We Want Success

Writers: Avery, Miriah
Date Posted: 16th January 2020

Characters: Kapera, D'hol
Description: Kapera and D'hol talk about the new Weyrhold.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 11, day 16 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Cyradis, J'nus, Urlene, K'ran,
heavily late because Avery LOA

Kapera

D'hol

Kapera had been working on post-drill wrap-ups, adjusting her
personnel lists of the Dolphin Cove riders, going over who she thought
she might want to poach to the new Weyrhold, and wondering how many of
them would volunteer to go, or want to go, or stay here. She was
trying to be conservative with it, knowing that every Weyr would send
a contingent of riders eventually, and not wanting to understaff
Dolphin Cove, but acknowledging that she had some favorites.

When it was dinner time, she went and dropped the reports off on
Cyradis' desk, then considered going to the Dining Cavern for dinner
versus having a more quiet chat with someone she knew. She leaned
towards the latter. She wanted to speak with all of 'her' bronzeriders
before they transferred.

Riyanth was still strongly attached to bronze Yumath after the work
she'd put into keeping him grounded during D'hol's surgery, so it was
with ease her mind found his.

}:My rider wishes to speak with yours,:{ Riyanth said to Yumath. }:Is
he free for dinner with her?:{

}: Mine is free. He would very much welcome the company. He's been
bored and if I have to hear him complain about going 'stir-crazy' one
more time, I may shove him at Yours. He doesn't like being idle. :{

Kapera went to the kitchens, ordered two trays of food to be
delivered, then grabbed wine and brought herself to D'hol's room.
"Company's coming," she sing-songed as she tapped at the door.

"Thank Faranth." The words weren't yelled, but they could be heard
from behind the door. "Come in, Kapera." D'hol waited for the door to
open and gingerly rose from his chair, putting aside the book that he
had already read twice.

She entered in, pushing the door aside. "I placed a kitchen order, I
hope you're hungry. Are you allowed wine yet?"

"I am actually." He hadn't been for a while, but Urlene had told him
to expect some stomach upset. "I'm starving." He looked at the wine in
her hand and shook his head. "No, I'm not yet. Besides, I try to to
drink if possible. History." He shrugged. "Better off not to start
that again. Come on in." Waving her in, D'hol gestured to a chair at
his small table and moved to take a seat himself. He wasn't moving
quickly, but he was healing well enough to want to be able to do more.
"I've not seen you in a sevenday."

The goldrider took a seat, and then said, "With Panitath grounded with
her clutch, I've been very busy with wing drills and other duties, you
know how it is. Also, preparing some data for the new weyrhold, now
that I've heard all of the progress reports saying they'll be moving
riders in next month. I know every Weyr is only sending the initial
crews at first to form the skeleton set-up staff, but eventually more
riders will be sent to fill it out, so."

D'hol nodded in agreement. It was similar to what he had been told.
"Aye. I'll be leaving as soon as Urlene clears me to /between/ to
assist K'ran in administering." He leaned back to look at her. "You
know why she's sending me?"

"You mean, am I wondering if it's some personal reason where she
doesn't want to see you anymore?" she asked lightly.

After a moment, she added, "It's my fault, at least in part. The
Weyrwoman asked me if I had any preferences on bronzeriders. I wasn't
going to clean out all of Dolphin Cove, but I wanted to select at
least two dragons she would favor and riders I can work with."

He shook his head, but then listened, his eyes rising at her comments.
"Well, I'm surprised, but flattered. What she told me, and she's
probably right, is that if Riyanth rises first, then there's a greater
chance that Yumath will catch. So, you're both correct."

There was a knock on the door and he rose, greeting the drudge at the entrance and
taking the proffered food. Bringing it back to the table, he set it
down and returned to his seat. "Which is certainly something to think
about. Do you feel you're ready for that should it happen now?"

"My guess is that it would be you or J'nus. Yumath and Kopth have
been the two bronzes to catch her here at Dolphin Cove, and I work
well with both of you, so why wouldn't I request you?" she asked.

She bit her lip as she considered her answer. "Do you think I'm ready
to be Weyrwoman?" she echoed, remembering their prior discussion on
this matter.

"I don't mind that you did." D'hol admitted, handing her a plate and
then pouring drinks for both of them. At her question, he looked up at
her, then leaned back to consider her. "Yes, but if I might give you
some advice? Don't let a lesser ranked rider see any lack of
confidence or uncertainty. Not unless they are someone you trust
completely. If you have to, give the illusion of confidence and
certainty until you're with someone who can brace yourself against."

"Keep the nerves to my confidantes, in other words," she said with a
nod, thinking. "There won't be many there, and there _will_ be a lot
of ambitious people. It's going to be...interesting."

"Perhaps you could consider me as one." D'hol pointed out. "If Yumath
does catch Riyanth, we'll be working pretty closely together.
There'll probably be some tense times and times we'll disagree, even
if he doesn't. But you'll need that. "

"I need people who I can be honest with, and shards, that list is
short." Well, maybe she shouldn't have said the last part aloud, but
what was done was done. "I would like to count you among that number."

"You can." The reply was simple. "I want this new Weyrhold to succeed,
no matter who is leading or which queen rises first."

There was a time when Kapera would not have been able to say the same. A time when she would have done minimal work and tried to get others to do everything for her. A time when putting in extra effort for something if it wouldn't immediately grant her credit and attention would have been anathema. Now she'd sobered up and learned more in the last five Turns that she'd learned in the twenty-odd before that.

She wanted Barrier Lake to succeed as long as she was assigned there. Yes, because she might be its Senior Weyrwoman. But also because even as a junior goldrider there, she was shaping something new. The weyrhold would bear her stamp as a founding rider, leave a legacy, and that... she found suddenly it mattered to her, a lot.

"I do, as well," she said, giving him a bright smile. "I'm glad you're joining me."

D'hol inclined his head. "I'm honored. "

Last updated on the January 18th 2020

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

We Want Success