Public A Meditative Retreat

[Ran Serys]

As the Spiran sun came up over the horizon, Ran watched it for as long as she could. She watched it until it was high in the sky, then she closed her eyes, lowered her glareshades, and laid back. Under the sun's rays the sand beneath her warmed while the water that crashed against the shore stayed cool. The wind pushed tiny clusters of ocean spray toward her. They landed on her exposed legs, stomach, arms, and face, anywhere her swimsuit did not cover. As the other beachgoers fled the cold spray, Ran embraced it and focused on it. The refreshing sensation of cold mist combatting the burning sensation of the sun's rays that made Ran begin to sweat.

Through the force she watched her surroundings, and began to meditate. She lost herself in the crashing of waves and the heat of the sand. After a while she could sense any movement below the surface, small wildlife burrowing in the sand and shifting it. The vibrations of it were so small and imperceivable to anyone but those in touch with the force. She felt the currents of the ocean and the marine life traveling upon them, using them for efficiency or swimming against them for others. A flock of the native avian species flew overhead and Ran's mind followed them. The sky was not unlike the ocean, a mirror but only on the surface. Ran was in tune with her surroundings, not just experiencing them, she became a part of them. She wondered if she could commune with the entire planet, and that is when she fell from focus and let herself go from meditation. All things were possible in the force, but just because they were didn't mean they should be. The thought lingered in Ran's mind as she sat up.

She opened her eyes and found that few had returned in the face of the cold spray, yet still she was not alone on the Spiran beach.

OPEN​

 

[Tigris]

Tigris felt a bit like a piece of flotsam floating on the unseen energies of the galaxy. Still without a master, Tigris continued to learn. Both at the Jakku Enclave and then on Coruscant, the former Darksider studied. Her hopes were to visit New Cov as well, or even the rumored Shadow Temple. Instructors had sensed her frustration, and practically ordered her to find respite. A place away where she could nurture her connection to the Light using the techniques she had learned.

So, there she was, on that beach. The movement of large bodies of water had always had an affect on Tigris. Their powerful rhythms, steady and unchanging, yet so fluid, resonated within her. Already, the steady crash of the surf against the shore lured her away from distractions and frustrations, even as the warm sun heated up her tattooed skin.

She dressed for the heat, a simple light fabric garment of burnt orange, a piece in front that hung to her knees and one in back, both tucked into a light belt, covering her modesty but leaving her legs bared almost to her waist. A sleeveless top of the same gossamer material was wrapped lightly around her with a sash. Already, the brisk mist of the surf dampened the garment, but Tigris didn't mind ts cooling effect.

Her attention had been captured by a figure resting in the sand. The hue of the woman's skin and the facial tattoos identified her as Mirial. This prodded the memory of visiting the Jedi Archives once, where she saw a very similar tall woman addressing several archivists. It was strange to find such a woman meditating on a beach, but Tigris was certain it was Ran Serys, the Chief Archivist and Council member.

Tigris padded quietly to a spot in the sand a respectful distance from the Knight. Her attention focused inward and away from the archivist. Almond eyes closed grounding herself in the sand, while focusing on the unwavering pulse of the surf. The sounds of other beach goers and sea birds faded in turn. Then, Tigris reached out with the Force.