M'gan's Shame Tour Begins
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: Devin, Estelle, Francesca
Date Posted: 5th January 2026
Characters: N'vanik, M'gan, R'kede, Iskara, Cosani, N'mon, I'rian
Description: M'gan explains his absence to Cyclone Wing
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 11, day 5 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: U'kaiah
The incident mentioned by M'gan is from the post "The Better Man?" - https://www.triadweyrs.org/story.php?st_id=1040
N'vanik sat down next to M'gan in the Cyclone Wing meeting room and crossed his arms, glaring at the other bronzerider. He was here to make sure M'gan actually did what he was told.
By contrast, the older bronzerider looked remarkably untroubled by his situation. His bearing was upright but relaxed, his expression calm, and he greeted his former wingriders as they arrived as warmly as if he'd never been gone. Most of them replied respectfully, though they were clearly curious. A few even reflexively called him 'Wingleader', though they corrected themselves hastily when they saw the Weyrleader's expression. M'gan knew very well that this meeting had been arranged mostly to shame him, and he'd be Threadscored if he'd give N'vanik that satisfaction.
Angry as he was, N'vanik didn't want to undermine R'kede too much, so he waited for the Wingleader to start the meeting.
R'kede did his best to project calm confidence but, inside, he was seething. His transition to Wingleader had been smoother than he had hoped, but he knew not everyone was happy about serving under a brownrider. And now M'gan had returned and R'kede was suddenly feeling precarious. While he appreciated having the Weyrleader's continued support, he couldn't imagine anything good coming from M'gan returning to Cyclone Wing as a wingrider.
"I know we all had a late night yesterday," R'kede said as the final stragglers entered and took their seats. Threadfall had been in the evening and, after visiting the infirmary and seeing to Osherith, he hadn't gotten to bed until well after midnight. "We'll debrief 'Fall in a bit. First, as you can see, we have some visitors. Weyrleader, thank you for joining us," he said with a nod and a tight smile. "And, as I'm sure you all heard, M'gan has returned. He's here to explain what happened. Weyrleader, anything you want to add?" He already couldn't wait for this meeting to be over.
"Just that R'kede will remain your Wingleader, and that M'gan will be rejoining you as a wingrider because of what he did." N'vanik turned to M'gan. "So tell them where you were."
M'gan cleared his throat and turned in his seat so that he was facing the rest of the wingriders. "Some of you will have learned about a certain ability our dragons have, as part of your weyrling training. For others, this may sound like something out of a harper ballad, but if you aren't sure whether to believe me, you can ask your brown or bronze wingmates. Or the Weyrleader, who I'm sure will be happy to answer your questions. The fact is, when Isarth and I disappeared - what I understand is a little over eight months ago now, we went /between/ times, into the past."
Iskara glanced at Cosani, her brow raised in disbelief. Had M'gan lost his wits? "So that's where he's been all this time," she whispered. "With the mindhealers."
"We intended to return straight away," M'gan continued over the murmuring, "but misjudged our return trip and ended up here. For that, and for leaving you all without a Wingleader, I can only apologize. However, I'm sure R'kede has been a most able replacement." He nodded to the brownrider.
Cosani frowned. Into the _past_? What was he talking about?
I'rian quickly changed his expression from one of surprise to a knowing look when M'gan mentioned timing it, nodding in an exaggerated way to show that he had already been in on the secret. "It's amazing you came back at all Wingl- uh ... sir."
R'kede didn't react to what sounded like insincere praise from M'gan. "I'm sure we'll all benefit from your experience in the Wing, wingrider." **And I'll look for any opportunity to get you transferred to another Wing.**
"Thank you, Wingleader." M'gan nodded gravely. "And as I'rian has reminded me, I took a great risk by doing what I did. For those of you who haven't already been warned, traveling /between/ times is extremely dangerous and not to be done for frivolous reasons. At best, you risk ending up in my situation, and at worst...you might never return at all."
"Sir?" N'mon raised his hand, earning a narrow-eyed glance from Iskara. M'gan's story was bizarre, but none of the brown or bronzeriders, or indeed the Wingleader, seemed to share their wingmates' skepticism. "You said you were in the past, but - _when_ did you go?"
"Ah. Now, that's a story." M'gan glanced at the Weyrleader.
N'vanik arched an eyebrow. "You finally gonna explain where the feck you went?"
The former Wingleader inclined his head, his expression solemn. "There was something I'd heard about, something I had to see." He spoke steadily, and with a harper's instinct for a tale, gradually revealing the details one by one. Some of the wingriders leaned closer, listening closely. "It happened nine Turns ago. At Dragonsfall Weyr. There was an altercation in the dining hall. A bronzerider lost his temper..."
A bluerider at the back of the room let out an incredulous guffaw, hastily suppressed. Iskara turned to look. Hadn't he transferred from Dragonsfall?
M'gan looked up, directly at N'vanik, and there was defiant glee in his eyes. "He punched his Wingleader. Right in the face."
N'vanik was far angrier at M'gan making a joke of this than he was about him bringing up that particular incident, but that sure as shards wasn't helping. "You just earned yourself latrine duty, wingrider." He was tempted to punch another bronzerider in the face right now.
"You did ask." M'gan's lip twitched, as though he considered the punishment entirely worth it. "You can't prove I wasn't there; you were too busy getting your ass kicked by U'kaiah." There were a few gasps and sniggers. "Anyway, isn't wing discipline his responsibility?" He tilted his head towards R'kede.
R'kede's eyes had narrowed suspiciously as M'gan shared his story. That didn't seem like a good reason to risk timing it. Then, at the back-and-forth between N'vanik and M'gan, he had to school his expression as all his concerns about M'gan being put in his Wing seemed to be coming true. "We can meet later to talk about discipline," he said, meeting M'gan's eyes. "Weyrleader, anything else?"
N'vanik's jaw clenched as he tried to get himself under control. He hadn't meant to undermine R'kede, but M'gan had just insulted him to his face. "That's all." It was probably better to get everyone out of here before he actually did punch M'gan.
M'gan didn't say any more as the wing meeting broke up, but for a man who was facing a dressing-down from his Wingleader, he looked rather too cheerful. It was difficult to get revenge on a Weyrleader, but he'd take the opportunities when they came.
Last updated on the January 16th 2026