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

Elsewhere on Pern
NPC Weyr
River Bluff Weyr
Seacraft Hall

Story Listing
Series Listing

Weyrling Training

Writers: AL, Jane
Date Posted: 18th October 2008

Characters: K'hetah, Berla
Description: K'hetah tries to deal with a wingrider who is late again.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 12, day 12 of Turn 4

He waited in the harsh mid-afternoon heat for the woman to report. He had shed his riding jacket but still sweltered in heavy trousers and boots, and it wasn't improving his mood. Having Loeth providing a running commentary about how nice it would be if they went swimming in the clear waters of the bay was hardly helping.

He edged around the bronze some more, hoping that his dragon would cast a shadow a man of his height could shelter in.

She finally arrived a quarter candlemark later, short hair flapping about her forehead and puffing as if she had been running for quite some time. She came up just short of K'hetah and leaned over to desperately catch her breath. "Sorry...sorry...sorry Sir!" She managed to huff out after a moment.

"You're so late _again_ that you might well have not bothered," K'hetah snapped, rather more abrupt than he usually was, and more so than he had been the previous times this particular greenrider had failed to appear in time to leave with the Wing on drills.

Berla fairly shrunk back at the sharp reprimand. "I'm sorry sir.
My...my foster mother told me this morning that she will be unable to care for my son any more and I had to search for someone to take him!"

"We've spoken about this before. You _have_ to get his care sorted out so that you can concentrate on your duties in the Wing." He was baffled that she didn't understand that. People were depending on her - or would be during Threadfall and every drill was a practise for that.
"What about fostering him full time?"

"I thought I _had_ it sorted out." Berla insisted a bit annoyed herself, more with her former foster mother than anything. "And no. If I did that, then I would _never_ get to spend any time with him at all!"

"You would get _some_ time," K'hetah corrected, "you would have none of this running around after him, and you might actually be able to meet your responsibilities to your dragon, your Wing, and your Weyr."

That was why Weyrs had fostering. Real fostering, from weaning. So that riders could put their dragons first with clear consciences and so that children grew up with 'parents' who could focus on their well-being. That had been wise even before Thread had returned and now they had a Pass nobody had expected, it was necessary.

Berla's face reddened, partially from embarrassment, but partially from annoyance. "You don't have any children, K'hetah. You don't understand."

"If I had them I would foster them. This isn't a _choice_ Berla. This is a _Pass_ and you're a _dragonrider_. You can't just say, 'Oh, I've changed my mind about that.' Your dragon can't; you can't. The only thing you can change that will make a difference is your fostering arrangement."

"It wouldn't be a problem if I could find a reliable person." Berla insisted. "I've just had bad luck, that's all. Once I find someone stable, it will fix everything."

"So would finding somebody now who could take him on full time," K'hetah countered, though he had the feeling he was going to have to abandon the point. This time.

"I keep losing the people who want to take him _part_ time, much less _full_ time." Berla gritted her teeth to keep from yelling at the bronzerider. That would only make things worse. "Even if I _wanted_ to do that - which I don't and won't."

"You might have to, and the Headwoman and the Weyrwoman can help you make a permanent fostering arrangement. Just ... Just _think_ about it.
Seriously."

"I'll go to the Headwoman, maybe the Weyrwoman." Berla conceded, "But I'll be looking for a _part_ time. If they can help me find a dedicated full time foster mother, then they should be able to do the same for a part time."

"That's a start, I suppose," he said, not happy. If things didn't work out, though, he'd dump the whole problem in the lap of the new Weyrleader. Let the other man deal with the reality of leading a Wing and a Weyr. It wasn't all dedicated, duty-focused dragonriders.

Not at all.

Last updated on the October 20th 2008