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drive-spine-repair
The OOB's failing drive spines necessitate stopping at a specialized repair hub, highlighting the technological dependencies and vulnerabilities of space travel.
1 chapter across 1 book
A Fire Upon the Deep (2002)Vernor Vinge
Chapter 36
The chapter details the OOB ship's critical need for drive spine repairs, prompting a stop at Harmonious Repose, a long-inhabited, polyspecific system known for ship outfitting and repair. The crew navigates political tensions surrounding a militant human opposition group called the Alliance for the Defense, while carefully disguising their human presence to avoid conflict. Upon arrival, they dock at Saint Rihndell's Repair Harbor, a massive ring structure bustling with activity, and prepare for their first contact and negotiations for repairs.