Sowing the Seeds
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Sia
Date Posted: 23rd May 2025
Characters: Q'vettan, V'tek
Description: Q'vettan starts the work at Barrier Lake Weyr.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 6, day 20 of Turn 12
Notes: Today I learned that Ironbark is a real tree (eucalyptus).
Q'vettan watched Wingleader V'tek enter without rising.
"Close the door," He said.
V'tek obeyed. His posture was impeccable; shoulders squared under well-worn leathers, his strides measured and confident. A man used to command, rooted deeply in the habits of rank. Habits that needed to be broken. "You wanted to see me, sir?"
"Sit." Q'vettan replied. He inclined his head toward the chair opposite. After a moment's hesitation, V'tek lowered himself into the seat. He didn’t relax; his spine remained straight, perched like a man who expected the winds to shift beneath him. Outside the open window, the sounds of Barrier Lake's docks murmured faintly; ropes creaking, wild avians crying, the faint call and response of sailors. The Weyr moved steadily, like the rings of a growing tree, and Q’vettan intended to guide it toward a stronger core.
"I'll be direct," he began, fingers laced loosely on the desk before him. “You’ve led Ironbark Wing since its inception, under D’hol. You’ve been a fixture-- firm, consistent, and dependable. And Barrier Lake has benefited from your steady leadership these past Turns. But we’re not in the era of founding anymore.”
V'tek’s jaw shifted, but he said nothing.
“What the Weyr needs now,” Q’vettan continued, “is flexibility. We need cohesion, responsiveness, and forward-looking leadership. And that means pulling out some old roots where they’ve grown too deep in the wrong direction. We can’t thrive if we’re tangled up in old loyalties that choke out new growth.”
V'tek's eyes narrowed. "Sir?"
"Effective immediately," Q'vettan continued, voice level, but not unkind. Infuriatingly neutral, like they were talking about threadfall patterns and not removing a Wingleader's rank. "You're stepping down as Wingleader of Ironbark Wing."
The silence that followed was thick as summer air before a storm. V'tek said nothing at first. His throat worked once. His brows pulled together, not in disbelief, but in calculation. "May I ask who's replacing me?"
"I have a few candidates still to interview." Q'vettan said. "I want someone who isn't just a transplant. Someone with room to grow into the position, to grow with the Weyr, not just stand on what's already been built."
V'tek's mouth tightened, but he gave a short nod. “And where do you want me?”
“Still in Ironbark,” Q’vettan said. “I'm not in the habit of uprooting riders just to make a point. If you can fly under the new Wingleader without undermining him, you stay. If you can't, I'll find another Wing that suits your strengths."
V'tek stood. His salute was crisp, precise. A man pruning his pride with practiced shears. His expression was hard to read, but Q'vettan saw the strain in the set of his jaw.
"Understood, Weyrleader."
He turned and left without another word.
Q’vettan exhaled, the weight of it settling low in his chest. These conversations never came easy. But a clean legacy required pruning. Clearing deadwood. Making room for sunlight to reach the younger branches.
Somewhere above, Tzenketh's presence brushed his mind sleepily. }: You do not prune for punishment. Shaping what must grow. :{
"Yes." Q'vettan said aloud, to no one but the bronze. "You're right. Nurturing a forest. One that can survive the Pass. One that can thrive."
Let the old guard shift. Let the new take root.
One wing at a time.
Last updated on the May 23rd 2025