A Risky Solution

Writers: Eimi, Estelle, Nici, Roxanne
Date Posted: 1st September 2005

Characters: T'moran, Jaela, D'wrayt, U'kaiah
Description: T'moran visits Dolphin Cove for a meeting with Jaela, D'wrayt and U'kaiah, and they come up with a risky solution to the problem of his lack of riders.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 7, day 12 of Turn 3

T'moran had an uneasy feeling about this meeting at Dragonsfall. Even with the generous help of that Weyr and others, the past sevendays since he'd become Weyrleader had been a frantic nightmare of desperately trying to get together enough riders to meet each Fall, pleading with other Weyrleaders and even with the healers to clear more of the lightly injured riders to fly. Without the bronzeriders and brownriders Jaela and D'wrayt had lent him, he doubted he'd be able to cover all of the Falls over his territory.

He wrapped his arms around himself and hurried from the shelter of his dragon's wings into the Weyrleader's weyr. At Dolphin Cove it was early evening and the worst of the midday heat had dissipated, leaving a warm Weyr pleasantly cooled by sea breezes even in winter. Here it was morning, and he could feel the icy chill even through his fur-lined riding gear. The warmth and cheerful light of the inner rooms drew him like an insect to the light.

"Greetings, Weyrleaders...Wingleader," he added, noticing U'kaiah standing with the Dragonsfall Weyrleaders. The bronzerider had been invaluable to him lately - a natural leader, even with riders from other Weyrs with whom he was unfamiliar, his help had meant that with N'klos T'moran could lead three full Wings to meet Threadfall. "I hope I'm not late?"

"Not at all," Jaela replied, moving forward to greet the Dolphin Cove Weyrleader. She felt horrible about the reason for their meeting but saw no reason not be as kind as possible while discussing their concerns. "Please come sit. We've klah if you'd like some--I know it's hard adjusting to our chilly weather."

"Thank you." T'moran sat down and gratefully accepted the mug of hot klah he was offered, cupping his chilled fingers around it. "I understand you have important matters that you wished to discuss, so I came as quickly as I could."

"Thank you for coming, T'moran. Are your injured recovering well?" D'wrayt asked as he settled into his chair. He knew that their riders' help had been needed, but he also had to think of his own Weyr's ability to fight Thread in their portion of the sky. This was a difficult matter to discuss and he knew that it couldn't just be said outright without sounding resentful.

"Well, but slowly. With some it will be months before they can even leave their beds, let alone rejoin the Fighting Wings." T'moran sighed. "Still, I'm thankful to the healers for keeping so many alive...and for your help in providing riders to take their places for the time being."

"We're glad we could be of assistance, T'moran, truly." Jaela looked at D'wrayt and U'kaiah. She'd leave it up to them to break the news to the Dolphin Cove Weyrleader. "It's for that very reason, however that we wanted to meet with you."

U'kaiah glanced at D'wrayt out of the corner of his eye. The Cyan Wingleader had seen first-hand the situation at Dolphin Cove. How could they not have assisted in their hour of need? Still, he could understand his Weyrleader's concerns. _He_ could understand, but could T'moran? The wingleader did not envy his Weyrleader's position that day.

D'wrayt had half hoped that either Jaela or U'kaiah would have stepped in and taken charge. He just didn't have the flair that his Weyrwoman did for making things seem nicer to hear when it was potentially upsetting. He had been trying to come up with the best way to word the problem and finally decided just to say what he felt.

"Yes, I am glad that our riders have been able to assist your Weyr in your time of need and know that you would do the same for us. However, the time difference has begun to hamper the abilities of my riders. We need all the riders we have and the double duty is beginning to wear on them. I don't want to remove all of the riders at once, but something has to be done." he said glancing about to judge if he had made sense and waited for the Dolphin Cove Weyrleader's reaction.

For all the tact of the Dragonsfall Weyrleader and the others, T'moran felt as though he'd been punched in the stomach. He relied utterly on the Dragonsfall riders to fight Fall with the bare minimum of dragonpairs. Without them, he could not possibly hope to defend the lands which had been entrusted to him.

"I...understand. Your riders must come first," he said unsteadily, doing his best not to sound accusing. He couldn't afford to offend Dragonsfall and lose all their help, and it would be unworthy of him after all they'd done so far. "I see I will have to make some hard decisions about which areas have the greatest need of protection."

U'kaiah's heart sank at T'moran's reply. To leave a Weyr in the position of having to pick and chose where to protect galled him to his core. "T'moran, surely _some_ of your riders are recovering, and I have heard of several new transfers. Your ranks must be recovering. Perhaps if we were only needed for a few more falls..." The wingleader had flown with T'moran's wings and could feel their desperation, and their tentative hope. Could they truly be considering abandoning them now? He turned pleading eyes towards his Weyrleaders. "Surely D'wrayt, for a just few more Falls..."

D'wrayt hated hearing that the Weyrleader would have to choose where his protection was needed most. He knew that it would be a most dreadful decision to make, but perhaps they could reach a compromise of some sort. He knew that U'kaiah wanted to help the Weyr as much as he did and had been pulling double duty at both Weyrs. He thought for a moment and then asked, "Are there any riders at Dolphin Cove that are fit enough to help us out to give my riders a respite from all the timing it they are doing?"

"The healers are already angry with me for putting lightly injured riders back in the Wings before time," T'moran admitted. "I could ask them again, I suppose."

"T'moran, we've discussed in this in great detail and won't simply take all our aid away," Jaela rushed to reassure him. "We suggested this meeting to discuss alternatives..."

"I don't _have_ any alternatives! I've been to every single Weyrleader in both continents..." T'moran cut himself off abruptly, forcing himself to calm. "I'm sorry. I know you've been more than generous in lending us your riders. It's just that if I had a little more _time_, then more of my riders would have a chance to recover..."

U'kaiah's eyes flew open and he nearly jumped from his chair. "Wait, did you say we need more _time_?" He turned quickly to his Weyrleaders. "Maybe that's it! Maybe we just need more _time_! Time to rest. Time to recover from Threadfall and time for drills. What if we used our dragon's natural abilities and _timed it_?"

Jaela grinned. "Well, I've certainly used time to my advantage before...although I'm not sure if D'wrayt will approve of the idea you just gave me..." D'wrayt hadn't been altogether pleased with she and Calyth when _she'd_ managed to time it to go back to Topaz Sea hold during the hurricane that had felled her home hold--she wasn't sure how he'd feel about his riders doing it!

"More time.....why didn't we think of it before? We've gone back in time to save people, haven't we? So why can't we have the riders do something similar." D'wrayt said excitedly as he realized the one thing they'd all overlooked.

Only T'moran looked doubtful. "It's still dangerous. I've already asked U'kaiah and his wingriders to risk their lives over Dolphin Cove lands - I can't ask you to travel /between/ times for me, too."

"Do you have a better suggestion?" Jaela replied dryly. As long as D'wrayt was okay with it, so was she--and it seemed the only logical solutions right now.

U'kaiah turned confidently towards the Dolphin Cover Weyrleader. "I can do this, T'moran. My men can do this. Of course it's taking a risk, but that is what we do every time we take to the sky to protect Pern."

"It's your decision, Wingleader." T'moran knew that despite his fears, if their positions had been reversed he would have made the same offer. The instinct of a dragonrider was to protect _all_ of Pern, not just one piece of it. "I will accept any help offered to me with gratitude - no matter what place _or_ time it comes from."

"I know we could do it, but in the end it is not my choice." U'kaiah turned his eyes to Jaela and U'kaiah. So far things sounded hopeful, but the end it was their decision. It was risky, after all, and no matter how intriguing the idea had been, he knew his Weyrleaders bore the weight of the consequences, whatever they might be. He held his breath as he looked first at one and then the other.

"It would have to be the most experienced riders, of course. The last thing we need is to lose someone due to carelessness." D'wrayt said trying to come up with a list of those riders who would be best suited to be asked to help out.

"Then it's settled. I only wished I could do more right now," Jaela said. It annoyed her to have riders take risks she couldn't--but with Calyth in clutch, she was grounded completely.

"You've already been a great help, my Lady," T'moran replied with a courteous bow, though in truth he was in need of goldriders also. With Kalina so badly injured, only Jyramikah was left active and he needed large and frequent clutches to replenish the ranks of his Wings. A pang of jealousy struck him as he thought of the golden egg on the sands, which Dolphin Cove could have used. He was not so crass as to ask for _that_, however!

"As for the details, I understand that there is a critical period approaching where there will be three Falls in four days between our two Weyrs - on the fourteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth of this month. I suggest that your riders fly Fall here as usual, rest and recuperate, and then 'time it' back to the sixteenth to fly Fall over Emerald Falls whenever they feel ready." He glanced at U'kaiah. "Does that sound reasonable?"

"The trouble is that we have Threadfall the very next day, and would be important for our riders to participate in their wing's drills to get them back into the mindset of fighting Thread with Dragonsfall." The Cyan Wingleader ran a hand through his hair. This could be a problem if not handled correctly.

After a moment he continued. "If our riders are afforded just enough hours for a good night's sleep, leave early in the morning and time it back for Threadfall in Dolphin Cove, relax a bit there and then time it back to Dragonsfall, perhaps a candlemark after we left to avoid running into ourselves, they should have time to rest before drills here. After drill they will have all the time they need to prepare for the next day's Threadfall." He nodded his head decisively. "Yes, the key in this venture is rest. If we can give them the time they need then I believe we can fight all three Threadfalls successfully."

"That should work." D'wrayt said in agreement.

"Then it's agreed," Jaela said. She felt leery about the timing issue--it had been daring enough when she'd done it--but it seemed the only logical solution at this point and they were going to be using their most trusted riders.

It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was one that would have to do for now.

Last updated on the September 1st 2005

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A Risky Solution