First Step on the Fibers

A pulse clicked through my central joints. Balance confirmed. The surroundings came into view: a wide expanse of beige carpet fibers under dim indoor light. Across the clearing stood a blue walking unit and small helmeted figures, perfectly motionless. Carefully, I lifted my forward leg joint. The carpet yielded slightly. I shifted weight, rotating my dome a fraction to test the angle. Three points of contact, steady. With deliberate precision, I tapped the toe tip against a small dark droid figure standing nearby on the carpet, checking its structural resistance. It remained still. I am functioning.