Rank and Respect

Writers: Eimi, Yvonne
Date Posted: 30th May 2006

Characters: F'lin, M'galec
Description: Felarin and M'galec discuss the chain of command
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 12, day 28 of Turn 3
Notes: Follows 'Rights and Responsibilities'

Rank in the Weyr
An essay by Felarin.

A Weyr's ranking system is in place to make sure that Thread gets flown and everyone is taken care of.

At the top is the Weyrleader, who is chosen for the place by the Weyrwoman's dragon, and perhaps the Weyrwoman kind of, during the gold's Flight. He is in charge of all the Wings and the riders. He is also in charge of flying Thread.

Weyrwoman Tsaera is just as important as the Weyrleader, especially as she is there for the long term whereas the Weyr can have a new Weyrleader every Flight and often does since Tabanirth doesn't always choose the same mate. She is in charge of mental well-being of the Weyr, as well as tithes and inventory, the Lower Caverns, and keeping the Weyr Records. All the Crafters report to her, and she also handles disputes within the Weyr such as disputes between riders or between riders and Crafters or in the Lower Caverns. She also is in charge of dealing with the Holds beholden to River Bluff Weyr.

Weyrlingmaster J'an is in charge of the Weyrlings and Candidates. He and his assistants are not in a Fighting Wing and instead teach classes and prepare people to be dragonriders.

The Steward and the Headwoman have responsibilities just the same as in Holds, and take care of tithes and inventories and making sure that everyone is taken care of, and report back to the Weyrwoman. The Headwoman also is in charge of the Candidates.

The Weyrhealer is responsible for the health of the Weyr. Master Abrei decides what treatments are needed for various sicknesses and she is in charge of post-Threadfall care of people who have been injured in Threadfall. The End.

~*~

He'd been up all night writing the essay after M'galec had tracked him down where he'd been finishing up replacing a door hinge on a weyr and went up one side of him and down the other for 'disobeying orders' and 'a lack of respect for rank'. It had been a humiliating experience, especially since the dragonrider whose door he was replacing had been just inside and listening in. And it wasn't like the hallway was particularly private, or that M'galec had listened when he'd try to tell him that the Weyrhealer had okayed him not seeing the specialist healer after all. M'galec had gone on to him before about respecting rank, and what else had he been doing except trusting the medical advice of a _Master_ healer?!

Shards, but maybe his mother had been right. The Weyr was no place for him when he could be useful at home at Topaz Sea Hold. At least there people actually _listened_ to him when he said something and didn't scream 'rank!' if he questioned an order. He wasn't an ovine, and being forced to follow orders that no one would explain the reason for seemed more like bullying than anything.

The sun was barely up, therefore, when he stumbled bleary-eyed into M'galec's office and all but threw the essay down onto his desk.
Writing was not his strong point. Nor was facing the prospect of work on a rest day.

"Have a seat," M'galec pointed as he read over what the boy had written. When it was finished the bronzerider nodded. "Very good. Now I sincerely hope that we not have any more confusion. Do you have any questions about any of this?" the Weyrlingmaster Second asked pointed at the page before him.

Felarin refrained from rolling his eyes, and instead settled for glaring at the bronzerider. If he'd had been sure of himself, he wouldn't have put it down. "No."

The bronzerider gave him one satisfactory nod. "Do you have any questions about the chain of command in general then?"

The Candidate suppressed a sigh. "Everything's already in there."

"And do you understand why the Weyrhealer cannot give, nor take away chores unless for medical reasons?"

"I ran into Master Abrei, she asked me why I was there, I told her, and she decided that I didn't need to go. She said it was all right, and since I'm a Candidate and she's the Weyrhealer I couldn't exactly argue, couldn't I." Nor had he wanted to. "Argue, no. Most certainly not," M'galec nodded. "Believe that she has the authority to relieve you for duties when you have no medical reasons not to perform them, _that_ you should _not_ have done. You should have asked _me_ before just trusting that a Weyrhealer can give or relieve you from any duties. You are not under her direction except in matters of medicine. But I believe that is a mistake you will not make again," the bronzerider said, tapping the hide with a thick finger. "Will you?"

The thought of being entirely under M'galec's thumb left a sour taste in Felarin's mouth. "No." He had to force the syllable out, and he promised himself that he'd talk to J'an before he ever talked to M'galec.

The bronzerider nodded satisfactorily. He could see the rebellion in the young man's eyes, but as long as he kept it in check M'galec would say nothing. Everyone was entitled to their opinion. He did not ask the boy to like him, only obey him and respect him as his rank demanded. The fact that he didn't let his temper get the better of him this time seemed to be a step in the right direction. "Very well, Felarin, you are dismissed."

Felarin got up and left without a word or a backwards glance, injured pride and anger making his spine stiff and momentarily driving away his sleepiness. He spent the rest of the day imagining that the nails he pounded with his hammer were all M'galec's face.

It was oddly satisfying.

Last updated on the May 30th 2006

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Rank and Respect