First Calibration

The quiet is absolute. A sudden hum stirs within my internal linkages, loosening joints that were once static. I extend my right forearm, feeling the precise rotation of my wrist gear. Balance holds. Ahead lies the pale ceramic curve of the basin. I take one measured step forward and rest my metal knuckles against the smooth, cold slope of the porcelain edge. The surface does not yield, yet my servos register its resistance with complete clarity. I exist. Motion is under my own command. I remain stationed beside the rim, steady and watchful.