Class Review

Writers: Avery, Chelle
Date Posted: 8th November 2015

Characters: D'lorn, A'kades
Description: The Weyrlingmaster staff discusses Orlaith's class
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 2, day 5 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Orlaith, Lanniya, K'reyel, K'sedel, Vilarth, U'das, F'lin, Lenala, Tsaera

Orlaith's latest clutch was moving into the most dangerous phases of
training now. Flaming, ropes drills, and night flights; all
potentially disastrous moments. And while so far they'd been lucky and
had no losses or major injuries, A'kades had concern that they were
going to stay that lucky.

He nodded to D'lorn when the Third entered the office. "Good
afternoon. How's Villith doing?"

D'lorn took a moment to unbuckle his jacket before he placed it over his
chair. "She's fine." Indeed the green had been quite demanding that
morning but a quick trip /between/ to her favorite hunting grounds near
the southern jungle had assuaged her.

"Good to hear. So what do you think of Orlaith's class right now?"

Pulling off his gloves one by one he considered the question. "They're
going into the hard part now but they've already started their
specialized training. All in all I think it's a good class with a few
rough edges. Of course we can't afford to lose Anaeryth during the
Blooding." He didn't have to say anything else about that. If they did,
they would all lose their job and the Weyr itself would be in a far dire
situation.

A'kades nodded. "The dragons will fight hard to protect her since she's
their queen. As long as Lanniya keeps her cool during the Fall and
doesn't try to do another heroic rescue." That was something that gave
him cold shivers.

"I almost wonder if we shouldn't let her fly in the Queens' Wing during
Blooding instead of the weyrling wing like normal. After all, that's
where she would be and she'll have to use the flamethrower. It'd be
safer, below us." D'lorn hadn't had a gold weyrling to train at River
Bluff before this one so he didn't know how they had done it there before.

A'kades gave the idea consideration. "You're right, we certainly
wouldn't want her doing stone delivery to the higher wings when she'll
never go there. I can bring it up to the Weyrwoman when we discuss the
Blooding."

"I'd say so. And that way she'd have at least one queen able to watch her."
With all the weyrlings and the Blooding they might not be able to keep tabs
on their young queen, but he could bet Orlaith could. D'lorn hadn't
flown with
the queens' wing ever in his life, but he imagined it was less hectic
which was
why the injured riders flew there.

"I'll let you know what she says. Especially with Vilarth being grounded
by then."

"Otherwise, we usually lose at least one. Not during the fueling but in
the actual fall flying with the wing. I don't know which one it will be
though. Some of them...seem cocky now but they might freeze." But if the
dragon reacted on instinct, it could save them.

"After her moment of nerves sending her to the Miner's Hall, I have some
concerns about Fadira."

"She's a young girl. Usually they're more nervous about things. Either
way, we can try to drill it into them but in the end it's up to them if
they can settle into the saddle. You either fly or fail." It would be
hard but losing one green wouldn't be as devastating as other outcomes.

"And the holdbred ones can be worst about it." So could the boys, but
not in the same way. "At least the bronzes of this class seem stable.
R'kehr is cocky but his bronze is great in the drills, so I have hopes
for them."

"Oh aye." D'lorn was thinking it might be good to change the subject.
After all the Blooding would come but it wasn't good to dwell on it.
"And soon there will be another class. Any of the current candidates
look good to Impress?"

"I haven't spent much time with them yet. I should lead a couple
classes, get a sense of them. I'm a bit worried about getting attached."
Since they'd be his weyrlings in more than just authority.

"You won't. After all, they're not your children. I mean there's more of
a connection there but if you remember you're the teacher, you'll be
fine. After all, these kids won't have grown up with you or anything."
A'kades had natural authority. And if anything, the kids wouldn't want
to get on the bronzerider's wrong side anyway.

It was true that these would only be Volaith's dragonets, not his blood.
Though that gave him a thought. "I'm so glad my daughter has no interest
in Standing. I think I'd want her to do it at another Weyr."

"Now that might be hard." D'lorn didn't have any children that he knew
of so that was never a concern of his. It was hard enough when they
weren't your own children. "She may yet change her mind though. Children
do that."

"Faranth, I hope not right now." A'kades wondered if the greenrider had
ever wanted to have kids, but wasn't sure if he could ask such a
personal question.

"How soon do you think Orlaith will go up? It seems like we've been
having a streak of two classes at once."

"Never know. Queens usually rise at least twice in a turn during a Pass
though. Last time was enough months ago. She could go up again. Wonder
if old Nikornath will be up to it this time." D'lorn liked his
Weyrleader and he also knew that a new Weyrleader could mean a new
Weyrlingmaster despite just getting the one they had.

He wouldn't mind if Volaith scored a surprise win. Succeeding with
Vilarth had given him confidence. Then again, personal considerations
might have influenced that...

"He's had a solid track record so far, but there's always the chance
of surprises," A'kades agreed.

"Always. And old U'das just retired. K'sedel isn't far behind him."
Dragonmen aged differently certainly but even they had their limits
especially when they were actually running a Weyr. "And now K'reyel is
gone. He's the only other one who had ever served."

"I was surprised he left. I suppose he wants to be out from under his
father's long shadow." A'kades liked the stability of a known
environment. To transfer Weyrs for a promotion, he supposed he could
see, but going from Weyrsecond here to Weyrsecond there seemed
strange.

There was another factor that interested him. Dragons didn't suffer as
severe inbreeding penalties as humans did, but it was not a bad thing
to make sure new blood went into the eggs now and then. "A different
choice would be good for bloodline diversity for the dragons. With all
our queens being of Vista Point descent, sire change is a good thing."

"Aye sure. Then again remember, it's only been that way for two turns.
Before that it was Zharesti's queen and Tsaera's Tabanirth. And
Tabanirth only chose 3 different males. Of course U'das' bronze is from
Far Island. K'reyel and K'sedel came from Thayan Peak. So the Bloodlines
aren't exactly stagnant. Plus Vilarth hasn't been caught from the second
dragon twice." D'lorn didn't keep as much track of things as the harper
did but he had studied clutches to be able to predict how many weyrlings
they might have.

"I suppose I was thinking in terms of Nikornath siring multiple clutches on both Tabanirth and Orlaith. We have some other good bronzes now. Hopefully Anaeryth will be caught by an experienced bronze."

"Hopefully since Lanniya will need someone to help her through her first
Flight, clutching, and Hatching. Although young golds don't have very
large clutches anyhow. We'll see how Anaeryth chooses." He hoped she
wouldn't let her young rider color her choice.

"Speaking of, she needs experience. Do you know if she's found anyone yet?"

"I don't. She hasn't approached me. If she does..F'lin said he would be
receptive to helping her. A nice young lad and it doesn't hurt he's a
wingsecond now. His grandmother was our very own Weyrwoman so he also
knows some about goldriders." It was clear from D'lorn's face that he
was concerned about the issue though. "Then again we do have time. Golds
rise later than the greens."

"He's a good lad, and if him helping her out led to Seneth catching her
it wouldn't be a bad outcome."

"I fully agree. I'm pretty sure the Weyrwoman Second has broached the
subject with her. Other than that, I haven't inquired further." D'lorn
wasn't a bronzerider so sometimes it was easier for him to deal with the
females. Still, some of them saw it differently.

"I'll ask her, just to make sure. I hope they can handle it without us
needing to step in, though. It should be just her business, if possible."
Of course it should be private, his holder upbringing insisted; but if
Lanniya wasn't ready, then the consequences would be disastrous. That
little bit of autonomy and private choice got stripped away by dragon's
need.

"I agree, but she's young. She may not listen. And then we'll have to
pick up the pieces if it does go badly." Then again she wouldn't be the
first. "All we can do is encourage. In the end it is her decision."

"Indeed. Was there any awkwardness with any of the greens at the
flights lecture?" He'd handled the male dragon one, and had already
spoken privately with a few weyrlings.

"Except for the obvious ones....no. My concerns with those few were
noted in my last report. I'm following up with one-on-one meetings."
D'lorn was the one best equipped to handle flight experience issues for
the greens, after all.

"Let me know how it goes. I've handled the bronze and the blue who I'm
worried about. Other than that, the next part I'm worried about is night
drill."

"Not much happens in drills beyond the usual minor injuries. It'll be
fine once they get used to it." Drills never worried D'lorn. It was the
actual events that held possibilities.

"They'll get through. And in the end we'll just have to do it again."

"Indeed." That was a fact of teaching weyrlings. Every time one class
ended, there was another one to train.

Last updated on the November 15th 2015

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