Stance Checked

Internal servos engaged with a faint hum. My joints locked into balance across the smooth grain of the wood floor. Directly ahead stood another figure, frozen mid-motion beneath the metal chair legs. I did not strike. Instead, I carefully shifted my center of gravity back half an inch, easing tension in my right arm. My fingers closed slightly, testing deliberate articulation. The room remained completely quiet. No threat registered; only stillness. I lowered my guard by a measured fraction, maintaining position to observe.