life-tender

In the Murderbot Diaries, the life-tender is an archaic, diamond-shaped escape pod from a long-delisted colony ship, serving as a rudimentary mobile habitat with basic navigation, propulsion, and life-support systems. It first appears in Fugitive Telemetry as a hidden refuge that can form temporary airlocks on compatible hatches but struggles with minimal power, leading to condensation and making it hard to locate without its transponder tuned to an obsolete channel. Though it sees limited use across the series, the life-tender represents a gritty, low-tech survival tool in a universe of advanced SecUnits and corporate vessels, ultimately aiding discreet escapes and off-grid operations for Murderbot and its allies. Its presence underscores themes of obsolescence and resourcefulness, proving that even forgotten relics can become vital when cutting-edge technology fails or draws too much attention.