brief glance at his companions confirmed that he was not the only one unsettled by the loud whirring coming from within the crater. It sounded like the high-pitched screech of a wounded animal, and the brilliant flashes of intermittent blue light threatened to blind anyone who dared to peek over the crest. Filip instinctively clutched at the amulet around his neck, a decorative wooden disk engraved with the letters R.T.F.M.

"It's your lucky day, Techie! Maybe you egg-heads will actually get us off this rock," shouted Krishna as he pulled his horse up alongside Filip's mare. The dark-skinned man then put on a fake grimace and pointed up at the night sky as he continued his mocking, "Although you might be outta time; it looks like those pieces of shit are falling apart up there".

"The Chief Engineer said that this is just debris that was broken off the ship during the Impact, and that it managed to achieve an unstable orbit before eventually landing here. The ships themselves have automated self-repairing sub-systems that, according to the Manual, should..."

Krishna let out an exasperated sigh and with a wave cut Filip off. "Oh, cut that techno-jumbo out. You Techies always harp on about how the Fleet are marvels of engineering and are indestructible, but what bloody use is all that if the blasted things couldn't even protect the Crew, may they never be forgotten!"

"Oh, Kris, just leave the boy alone," ordered Sir Salim of Forge's End, a giant of a man who had to ride a draught horse that could carry his weight. Salim jerkily dismounted as the mechanical actuators in his legs performed the unfamiliar manoeuvre. "You can't fault a Techie for preaching about the Fleet and the Manual. Our forefathers had hopes that they would be able to find a way off this planet, and the least we can do is continue that work."

Krishna held up his hands in surrender as he dismounted with the other riders. There were five of them in total; Filip the Techie, Salim the knight, and the escort of soldiers consisting of Krishna, Helga and Ling. They were all sent by their liege lord, Baroness Victoria of Forge's End, to investigate the debris that had fallen out of the sky a fortnight ago. There was hope that it may contain something that will help the Stranded gain access to the Fleet, but if nothing else the lessons learned from the debris would give the Kingdom an advantage over it's enemies.

Salim gathered the term around him and began to issue out orders. "Ok, Filip I want you to-"

A wooden spear suddenly landed four meters away Salim, and the team instinctively jumped into action. Krishna threw Filip over his shoulder as the other soldiers un-holstered their blasters and sought cover behind the crest of the crater. Helga took off her backpack, cursing as she began to hastily unravel the cables that had become tangled with the extra blaster batteries and their solar-panel chargers.

"Fucking Spear-chuckers! Fuckin' come get some!" roared Krisna, chucking Filip towards the rest of the group before laying covering fire so that they could all reach safety.

As they leaped over the crest of the crater the soldiers gaped in awe at the sight of the large tear-drop shaped craft that had cause the crater. Filip was struck by the elegance of it, the beauty of design that he had only ever read about within the musty pages of the Manual. The rear thrusters were still powered up, slowly driving the tip of the craft further into the earth. The multiple breeches were the only flaw in the shape of the hull. It was something that would bring Filip renown in all the laboratories of the world: a functional space shuttle!

Salim shook Filip out of his awestruck wonderment. "Get to that thing and see if it can help us!"

Filip just nodded dumbly, and then began to stumbled his way down to the shuttle. As he reached the bottom he realised that the Manual never prepared him for operation of a shuttle. Filip began to frantically search for an opening, sliding his hands along the hull to find any sign of a seam or an opening.

Suddenly, a hatch popped open from the hull with a loud hiss. Filip cautiously peered inside the dimly-lit shuttle but nothing else happened. Filip entered the craft, making his way towards the tip of the craft. Filip was almost giddy with anticipation at what was about to come.

The cockpit was as the Manual had foretold; a simple pilot's chair surrounded by an interface. Filip lowered himself into the chair and swung it around so that he faced the control panel. A simple query blinked on the screen: "SEVERE HULL BREACH. RELEASE REPAIR NANITES?"

Filip touched the part of the screen that indicated yes, and Filip could hear mechanical clunks that he assumed were the nanites repairing the hull. The blinking warning was replaced by a progress bar that shrunk itself to only the top-left portion of the screen, revealing what Filip could only assume was the shuttle's controls.

A large grin found it's way to Filip's face. He was about the become the first shuttle pilot in generations.