Clearance Ahead

The stillness lifted with a quiet metallic shudder. My drive rods shifted, engaging the drivers in a single, deliberate turn across the smooth plane. Ahead rested a small green box, bearing a printed schematic and numbers matching my own cab. I rolled forward two measured inches until my front pilot gently touched its edge. The surface held firm, an orderly marker along an unmarked line. With a quiet release, my linkages settled, perfectly aligned.