It'll Happen

Writers: Avery, Heather
Date Posted: 12th February 2024

Characters: Kapera, D'kere
Description: Kapera and D'kere go over wing business and Kapera seeks a bit of reassurance.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 12, day 16 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Teseada, K'lvin, Ashela

Kapera

"Weyrwoman," D'kere said in greeting as he walked into her conference
room. His short curls gleamed with dampness from a recent bath. The
only thing unusual about his appearance was the bandage wrapped around
his left hand. The day before had been Threadfall and as they usually
did, it was time to meet and discuss the 'fall, casualties, and
injuries.

"Wingsecond. How's the hand?" she asked.

"Throbbing like a wher's mother," he said with a frown, annoyed at the
slight injury. "I've just confirmed injuries with both the Weyrhealer
and Weyrdragonhealer." D'kere tapped his clipboard where he had a list
attached.

"Give me the worst news first. Besides the obvious one," she said with
a sigh. They'd lost blue pair E'lasrin and Shivonth, who'd ducked one
clump only to end up coming out of /between/ right into a second clump
of Thread.

The bronzerider took a deep breath. These were his least favorite
meetings, but they were somewhat better than when he’d been a
Weyrlingmaster’s Second and the topic had been the death of a
Weyrling.

“The worst is Greenrider V’yres. The collision with Bluerider Q'xel
crushed V’yres’s hand. The healers don’t foresee him ever regaining
use of it.”

Kapera bit her lip. The Weyrhold had grown strong enough to field
wings and fly Thread, but its active rider strength was still lower
than some of the other Southern weyrs. She had a brief bitter thought
she wished he'd been injured in a way that would help him contribute
to the labor work they still needed.

"We'll have to find appropriate retirement duties that he can do,
then, once he's adapted enough to fly again. Perhaps hold watchduties
or the like. How is Q'xel?"

"U'thin's fine, just shaken up from the entire ordeal. There’s open
Weyrling staff positions as well, if V'yres would be interested.
Perhaps K’lvin could use him.” D’kere checked off V’yres' and Q'xel's
name from his list.

“Next in severity was Baymise, she was scored pretty badly but the
healers predict a full recovery but she’ll be grounded for at least s
month."

Kapera nodded and made a little tick on her own slate. D'kere had the
one with names, she was just tallying to have something to do with her
hands. "Anyone else completely grounded?"

"Not from our Wing," he said.

"Are we gaining anyone to make up for the losses?"

D'kere scanned down his list. "Yes, actually. Two transfers, a
greenrider from Dolphin Cove, and a bluerider from Dragonsfall. Normal
wingriders, no injuries. From Ash Wing we're receiving a brownrider
that's just coming off of medical leave, he'll be flying with us for a
fortnight to get back into the swing of things. For similar reasons,
we're getting two riders from Skybroom, one bronze and a green."

"Five wingriders, 2 healthy. That will definitely help with coverage," she said.

“That’s everything I have to report.” D’kere slid the clipboard aside.
“Can we have something strong to drink now,” he asked, cracking a
grin.

Kapera gestured at the cabinet on the side, which had some wine
bottles and some liquor.. "Happy to, I don't have anything else for
today."

Her Wingsecond rose, collected two glasses, poured a healthy dose of
amber liquid into each, and then returned with them to the table. "To
surviving another 'fall," he said, raising his glass in toast.

"To another fall," she said, tapping her glass to his and taking a drink.

"I really do appreciate all the work you've been doing, it's nice to
have a very competent wingsecond to share the load. I didn't realize
how useful this arrangement was before."

It was funny that at Dragonsfall she'd been paired with Teseada as her
second, and now here they were again. She didn't dislike the younger
goldrider - it was far better to work with her than it would have been
to work with Ashela! But when goldriders had a number of duties for
the entire Weyr, having someone to take the wing work off was a huge
help.

"It's been nice to be back in a regular Wing," he admitted. He'd
enjoyed working with Weyrlings, but he hadn't realized how much life
they were sucking out of him until he left the Weyrlingstaff.

"You don't miss weyrlings calling for you at all hours?" she teased.

"Oh and the incessant questions, don't forget those," he added with a grin.

"Ah yes. They're excited about mating flights, or they're terrified of
them, they can't wait to go /between/, they think it would be funny to
sneak out at night..." She rolled her eyes. "When I was grounded after
injury, I refused to help with weyrlings. Instead I took over all of
the work about tithes and crafters, because I knew I just did not have
the patience."

"Hey, I went _back_ to risking my life fighting Thread to get away
from them, so I understand." D'kere barked out a laugh, finishing off
his glass.

She outright laughed at that one. "And Teseada will be glad of your
flying when Riyanth is next clutchbound. or the other way around." She
honestly wasn't sure who'd rise next.

D'kere's eyes unfocused for a moment. "Kenirath says he's betting on
Riyanth to rise next. We'll see if his intuition is correct."

"I hope so, I could do with the fun. I assume you're hoping he'll win?"

"Becoming a Wingsecond to get away from Weyrlings is one thing, but
becoming a Weyrleader? Seems a little desperate." D'kere teased. "I
think there's a side of every bronzerider that wants their dragon to
win, of course. I would never hold Kenirath back from trying."

She laughed. "Isn't that the truth? I feel like you can't Impress a
bronze without the hunger, but what do I know."

"Don't all goldriders want to be _the_ Weyrwoman?" he asked.

"Shards, _I_ always did. There are a few who don't seem as openly
ambitious, but..." She trailed off. "I can't understand them at all."

“I can’t pretend to understand goldriders either,” he grinned.

She laughed heartily at that. "I'm curious as to what it will be like
when we have a gold weyrling to train. Hopefully soon," she said a
little wistfully - Riyanth had never thrown one.

“It’ll happen,” D’kere felt certain. “Who knows, maybe she hasn’t been
flown by the right bronze yet.” It was impossible to know why gold’s
sometimes clutched a golden egg and other times a gold could go her
entire life and never produce one.

"I hope you're right. Maybe it's selfish - there are so many dragons
to carry on her legacy now, including bronzes who have won a gold
even, but I'd still like the proof." Because of all of her detractors,
she thought.

"It'll happen," he said one more time to his Wingleader, his Weyrwoman.

Last updated on the February 14th 2024

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It'll Happen