Here's Your Chance

Writers: Duskdog, Halyonix
Date Posted: 8th October 2024

Characters: M'kayre, I'serin
Description: I'serin offers M'kayre the position of Weyrsecond
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 6 of Turn 12

M'kayre

I'serin

Mentioned:
Notes:
~~~~~~~~~

Though it had been on his agenda, Threadfall the day before meant that he had little time to speak with his candidates about the Weyrsecond position. It didn't help that his father's words rang in his ears even worse after yesterday.

I'serin felt like a failure on so many levels. But he endured.

**Please ask if Bhelth's rider is available to meet with me,** he asked Aluneth to relay as he sat at his desk, ruminating over his klah. He had to choose someone with experience, he knew that, but also someone who could satisfy the River Bluff riders who resented being relegated to wingrider roles because of the catastrophe. M'kayre had been at the bottom of the short list of candidates who fit that criteria but the more I'serin thought about it, the more he decided to interview him first.

**Tell Aluneth that I'm on my way,** M'kayre instructed Bhelth as soon as the bronze had relayed the message. He might still have been a little irate about his failure to secure the Weyrleadership himself, but knowing a River Bluff rider had done so was something of a balm on his ego, at least. And he wasn't so foolish that he had forgotten his duty to the Weyrleader as a rider, either.

If I'serin proved to be a disappointment, of course, his sentiments might change.

"Weyrleader," he greeted once he'd arrived. "I don't believe I've offered my congratulations yet. Congratulations. I told the Weyrwoman that River Bluff had given Dragonsfall our best. I'm not certain she believed me then." He drew himself up to his full height proudly, lifting his chin. Nothing pleased him more than being _right_.

By now, I'serin had resigned him to nodding his head and politely saying "thank you" whenever someone offered their customary congratulations. He did not grimace at M'kayre's boasting of his abilities. It seemed everyone had high expectations for him. He was certain they would all be disappointed in him, one way or another. But that was neither here nor now. "I will do my best to see Dragonsfall succeeds," he assured M'kayre, even though the disaster of yesterday hung over that statement. "To cut to the chase, bronzerider, I have a proposition for you." He motioned for M'kayre to take a seat.

Good. M'kayre didn't mind cutting the formalities short. He respected the need for them -- would have demanded it himself -- but it was far more tiresome when they were for someone else's benefit. He sat, as bidden.

"Very well. I'm eager to hear it." He tried to keep his voice one of idle curiosity, rather than allow any of the anticipation he was feeling leak through. Would he get his long-denied wingleadership back at last? Losing a rider yesterday could be the impetus for a changing of the guard, after all.

I'serin exhaled softly, giving himself a short moment to hope that he was not making yet another informed, well-intentioned, but still somehow a mistake.

"I would like to offer you the position of Weyrsecond."

M'kayre tried not to let his eyebrows go up, but they certainly did. "Well. That _is_ certainly a proposition." A better one that he had expected. He wouldn't be leading his own wing, but... well, the power and the honor of it couldn't be denied. "I accept, of course! Your faith in what I have to offer the Weyr -- have _always_ had to offer the Weyr -- is noted and appreciated. As is your willingness to make change when you see it's required. Dragonsfall _must_ be better than it is -- and I'm glad that you seem aware of that."

Though the acceptance sounded generous, I'serin thought he heard tones of ambition in it. Or was he jumping at shadows already? He exhaled, quietly wondering if this doubt would pester him for the next few months, though it sounded like he was exhaling in relief. He offered M'kayre the Weyrsecond knots as he said, "I look forward to working with you then on bettering the Weyr. Let us begin with a conversation on how we can do that."

"Absolutely," M'kayre replied, accepting the knots and taking a moment to attach them, swapping them out with his wingrider knots. Faranth willing, he wouldn't be needing _those_ anymore if things went well. I'serin waved for his new Weyrsecond to sit and focused his full attention on the other bronzerider, inviting him to start speaking.

"Discipline," said M'kayre, taking a seat and crossing one leg over the other, ankle resting on his opposite knee, "is lacking. I cannot speak of the other Wings as familiarly as my own, but my experience with Cyan was less than stellar, and I can only imagine the rest echo that. No one should take pride in their Wing being known as the 'party wing'." His lip curled in distaste. "My now-gratefully-ex wingmates have occasionally accused me of being 'anti-fun', which I assure you is _far_ from the truth. Being able to relax and unwind with your comrades is valuable. But there's a difference between celebrating life and allowing yourself to become lax. I believe too many become complacent when we have several uneventful 'Falls in a row. Perhaps they think we've trained _enough_, that we've won the 'game'. That's how accidents like this most recent happen. People becoming complacent. I personally think we could use more and tighter drilling, and less tolerance for absences and sloppiness. I think we could benefit from more drilling between multiple Wings, as well -- more exercises between Azure and Cyan, for example, as we _do_ have to operate seamlessly together as part of the machine, not merely separate entitites."

He paused a moment to gather more thoughts, then continued.

"And we have an entirely untapped well of leadership here that we are allowing to languish, particularly among River Bluff's riders -- though not exclusively. I realize, of course, that there are only limited opportunities for rank, and few ways to change that barring wishing something unthinkable upon those who already occupy the positions. But there are experienced leaders who are being allowed to sit endlessly waiting when they could be doing a better job than the... lower-performing among current leadership. And, perhaps more criminally, there are those without experience, but plenty of potential, who are missing their most formative learning turns just _waiting_. Any bronzerider could be thrust into Weyrleadership at any time without heed for how much experience they've had, as you're no doubt aware." His grin was wry and pointed. "That shouldn't happen. I propose we put more attention on giving those languishing riders more opportunity. Rotate them in as wingseconds every now and again when a position does come open, before assigning someone officially to the position, at the very least. They get experience, we get to see what they can do. Perhaps they end up being better at the job than those who used to occupy the spot -- only we would have never known it, would we?"

I'serin was quiet for a long moment, his mind reviewing these suggestions, comparing them to his own experience and studies. He leaned forward to jot a few quick words on his notepad and then leaned back. "I concur with you," he said simply. And he did, though not as draconian or enthusiastically as M'kayre probably wanted. He would not touch the Cyan parties -- he'd leave adults to their own discretion. But on the subjects of tighter drilling and getting others more experience in leadership, I'serin could not disagree. It would certainly help better prepare the Weyr in case another disaster struck.

He tried not to think too hard about that. Or how that lack of experience was currently hampering him.

}: Forward, :{ Aluneth commented, drawing I'serin out of his thoughts. A headache was starting to bloom.

"Let us begin with that then," I'serin said. "I would like for you to draw up a list of those you consider eligible riders for Wingsecond rotations. I would also like to have the same list for potential Wingleaders." He paused before moving on to the next topic. "In regards to tighter drilling, I will work with the current Wingleaders on ways to enhance performance. Then we will work with them on the matter of cross-training other riders." His expression invited M'kayre to add any additional thoughts.

"I already have a few riders in mind," M'kayre said with a self-satisfied smile. He had expected some resistance -- not because he didn't think his ideas were reasonable, but because he fully expected most other bronzeriders to be resistant to accepting any that they, themselves, hadn't thought of first. It's what he would have done, after all, even if he would never admit it to himself. "And I'm certain there are others. You'll have your list by tomorrow. As to the rest... I suggest we see what sort of pushback you get to these changes, and to your authority in general over this first sevenday. That may dictate the direction and approach needed for any further steps. Who's receptive to improvement and who isn't? We'll have an idea soon enough."

"Most certainly," I'serin ruefully agreed.

Last updated on the October 11th 2024

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Here's Your Chance