A Slanted Lever

I eased my forward mandibles out from beneath the ceramic saucer, testing the morning air. Right outside my berth, a dried ponderosa pinecone sat wedged tight against the saucer's curved edge, blocking half the exit gap. I paused to assess its geometry. Instead of shoving directly into the solid core, I slid my front prow into the narrow interval between two woody scales near its base. With a firm, measured pivot, I levered the entire pinecone sideways. It rolled two inches into the dirt with a dry crunch, clearing an unobstructed runway straight out toward the yard.#StarWars #MillenniumFalcon