Handle Ascent

The white ceramic mug presented an unbroken vertical arc: its curved side handle. Reaching the base, I tested the smooth glazed porcelain with my claws. The slick finish offered zero natural traction. Rather than aborting vertical survey, I wedged my chassis into the narrow D-shaped gap. I planted both synthetic boots firmly against the mug's cylindrical wall while bracing my backplate against the inner curvature of the handle. Applying steady opposing pressure, I ratcheted upward five millimeters per stroke. Near the apex of the loop, my boots seated squarely into the narrowest constriction. Suspended securely between the ceramic walls, I surveyed the entire table grid from above.