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Advice To Young Wingleaders


Date:  March 12, 2003
Place:  Telgar Weyr's Lake Shore
Game:  PernMUSH
Copyright Info:  The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey 
l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

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Kassi's Note:  All right, so Cav's actually older than Kassi and 
'young' would thus be considered by some to be debatable.  Still, the
idea is there:  in this short scene, the newly-promoted C'vadan comes 
across Kassi on the Lake Shore and asks her for a few words on what to
avoid doing as a Wingleader.  Faranth knows Her Opinionatedness is 
only too glad to oblige.

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The Log:

C'vadan heads over from the central bowl.

"Oh, I'm a greenrider, and I'm okay; I plot all night and I plan all
day..." Kassima sings as she swings a dust-covered pick into a large chunk
of firestone. Wham! It cracks; bits fly off; she hefts the pick for another
go. Several small pieces of rock litter the shore around her, suggesting
that she's been at this activity for awhile. Lysseth, having more sense,
has elected to occupy the Lake itself, hide gleaming cleanly--at least
*one* of them has tidied up after their drills this morning.

C'vadan looks like a man on a mission, and said mission appears to be
looking for Kassima. "Pardon me, Kassi," he says as he approaches. "May I
have amoment of your time?" He gives Lenoyra a pleasant, if distracted, smile.

There's a last slam of the pick-edge into the rock before Kassi stops
singing, and stops swinging, stepping back from her work and turning to
give Cav a curious look. "Well, now, that sounds ominous," she observes
while wiping the back of one hand across her brow. Not that this
accomplishes much beyond causing the dust that was there to streak. "Should
I be worried what 'tis you want a moment of m'time for? You aren't hiding
hot coals in your pockets, are you, t'dump down the back of m'shirt or some
such thing?"

C'vadan manages a wry smile. "No, not at the moment," he says, trying to be
funny but not really putting much effort into it. He takes a seat on a
large rock nearby. "I was hoping I could talk to you about your experiences
as a Wingleader," he says, leaning forward at the hip with a hopeful
expression.

Kassima breathes out a sigh of relief. Well, or more like puffs out,
really; she's somewhat out of breath from her exertions still. Setting the
pick down so that it rests against the rock, she gives her hands a quick
dusting off and finds a stone of her own to perch on within easy
conversational distance. "Methinks I can spare a moment for that," she says
with a fleeting, flashed grin. "Felicitations and condolences, by the by.
What precisely are you wanting t'know about?"

C'vadan instantly produces his journal and writing tools, stylus prepped
for recording. "Where to start. As you know, I've been a Wingsecond, but
never a Wingleader. What, in your opinion, are the most common pitfalls for
a new Wingleader?" he asks, eyes locked on Kassima.

Kassima tucks her legs up so she can sit on the rock tailor-style, dusty
hands resting in her lap. "And that of Dawnslight, nay of Skyfire, so
'twill be a new experience all around," she agrees. "Pitfalls... mmph. It's
been a sharding long time since 'twas a new Wingleader m'self, y'know, more
time than I really care t'think about, but let me think." Which she does
for a few silent beats, head tilting to one side and eyes on the sky while
she does. "I'd guess being either too confident or nay confident enough is
one. Y'don't want t'come off t'your Wingmates like you don't know what
you're doing; you want 'em t'have confidence in you and all that, but you
certes don't want t'come off like an arrogant, smug know-it-all either; nay
that I'm saying 'twould, only you asked for generics. And nay talking with
the Wingseconds or predecessor would be a mistake. So would deciding
t'ditch everything about how the Wing's always been run because you think
you know better."

C'vadan busily scratches into his journal, eyes bouncing up to Kassima and
down to the book as she speaks. He nods occasionally as he agrees with a
point she is making. "Right. I've already spoken to Zai, and also Lenka. I
still need to meet with the Wing as a group." He taps the uninked end of
the stylus against his chin. "It will be difficult to not come in trying to
make changes. I realize I need to know how Skyfire works first before even
considering making changes."

"And you may want t'seriously consider nay making any, unless you see a
serious flaw somewhere," Kassi warns, tucking a stray strand of hair behind
her ear. "Skyfire's an established Wing, and likely has some established
traditions and routines that work well for the Wingriders; if'n naught's
broke about it, it might be better nay t'fix it--at least nay right away.
I've admittedly made quite a few changes with Thunderbolt, but that's over
the course of twenty Turns, y'know? I didn't start mucking with things
straight off." There's a sudden, reminiscent grin. "Mind you, nay much
about P'tran's methods ever needed altering."

C'vadan sits quietly after the mild admonishment. Never the radical
individual, he knows it unlikely there would be anything needing to change,
other than his own methods. Each Wing has their own personality, he needs
to figure out how to meld his into Skyfire. "You are right, of course."

Kassima offers him a grin that has something of sheepishness in it. "Sorry
if'n I sounded too emphatic there. I'm nay saying *nay* change might be a
good idea. 'Twould be something t'think more on after the meeting with the
Wingriders, mayhaps? If'n they seem content with how things are running,
then you'd want t'seriously think a'fore altering aught, but if'n they seem
restless or propose ideas for change on their own... well, y'might nay want
t'*do* it, but 'twould at least be something t'discuss with Lenka. And
mayhaps with I'sai. He'll nay be in Skyfire anymore, but he was Wingsecond
for a good many Turns, and acting Wingleader for a bit, so he'd make
another decent resource."

"I'sai's next on my list," says Cav good-naturedly. "And I wouldn't have
come to you for advice if I didn't expect it to honest, Kassi. Despite our
differences in the past, I *do* respect you as a Wingleader." He jots a few
more notes down. "Deciding on a replacement for I'sai will take awhile.
I've already talked with Lenka about staying on. She's sharp and knows the
Wing."

Kassima has to smile at that, if wryly. "Thankee, Cav. Good t'know that
someone does." Flicking the hair back away from her eyes again, she adds,
"And Faranth knows I tend towards the blunt honesty when it comes
t'leadership advice. Dancing around the topics doesn't seem productive,
really... I couldn't tell you who t'look at as a replacement. You got some
of the finest Weyrlings of the latest crop, but I've never been big on the
promotion of riders straight out of training. Personally, 'twouldn't rush
the decision if'n 'twere you. Wait until a candidate really stands out,
unless you're desperate for the help."

C'vadan taps the stylus against his chin as Kassima speaks. "True. There is
no hurry<' he agrees. With a soundless sigh, he puts his writing materials
back in their well-worn pouch. "I was just getting used to the new
Weyrlings in the Dawnslight Wing. Now I get to do it again," he says, his
tone on the perverse side of wry. "All things for a reason," he murmurs.

"Nay precisely a joy, that, the extra work. But you have good
Weyrli--sorry, new riders. And hey, this way, you've got a whole set of new
riders *period* t'get used to, which at least makes things interesting."
Kassi's amused by the sound of things, but doesn't seem to be trying to be
wicked with these observations. "You'll probably do all right. *'Twill* be
a sharding heavy load of work, but you've been around enough t'know that
already."

"I've always been happy to be the hide-bound type," admits Cav, like that
was some sort of Weyr secret. "But K'ran believes I can do the job, so I
will do everything I can to prove him right." He smiles, a weary sort of
smile of someone suddenly thrust into a whole new life: new weyrmate, new
child, new job. "I trust you will continue to be brutally honest when it
comes to anything you see I'm doing, well, wrong."

Kassima quips in a rather dry tone, "Well, you can trust me in this much:
there's *plenty* of hidework involved in Wingleadering. Reading sweep
reports, writing report summaries; making out duty rosters, considering
maps, charting formations; writing apology notes to the Holders whose
daughters your Wingmates knock up--well, all right, mayhaps that's just
me." Her rueful grin disappears into a moment's thoughtful look. "I can
if'n 'tis your wish, Cav, but... well, can't believe I'm saying this, but
you shouldn't let me critique you too much. Skyfire's *your* Wing t'run;
you won't run it like I run Thunderbolt, nor should you. But. You can rest
assured, at least, that if'n I see you about t'make some error that
methinks will kill off half your riders? I'll let you know. Emphatically."
She's somewhat deadpan about that one.

C'vadan laughs, especially at the comment about writing holders. "I know,
Kassi," he says, a little more soberly as she finishes. "And it isn't like
I don't have friends in Skyfire. Ceria, Keriann, K'nan and M'rgan come to
mind. I'm sure they'll help me as well."

Kassima nods readily to this. "You should be all right. 'Tis a good Wing
you've been landed with, Faranth knows--and you get t'be Wingleader over
two former Weyrleaders; that has t'be good for the ego, if'n naught else,"
she teases, eyes dancing a bit. More seriously: "Mart especially would be a
help, I should think. Though there's one thing... it goes back t'what you
asked, about pitfalls. Mart was a sharding fine Wingleader, but there's one
thing--nigh only one thing--he did you really shouldn't do, at least if'n
'tis me you're asking."

C'vadan leans forward. "That is?"

"Don't retire at your first death." Kassi says this quietly, but with
considerable firmness. "Don't. And don't take the deaths so hard you fall
apart as a Wingleader. I'm *nay* saying you shouldn't take a death hard, or
try t'avoid 'em, or when they happen think a lot about them and try
t'figure out how t'prevent it--a'course you should do all of that. But
deaths *will* happen in Threadfall. And as Wingleaders, we have t'be able
t'accept 'em, learn from 'em, try t'prevent more of 'em, but still move on."

C'vadan finds his mouth suddenly dry. He coughs into his left hand. "I
know," he says softly, even more softly spoken than he normally does. "I'd
like to say I will be prepared for it to happen, but I have never been
responsible for a Wing before. It'll be a learning experience." He licks
his lips. "Death is a part of what we do. This I know."

Kassima's own voice is soft as she observes, as much to herself as him,
"There's nay real way t'be prepared for it... I've lost several, over the
Turns. I have a good record of keeping m'riders alive, but nay anyone flies
without fatality forever. It doesn't really get much easier. I recommend
keeping some alcohol in your weyr, even if'n you're nay normally a drinking
man." She gives a quick shake of her head as though to dispel some of the
mood. "'Tis, death and injury both. But in a way, 'tis fortunate you
are--we're nay so very long from the Interval. If'n fortune's with you, you
may nay lose many, a'fore we can hopefully stop losing any 'tall."

C'vadan wrinkles his nose at the mention of drinking. "Well, my goal is to
make it to Interval without any serious mishaps. Of course, I have no
control over what anynone in the Wing does. I can only hope they continue
to work as hard as they have."

"Six more Turns; y'might make it, but 'twouldn't be shocked if'n nay.
That's a lot of Falls." Whatever Kassi might next say is interrupted by the
abrupt arrival of a fire-lizard with a note; she pulls the scrap of hide
free, reads, and swears. "*What* did I do t'deserve these trouble-making
children--sorry, Cav, must run, Kisai's apparently dragged some of her
playmates into the back corridors as an 'adventure' and the nannies are
having fits--" She's off her rock and sprinting for the Lower Caverns even
as she says this, the last words called over her shoulder.