Dossier No. 2 - Stavina
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Halyonix, Heather
Date Posted: 24th August 2025
Characters: Saibra, Stavina
Description: Saibra interviews another candidate for the Weyrwoman’s Second position
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 8, day 20 of Turn 12
Notes: Snow (14°F)
Mentioned: N’kryi (the redfruit thief)
**I hope she likes snow,** Saibra said to Chioneth. The Dragonsfall Weyrwoman stood on her ledge bundled in a furlined coat with her hood up to shield her face from the snowfall.
}:What’s not to like? You can do _this_ with it.:{ The gold took her tail and swept off a large wave of snow which plummeted down into the Weyrbowl.
**Chioneth!** Saibra scolded, gasping out loud. **You might have buried someone in that!**
Chioneth grumbled irritably at being scolded. }:It’s just a little snow.:{
Just then, the watchdragon let out a bugle of greeting as a gold appeared in the skies. She was a deep gold, like ore pulled out of the ground. She bugled back a sharp reply and then banked towards Chioneth’s ledge.
The woman that slid down from that flank eyed Saibra with frigid formality. “Weyrwoman,” she said with no warmth in her tone. “Stavina, Terath’s rider, of High Reaches.”
“Greetings,” Saibra said with a smile. She extended her hand. “Coming from High Reaches, you’re used to the snow, then?”
Stavina looked at the proffered hand for a long moment before taking it gingerly, as though she was afraid to touch Saibra for some reason. “Quite. Born and raised there. I dislike the heat of other places.”
“I was a native of Far Island, but I’ve adjusted to the cold.” Saibra said, leading the way into her much warmer office. “We do have an excellent heating system here, thanks to the Techniciancraft.”
The other goldrider eyed the office critically but offered no remarks aside from, “Odd that you left Far Island. Most riders prefer the warmer climes.”
“Well,” Saibra said, gesturing for Stavina to take a seat, “I didn’t leave Far Island for Dragonsfall. I actually moved over to Dolphin Cove to be their Weyrwoman’s Second. So at the time, I was trading an island for a tropical cove, which seemed a pretty even swap. Then Weyrwoman Hygalia left Dragonsfall with a clutch in her dragon’s belly, still a scandal, and completely altered my plans.”
Stavina’s gaze fell on Saibra. “And hopefully no such scandals under your watch.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement, though it could easily have been heard as a question if Saibra wanted.
“None yet,” Saibra said, crossing her fingers and waving them. “Now, I looked through your resume, and it’s very impressive. Could you elaborate for me the experience you have working with newly impressed goldriders? We just had one impress recently, and having retired Weyrwoman Tsaera here to be her mentor has been a lifesaver.”
“Discipline,” Stavina immediately answered. “My mentor had me copy the entire history of our Weyr three times, along with the Charter and any other relevant history she knew. We goldriders represent Pern in ways no other person can, and we must be held to the _highest_ of standards. Your weyrling should know how to deal with everyone from Lord Holder to drudge with perfect formality, and if she messes up, reprimand her.”
While Saibra agreed with the words coming out of Stavina’s mouth, she wasn’t sure if she liked the vibe that came with them. She got the distinct impression that Stavina liked dealing out punishment, maybe too much. Although Saibra doled out punishment if necessary, she never enjoyed it. **Still, that might be something a Weyrwoman Second like Stavina would be good for. Then I wouldn’t have to,** she reasoned to herself.
“We’re fortunate that Sybana is holdbred and has impeccable etiquette,” she commented to Stavina. “But it’s not always that way. Last Turn, I had a holder approach me, accusing one of our blueriders of stealing red fruits from his farm. How would you deal with that?”
“Latrine duty for the rider,” Stavina immediately answered, siding with the Hold. “While there is a stereotype that we dragonriders are honorable, it is well known that some of the chromatic riders think that they can get away with just about anything. We must uphold our image as honorable defenders of Pern, not scavengers.”
Saibra licked her lips to keep herself from smiling. Poor N’kyri, sentenced to latrine duty for his theft of the red fruits. **It would probably serve him right,** she thought. Still, the line “honorable defenders of Pern” was a bit…. Cliche. She did agree, though, that dragonriders needed to set a good example.
“My former Weyrwoman’s Second would attend some Hold functions in our territory to promote good relations. How would you feel about doing that, and what experience do you have with Weyr-Hold relationships?” Saibra asked next.
“That’s quite important, but what did she _do_ at those functions? Merely an appearance only goes so far.”
“She worked the room. Made connections. Got on friendly terms with the Holders and their wives, and so on.” There had been a rumor that Ashela and Zathris were _too_ friendly, but Saibra _thought_ they were only rumors. She hoped.
Stavina’s expression turned critical. “_How_ friendly?”
“Nothing improper,” Saibra said with a lift of her shoulders. At least, nothing she could prove.
The other goldrider did not seem to believe her but said nothing. The prim set of her shoulders said it all. “Good. A degree of separation should be maintained. Holders should remember that we dragonriders are cut from a different cloth.”
“Are you of the school of thought that weyrbred make better Candidates than the holdbred?” Saibra asked lightly, her tone leaving it open for discussion.
“Absolutely,” Stavina answered. “They are already adjusted to the culture of the Weyr. They have been born into the duty of dragonriders. There is no shock, no need to instruct them on the basics. They already have an advantage.”
The Dragonsfall Weyrwoman considered some of the weyrbred Weyrlings from Chioneth and Aluneth’s latch clutch, and what utter chaos they had been. She tried really, _really_, hard not to let Z’renh’s name slip into her brain, but it was there anyway.
The two women finished the interview as efficiently as they had begun it. And Saibra walked Stavina back out to the ledge.
“Thank you, Stavina. One last question, do you think you could see yourself here at Dragonsfall?”
Stavina’s gaze swept the Weyr like a gold dragon surveying her land. But there was a critical hardness to her eyes, a frown set upon her mouth. “Perhaps,” she answered, though there was doubt in her tone. She turned her attention to Saibra. Inclining her head primly, she said, “Thank you for having me, Weyrwoman. I look forward to hearing from you.”
Last updated on the August 29th 2025