Its Time

Writers: Clancey, Paula
Date Posted: 9th March 2015

Characters: J'darin, G'nir
Description: J'darin makes it official.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 18 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Devyn, E'naer, D'kere, Saibra, T'mahl, T'moran, D'wrayt, K'ran

J'darin

G'nir

He had asked for this meeting, but was now struggling with going through
with it. He still had a few minutes, but he was pacing in his soon to be
vacated office, looking at all the shambles of his work with the weyrlings.

So many Turns of caring for them, training them, loving them. Bearing
their pains, his own pains, sharing their triumphs, supporting them in
failures. So many colors beyond the 5 colors of the dragons they rode, so
many different faces and personalities.

He would never forget a single one.

}:We will fight Thread instead. It is good. :{ A bass rumble came from
the vicinity of the weyr he shared with Devyn and he couldn't hold back a
faint smile. Hasaarth had enjoyed training babies, but he was a fighting
dragon and in his prime. He wanted to fly with the rest of the Weyr.

To be truthful, he would lead the Weyr if he won Chioneth. He burned with
it, at times, though he mostly seemed content with their lives together.

}:I am content to flame Thread. It is what we were meant to do. If we are
together, then that is all that matters. :{

Simple, to Hasaarth.

As always, the strength of his dragon's love bore him up out of self doubt
and he stepped out of his office, and headed toward G'nir's.

It wasn't far, and he was soon knocking at his Weyrleader's door.

"Enter!" G'nir called. His desk was meticulously organized, as usual. Each
hide was in a neat pile, each pile representing different types of
hidework. If he wasn't using writing equipment, they were stored in a old
clay vase. A shapeless, unidentifiable object made of yarn and cloth sat on
a honorary place on his desk. It was a recent gift from his daugher, she
had made it herself. He had been told it was stuffed dragon. It was only
piece of personal belongings in his office.

J'darin entered respectfully and tipped his head to his Weyrleader.
"Hello G'nir." He noted the neatness and spared a moment's chuckle at the
polar opposite that would be his own desk. Maybe that is why he and G'nir
had always been rivals of a sort.... neither could abide the other's desk.

Jerking himself firmly back to the present, he went on, "Thank you for
seeing me, sir. I would like to talk to you about my future here at
Dragonsfall." An eyebrow arched as he settled himself into a chair across
from his Weyrleader, catching sight of the yarn ...shape... on his desk as
he did.

"My daughter made it, it's supposed to be Nirreth," G'nir said, sounding
bit defensive. J'darin had such effect on him. "And what about your
future?" he asked, pulling his attention to business at hand.

An eyebrow raised but he smiled. "A good likeness." He couldn't resist
poking the man, though the biggest poke was coming.

"My future.... I would like my future here to not include being the
Weyrlingmaster. Its time for me to step down and let someone new take
care of the babies. I'm too emotionally attached .... "He paused, looking
far off and thoughtful for a moment. "I'll stay until these Senior
Weyrlings graduate, but then let D'kere and E'naer take the younger class
until you can find a replacement. I'll help out if need be, but its time
....." another pause, this one laden with meaning. "... time to fly in
the Wings again."

G'nir decided to ignore the jibe. "Are you sure about this?" he asked when
he heard what J'darin had to say.

He had not completely meant it as a jibe, but it was just another aspect of
their slightly adversarial relationship that they didn't understand each
other, as usual.

After a moment of gathering his thoughts, he finally nodded. "Yes, I am
sure. I am too ... involved. I think it would be best if I take a
break from training weyrlings and get back to fighting Thread." He
paused. "I also feel that I need to spend more time with my weyrmate,
though I do not mean to say I will not do my duty. I will. D'kere and
E'naer can handle the class coming up, and I will stay until the current
class graduates in early month 12."

"Its time."

"Weyrlingmaster's position is one that tends to burn out people," G'nir
said, his voice neutral. T'mahl, D'wrayt...how many Weyrlingmasters the
Weyr have had since the Pass begun? "You're done excellent work as a
Weyrlingmaster, and I'm reclutant to let you go. But I won't force you to
keep a job you don't want to do," G'nir was fair enough to give credit when
it was due. He did respect J'darin and his skills. For same reason he also
considered him as his worst rival (now that U'kaiah was out of the
picture.) "Have you considered what will you do after stepping down?
There's no wingleader's positions open just now."

He was, admittedly, surprised to hear G'nir mention 'Wingleader' in the
same sentence with a job for J'darin. He had thought their rivalry too
strong for the Weyrleader to even consider that as an option. Taken aback
for a moment, he focused on the other words the man had said.

"Thank you G'nir. During a pass, yes, this position is tough. But
still... I should have been equal to the task. There are Weyrlingmasters
that are _not_ burned out. I want our Weyr to find one of those, and
soon, to ease the burden I'm going to put on my current staff with this
change. That of course, will be up to you, but there must be someone."
He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts and his reactions to G'nir's
other question.

"What I'll do?" He cracked a faint smile. "I thought I'd feed firestone
to my bronze and sear Thread out of the skies. " He hesitated before going
on, not wanting to show _any_ weakness to this man. But he did respect
him, and what he was about to say was completely true.

"G'nir, since Thread has been falling, I've held a position of
responsibility of some kind. Granted, that goes with the color of my
dragon's hide. But there are more bronzeriders than there are leadership
positions, and I think its time I just was ... Hasaarth's rider, Devyn's
weyrmate, and your Wingrider.... at least for a while. If you need me,
or if a position opens that I can fill, I will be here. I'm not going
anywhere. But we can be useful as part of a Wing, even if not leading it,
don't you think? Hasaarth and I are _excellent_ Thread-fighters. And you
have to agree, we need those right about now, do we not?"

"Yes, we do, we always do. How long you will be satisfied with that? Before
you got bored..or tired of taking orders?" G'nir asked. He had no
doupts...next time Chioneth Rose, J'darin and Hasaarth would be there, hot
on after _his_ position.

J'darin snorted lightly. "I am a bronzerider, one trained in his duty by
some of the most traditional Weyrleaders we've ever had on Pern." He spoke
of T'moran and D'wrayt in particular, but he had always been more of a
traditionalist until Thread started falling and it was either change or get
Threaded. "I don't know if I will get bored. I may, I suppose. But
if I do, I can always harass you." A faint twinkle was in the deep blue
of his eyes, then it faded as more honesty came from his lips. "You are
right that I am built for leadership. After all, Hasaarth nearly caught
Chioneth. She appeared to have even chosen him. And I have never not had
a job of some sort. To be honest, I don't know how this will affect me.
I do know its necessary. From here, its up to you, Weyrleader."

"I will accept your resignation. After the graduation, you'll be just
another wingrider," G'nir said with formal tone. He didn't know which wing
yet but he had some time to figure it out. Assign J'darin to his wing,
where he could keep an eye on him or put him to Cyan Wing and become
K'ran's headache? "If there's rank's opening in the future, you have the
right to apply for those, like any other rider who fills the
qualifications." Problem was that J'darin filled all qualification...what
ever job he applied, he would get it.

J'darin bowed his head in thanks, not sure, in truth, what the future held
now. G'nir's words 'just another wingrider' rankled his pride a bit, as
he suspected the Weyrleader meant to do, but it was, after all, what he
wanted. "Thank you, sir, and I appreciate your understanding, G'nir. I
will be glad to lend a hand if required until you find a suitable
replacement. My staff is exceedingly capable, though, and I have every
confidence in them." He rose to his feet.

"I will remember what you said about rank openings, should I, in fact,
become bored as you predict, sir." He smiled then, a daring smile. Not
having rank would not keep Hasaarth from chasing Chioneth, and while he and
Saibra did not much care for one another, his bronze was worthy of her
dragon.

"Our business is concluded then?" He asked, waiting to be dismissed as was
proper.

"Yes, unless you have something else?" G'nir replied.

"No thank you, sir. Have a good day." He turned toward the door,
feeling as if a weight was lifted off his shoulders at last.

Last updated on the March 16th 2015

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Its Time