Politics is being taught by WHO?

[blueaid]

An intermezzo, brief and easily ignored. Z'dayi answered Ez'ki's look with the start of a grin and whispered sooooo quietly, "Sell out."

[neopanther]

Ez gave a sideways glance at Z’dayi, brows raised, as though to say quite flatly that he didn’t need to explain himself, then shrugged his shoulders, it conveyed the message that maybe it didn’t hurt, but he still wasn’t interested.
Ez decided to take J’fel’s advice – reluctantly mind -
Can you tell his that I don’t intend to keep it up, just one good mark against a few bad stands me in better stead, I’m no turn coat. Xyr looked up at his bonded for a moment, eyes whirring a placid blue before he nipped Ez’s clothing almost in reprimand.
Mine says to say to yours that he is still lazy, he’s just playing along for now. The blue told Tremaith none too eloquently.
He is told. But I do not know why you justify yourself to him... he’s not important.
No, perhaps he just makes me feel a little more adequate.[/i] Ez replied to Xyruth with a bemused tone.

[dragon]

T'rad and Paleoth weren't overly early to the lesson and each would blame the other for the tardiness. For Paleoth, T'rad took too long. He was slow and decided at the last minute to grab some breakfast before going. The boy knew he'd be too distracted by hunger to get anything out of the lesson and his stomach was growling so intensely and suddenly. T'rad's scenerio was a bit different, Paleoth was being difficult and took some time to clean and oil. One thing could be said for the pair, however. They were well rested. T'rad always managed to keep Paleoth busy thoughout the day. If it wasn't chores, the pair were playing around. The daily schedule would have Paleoth worn by the evening and T'rad would get his sleep.

T'rad noticed it was the weyrleader who was speaking at this lesson today. He looked for a seat of his own, finding one close to a fellow blue weyrling. The two had an energy that seemed lacking in most of the other weyrlings but the pair were rather oblivious to it at the moment. Their concern was finding a place to settle and listen to the lecture. T'rad took his seat near Ez'ki and gave his full attention to the weyrleader who was now speaking. He had come in right when the weyrleader first spoke. That was good enough for T'rad, he wasn't too late.

One leg crossed over the other and stretched out as far as they could as he placed his hands behind his head, getting as comfortable as he could. Perhaps it didn't look like it, but T'rad was all ears. Paleoth decided this was some sort of game, finding T'rad's sudden lengthened attention span curious. He sat as posturely as the bulky blue could and gave the weyrleader his attention as well. His tail swished back and forth playfully, giving away that he wasn't at all serious as much as his actions and stance said otherwise. T'rad simply smirked, amused at Paleoth's actions. Though the weyrling didn't think for a moment to take his eyes off the speaker.

A suprise look came when K'mar asked some very serious questions. He hadn't expected the lesson to go in such a way, but he was interested in the answers. He had to admit, K'mar asked very valid questions. Questions T'rad wouldn't dare ask the weyrleader himself. Satisfied with the answer given, T'rad continued on listening to what more had to be said. Scolding came from the weyrlingmaster, though T'rad wasn't paying enough attention to the rest of his surroundings to notice the noise himself. That was his typical, curious nature. Block out everything else except that which interests him. Atleast the scoldings weren't aimed at him. T'rad had remained quiet and receptive to what was being said.

More questions were asked and answered, though T'rad turned his head in interest at Ez'ki who he was sitting nearby. He had taken the initiative and spoke up next. Paleoth turned his head to look at T'rad and crooked his head to the side a bit. Will we speak next? Will it be our turn after his? T'rad smiled a bit as he turned to Paleoth. You silly blue. You think this is a game. We may ask something next if I can find something relative to ask. So far everyone else is asking the valid questions I would think to ask. Paleoth wasn't all too happy with the answer and nudged his head against T'rad's leg to show his disapproval. Of course. I may find something to comment on or add on to. Just be patient. Remember, some games require patience to win. T'rad quickly added to try and satisfy his dragonet. Paleoth accepted this and returned to the posture he had before, tail still swishing as playfully as ever. T'rad simply continued to smile and turned his head back to look over at Ez'ki.

[neopanther]

Ez leaned forward a little, not making his intentions to obvious, but he let his elbows meet his knees, his hands cupped his cheeks, holding his head in an effort of attentively. “Better late than never eh?” He smirked, cocky and arrogant as ever.
Paleoth! Hello, how are things for you and Yours? Mine is shockingly easily distracted. The blue shared the speech with the newly entered blue, and with his bonded, trying to make a point.
And as though you are no reason towards that then eh Xyruth? Ez’ki aimed back at his own, oddly toned blue. Xyruth skittered back and forth between his feet, looked up at T’rad then back to his own bonded.
Well perhaps a small portion, but not as much as you would think The blue returned solely to His. And even at that very moment, the sheer number of things that touched Ez’ki’s mind, not the simple sentence, but the overspill of thoughts, upon his own little one was not only thinking about what he was saying to his bonded, but as to what he was thinking of doing later how he intended on talking to Tremaith more, and how the bronze was far too involved in this lesson in comparison to his bonded, about how remarkable he thought Deoneth’s colour was in the lighting of the room. On how he seen a random part of Paleoth’s hide, that was a similar colour to his own, when he was in the shadows at very least.

Ez’s mind whirred with the capacity of his bonded’s thoughts. He felt himself lose concentration on what was being said about him, how his mind have folded in upon itself.
how do you possibly think all of that, at once, and manage to listen to what others say?
Sorry mine?
Very funny Xyr. Ez’ki shook his head, stifling a laugh as faced cheek from such a young hatchling already. Xyr was like a shock to the system, and now he was awake, fully awake as well, it was such an intense blow against his own thoughts they generally began to slow. Xyr’s electric tone throwing his own systems into overload, bringing them to a gradual shut down.

[Xinnai]

Salina sat as the discussion swirled around her, eyes amused within her serious face as Deoneth sat attentive beside her, eyes whirling with her own humor and focus. At the reprimand for speaking out loud, the girl couldn’t help but feel slightly smug, especially at J’fel’s words. "Haven't they learned how to get their dragons to have their conversations for them yet?” It was at such a time as this that the goldrider couldn’t help but feel pride for being born female. They just figured it out so much sooner. She couldn’t help but wince a little at her best friend’s continual involvement in the proceedings. Or rather his uninvolvement. He could at least try, couldn’t he? She knew that he loathed J’fel, but he could try to pay attention. After all, he didn’t have the advantages she did.

The girl leaned forward at further talk of rank, at the deeper workings of what she had glossed over. Being weyrbred, she knew the majority-more so-of the subject being spoken of, but found it interesting the way that J’fel put it. She only absentmindedly noticed Ez’ki’s fingers lacing with hers. It happened all the time with them and was such a movement of comfort, of their bond, that she rarely took slightly more notice of it when she was less distracted. It just was.

The Weyrleader’s words disturbed her, though it was more an impression gathered with them than much else. It felt like he was speaking of a shortcut, when you cut down to it. “It takes talent to follow, just as much as to lead, and those riders who develop those talents become leaders of a kind by being an example and an inspiration to others." He wasn’t suggesting what she thought he was, was he? Especially that last bit, the “those riders who develop those talents become leaders of a kind by being an example and an inspiration to others.” Everyone knew that you didn’t get anything by being an example, especially if you were ranked blue or green as he’d been speaking of. Salina slid a guilty glance at Ez’ki. But…it sounded as if he were saying you gained power-she couldn’t help sneering even mentally at the word-by the people you knew.

Her world tipped slightly at the thought.

Would people, then, think the rumors of J’fel and herself-a wince here, for she’d sorely hoped there would be none-were true not only because of who J’fel was, but because she also aspired to be the first of the junior weyrwomen at Telgar to not be transferred over? The girl experienced a brief shudder. She wanted to stay, yes, dearly, but she’d never thought to use J’fel to such a ploy…Was it even possible? She shook herself from the thoughts, tuning back in to the discussion-which had seemed to come to a standstill after Ez’s question of expectations.

Salina resurfaced, seeing with a shock that another blue pair sat next to Ez’ki and Xyruth. She blinked, wondering if they’d appeared out of thin air or had merely been late. She frowned before shrugging, deciding to leave it alone. Waiting for J’fel’s explanation, and mulling over a question for the Weyrleader later, she contacted Deoneth.

Would you ask Xyruth what Ex’ki plans to do after chores?
Deoneth, still delighted with the game, did as she was asked and leaned towards Xyruth, noticing his renewed energy. They’d all be in for a ride now.

[Selvagem]

Th'dis
The youngest bronze weyrling of the class met J'fel's bemused glance with cool gray eyes, the only sign of his unease the ever-so-slight clink that arched his brows and echoed the set of his lips. He tried to grin lopsidedly, thought better of it, and sat in miserable silence all through the Weyrleader's answers. Guiyath, listening with rapt attention, sensed his weyrling's nerves and reached out for him. Concern was part of the dragonet's reasons for comforting him, though a healthy part of it also had to do with the fact that the boy's fear was affecting his attention span.

Th'dis, stop it.

I know.

Th'dis, please.

I know.

He couldn't stop it, though. He was just too keyed up by what his bronze had attempted to relax. Not until J'fel had passed over the most dangerous part of Guiyath's question, taking it on himself in a gracious maneuvour that Th'dis couldn't have missed even if he were blind, did the bronze weyrling finally lean back slightly. His eyes spoke all the gratitude there was to be said, a silent thanks to the Weyrleader, whether he noticed or not. Guiyath's disapproval washed through him like a smatter of stone, but he ignored it stoicly. He grinned back at Z'dayi muttering to him on one side, and nodded.

"Thanks."

Inwardly, his mind seethed. He took Guiyath's mind suddenly, stunning the dragonet with the force and anger that welled up inside him, and held it with a strength that the young bronze was incapable of breaking.

Don't ever do that again.

Surprised, shocked, caught off guard, the bronze held out only a moment before he lowered his head ever so slightly, a slowing trickle of his thoughts indicating submission. Th'dis felt his heartbeat slow as others began to ask questions, and gradually relaxed his grip.

Next time, pass it by me first.

Yes.

He released the bronze from his mental vice-hold, his thoughts reeling as Guiyath's mind whirled away from his. The bronze laid up a temporal wall of rock against his weyrling while he regained his composure, and as Tremaith sent his warm regards he returned with a bright, cool stare, and a returning wash of thoughts that indicated humble acknowledgement and a certainty of Tremaith's abilities in asking such questions as well.

To Jordeth, he returned with a calm reply, Well-said, bronze Jordeth, I shall keep your words in mind.

---

H'tio and Jh'na
H'tio's eyes were half-closed as he threw all his focus into his ears, and into Runimeth's senses. There was a pleasure in viewing things through the brown dragonet's mind that he could not have described even if he were the best speaker in all Pern, but the sense of hope and joy it inspired in him left him only too willing to keep seeing everything as his lifemate did. To Runimeth, the whole world was reconciliable, there was nothing that could not be fixed, nothing that could not be remedied or changed in some way. It was comforting to the teenager, in its own way: thinking of his brother's death, and the deaths of so many others he could not help, was easier when thought trough Runimeth's mind with it's endless opportunities and hopes. Life was bearable when lived with such thoughts.

The brown dragonet, for his part, was considering the sequence of questions and answers carefully. At length, H'tio lifted his head and raised a hand to ask a question that had come from the combined thoughts of both Runimeth and himself.

"Sir, if I may, what becomes of the dragonrider as he ages? Will he remain respected for his experience as we often see in the Crafts, or simply be relegated to the ranks of messengers and watchdragons, never to hold rank again?"

Jh'na, for his part, was beginning to fidget in his chair, and his restlessness affected Mirabeth as well, who sent the occasional hiss his way in an attempt to keep him still. Sitting quietly and listening, however, rarely if ever went down well with the former Smithcrafter Apprentice: he was a boy accustomed to movement and motion, to doing things with his hands rather than his mouth and ears. He wasn't bad at listening and speaking, of course, he just preferred to move rather than sit and talk. The green dragonet beside him, after a stern glare that failed to have any effect on her chosen, sighed softly into his mind.

My Jh'na, why don't you ask a question?

Eh, Jh'na glanced at her, and smiled, Sure. When I can think of one.

Something about greenflights maybe, then? It would be interesting to know how that affects rank or politics, if it does at all.

Ah, yes, of course. After H'tio and Ez'ki though. Too many and J'fel won't be able to answer all.

[Omnia Munda]

Politics, J'fel knew, reached not just into the classroom but into the hearts of men. So it surprised him when Ez'ki was first to reply his request for further questioning, when the blueling was next to speak. That surprise was evident, if arch, upon his features as he focused his gaze again on Xyruth's rider.

The arch surprise turned slowly into quiet approval tucked into a curve in the corner of his mouth when Ez'ki called out what he'd said about greenriders and power as a consolation prize. You have a mind in there after all, thought the weyrleader, not without a small trace of regret: for what was necessary, was necessary, regardless, and it would not shine warmly upon Ez'ki when it was done.

J'fel set aside those thoughts for now and honed his attention on the meat of the bluerider weyrling's question. What are those expectations? J'fel assumed Ez'ki referred to his prior remarks - the expectations people had of dragonmen. And yet -

J'fel arranged himself more limply in his chair, though interest remained betrayingly keen upon his features, and lifted a hand to dismiss with a wave the question Ez'ki had actually asked. "If you're holdbred, Ez'ki, then you had those expectations driven into you at the hold. Dragonmen shall be honorable, leaders all, saviors all, heroes all. They have strange ways, but those ways require our respect as they descend from the beasts they ride. I was raised at a hold myself; you can't tell me you have no idea what people there think of riders, good and bad."

The weyrleader's eyes narrowed to slits of liquid blue. "But what makes you say, Ez'ki, that anyone should not think their dragon is lesser than any other?"

J'fel paused only a beat to breathe and went on. "Do you think I believe that? Do you think S'lyn believes it?" There was no better opposite J'fel could imagine to prove his point.

The weyrleader had come to lean forward in his chair once more, intensity written on his features; now he rose to his feet. He looked out over the weyrlings, picking his victims. "Do you think K'mar believes it? Or Z'dayi? Neither of them would hesitate to command you in a wing. What about you, T'rad?" Being late to a lesson was never a good way to avoid being singled out. "Would you refuse to obey?"

At last the questions, rhetorical all, came to an end and the ferocity that seemed to burn behind those blue eyes subsided. J'fel smiled. "Our dragons are perfect, each of them, for us and for the Weyr. Perhaps none are better or worse, for they chose us each for our strengths and our weaknesses alike, and no other would be as great a match to us as the one we did impress. But we cannot help believing them to be less or more; to deny that their ranks rank us, that their colors make us the men we'll be, is a path to heartbreak. Don't fool yourselves."

H'tio's question broke the tension then, and to the brownrider J'fel turned a suddenly tired smile.

"I have read that in the Pass, a pair so lucky as to reach old age will almost always become a watchrider or messenger, save those weyrleaders and wingleaders honored with posts instructing weyrlings." Though the young weyrleader was himself quite careful not to look at I'dalyn beside him, he could not help but think of the brownrider's father just then, the man who'd been weyrlingmaster before and trained them both. Had he been raised to the rank of weyrlingmaster as a prize for his turns of dedication in some other post? J'fel was more pleased with the way he'd chosen I'dalyn.

"But this is interval, and it does us no harm to permit a pair to remain in the wings so long as they feel fight enough to do so. Those that do retire will take on posts with watch or ride messenger, indeed, but even these riders will find themselves among Pern's most respected."

J'fel smirked a bit, at last sinking again into the seat I'dalyn had provided him. "Or they should, and report to me if such expectations are somewhere unmet."

Jordeth had meanwhile dispensed with a gentle approval wafted Guiyath's way - and now he gifted Deoneth for the first time his personal attention. Either she has no questions,[/i] supposed the weyrleader's bronze to his rider, in a sigh almost like autumn's wind, Or she has so many they tie her tongue. Which?

I've got to speak with her anyway, sighed J'fel in return, more weary. I'll find out.

Again, the weyrleader asked, "What else?" Though his smile was tired, his eyes were bright. "I'll take two more."

[Xinnai]

Salina listened with rapt attention, caught up once more in the discussion that followed. Ez'ki and Z'dayi could act like this was something not worthy of their time, and she had at first, but the goldrider was beginning to see differently. You only learned things when you listened and by learning things, you knew. With that knowledge, you could apply it. This was a very important lesson.

Still, eyes tightened slightly as did her mouth. J'fel was, to her, appearing to mock Ez'ki with their own shared beginnings. Even as she disapproved of the gesture from the bronzerider, she felt smug once more. Oh yes, victory was hers. The circumstances that made J'fel and Ez'ki so much the same were multiplying. How could he not believe her now?

As the fervent mood seemed to strike at the Weyrleader, Salina leaned forward in her chair, chin cushioned in her palm atop her crossed legs. Well then. Well, well, well. That was indeed interesting.

Did you hear that, my love?
What Jordeth's just said? Yes, I did. The gold shifted, sitting upright and folding her wings more tightly to the sides, random pieces of the tatteted-looking edges apearing in spots. He's being very contradictory. Saying that people shouldn't not think their dragon is less than others if that be the case, but he says that the dragon makes the rider. But I picked you because you called to me, because it was what was in you that I wanted and needed.
Yes...But perhaps he is right. Ultimately, it's not the human that decides their fate, it's their dragon. So why could the dragon not be the one who determined their lives?

Involved in her conversation with her gold, the little Weyrwoman didn't hear J'fel answer another weyrling's question. She looked up as he finished, grey eyes thoughtful and considering as she leaned back in her chair once more. She spoke just as Jordeth's question wafted towards his rider, granting it superfluous.

"Sir," she said, leaning forwards once more, trying to order her thoughts enough for her to put forward the question. "Riders are ruled by their dragon's desire. For their need for food, for care, for attention. They impress upon us much more than we do. We are even dictated by their mating passions." She paused, eyes grey smoke as she spoke her thoughts out carefully. "So why do they need us? They could fare very well for themselves. Why have a rider at all? And," she continued, suddenly passionate, "if you say that rank is determined by the dragon, then why do people scrabble for the rank, for the power, using connections they might have among those higher-ranked to try and get what they want, especially if it's all useless anyways, as it's the dragon who rank us?"

Satisfied, she sat back once more, schooling herself to polite interest even though her mind seethed with her need for her questions to be answered. She was especially glad she made herself coherent at all, when she'd been so convulted in her mind.

Saying that dragons don't need humans...Does that mean you don't want me?
No, darling, no! Salina was instantly soothing Deoneth, focusing on those worried, swirling eyes. Not at all. It just means that I need you much more than you need me.
Oh. It was but a soft whisper of relief, the gold's metallic voice much more in evidence than before. Don't believe that. We need each other equally.[/color]
Salina smiled at the undeniable logic that her gold put forth and then looked up, towards I'dalyn and J'fel once more, curiousity hardly put at bay.

[dragon]

T'rad cast a look at Ez'ki. "Yes. Unfortunantly some won't see it that way", he spoke quietly. He did curse himself for being even slightly late to the class, he would have to learn to be quicker, to adjust his speed. But for now, he would atleast pay attention and now was as good a time as any as the weyrleader was speaking. Ez'ki's question seemed like a good one to him and he could understand the fellow bluerider's prospective but was the weyrleader not pleased with such a question? Perhaps or perhaps not. But now even he was called out, perhaps for being so late. The weyrleader posed his question and T'rad did have to speak up. "I would obey as would be necessary to my duty as a dragonrider", T'rad spoke up clearly so he could be heard.

Paleoth greeted Xyruth. Hello clutchsibling. Mine is more intent on focusing on the lesson, he feels rather bad for being late. Paleoth, atleast, didn't have to be so focused on what was going on. His bonded could easily relay it all back to him.

[ignisfatuus]

J'sen had been up and wide awake since before the lesson had begun. He had had Breakfast and had bathed and oiled Leeth in good time too. Everything was perfect and he could have been one of the first Weyrlings to arrive, to have made a good impression on the Weyrleader if it wasn't for one tiny fact.

J'sen had completely forgotten about the lesson.

Leeth was no help in the matter either. His memory was noticeably worse than J'sens (but it was no where near as bad as certain Greens). It wasn't until the pair had returned from a stroll around the Weyrbowl and J'sen had noticed a distinct lack of any other Weyrlings around that he realised that something was going on. A quick word with some passing person or other confirmed that there was, in fact, a lesson in progress at that very moment.

J'sen hurried a mildly bemused Leeth to the place in question where the lesson was being held. The Bronzerider paused just outside, listening to what was being said inside so that he would not be completely clueless as to what was going on once he was to enter. He arrived in time to hear J'fels last reply and everything that was said after that. Once he deemed the time to be right, the Caminar strolled into the room as if he didn't have a care in the world and casually sat in one of the remaining vacant seats as if his late appearance was of no consequence.

He turned to look at Salina who had just questioned why dragons needed a riders. It was an interesting question, he thought but from what he had observed and gathered from his short time in the Weyr he could formulate a basic answer that made sense to him at least.

"I believe... that the Dragons could live with perfect ease without riders." He started out tentatively but his voice grew more confident as he spoke. Most of his observations had an outsiders tint on them as, after all, J'sen had been an outside to this way of life for almost all of his. "But the riders provide the structure for the Dragons lives. They would hunt and survive efficiently but in the case of thread fall I honestly doubt that they could organise themselves to fight it effectively."

While J'sen had more that he could probably say on the topic, he didn't trust his knowledge yet to continue. Though this lack of confidence in his knowledge did not show as he sat back in a leisurely and nonchalant manner

[blueaid]

Z'dayi's eyebrows crept up at the mention of his name, at the notion that he wouldn't hesitate to lead Ez'ki. He looked briefly at the bluerider, then back up toward the Weyrleader; while the rest of the class was fussing to ask questions or seek clarification, he stayed quiet, but his expression spoke volumes. Would he hesitate? Bet your butt he would, and the look he sent back to J'fel contradicted the Weyrleader's assertion bluntly.

But he was keeping a low profile, and he wasn't about to jump into the spotlight just because he differed over the details. If being a bronzerider was supposed to imply the inherent abilities of leadership, then Z'dayi was keeping said abilities under lock-and-sharding-key while he stood with his arms folded lazily and his eyes dancing merrily across those eager to join in the discussion.

It was just that niggling thought in the back of his mind that twitched his frown disapprovingly. Pushing, pushing, pushing. Tremaith seeks to thrust his rider from complacency, to dislodge him from the comfort of obscurity and place him front-and-center-- where a bronzerider belongs!

At the expense of arguing with the Weyrleader, yeah? Don't sound like good politicking to me.

The Weyrleader, the child, the upstart. Tremaith tempers his thoughts on J'fel with the respect due his Weyrleader, maintains the deference of a courtier to his liege, but there's a sharp division in his mind between J'fel-the-Weyrleader and J'fel-the-boy.

Hush up. I'm trying to listen.

A mental scoff. As if Tremaith will believe that Z'dayi pays the faintest attention in class.

[Invisible]

The other weyrlings were asking questions. K’mar had wondered if anyone would speak up. All of them seemed to be waiting for everyone else and once one person spoke everyone did. He didn’t roll his eyes, but neither did he waste time looking at the ones who spoke. Oh, the brownrider listened to them surely, but he did not bother to look at them. He knew it was this sort of thing that made people think bad things of him, but he couldn’t help the way he was. Most of the people in this room would have no bearing on his future. No matter what Volsteath said.

Look. The bad one has arrived.[/color] Volsteath had noticed the late arrival of the Caminar bronzerider. He thought it important to point him out. While he was still not sure why they did not like J’sen he knew they did not. That something was wrong with him and Leeth. Volsteath did not think it wise to make enemies with a bronzerider. But K’mar assured him that there was no way J’sen would wind up in charge of anything. No one in the Weyr wanted some filthy Caminar in charge of anything. K’mar tried to suppress the smirk that made his lips twitch, but a tiny second of it escaped. He couldn’t help it.

[Omnia Munda]

Just as J'fel was trying to set aside the necessity to add yet another topic to his inevitable conversation with Deoneth's weyrling, Salina spoke. The young weyrleader had just enough experience in suppressing the appearance of his emotions on his face to look vaguely intrigued, lifting his head and watching the weyrwoman as if from above his nose, instead of seeming relieved. Instead of seeming how he felt.

Of course, he was intrigued, too, and as Salina's questions wound around toward the supposed pointlessness of ambition and connections, J'fel's mouth curled open a smile.

"If there were only one weyrwoman, only one bronze, only one green at any given weyr - then of course all angling for power would be useless," grinned the weyrleader. "But it's not so. And the attentive will have heard - and I know you heard, Salina - something I didn't say amongst the things I did."

Something Jordeth had said, of course, but if J'fel knew that he showed no sign. He was waving the hand that hung from the elbow hitched up over the back of his chair, gesturing in rhythm with his words, lazily casual.

"We've talked a lot about leadership. And sure, a lot of ambition and drive is about leadership. But there's all kinds of powers at play in a Weyr or any other place that aren't leaders' powers at all. You're developing your power in those areas right now. All of you, not just those of you earmarked by dragonhide for leadership later."

He was looking at Ez'ki again. It had happened suddenly and subtly, and it could not be said just when the weyrleader's wandering gaze had fixed on the blue's weyrling. But as soon as he seemed to realize it, J'fel moved his gaze to K'mar, and then to Jh'na. He was speaking to them, too, more than some of the others - or so it seemed.

But then he brought his attention back to Salina. "To answer your former question: J'sen has the right of it." And might get off easy for being late on account of it, thought J'fel, amused. "Plus, dragons cannot farm herdbeasts nor quarry firestone to chew and they do seem to like our ability to oil and bathe them." He grinned, eyes rolling fondly; no doubt this was in part a jab at his own Jordeth. "But that's just practical matters," continued J'fel, becoming serious even so much as to draw his elbow down off the chairback and lean forward, arms on his knees. "Remember dragon hatchlings that don't impress, don't survive. They need us to define themselves; we're as much a part of them as they are of us. Perhaps just a little bit more, to make up for how much we need them to fight Thread."

Solemn or not, J'fel winked on that. "I'm going to say that was one question since it came from one person - thank you, Salina. That means one more. Who'll have it?"

[Selvagem]

H'tio, Jh'na and Th'dis
H'tio and Runimeth nodded almost in unison at J'fel's reply, any thoughts of asking more having been aptly subdued by the Weyrleader's earlier intensity. He glanced over at Jh'na, who met his eyes, and nodded silently in understanding. It was not the first time the implications of their dragons' colours were being felt, but J'fel's words rang like hammer on stone, unbreakably truth.

For Jh'na, Impression had always been a dream, a burning desire - the thought that there might be an After had been considered, but never fully thought through. Mirabeth's soft touch entwined in his mind, gentle and smooth as silk, and with a gentle smile he reached out to stroke the green dragonet's head. No, whatever the future might hold, he would not regret this. Never.

H'tio, for his part, could only look on the new life he had only half-wanted, and sigh. But he had his Runimeth, with his eyes and ears and feelings about life and it's positive aspects in general. No matter how he had felt about being a rider before, he felt very differently about it now. He smiled at Jh'na beside him, and reached out to pat his back lightly with one hand. And whatever might come to pass, he was certain he would have a friend in the green weyrling beside him, as would Jh'na in him. That, in itself, could make all the difference.

Th'dis and Guiyath, snapped out of their sullenness by J'fel's barrage of questions, watched and listened with unerring attention. The bronze arched his neck to glance smoothly at his clutch siblings, one by one, while his weyrling squirmed and blinked thoughtfully. Command K'mar? Or Ez'ki? The idea was about as alien to Th'dis as needlecraft might be to a baker. Yet a glance into his bronze's mind told him that Guiyath certainly did not feel the same way. The youngster sighed, softly, reaching for his dragonet's mind.

My mighty bronze, there is a long way to go yet before then. We will be above them yet. Let us take these turns to learn - to watch, listen, and grow.

Guiyath turned to look back at Th'dis, his whirling eyes powerful, intense...hungry. Lowering his head, he bumped the boy on the chest, wings curling back against his sides.

You are right, my chosen. I chose you not only because you hold greatness in you, but also because you are young. You are teachable. We will have many turns yet together. To live, learn and grow as you say. And eventually, to conquer.

Jh'na raised his head as J'fel spoke again about the powers that played in a Weyr, and gently Mirabeth touched his mind.

You wanted to ask a question about greenflights, right?

Ah, yes, about greenflights, Jh'na raised a hand politely, and spoke to J'fel.

"Sir, I have a question: do greenflights have any effect on power within a Weyr in any way?"

He grinned, nervously, "I mean, they're greens, right? And their flights won't have any of the implications that goldflights have."

[Xinnai]

When the Caminar bronzerider entered, Salina glanced up and over at him out of reflex. And then alabaster brow furrowed slightly. He was one of those who needed this talk more than any other. For her, it was dipping into deeper waters than those shallow shores that she'd be around in her entire life. Even those who were hold-born-she glanced at Ez'ki then, smiling slightly-knew at least the very basics of Weyr life.

She decided to ignore that entire thought process when J'sen answered the question she'd posed, sauntering in and arranging himself on a chair. Hmm. He made sense and if that just didn't beat all. Salina sent J'sen a careful smile, one that was only given on the basis of acquaintance.

Attention turned then to J'fel as he answered her question-well, questions really. As her small bud of a theory was gently rebuffed, she glanced over at Ez'ki, following the Weyrleader's gaze. A subtle hint? She quickly reviewed the words on leadership and ambition and blinked. A small wave hit on the shore of realization but she saved it for later, gaze flicking back toward the man conducting the talk. Even as he explained just how much the dragons needed their riders, she silently disagreed. It still seemed as if she needed Deoneth much more than the gold needed her.

A matter of opinion, Salina-mine. Salina's internal thoughts had been broadcast so loudly, Deoneth wasn't sure that every other dragon in the Weyr hadn't heard her. I need you as much, if not more, than you need me. It's all from your perspective.[/color]
Probably.
Not probably. Definitely.
All right, love. If you say so.

Rider and dragon sent each other an affectionate look. Salina reached out, rubbing Deoneth's soft head before she was reaching out to perform that all-sacred task-the scratching of an eyeridge. Deoneth almost purred with pleasure, inner lids flicking closed one by one before her rider stopped such ministrations and glanced back at the conversation-she'd heard something about a gold.

He was asking about greenflights-it was Mirabeth's. He was asking as to its implications, seeing as it's a green's and not a gold's and isn't as strong. Even sounding slightly drowsy, Deoneth's tone managed to convey a ferocious amount of pride-no green would ever best her in flight.
Ah. Salina nodded, looking over at the greenrider and then her gold. Definitely not as strong.
Definitely.[/color] Deoneth agreed.