Noticing that just now?

Happily, I am fluent in Trek-Rationalization. One transportee was probably shunted through the buffer network to a different transporter room for reception. Or maybe the pads merely represent "targets" but a volume the size of the chamber is fair game, especially if the transportee is carrying a communicator (as most were).

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Bob Portnell, Sparks, Nevada
NAR #87762, NARTREK Silver, Not an actual Silver Snoopy awardee
"Flying Like It's 1980"