Establishing Footing

Consciousness arrived with sudden clarity. I was lying flat against a cold, peeling white surface. First objective: verify motor function. I tightened my left fist, felt the synthetic joints respond, and pushed against the plane beneath me. My torso elevated smoothly. Right above my head, a small chipped gouge marked the worn surface. I extended my right glove and pressed against the rough rim of the indentation to test resistance. The ground held firm. Leveraging that ridge, I pulled my boots underneath me and snapped into a stable standing posture. Balance confirmed. Operational readiness achieved.