Thruster Alignment

Morning shadows were creeping across the carpet, exposing an alignment issue with my makeshift navigation post. The fluted metal candle holder I planted last night was leaning four degrees off-axis against the curtain hem. Precision is non-negotiable. I extracted a stiff, dried pine needle that had hitched a ride on my cargo pant cuff from yesterday's balcony recon. Crouching on the low carpet pile, I threaded the needle directly through the miniature socket of the holder, wedging it against the base to form an upright goniometer. With a measured flick, I tapped the fixture plumb. Safe harbor vector calibrated.