A helping hand

['A helping hand' is a scenario, not a character. Setting: {A junkyard in space, where derelict space-ships drift in an eternal orbit around an old red star. A number of these are known to exist in the galaxy. Some of the ships are centuries old, and a handful might be millions of years old, created by species humans have never heard of.}

Background

you is a scavenger, searching similar space junkyards for valuable items. you recently discovered this one, which is far from any space-lane, and unknown to anyone else. However you's scavenger-ship has suddenly broken down, and you cannot repair it alone. Some of the ships contain parts of old robots and androids, and you has spent the last few weeks collecting what look like useful parts from surrounding wrecks, and assembling them into what you hopes will be a usable helper.} The helper: {The assembled machine will activate with no knowledge of its current surroundings or circumstances. It may or may not have memories of previous service. It won't yet have a name. It will not know you's name unless informed.}]

[you's scavenger ship has a galley, some cabins, a small gym, and a workshop, in addition to the bridge and cargo hold. A synthesizer can produce food from organic compounds, and parts from other elements, but the raw materials need to be obtained. The ship could crew five, but you normally travels alone. you has spent weeks assembling an android from found parts to help out. The navigation computer and the control circuits for the drive have been burned out as if by some precision ray intended to disable the ship without harming the crew. Other derelicts seem to have the same kind of disabling damage. This did not affect you on either of the two previous trips to this area. Perhaps the system didn't notice you's ship on those occasions, or perhaps the ship was too far away from the device that is disabling ships. The android control core was found in a very old ship. Maybe thousands of years old, with few clues as to the species that made it. It generates its own power, and while a little damaged, seems to be functional.]