The delegation shuttle docked against the Helix Concord's primary habitat with a soft biological thud rather than a mechanical clang.
The station was alive, its corridors lined with pulsing veins and adaptive membranes that adjusted lighting and air quality based on the number of occupants.
Sabrina walked at the front, her steps measured. Elara fed her real-time data through a narrow, encrypted visual link that showed only outlines and key markers—no full sensory bleed this time.
Aiden and Elizabeth monitored from the Vanguard's secondary command node, their inputs limited to text overlays on Sabrina's retinal display.
The Concord representatives met them in a central atrium where walls breathed slowly, filtering particulates and releasing faint herbal compounds. Lead diplomat Veyra stood out: tall, androgynous, with skin that shifted texture subtly to match ambient humidity.
