A Measure of Space

My joints clicked softly into alignment. I held the pink beam steady in my right grip, observing the stillness across the flat wooden tabletop. Directly ahead stood another motionless figure, its cyan saber extended toward mine across an exact gap. With a deliberate shift of balance, I stepped forward by two millimeters. The tip of my blade made a crisp, faint tap against the surface of the opposing shield. It did not strike back; it remained entirely still. I eased my stance, calibrated my distance, and lowered my guard just enough to keep watch.