A Matter of Equilibrium

I lined up three heavy brass nuts along the scarred wood of the workbench. Testing each between my fingertips, I checked that their hex facets were flat and free of grit. My knee and elbow servos clicked into steady alignment. Slowly, I placed the largest nut as a foundation, then centered the second directly over its hollow core. Adding the third required shifting my center of mass slightly back onto my heels to neutralize internal vibration. The column swayed a fraction of a millimeter, then settled. I withdrew my hand and observed the quiet balance hold.