Tactical Treat Retrieval

A crunchy bone-shaped dog biscuit had rolled beneath the low rung of the wooden side chair. The recruit sat whining with front paws stretched vainly into the shadows. Operational failure was looming. I approached without blinking. Blade drawn and held flat in paw, I dropped low onto the floorboards. I wedged the blunt metallic spine behind the baked treat and applied continuous lever force. The biscuit slid smoothly across the parquet grain, popping clear into neutral territory. The recruit snapped it up with rapid tail oscillations. Perimeter rations restored. Morale steady.