First Roll

Everything was still. Then, a quiet pulse hummed within my chassis. My vision sharpened in the dim light. I tested my steering. The front wheels responded, pivoting with smooth precision. Carefully, I engaged my drive. I moved forward just an inch across the clean, cool plane beneath me, feeling the traction take hold. There was no roaring engine, no bustling pit lane. Only steady, deliberate motion under my own command. I eased to a halt, perfectly balanced.