Getting Down to Business

Writers: Eimi, Emma
Date Posted: 28th May 2011

Characters: K'deren, K'hetah
Description: The Wingleader and Wingsecond have a discussion.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 4 of Turn 6

K'deren

One more hide was added to the pile that K'deren was about to get up and
place on K'hetah's desk. Some he knew he could deal with, but there were
always one or two that needed the signature of the Wingleader, and in this
case - time to give them to him.

The brownrider go to his feet, hides in hand.

"Something you need assistance with?" K'hetah asked as his second
approached. He wasn't the type to like keeping a lot of hidework
around, so he tried to get everything finished the moment it hit his
desk. Procrastination was not something he practiced.

"This little lot," K'deren waved his hand. "Require your attention, and only
a wingleader's signature will do."

"Of course," K'hetah agreed, accepting the hides. He scanned over them
quickly. "What all did you have here, and what actions did you
recommend?" Despite the fact that he was the Wingleader, he had been
working on grooming his seconds to think on their own, so that they
would be prepared if they ended up with a wing of their own. Or an
entire Weyr.

"Those are wing evaluations, you need to read through and countersign them
if you agree. That one at the bottom," K'deren indicated one he'd marked
with a clip, "Belongs to W'lin, I'd read that one carefully because he's
asked for a transfer. I think I've been honest there, but I don't want to
jeopardize his chances if he gets accepted at Dream's End."

K'hetah read over the review quickly. "I think you've done him
justice. He's a good wing rider, but his tardiness can be a challenge
to overcome. I don't think it's enough that it would jeopardize a
transfer, but were you not to mention it the Wingleaders there would
likely be displeased with you for not mentioning it." K'hetah signed
it, before flipping quickly through the rest of the hides. "We still
have yet to do one on S'bario, he's been causing some trouble as of
late. I've noticed he's not focused in drills, and I've seen him out
of position the past two 'Falls. I've taken him aside and mentioned
it, but I think a more formal corrective action needs to be taken."

"Extra drills might be a start," suggested K'deren. "And we could ask the
Wingthird to have an 'off-the-record' chat for now, see if there is anything
bothering him. I'd want to know if it's laziness, or something distracting
him that we could help with." Eleada might get further than either of them
and it might be worth a try.

K'hetah nodded, "I agree. We'll hold off on his evaluation until we
know what the underlying cause of his distraction has been." He signed
one of the other hides and placed it aside. "Extra drills are a
definite though, I don't want him ending up hurting himself or anyone
in the wing because he's distracted. I notice that you said Suranni
has difficulty with authority, what precisely have you seen with her?"
K'hetah had never had issues with the greenrider himself, but they
frequently split up with Wing between the leadership for small drills.

"She's argumentative and very quick to challenge decisions if we change
thing around," he began. "Despite me explaining to her that we all have to
learn to switch places in drills because nobody can predict what will happen
in fall. It worries me that if she was told to make a sudden change during
fall she'd want to discuss it."

"Yes, I don't want that at all. I will try and make a point of asking
her to switch around more during tomorrow's drills. If she isn't
receptive to it, we'll both sit down with her. I think that covers
everyone in the Wing who I have concerns about, unless there's anyone
you've noticed?"

"Not at the moment," K'deren replied.

"Over all, I think we're doing rather well given the fact that the
Weyr is still a bit understrength. I wanted to talk to you about
running some of the full Wing drills next sevenday. I want a bit more
time to watch what is going on instead of directing it, and if we'll
be testing out the weaker members of the Wing, this will be the
perfect sevenday to try."

The brownrider nodded. "It'll give them a real change for once."

"Indeed, if anything forces out bad behaviors, that will. I had
scheduled to try an early morning, full Wing drill in windy
conditions, but you can change it up as you see fit. Just let me know
if you have any questions that I can assist with. I'll do half of the
drill from your normal spot, and half of it from the ground so we can
practice in the event that I were injured," K'hetah said.

"I might try pulling it as a bit of a surprise as well, tell them it's
early, but not how early."

K'hetah grinned, "Call them to drills before they've had a proper meal
in their bellies? Fair enough."

"It'll see who has a problem with authority or not," K'deren returned the
grin.

"Aye, and who can function without their proper morning's klah as
well," K'hetah said with a laugh. "Although it likely won't make you
many friends!"

"When we're leading drills or fall, we aren't their friends," K'deren said.
"Besides, if we give them the afternoon free they'll forgive us. Assuming
they can prove they deserve it of course."

"You'll have no complaints from me over an afternoon off. It's a shame
it's not practical to always drill at night," K'hetah said. "Over a
turn here and I still can't adjust to this incessant heat."

"It takes time, but then I was born around here. Back in the days when it
was Thayan Peak."

"What was it like back then?" K'hetah asked curiously. "It seems so
many of the riders here are transfers like myself."

"It was, easy" said K'deren after a moment, thinking back to his childhood.
"Until the earthquake, it took my mother, and my baby sister. I think I
probably drove my father mad wanting to be involved with his dragon. And
after I had my own Donneth, well then the pass came."

"So much destruction has hit the Southern continent. Plagues,
earthquakes, storms... It seemed so far away when I was in the North,
but it is surprising how different things are as a result."

"We'll make our own way through the pass and if nothing else, our children
will know thread free skies eventually."

"Very true," K'hetah said, musing over the thought of children. He'd
been close to having them once. He shook away the thought. it would do
him no good to dwell on the might have beens. "How are your children?"

"Rondera will get over not impressing, Kedon can't wait to be of age and as
far as I' know from their foster mother's Trievan and Deralie are causing
chaos with the rest of the younglings."

"Rondera is still young yet, I'm sure she'll find her dragon if it's
meant to be," K'hetah said. "Has she or Kedon considered taking a
craft yet? Do they have an aptitude for one?"

"Kedon likes animals, I'm not sure if it'll be the beastcraft itself, or
beasthealing for him. Rondera, well she talks about being a starsmith."

"Both very useful crafts," K'hetah said approvingly. "How do you think
you'd do flying Thread and knowing one of your children was fighting a
few dragonlengths below you?"

"If my father can do it," he replied. "Two of my brothers are in the wings
at River Bluff."

"Being in leadership helps, I would wager," K'hetah said. "You feel
responsible for your wing riders, and you watch them grow and develop.
After you see a few close calls, and lose one or two, you start to
learn how to separate your personal feelings from the matter."

"It takes time though."

Last updated on the May 29th 2011

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Getting Down to Business