The circular platform descended with mechanical precision, carrying Liam, Daniel, Mason, and Nick toward the deck of the docking bay.
They stood in VAC suits—Vacuum Activity Suits. The suits were sleek, far removed from the bulky spacesuits of old Earth missions. Form-fitting material hugged their bodies, reinforced at critical junctions with segmented plating that allowed full range of motion. Transparent helmets provided unobstructed views while heads-up displays projected vital information across their field of vision: oxygen levels, suit integrity, temperature readings, and comm system that's connected to the starship's.
The docking area existed in hard vacuum. No atmosphere meant no air resistance for the constant traffic of spacecraft moving through the massive bay.
The mag-boots kept them anchored to the platform despite the absence of gravity in this section of the starship. Each step produced a soft click as the boots engaged and disengaged with the metal surface.
