Vincoria concentrates and senses.

"That initial compression, the one about half-a-millisecond in - is it based on the fourth advanced focussing ritual you described?"

Occlus nods.

"Yes. It takes a moment longer than other methods , but grants superior focus. And once you pick up the trick of it, it is easy to transition to the seventh, in its function as a maintenance of the flow state."

"I see. Can you demonstrate it at slower speed for observation purposes?"

"Tomorrow. For now, I must rest."

"Very well then. I'll practice the fourth and seventh focussing meditations in the meantime."

"Good." One by one, Occlus moves the battered remnants of the droids back into their wall closets. "I will see you back here tomorrow, 1300 hours."

Vincoria is waiting for Occlus when the appointed time arrives. She looks... tired. 

Occlus looks as perky as ever.

"Are you ready to begin?"

Vincoria breaks out into a grin. 

"Yes, I certainly am. I've made significant progress, and I'd like your insights on a further extension of the technique."

"Certainly. What did you have in mind?"

"A target would be appreciated: I've put enough holes in the spare table now that it's poor for demonstration purposes."

Occlus steps to the console and brings forth a training droid.

Vincoria takes two careful steps, gathers herself, and points. 

BANG!

The droid wobbles slightly, but no visible hole appears.

Hm.

"The technique constrained to entirely internal effects?"

"Not quite. Closely inspect the droid's right shoulder."

Occlus steps over and does so.

If she looks from the correct direction, the smooth gleam of the curved surface has a slight imperfection.

That bears closer investigation.

There seems to be a little dust here... No. Powdered metal, around the edge of a hair-fine hole in the droid's shoulder.

What's the remote diagnostic program have to say about this?

It says the hole goes all the way through in a straight line, bisecting the droid's primary shoulder servo and rendering it inoperable. 

"Very neatly done."

"I was fumbling my way towards this technique with my attempt at the sixth focussing ritual, but I was eliding the transition between the initial gathering of focus and its sustainment - which of course resulted in a meditation that was ideal for neither. With the fourth and seventh allowing proper focus, my grasp of the technique is now more comparable to driving a length of monofilament wire into the target point-first."

"I see. Demonstrate it once more?"

Vincoria obliges.