The Weyrlingmaster Conference

Writers: Devin, Duskdog, Estelle, Halyonix, Shawna, Steel
Date Posted: 1st September 2026

Characters: R'lor, T'lonas, Viseya, M'talis, B'der, Sh'rane
Description: The Weyrlingmasters hold a conference to discuss teaching all weyrlings about the ability to go /between/ times.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 6 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: M'gan, Q'vettan, N'vanik, H'taysh (not by name)

R'lor

T'lonas

R'lor took another sip of klah, though the stimulant was unlikely to help calm his nerves. The Dolphin Cove Council Chamber was full of Weyrlingmasters, including M'talis, the man he'd served under at Rising Moons. He'd passed R'lor over for promotion again and again, believing even the Weyrlingmaster Third role should go to a bronze or brownrider over a bluerider. M'talis was sure to be upset by this proposal.

T'lonas and Viseya were supporting him, though, and hopefully some of the others would be more open-minded -- or at least see that the feline was out of the bag and it was better to teach this in a controlled manner rather than letting blue and greenriders find out through rumor and gossip.

}:You should not worry about him. You are equals now,:{ Kularth said with his typical confidence.

Drawing strength from his dragon, R'lor started the meeting. "Thank you all for coming. As some of you may have heard, there have been some incidents of riders going /between/ times recently, without permission from the Weyrleadership. In the hopes of preventing future incidents and emphasizing the dangers of timing it, both Dolphin Cove and Barrier Lake will be teaching all weyrlings, regardless of dragon color, about this ability. I am proposing that all the other Weyrs strongly consider doing the same."

There was a grunt from the Weyrlingmaster of Dream's End, Sh'rane. "And spend the next Turn dealing with dumbass blue and greenriders who decided they know better than the warnings? That knowledge was kept from them for a reason."

"I have to say, I'm in agreement with Sh'rane." B'der put in with just the faintest hint of a complaint. Far Island's Weyrlingmaster did not look pleased. "Going between times was banned for a /reason/. Why should we just hand out that knowledge now? What would it change except getting them all worked up over nothing?"

A few more objections were heard before a voice cut in with the authority of one of the longer-serving Weyrlingmasters of the South, and a hint of derision. "Let's hear him out, shall we?" M'talis paused, surveying the room before his gaze returned to R'lor, and his pale blue eyes fixed the bluerider with the contemptuous stare that his weyrlings - and his subordinates - had come to dread. "I assume your Weyrleader is behind this suggestion?"

R'lor fought the urge to wilt under that stare. "Weyrleader N'vanik ordered that all the blue and greenriders be taught the dangers of going /between/ times after bronzerider M'gan disregarded the rules and came back to our time months after he intended to. And a young greenrider at Barrier Lake accidentally timed it, which has led Weyrleader Q'vettan to direct the weyrlingstaff to teach all weyrlings about the ability." He nodded toward Viseya. "As much as we may wish to contain this information, word is already spreading. I think it would be wise to teach the young blue and greenriders in a controlled manner, rather than having them hear about timing it through gossip."

Viseya nodded, "Our next class will be taught, so it's up to the rest of you to discuss with your Weyrleaders whether you want to follow suit, or wait until your riders hear it through gossip or from a transfer. If that happens, you probably will have 'dumbass blue and green riders' trying it," she fixed Sh'rane with a look, "but you really shouldn't be so hard on yourself. I'm sure you're not so incompetent that more than half the riders you train are idiots after you're done." Her smile wasn't warm.

T'lonas didn't have to smile or try not to smile at Viseya's pointed barb, because he was already smiling at nothing in particular, as he often was. It was a useful habit sometimes. "Not knowing what quicksand is doesn't stop you from sinking into it, unfortunately, and not knowing a pan is hot doesn't stop it from burning you if you touch it. Keeping this information from our riders doesn't prevent timing from happening -- it only ensures that they're confused and frightened if it does. And, as I'm sure you're all aware, confused and frightened riders die. I'm astonished that Barrier Lake's young man made it back in one piece, honestly. I am no longer content with sending most of my weyrlings out into the skies ignorant of something powerful and dangerous that could harm them accidentally. Dragonsfall will also be teaching every weyrling from here on out."

R'lor had to control his expression at Viseya's comment, shocked that she would say that to a room full of bronze and brownriders, though a small part of him wanted to laugh. Hearing T'lonas's firm support made him ease a little.

If Viseya's rebuff brought a cool scowl to Sh'rane's face, T'lonas's backing of the idea had the other bronzerider rolling his eyes and getting up. "Then I don't see why you summoned us here when you could have clearly just relayed your decisions through your dragons. Is there anything worth our trip out to here to actually discuss or were you looking for praise from your elders?"

"Whatever their reasons," M'talis said sourly, speaking over R'lor before the bluerider could respond, "now we're here, we might as well decide how we're going to handle this mess Dolphin Cove has made for us. The way green and blueriders get about, it won't be long before word reaches our Weyrs, and then our weyrlings. I suppose we'll have to tell them something. As little as possible, in my view."

"Well we'll have to tell them _something_, now." B'der groused in agreement, with a shake of his head. "Nothing to be done for it. Wherry's out of the bag." he sighed. "Maybe we just tell'em how stupid it is to try? Or not to try? Not sure how well common sense'd work on a green or blue."

R'lor was quietly fuming and that last comment was too much. "The incident with M'gan shows that bronzeriders don't automatically have more common sense than blues or greens."

Viseya was not quiet about her fuming. "If your green and blue riders lack common sense, gentlemen, then the fault lies with their teachers. If none of you feel up to the task of educating your students, perhaps it's time to turn your knots over to a more competent staff. I'll let my Weyrleader know of your concerns so he can pass them along to his compatriots."

"You do that," Sh'rane said as he began shrugging into his jacket, thoroughly unconcerned with whatever decision they made. Weyrs were autonomous. Dream's End could decide what to do on their own.

The Rising Moons Weyrlingmaster shot them both another chilly, thin-lipped look. "If you're going to call a meeting, R'lor, you ought at least to be able to keep the participants under control. Shows a distinct lack of preparation." He pushed back his chair, preparing to leave. "If our green and blue weyrlings must know, then they'll be told it's strictly forbidden. Discipline will do the rest."

"Seconded." B'der not quite complained. "Honestly you could have almost just sent word along through your dragons."

R'lor's jaw tightened. "I have enough respect for my fellow Weyrlingmasters to discuss something this important in person. And I will be making it clear to _all_ my weyrlings that this is dangerous and forbidden, just as I have done when it was limited to gold, bronze, and brown."

"On that note," Viseya pulled out a small stack of papers, "We've taken the liberty of compiling a list of known Timing incidences that resulted in misfortune. I think it will be best to focus on the disasters that can befall someone who doesn't heed the warnings. Barrier Lake Weyrhold is too new to have many, but the other Weyrs," she nodded at T'lonas and R'lor, "had a few, and my Weyrleader remembered a few from Igen's records. Those of you who stayed to the end of our presentation are welcome to a copy. I came prepared," she shot a smirk towards the door the others had exited from. "If any of you can think of any good examples of the dangers, I'd appreciate you forwarding some notes on the incidents along to help us tweak our lesson plans. The biggest challenges will be adapting the lessons to larger groups rather than nearly one on one, but I'm sure we'll find a way to make it work." She pushed the stack of papers to the center of the table, letting the others choose to take them, or not. "Now, unless you have anything else?" She glanced at R'lor, "I'd like to get home before curfew."

"Thank you," R'lor said with real feeling. Then he looked around the room. "And thank you all for coming and discussing this serious matter."

Last updated on the September 13th 2026

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

The Weyrlingmaster Conference