Advice from an Experienced Source

Writers: Anika, Paula
Date Posted: 3rd June 2015

Characters: V'kellyn, U'das
Description: V'kellyn catches up with U'das.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 13, day 6 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Lanniya, Lenala

"So you exchanged wrangling ornery wingriders for wrangling impudent
weyrlings, eh?" V'kellyn asked coming up behind U'das before Weyrling
classes began. When he left River Bluff, U'das had been Weyrleader.
Of course with family here that he saw regularly, V'kellyn had heard
about Zackariath's injury and recovery, as well as when U'das retired
from the wings.

"V'kellyn," U'das nodded a greeting. "Yes, I did. I've wrangled
weyrlings before, before I become Weyrlingmaster, so it's nothing
new," he replied with amiable shrug. He had once been Weyrlingmaster
up in the Northern Weyr where he had been before River Bluff Weyr.

"I'd forgotten that part of your history. You've done it all haven't you?"

"Yes, I have," U'das grinned.

"So then what are the pros and cons of the different positions and
which did you enjoy the most?"

"All rank comes with responsibly and higher the rank, the more _work_
it means for your. But there are rewards. Weyrlingmaster, for
instance, it's stressfull and you lose weyrlings and that _hurts_
every time, but the _joy_ when they fly together for a first time, you
got to share that. As Weyrleader, you're the boss, you got to say
which direction to take the Weyr. There's something addictive in power
like that. And then everyone lands their problems on your lap and
you're toiling your arse off, wondering how crazy you had to be to
want to be a Weyrleader. Wingleader is almost same but in smaller
scale," U'das grinned at the younger man."

"Well, I've had second in two of those positions, so I've experienced
just a hint of what you're describing. I guess I'll get to experience
the triumphs and woes of leadership now, though,"' he replied with a
grin, though honestly he had just a few reservations, which is one
reason he'd hoped to have a word with U'das.

"Oh?" U'das asked with a cocked eyebrows.

"The Weyrleader just offered me the Werylingmaster position and I
accepted. I've been serving as Weyrlingmaster Second at Vista Point,
and I'm confidant I can fill the role and do it well, but it's going
to be difficult knowing that the losses are ultimately my
responsibility."

"Congratulations," U'das said. "And yes, it's a tough spot to be.
Weyrlingmasters tend to quit their jobs more often than other
wingleaders."

V'kellyn nodded seriously. "Thanks. I'm glad you're here to offer
your advice and I feel really good about the staff we have assembled.
I've worked with A'kades before and D'lorn appears to have a nice
rapport established with the weyrlings and be very good in his
position." V'kellyn had of course heard about what happened when the
last class was learning to go /between/ and he was a little worried
about D'lorn and how he might have taken it. Something like that
would be hard on anyone.

"You'll do fine, don't worry," U'das said and slapped his back. "Not
keeping the emotions bottled in helps. Let them out and don't let them
fester."

"That can be difficult as I'd rather just tuck them away. Now that
I'm back here at River Bluff that would be harder to do, though,
because my mother is fairly determined when it comes to things like
that. It can be rather annoying, really, but I suppose she's had a
great deal of practice with her patients over the turns."

"You have to learn to let go, both of the weyrlings and of your
emotions," U'das advised.

"That seems like sound advice," the younger man nodded. "How is this
current class fairing?"

"Very well actually, no obvious troublemakers and gold is always
interesting to train," U'das replied.

"Yes, that does add an interesting aspect. I met Lanniya yesterday
morning and I have to say she's quite the character," V'kellyn smiled
as he considered the cheery if rather unorthodox goldrider. He'd
really liked the girl, though from an instructor's perspective he knew
keeping her head out of the clouds might be a challenge.

"Yes, she's something different all right. Drives poor Lenala crazy
though," U'das grinned.

"You know, I just told Lanniya yesterday that just a bit of crazy
isn't bad for a person. I can imagine she would be a challenge when
it came to the more specific color training. She didn't seem much for
traditional or 'sit down,' lessons. We're used to seeing that in our
young male riders but I think we've grown used to a bit different
outlook in many of the girls or at least maybe I have. I will say
that Lanniya was certainly a breath of fresh air, she's not your
run-of-the-mill female rider - gold or otherwise!"

"Well, I can see her running around a mill, just for the fun of it and
barefooted too," U'das grinned.

With a chuckle V'kellyn nodded. "You know I _can_ see that. I will
look forward to an interesting next few months. I know there were
some really hard circumstances with the last class," V'kellyn said
growing more serious. He knew they'd lost a weyrling when they'd
learned to /between/ and he wasn't sure if V'cam was the only one to
have been seriously injured during blooding. "How is morale with the
staff?"

"The usual. The losses tend to pull us down but on the otherhand, we
have new class of juniors to train, with a gold, which is motivating
to everyone," U'das replied.

"That makes sense. And how are you personally, U'das? How's life?"

"Pretty good, all things considering," U'das replied with a shrug. His
eye sight wasn't getting better but right now, it wasn't getting much
worse either. That could change in a moment, so he was happy his
situation was stable.

"Good to hear! How's the family?" He knew that U'das had children as
well as nieces and nephews that were riders, not to mention a fair
number of seacrafters thrown in the mix.

"Growing," U'das smiled proudly. "My niece Uetia is pregnant."

"Ah, that sounds like good news. Is she one that's here in the weyr?"
he asked trying to place the name, but unable to bring a face to mind.

"Yes, she is. Big, blond woman, hard to miss. Currently she's also
croutchy as a gold guarding her eggs."

"Oh, well, I'll keep an eye out for her," V'kellyn said with a grin,
thinking he might just avoid that particular introduction until a
little later in the young woman's pregnancy. He remembered how
Oocynia was early in her pregnancy and that had been a trial for
everyone. The memory was now bittersweet and the pain some what
dulled by the passage of time. "I suppose I should let you get on
with your work and I should go see if I can find what's to be my
office."

"Alright. It should be easy to find, it's the one with line of
weyrlings waiting behind the door, " U'das grinned and joked.

"Gee thanks!"

Last updated on the July 8th 2015

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Advice from an Experienced Source