High Leadership

Writers: Chelle, Eimi
Date Posted: 12th September 2012

Characters: P'nal, Hygalia
Description: The Wingsecond and the Weyrwoman have a chat together in the Dining Cavern.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 9, day 4 of Turn 6

Sitting at the high table in the Dining Cavern, P'nal looked over some
diagrams as he chewed on a piece of biscuit. With the wind such a
problem, these thread formations might do a better job. Working out the
scenarios in his head, he didn't notice the Weyrwoman coming.

"P'nal, hard at work or have you hidden some naughty pictures in there
in the hopes of fooling everyone?" the Weyrwoman asked as she stopped
next to his table, tray in hand.

He looked up and considered this. "If I wanted to see something naughty,
I wouldn't settle for pictures. I'd try to find the real thing." The brownrider
smiled to himself, but he put down his diagram in favor of a piece of
sausage. "And how are you and yours today?"

"Very well, thank you. May I sit?" she asked, indicating the seat open
across from him.

"Please do." As if he was going to say no to the Weyrwoman. P'nal
laughed quietly in his head thinking about how that might go for
him.

"What are you working on then?" she asked, pouring herself a glass of
juice and then offering to refill his glass.

"Just looking at formation diagrams to try and get an idea of if there
might be something more effective when we meet with high winds."
Those were the worst, with threads blowing everywhere and dragons
trying to stay where they are supposed to. "It's good when it snows
and the things freeze and die, but when they don't and it blows..." He
shook his head, thinking.

Hygalia was always happy to see her Wingleaders, Seconds, and Thirds
thinking ahead. It was too easy to be satisfied with only the things
were always done. She would always be happy to support those who made
the effort. "Any luck?"

"Actually I think some of Igen's maneuvers might be useful. They have
plenty of wind there in the desert so they adopt more of a chop and change
sort of attitude. See here?" He moved the hide over to where she could
see it, pointing.

She leaned over, though in truth she had already studied it. "That is
one of their strategies, but they have others as well. But perhaps what
you might want to take a look at is more High Reaches and Telgar, I
think. They fight Thread more over the same terrain we do. Winds act
differently over mountains, from what I understand."

"Makes perfect sense." He put the hides down, intending to put those
back and get the ones for Reaches and Telgar when he could. "Where
were you before you came here?" He had known at some point, but he'd
forgotten.

"I've bounced about several Weyrs as needed to keep the Bloodlines
strong." It was a common enough practice, especially as there had not
been as many golds in the past as there were now.

"High Reaches or Telgar perhaps?" He smiled, wondering if the thought
that occurred to him was true. "What was your favorite place?"

"That would be a very unpolitic question to answer," she said with a
quiet chuckle. "And really, how could I choose?"

"I've never really been anywhere else. I suppose if I had, though, I
would have a favorite. Some places just tug at you." Some memories
clung to the places they were made as well.

"But you were not born here, as I remember." Hygalia had read the
Records off all the leaders at Dragonsfall, P'nal included. "I seem to
remember you've lived in a couple different places. Don't you have a
favorite among them?"

"No I wasn't Weyrbred. Just meant I hadn't ever been out of the south
as you have." He considered her question, thinking about the few places
he'd lived. "If I had to pick, I'd go with the hall at Opal Cove. It was
a pretty place and I liked the people I worked with."

"That's an important factor. The people you work with, I mean." You
could live on the prettiest place on Pern, but Hygalia knew if you
could not get on with your co-workers, it could be as appealing as
/between/.

"Yeah. Don't get me wrong, I like it here too and there are a few riders
I'd count as my good friends, but it's different. I'm a brown so I know
I don't have to worry about the competitive part of it like G'nir and the
rest." It did make things easier. P'nal did his job and then he was
done. He didn't stay up nights scheming or feeling inferior or whatever
else they did.

"Yes, I'd say you've done very well for yourself." Wingsecond to the
Wingleader was the highest honor for a brown, after all. "So if you
don't do it for the competition, what do you do it for?" she asked
curiously.

"Well, duty mostly. And the thought that if there is something I can do
to help keep my fellow wingriders from getting killed, hurt, or anything
else that I should do it. I do it for them." Flying threadfall as a rider in
the wings was a humbling experience. It was also something that made
trust necessary. "Plus G'nir asked me to and what as I supposed to say?
Weyrleader I'm sorry but I don't think so." He made a small noise of
mirth.

"True," Hygalia said with a shrug of agreement. It was a little hard to
say no to the Weyrleader. "He does have a lot on his plate."

"Yeah and trying to find a new wingthird isn't really helping." A little
concerned about the empty spot and knowing that they could use the
help with things, P'nal hoped they'd work out something soon.

"There are plenty of experienced greens and blues that can fill the spot
permanently. I'm sure one of the temporary ones will make their mark
soon." Though she agreed that sooner would be better than later.

"We'll see what happens." He looked down and realized he had finished
his drink and then looked around, noticing how much time had passed.
"Am I keeping you from anything? If I am, I'm sorry."

"No no," she assured him, though now her plate and cup were empty. The
goldrider sighed. Break time was over. "I should get back to my
hidework, though. It was nice speaking with you, P'nal. I hope to do
so again soon."

"Pleasure was all mine, Weyrwoman." The brownrider could understand why
G'nir worked well with her. She seemed a sensible sort to his more brash
attitude. In a lot of ways, it reminded him of his own relationships-with both
J'darin and G'nir.

Last updated on the September 24th 2012

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High Leadership