They Will Fly Well

Writers: Clancey, Paula
Date Posted: 12th April 2011

Characters: J'darin, G'nir
Description: J'darin helps G'nir place the latest graduating class of weyrlings
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 23 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: Several weyrlings

J'darin

G'nir

Already feeling the stress of graduating a class of Weyrlings, he wasn't
_yet_ into the wine, but he was tense as a harp string, ready to snap at the
smallest touch in the wrong direction. Still, this meeting was one he must
endure, just as he must endure watching them fly and sear Thread for the
first time. But this would be perhaps more interesting than normal, as it
was G'nir's first class of Weyrlings as Weyrleader. He had to admit to a
little curiousity about the man who was his Weyrleader. Their first
meeting had not gone...well.. precisely, but they had seemed able to work
together since then and get along fine enough.

So, with all that in mind, he arrived at G'nir's office carrying the
relevant hides, and knocked sharply.

G'nir was expecting him, but knocking was always appropriate.
"Please, come in J'darin," G'nir called. He already had everything ready,
including klah. He had spread the records to his desk. All wing rosters and
the wishes from various wingleaders of what colour or what kind of riders
they most needed.

"Klah?" he asked, gesturing towards the pitcher.

"That would be wonderful, actually." J'darin said, revealing some of his
tension in the way he was holding tightly to his hides. He forced his
fingers to let go, and poured himself and G'nir a glass if he wanted one,
and took a deep swallow and breath before speaking.

"Here I've brought the list of Senior Weyrlings, along with their latest
reports. Overall, this is an older class, which is good. That means you'll
get steadier, mature riders for the Wings. They are a good group and have
caused very little trouble during their training. I'nis is a genius at
formations." He tapped a brownrider on the list.

He took another sip of klah.

"How do you want to choose? List your needs then have me suggest a weyrling
for you, or look over both lists together?" He smiled at G'nir, starting to
relax just a bit now that he was settled.
"Both lists together," G'nir replied. This was first time he was doing this,
and he had to admit he was very excited about it. "How many are too young to
graduate directly to the fighting wings?"
J'darin pulled out a master list to check his memory, but said with a faint
smile, "Only two this time. All the rest are 16 turns or older. And of the
two, one will be 16 turns within 4 months, so he won't be in the Weyrling
wing long. " He placed that list against the wing lists in front of G'nir
and nodded. "We can begin whenever you're ready, Weyrleader." He offered
a faint smile. His fellow bronzerider seemed very engaged and interested
in the process which was all to the good.
"Oh, good," G'nir nodded. He consulted his list. "Well, Azure needs brown
riders, as well as greens and blues. We have few injuries and pregnant
greenrider to replace. Cyan has asked for a bronze, few browns and blues.
They seem to have enough greenriders. Any recomendations?"

"I'nis would be good to go to Azure. My brownrider genius with formations,
if you'll have him. Along with M'shan, he's mature, already 19 turns and
Juth and he are both level-headed and steady and solid. " He paused,
checking the list again for a likely young bronzerider. For a moment, he
pictured all the names on the hide as the younglings and dragons that
belonged to them, though, and he couldn't speak.

Finally when he did talk, he said quietly, "J'nax is the only one that can
graduate of my 2 bronze weyrlings. K'init, the other bronzerider, is just
15 turns and will have to stay in the Weyrling Wing for a turn. But both
will grow into fine additions to any wing." He paused to swallow around the
lump in his throat. "Do you have anything stronger than klah?"
"On the cabinet over there. What would you like? There's plenty of
different drinks to choose from," G'nir replied. He found the request bit
strange. He would never drink while working.
At the same time he considered the options. He liked what he heard of
M'shan, he sounded just the kind of brownrider they would need. But didn't
he had a relative in Azure wing? He checked his list. Yes, his brother
Sh'lua. G'nir didn't like assigning familymembers or mated pairs in the same
wing, unlike some wingleaders. They tended to look after each other too
much. And in case of siblings, there was also change to rivalry that led to
dangerous stunts. So, as much as he had liked to have M'shan in his wing, he
added his name to Cyan's roster as well as the bronzerider. Following the
Weyrlingmaster's advice, he wrote the other brownrider's name under Azure
wing.
J'darin didn't care what G'nir thought. He had difficulty getting through
this particular work without drinking. At no other time while working would
he drink, but this... this was beyond him. His mind was full of visions
of scarred weyrlings, weyrlings he had trained. What if he hadn't trained
them well enough? What if they weren't ready?

He found the hardest liquor in the cabinet, and poured himself a glass
before returning to the table.

When he returned, he took a long drink and waited for his nerves to steady.
"Ahh. M'shan into Cyan? He'll do well wherever you put him. There are a
couple more brownriders to place. The only other weyrling under 16 turns is
a young girl, Itanni, rides Kasperth. The rest of the blues, greens, and
browns can be placed. " To be honest, the alcohol was helping him. He
wouldn't have more than one drink while with G'nir, but when he left his
Weyrleader, he intended to get quietly, heavily drunk.
}:You should not. It makes your head hurt.:{ Hasaarth offered helpfully.
J'darin ignored him completely.

"Yes, M'shan to Cyan and I'nis to Azure," G'nir said. It didn't take long to
place the rest of the brownriders.
"How about blues then?", G'nir asked. "What kind of group they are?"

J'darin nodded in agreement, then considered the next set of weyrlings.
"The blues...hmmm... Well, they are a pretty decent lot. One of them is a
terrible prankster and one has been caught out after curfew repeatedly. but
other than that, they seem pretty stable. N'thal is 21 turns, so you'll
find him the most stable and mature of the group. R'su's Leonth is very
fast and will be a good aid in any wing. B'yan is the prankster and D'lid
is the one I kept catching out after curfew, especially once they made
Senior weyrlings. " As he spoke, he pointed to the names on the list and
waiting to see what G'nir thought.

"I'll take N'thal for Azure since we need stable riders and B'yan so I can
keep an eye on him," G'nir said and write the names down. It didn't take
them long to place the rest of blueriders, he pretty much divided them
evenly between wings. "And then greenriders. P'nal mentioned one he had an
eye on, O'ryn was it?"
J'darin nodded. "Yes, O'ryn. He's on the shy, quiet side. He hasn't
caused any trouble and he and his green did well enough in training. He's
a bit older, and that will help too. He will make a nice addition to your
wing, G'nir, if you'd like him." He pulled the list of greenriders closer
to scan it, knowing that eventually he'd be sitting here again with G'nir,
and seeing Cardella's name on this list. His throat tightened a bit. He
did _not_ want to send her out to fight Thread. This was the longest list,
but really most of the greenriders here were interchangeable. All
well-trained and ready for their duties, and ready for the Wings.
"Sounds good, yes, I'll take him to Azure wing," G'nir nodded.
They made it through all the green riders and J'darin nodded. "Well, what
do you think, Weyrleader? Happy with the way it turned out?" He eyed his
empty liquor mug with something like longing, though he tried to hide it
from G'nir. He needed to get out of here and find a bottle.
"They are a good clutch. The Blooding is three days hence and then the
graduation on 28th which is convinently restday," G'nir said.

J'darin nodded, though his eyes twitched a little at the Weyrleader
detailing the training plan. That was really his job. "We've never had a
big celebration for them, though. The Wingleaders typically go around and
"invite" the weyrling in question to be in their Wing. Its very simple,
but very important. It reminds me a bit of walking the tables to
Journeyman. They will fly well, we trained them well." He nodded once
more, but his eyes were dark, and sad. And worried.

Last updated on the April 27th 2011

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They Will Fly Well