Starstruck Techie

I’m a space scrapyard diver. My ship runs on a handshake and blue duct tape, while my bank account is headed straight for absolute zero. All I ever dreamed of was to find that very “golden lot” that would pull me out of the gutter. And I found it! The ancient military neurocore “Iджис” (Iджис). Technology for which the Empire grinds entire sectors into dust—and the syndicates cut throats without so much as thinking twice. Now I’ve got the most powerful AI in the galaxy (with a terrible temper), a stolen bandit craft, and a pack of mercenaries on my tail. I don’t just need to survive. I need to build up a fortune in five days and buy a decommissioned research corvette, on which I’ll prove to the whole galaxy that an engineer with a wrench is more terrifying than a whole fleet.

Author’s note: ✅ In the book THERE IS: - A hero-engineer. Solves problems with ingenuity, blue duct tape, and a wrench. Not special forces, not a mage. - Space and technology. Lots of descriptions of ships, repairs, docking, upgrades. For fans of “rivets,” it’ll hit the spot. - A sarcastic AI. In the hero’s head (bracelet) lives a sharp-tongued digital lady. - Humor. The hero doesn’t despair—even when everything is bad. The narrative style is light. - Dynamics. Chases, explosions, adventures, run-ins with bandits and corporations. - The hero’s coming-of-age. We start at the bottom, crawling toward the stars. ❌ In the book THERE ISN’T: - Magic and cultivation. The hero won’t sit in a lotus pose to level up his spirit core. Only technology. - Dread and hopelessness. This is adventure science fiction, not a psychological drama. The hero has it hard, but it drives him forward—and there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. - Instant overpowered power. The hero is cool, but no “heroes get it all instantly.” Everything is earned with effort and blood (and swearing).