They're All Gonna Laugh At You

Writers: Chelle, Paula, Suzee
Date Posted: 6th November 2012

Characters: Rhosyn, Lenala, Ciara
Description: Lenala completes Ciara's annual review.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 10, day 4 of Turn 6

Lenala

Ciara

The Weyrwoman was sitting in her office since it was larger and
honestly, it just made more sense for everyone to come to her.
Orlaith was sunning and happy after just eating a whole herdbeast
so she had nothing to worry about from that corner. After a records
check, she'd figured out that it was time for Ciara's annual review
and it would be a good training opportunity for Lenala to complete
this one. So she'd given the other goldrider a few days to get her
notes together, gave her some pointers, and was now going to let her
conduct this interview as she observed.

Ciara knew or at least thought she knew what this was about as she
walked toward the Weyrwoman's office. Others in the wing had been
getting their evaluations and it was about that time of the turn. So,
she knocked on the door. "Weyrwoman?"

Lenala was clutching onto Ciara's file and tried not to show how nervous
she felt.

"Aye come on in Ciara," Rhosyn replied before taking a drink of her
citronade. This shouldn't take too long. Ciara didn't have a lot of
issues, after all. She gave Lenala a look of encouragement. "Settle down-it's
just Ciara. It'll be fine."

Lenala nodded at Rhosyn and smiled nervously at Ciara. She fidgeted
with the file, before dropping it to the desk. "I'll be doing your
evaluation today," she told the greenrider.

"Ma'am," she said nodding to both of the gold riders. She was always
respectful to both women. She never expected any treatment different
from another rider in the Weyr for all that she was K'sedel's weyrmate.
That didn't make a lick of difference to a clump of Thread falling from
the sky and it was their _job_ to protect the golds and their riders.
She took a seat across the desk and smiled.

"Erh, the evaluation...," Lenala tried to remember what people told
her during her evaluations. "How do _you_ think you have been doing,
Ciara?" she asked.

A tiny smile was hidden quickly by a cough and hand over her mouth. It
was obvious to her the gold rider was a little out of her depth with
the review. "I think we've been doing ok," she said including her
lifemate in the statement.

Well, that didn't help Lenala at all. Instead she felt like the greenrider
was mocking her and it made her angry.

"I've noted that you two tend to stay in the air longest. You should be
careful not to let Ellianith to over extend her strength. Tired dragons
make mistakes and cause accidents. You should switch with your partner while
she still has some reserves left," her tone got acrid.

While it was necessary for Lenala to point out ways for Ciara to improve,
there was a way to do it and a way not to do it. Rhosyn wondered if she should
correct her second in front of the greenrider or if she should do it later.
Making a note, she resolved to do it after the evaluation was done.

All expression dropped from Cirara's face other than respectful attention.
"Ellianith is larger than most greens and has more stamina," she defended herself
and her lifemate. "But I will be more careful." She'd never felt her lifemate
become weary by the time she retired from a Fall.

Feeling she had gotten what she wanted-a little bit of respect-Lenala's tone
and expression became friendly. "You're a valuable rider to the wing, Ciara.
Really, I just don't want the two of you getting hurt."

That was the way she needed to be. Rhosyn was encouraged since she at
least had it in her. Lenala seemed to misunderstand Ciara's facial
cues apparently. It was probably due to her own nervousness and
discomfort. She made more scribbles as she waited for the goldrider
to go to the next part of the evaluation.

Ciara knew any dragonrider didn't want their lifemates hurt and she
was no different. She nodded "Of course, I don't want her hurt either."

Lenala nodded. "Would you mind mentoring some of the senior weyrlings
near graduation?" she asked, ticking off items from her hide.

"Of course," she said with a smile. Ciara had no qualms about helping
to get new riders acclimated to the wing.

Next they went through Ciara's drills and schedules, making minor adjustments
here and there. All in all it was fairly routine, even to Lenala.

Once the review was over, Rhosyn sat back and looked at her notes. When
Ciara had left, she thanked her for her time. Then she looked over at Lenala.
"That was well done, however there was a moment where you seemed a bit
angry. Why was that?"

Lenala shrugged her shoulders. "She wasn't taking me seriously."

"Hmmm...what gave you that impression?" Rhosyn was hoping she could get
Lenala to figure this out herself, but maybe she'd have to point
things out directly.

"She was laughing at me, didn't you notice? She was hiding it behind
the cough. They're all laughing at me," Lenala replied, her low self confidence
show up as a mild paranoia. She frowned, but quickly smothered her facial
expression. Frowning caused wrinkles, or so her mother always had told her.

"If you mean the smile she gave, it was meant to encourage you," the
Weyrwoman corrected easily. "As for the rest of the Weyr, here's what they
are thinking and I know this because it is the same thing I am thinking."
Rhosyn's eyes traveled around her office before they came to rest on Lenala.
Her voice was very serious as she continued. "If something happens to me-you
will run this Weyr. And you have to be ready. You have to-there is no room
for failure. Perhaps you've made mistakes before, but now you are going to be
better. We are going to teach you what you need to know. We are not laughing
at you-we are counting on you. Now-can you do it Lenala?"

Lenala bristled, which actually gave her confidence she normally lacked. "Yes,
I can do it if I have to."

Quiet for a moment as she kept her gaze, Rhosyn went back to her
notes. "Allright then. As for reviews-you are not their friend, but
you do have to remember to be courteous. A hostile working relationship
isn't good for the wing. I'm always direct in what I think, but I ask them
questions to get their opinions so we can develop a strategy of improvement
together." She was guessing Lenala might have been thinking about her
own review and how that had been done. "All in all, it's good to find
at least two or three goals to work on."

Shuffling her hidework, she managed to get everything back in order
without too much effort. "So, I'll let you do the next one, eh?"

"All right, Rhosyn," Lenala replied, determined to become good at this.

Last updated on the November 11th 2012

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They're All Gonna Laugh At You