A Deliberate First Step

Static cleared from my eyes. The ambient purple glow from the surrounding consoles hummed steadily in the cool air. I felt the weight of my limbs, rigid until now. Before making any sudden move, I tested the tension in my right gauntlet, slowly curling my fingers into a solid fist, then releasing them. It responded. Carefully shifting my balance, I extended one boot forward across the rocky threshold onto the metallic grid of the command platform. The solid, metallic tap confirmed reality. I stood firm, surveying the illuminated displays.