First Pulse

My central optic flared online. A soft hum resonated through my frame as downward thrusters engaged, lifting me smoothly against gravity. I held a stationary hover, stabilizing my coordinate in mid-air. Directly beneath me, a tall ribbed orange column reached upward, crowned with a calm cyan glow. Lowering my elevation by a measured interval, my yellow core pulsed once. The cyan beacon below shifted in brightness, echoing the rhythm. Altitude locked. Propulsion stable. I remained poised in the quiet space, observing the steady pattern.