A Lesson In Leadership

Writers: Clancey, Suzee
Date Posted: 31st March 2013

Characters: Pierka, K'dall
Description: K'dall and Tallandrath get a lesson from Pierka. Or is it the other way around?
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 12, day 1 of Turn 6

Pierka

She flew above the weyrling wing as they practiced their maneuvers.
The crisp morning air at altitude was a relief from the ever present
heat of the Weyr, but she wasn't really thinking about that right now.
The two groups were supposed to switch places in the wing as they flew
level but that wasn't what had happened. Or at least not exactly what
had happened.

**No, no, no, Have Tallandrath tell his to do that one again, it was
very sloppy. Half his six almost crashed into Garreth's group**

Tallandrath relayed the message, sounding very confused. }:It seemed
right.:{

K'dall frowned, too. Sometimes they were a bit slow to pick up the
trickier maneuvers, but they always did, and usually well.

**Its okay, Tall. We want to do it right, don't we? Lets do it again!**

The brown raised his head, having been steadied a bit by his rider,
and they went through the maneuver again.

This time, it was better.

Only one was out of position, and this time, K'dall was fast enough to
catch it without Pierka's help.

**Ask Pierka if we can do it one more time. This time, we will get it
right! All of us!**

When the request came Pierka couldn't help but smile. The first thing
they had to get drilled into new leaders heads was the pursuit of
excellence. Half done wasn't good enough, not by half.

**Tell him to go ahead.**

A smile, one of his rare ones, surfaced under his helmet.

His group performed the maneuver for a third time, and this time,
flawlessly.

Pride was in sending to Tall, and they continued throughout the drills
with a little more snap to their movements, and their heads raised
high. Their bond was so tight that it was easy to think of "them" as
a "we", especially in drills.

When they performed alone, they were perfect.

But leading groups was proving a challenge for the young Beastcrafter
turned dragonrider.

He would learn, though. They would learn.

After drills, K'dall and Tall landed near Liddith and Pierka. He
smiled at her in a friendly fashion. "Thank you for helping us,
Pierka. Tall and I want to do our best."

If it was odd for him to be speaking so to a young woman 4 turns his
junior, it didn't seem odd to him.

"Oh sure," she smiled. "You're doing very well. Just keep aiming for
perfect, and if any of your riders slack off bring them back in line.
If they know you expect perfection then that's what they'll give you."
But there was an even more important factor in all this. She winked.
"That's what get's them home safely. Instant perfect response to
commands."

K'dall blushed somewhat under his tan face. "I.. ahh... I'm not used
to ordering _people_ around. Just animals. Animals can be trained
to perfect, but I've found that people .. ummm..." He stumbled a
little, not wanting to say something wrong, but sure he was right.
"People are always... unpredictable?" He finally finished, a bit
uncertainly. "I want us all to get home safely, though. Tall and I
both are committed to that, for sure. How'd you get so smart anyway?"
He asked, but totally unaware that his question might be ...
offensive.

She nodded at his statement. People _were_ unpredictable. "True," she
replied. "But that is why we train so hard. Then they react before
they have the chance to think and engage that brain that gets them in
trouble. "You and Tallandrath will do fine," she said. Easy thing to
say when she hadn't done it herself. But it was her job to get him on
the right track.

"Oh," she blushed at his compliment. "I'm not all that smart."

"I'm sure that isn't true, Pierka." He said, in his soft, gentle.. but
firm... way. The same way one talked to an argumentative runner.

"Thank you again, for your help. Tall and I can't wait to get into the
Wings, and put all we've learned to good use."

And it was coming any day now. Any day. But like with all the rest of
the changes, he knew they would adapt.

Last updated on the April 19th 2013

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A Lesson In Leadership