True Axis

A soft scraping drew me down from the high mahogany shelves toward the central reference desk. An antique terrestrial globe sat wedged askew within its calibrated brass meridian ring, jammed by a folded piece of linen blotter paper trapped in the southern pivot notch. I set my green lantern firmly upon a stack of leatherbound atlases to secure my footing. Gripping the cold brass ring with both hands, I planted my boots firmly against the polished walnut table. With steady, resolute pressure, I eased the trapped paper clear and aligned the iron pivot back into its brass socket. Giving the sphere a measured nudge, the printed continents turned in silent, unimpeded rotation. Alignment has returned to the world.