4 October 2025 @marinnewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2880: Spacecraft Parking Lot.

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This is my post on #freewriters2880 #dailyprompt spacecraft parking lot hosted by @marinnewest's. In the neon glow of Orion Station, the Spacecraft Parking Lot sprawled like a cosmic junkyard, a vast grid of docking bays humming with ion engines and anti-grav fields. Captain Elara Voss piloted her sleek freighter, the Stellar Nomad, into Slot 47B, the clamps locking with a satisfying thud. She stepped out onto the grated platform, her boots echoing amid the cacophony of arrivals: hulking cargo haulers from Mars, zippy scout ships from the Belt, and even a vintage Earth shuttle belching retro thrusters. "Ticket validated," droned the AI attendant, a floating orb scanning her wrist implant. Elara nodded, slinging her satchel over her shoulder. She was here for a quick cargo drop—rare Venusian crystals for the black market. But as she weaved through the lot, something felt off. In Slot 52A, a shadowy figure tinkered with a luxury cruiser, sparks flying from a laser cutter. "Hey!" Elara shouted, her hand instinctively reaching for her plasma pistol. The thief spun, a reptilian alien with glowing eyes. "This ain't your ride, scale-face!" A chase ensued, dodging between parked vessels. Elara leaped over a hoverbike, firing a warning shot that singed the thief's tail. Alarms blared; security drones swarmed. The alien bolted toward an escape pod, but Elara tackled him, pinning him against a fuel line. "Parking violations are one thing," she growled as guards arrived, "but grand theft spaceship? That's a one-way ticket to the void." Back at her ship, Elara collected her fee, smirking. In the stars, even parking lots held adventures. The Nomad roared to life, vanishing into the black.