Lucky Thirteen by Marko Kloos

A combat dropship pilot in a far-future war is assigned to a craft with a deadly reputation and a string of lost crews, but she gradually forges a bond with the ship’s systems as they pull off increasingly dangerous insertions and extractions under fire. Through hard-won missions and near-fatal engagements, the pair overturn superstition with performance, earning newfound respect from fellow soldiers. When a final, desperate operation pushes them to the brink, the pilot must confront the price of survival and the line between luck, skill, and loyalty.