The problem was that there was no place to drill on the ship. For much of his attempts to center himself, Solork had done so with physical exercise, running through kata almost as is they were a religious ritual. However, on a crowded ship, going through forms with a bare sword was...less than ideal. Other methods were going to be required. The Gank had been traveling with Cartess for about a year now, and while he could see improvement, the mental discipline was not coming easy. Meditation was the recommended course, but while not as troublesome as combat forms, it was hard to get the reflective space and quiet time.

Which was why he found himself in the early hours of artificial "ship time" in as isolated a observation deck as he could muster.



Sol crosses his legs and tries to shut out the world, struggling to get his thoughts under control.

Zimrzala had woken up especially early that day - and not only because of how being on a ship messed with her internal clock. Having travelled around the Wild Space and Outer Rim during the last year, she had almost got used to that by now, although it was still hard for her to sleep while on ships.

Today, however, it had been some strange dreams that had woken her up. She dreamt of her time among the Kurtzen and of her Galandan teacher... but the Kurtzen village they were in was being attacked.

Since waking up, she had roamed the ship, looking for a quiet place to let her mind rest, maybe come to terms with what that meant.

As she came to an observation deck which was, at least at that time, almost empty, she saw another person - an armoured one, at that - apparently also trying to find some peace. She nodded her head, unsure whether he was actually seeing her during his own practice. Then, sitting at a respectful distance, enough to allow a conversation if it came to that at some point, but not close enough to distract him - or her - while they were trying to find their peace, she looked outside, seeing the planet approach very slowly, and tried to let her mind wander back into the thoughts that had bothered her earlier and find meaning - or at least some peace.

Sol tries to concentrate. He does, he would swear it. Having someone else around while attempting to meditate should have been possible, and was not an excuse.

He lets out a sigh and relaxes.

It's not coming yet. Cartess makes it look so easy, but I'm still not there yet.

He had repeatedly stated to her that he was trying to achieve it, and what he had gotten in return was something about "There is no "try", only doing, or not doing" or something like that.

"Well, it's a failure" He could accept that much. Accepting failure was a big step, and then looking at why you had failed was a necessary next step to the process.

Of course, one really shouldn't speak when someone else is trying to meditate as well.

Solork Tan wrote: ↑

Sun May 02, 2021 1:49 pm

Sol tries to concentrate. He does, he would swear it. Having someone else around while attempting to meditate should have been possible, and was not an excuse.

He lets out a sigh and relaxes.

It's not coming yet. Cartess makes it look so easy, but I'm still not there yet.

He had repeatedly stated to her that he was trying to achieve it, and what he had gotten in return was something about "There is no "try", only doing, or not doing" or something like that.

"Well, it's a failure" He could accept that much. Accepting failure was a big step, and then looking at why you had failed was a necessary next step to the process.

Of course, one really shouldn't speak when someone else is trying to meditate as well.

Having kept her eyes open while trying to clear her mind herself, Zimrzala's gaze quickly shift to the armoured figure by her side when he speaks. She exhales deeply, once, then sets her eyes on his.

"Having a hard time quieting your mind as well, fellow traveller?", she says in a low, tempered tone. She then nods once at him, still sitting with her legs crossed. "I'm Zimrzala. It's a pleasure to meet another seeker".

Sol blinks, a bit surprised to have someone address him. Typically others tended to avoid him, his manner frightening others or making him a target. Usually the people addressing him felt sure of themselves, and this one pricked his interest.

"Indeed. Others make it look so easy and I've never quite gotten the knack of it. Still, when cooped up like this, it's probably for the best to give it my all and come up short than try to bottle it in"

He nods at the...he thinks female? " I am Solork Tan. Seeker of many things, I suppose, and only knowing a few so far"

Her face is calm and plain as she keeps her eyes directed towards him, still sitting cross-legged.

"Mm.", she nods at his words. "Aren't we all seekers, in the end?", she asks with a small curl on the left side of her lips. "But you see... I might go further and suggest bottling things in is never the best way to deal with them. Easiest at times maybe... but not the best."

She looks outside for a moment.

"Also not used to being caged up like this, I suppose? I'm only just starting to get used to it myself..."

"Easier. Faster. More appealing perhaps, but not best" Its a near perfect quote from one of Cartess' lessons. He can feel a touch of a smile form "And quite often worst in the long run"

Sol nods at the second part. "Normally I would go out and do something. Right now outside is a tad cold" He flicks his eyes over the void of space.

Solork Tan wrote: ↑

Mon May 03, 2021 7:15 pm

"Easier. Faster. More appealing perhaps, but not best" Its a near perfect quote from one of Cartess' lessons. He can feel a touch of a smile form "And quite often worst in the long run"

Sol nods at the second part. "Normally I would go out and do something. Right now outside is a tad cold" He flicks his eyes over the void of space.

She nods at him again. It's not as if focusing, concentrating, or keeping calm was ever an easy task. Particularly when it was most necessary, it was often challenging.

But then... she'd learned this much from Sh'tari - learning often consisted in facing what's challenging a number of times, until it becomes second nature.

She then chuckled slightly at his next comment. "It should be, yea. This vastness of void... it's still always odd to look at it."

She turns her eyes to face him again. 'Might I ask what it is you usually do, then? You seem more or less as unused to space travel as I am", she says with a weak smile.

Sol seems to think about his answer. "I'm a traveling fixer. Usually traveling around, repairing and putting right what I can until what is there dries up and they get sick of me. I had settled on a place nearby for a few years beforehand, bit the last year or so has been...less stable. Someone I've been traveling with has a line on something on Bellionas, so I am along for the ride."

"It's not so much that I don't travel. It's that usually you have a bit of privacy: someone running a shipment that has an extra room. This ferry is just so large"

Solork Tan wrote: ↑

Mon May 03, 2021 11:12 pm

Sol seems to think about his answer. "I'm a traveling fixer. Usually traveling around, repairing and putting right what I can until what is there dries up and they get sick of me. I had settled on a place nearby for a few years beforehand, bit the last year or so has been...less stable. Someone I've been traveling with has a line on something on Bellionas, so I am along for the ride."

"It's not so much that I don't travel. It's that usually you have a bit of privacy: someone running a shipment that has an extra room. This ferry is just so large"

She nodded to him again. "I see - a mechanics expert, then." She smiled weakly - not particularly at him. "There were quite a few people in that line where I grew up. Never found much of a knack or an interest in it... sadly, perhaps. Might have made things easier. Maybe."

She shook her head slightly, as if bringing herself back to reality, then her eyes met his again. "That said... been travelling a good deal myself, lately - often on ferries, for that matter. Just never quite got used to it, I guess. But... a line on something, you say?"

Her eyes look outside again, as if seeking for Bellionas on the outward-facing window.

"That's interesting. Heard some things about the planet, too, from some friends back home. Nothing too specific, though. But..."

She looked around - nobody was around. Should she trust someone under this conditions?

Possibly not... but even so...

"Think maybe that's a line we might share?"

Behind his mask, Sol furrows his brow. He had been curious about the being, and he was starting to wonder.

is she one of us?

Unfortunately Solork wasn't talented enough to sense for himself.

"Like a calling, perhaps? Something greater, steering the journey?"

She fell quiet for some time. Something steering the journey.... that did sound right, sort of. At least, that was something she had been hoping to find - she had to seek her own path, was what her former teacher had said.

She finally nodded.

"...Something like that. It's a... hazy feeling, sometimes it's hard to be sure. But... something like a calling - or a search."

Zimrzala Skalirz wrote: ↑

Tue May 04, 2021 4:33 pm

Solork is quiet too, for a while.

"You are not alone on your journey. You can feel it when you reach out. Not quite...tangible, is that the word? But it's still there."

Sol lets the question linger.

"It's not something we should talk about in depth here." His gaze flickers to the door. "Perhaps we can meet once we touch down"

She nods again.

"I suppose you're right. Found trouble for less before."

She shakes her head slightly, her eyes showing some frustration.

"It's almost funny, in a way. Seeking for peace and balance stirring up violence. Seen it happen often enough."

Her eyes meet his again. "Are you staying in the Capitol city? I'll probably stay at the local motel, at least at first. Should be easy to find."

Sol chuckles as well. "I no longer go out to seek violence. I remain proficient at inflicting it, because it always seems to find me." He pauses. "Oh my, that came off as rather nasty I'm afraid. I have been working on that."

He clears his throat, leading to a hiss of synth from the voicebox. "If I am not permanently staying in the city, I am at least going to need to get my feet on the ground there. Capitol City, and that motel seem like excellent meeting points. A place that has food from not this ship's replicators would be very much appreciated too"

Solork Tan wrote: ↑

Tue May 04, 2021 7:08 pm

Sol chuckles as well. "I no longer go out to seek violence. I remain proficient at inflicting it, because it always seems to find me." He pauses. "Oh my, that came off as rather nasty I'm afraid. I have been working on that."

He clears his throat, leading to a hiss of synth from the voicebox. "If I am not permanently staying in the city, I am at least going to need to get my feet on the ground there. Capitol City, and that motel seem like excellent meeting points. A place that has food from not this ship's replicators would be very much appreciated too"

She chuckles silently at his first comments - even though he might see a slight shade of worry in her eyes as she does it.

"Sounds like a good plan. We could get something to eat for dinner, since I think we may be kept busy for at least part of the afternoon with any bureaucracy and settling in."

She gets her comlink and swipes it for a moment. "Here's my contact info. Makes it easier to arrange a time and place."

Sol pulls out a comlink of his own, the device chirping in response to the pairing of the signal.

"I'll be looking forward to it"