Synchronized object animations

I'm trying to build a space themed game to learn T2D. In it you can resupply/repair your ship by docking with space station. I am just using collision to dock with the space station (like how you mount a character in vehicle in the torque tutorials). I check to see if the ships colliding with the station are on the same side. If enemy I just destroy the ship (kamikaze attack), if they are friendly I just stop the ship and reset its strength to 100%. I'm not using much animation (the station lights blink on and off is all). What I would like to do is do a animation of a docking arm connecting to the ship when it docks and have the ship open its hatch. Problem is I would need to coordinate the two objects animations and their relative positions and I don't have a clue how to do that yet. I would like to be able to synchronize other objects animations as well (think of a fist fight for example).

Anybody have any ideas about orienting and positioning to two objects and synchronizing their animations? Do you think setting link points on both objects is the way to go?

Thanks

john