Protocol

Writers: Emma, Jane
Date Posted: 16th October 2009

Characters: K'sedel, Zharesti
Description: K'sedel helps Zharesti with the wording of the letter to invite Candidates from other Weyrs.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 5, day 18 of Turn 5
Notes: People writing for incoming Candidates may have them arriving from m5 d19 onwards.

K'sedel

"Personally I'd just send the letters to the Weyrwomen," Zharesti
admitted as she settled down at a chair beside the Weyrleader's desk
after having spent a few envious moments glancing around the rather tidy
office space he inhabited. She really _must_ get her papers tidied away
... one day. "But I suppose the Weyrleaders' would all kick up a fuss if
we didn't follow the protocol and direct the letters to them as well."

"It would be politically correct to include them," commented K'sedel.
"You never know when we might need to call on another Weyr for something."

"Hmm," the new Weyrwoman said, her expression reflecting her speculative
thoughts. "River Bluff has those sorts of problems, do they?" Some Weyrs
did seem to suffer disaster after disaster, while others seemed to avoid
them all. "Cyclones - hurricanes? You get them, I know."

"It's part and parcel of our location. Still the weather here is better
than at Dragonsfall, I'm not sure I'd stand the months of cold they have
there."

Zharesti's previous home was a high mountain Weyr and so the thought of
long, snow-filled months concerned her far less than the possibility of
hurricanes. "Where were you before here, K'sedel? Dream's End was it?"

"That's right. But weyrborn at Thayan Peak, my father was a dragonrider
even if my mother did choose to take me back to the Farmcraft Hall."

"So weyrbred but craft raised?" That couldn't have been easy Turns ago
before dragonriders again became a necessity for Pern. "How old were you
when you came back to the Weyr?"

"I was eighteen, it was just after the plague, and my wife..." His voice
trailed off. "She didn't make it and I couldn't stay with the Hall, it
was too painful."

"I'm sorry to hear about your loss. Was your father still alive when you
returned?"

"He was, and he encouraged me to stand. I don't even think it was three
months after my return that Nikornath found me."

Zharesti thought that must have helped with the young man's grief but
didn't say so. "And here you are now, Weyrleader. Have you written this
sort of letter before? For Tabanirth's clutches. Probably didn't need to
for Vilarth's, I suppose," the Weyrwoman added, making a mental note to
work on the younger goldrider before her gold next rose.

"Occasionally," he said. "There's a knack to it."

"All right. Let's see how it's done," she said, picking up his pen off
his desk and handing it to him.

And so K'sedel began, speaking aloud as he wrote. " To Weyrwoman Kapera
and Weyrleader T'mahl, greetings."

"Hmm. Dragonsfall. _They_ let us have their Candidates?"

"Politically correct to include them, and they did send some youngsters
to Dolphin Cove not that long ago. They might be open to the idea."

"Good. So, 'To Weyrwoman Kapera and Weyrleader T'mahl'. Have you seen
much of him?" Zharesti asked with a frown. She didn't know the man
better than by sight, which in itself was unusual, and hadn't heard much
from him or about him since his bronze won Riyanth's flight.

"Barely," replied K'sedel. "All I know is that he wasn't expected to win
the flight."

That statement made the goldrider smile. "I don't suppose your son was
expected to win Tabanirth's last flight, either. No matter. What would
you say next in this carefully crafted request?"

"How about..." He thought for a moment, "We hope that things are going
well for you and your latest class of weyrlings. And weyrlings is why
this letter is being written. Veyeth's clutch will hatch soon, and we
hope to provide her hatchlings with the widest selection of candidates
possible."

"Hmm. Or - 'And _future_ weyrlings are the reason for this letter'. How
about that? But otherwise good. And we must say we want the Candidates
right away. They need time to get used to this place before they
Impress, if they're going to. Nothing worse than making weyrlings adjust
to more than they have to in the first days of their new lives."

"I like that," K'sedel amended the wording as he wrote. "If you have any
such candidates who would like the opportunity and are able to transfer
to River Bluff, we would appreciate this fact being communicated to them."

She waved her hand to indicate he should continue. "And the bit about
them being sent here right away."

"Along with the fact that we would provide transport as soon as possible
in order to allow them time to settle in."

"Yes," she said, pleased with that. "Anything else we need to say?"

"I'd imagine that the usual pleasantries and courtesies need to go in
there, as well as telling them that we would of course return the favour
should they need us to."

"Y-yes. I suppose we have to do that," the Werywoman said slowly. She as
a natural hoarder and would have kept her Candidates for her own Weyr's
clutches if she could, regardless of the unfairness of that. "All right
then. Do you want me to write it out again without all the scribblings?
And send it off to - which Weyrs do you ask? Dragonsfall and Dolphin
Cove I know about. Any others?"

"If you wouldn't mind." K'sedel thought for a moment. "Try sending it to
Far Island and Dream's End as well. They may have some slightly older
candidates there who might appreciate an extra chance on the sands."

"All right." Zharesti got to her feet. "Thank you for your help. I'll
bring them back when they're done so you can add your signature to mine."

"I'll look forward to it, and the responses we get."

"And to the Candidates arriving," the Weyrwoman said with a nod. _That_
would be the result that mattered.

Last updated on the October 17th 2009

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Protocol