19.Sep.12, 02:40 AM
D'ren's smile widened. "You'd be surprised at how well people can clean up," he remarked, thinking of his own pitiful showings back at home. He'd never made it past wingsecond, and only briefly at that. In fact, if the bronzerider took long enough to think about it, he'd realize a troubling parallel between himself and those he'd discarded for misdeeds throughout the turns. D'ren and Ronarth had been sentenced to lifelong obscurity because of one mistake, and a mistake made during weyrling training at that. One mistake had been enough to ruin their careers.
The thought didn't cross his mind, though. Perhaps he regarded himself differently because he'd taken care to never make another mistake. That wasn't something he could claim anymore, though. His mistakes as Weyrleader were constant, and while he couldn't discard himself, he could constantly judge himself.
"People don't regard themselves as a team in a day. I know you don't expect that of them. But you should encourage them as much as you scold them. That's something I suppose your wingsecond is missing," D'ren said. "I know strictness has it's place. Wing practice isn't all fun and games, but I don't believe right now is the time for an authoritarian hand. Not after a 15 turn pause. " He frowned a little bit. As usual, he hoped he was making the right call, but his expression didn't betray quite enough to broadcast his insecurity.
"They're already unhappy enough. But also lazy and out of practice..I'm personally going halfway with mine. They need a firm hand, but their merits cannot be overlooked, either. Firmness isn't an all or nothing game, and each rider and each wing are different."
He finished off his wine. "I'm glad to see you showing concern, though. Most of the others have only complained to me, and most of them have shown nothing but contempt for their wings. People don't realize that leadership is a two way street. It's a responsibility, and they owe it to their riders t-"
He realized self-consciously that he was going on one of his tangents. R'nya wasn't there to hear a political speech. D'ren felt himself blush and laughed it off, a testament to what a good mood he was actually in. "I apologize, R'nya. You realize all of that already, I'm sure. I guess I'm just a babbling old man," he said, chiding himself lightly, albeit playfully.
He really was in a good humor. He rarely had any time to himself, or any time to converse with people he would consider peers. He enjoyed the thoughtfulness of R'nya's comments, so different from the raging complaints from the other, less patient wingleaders. The current arrangements might not be permanent, but so far R'nya was doing more to preserve his own position than he knew.
"I'm sure you'll find something that words for you boys," he said with a wink. "So tell me...do you have anything else interesting to report?"
The thought didn't cross his mind, though. Perhaps he regarded himself differently because he'd taken care to never make another mistake. That wasn't something he could claim anymore, though. His mistakes as Weyrleader were constant, and while he couldn't discard himself, he could constantly judge himself.
"People don't regard themselves as a team in a day. I know you don't expect that of them. But you should encourage them as much as you scold them. That's something I suppose your wingsecond is missing," D'ren said. "I know strictness has it's place. Wing practice isn't all fun and games, but I don't believe right now is the time for an authoritarian hand. Not after a 15 turn pause. " He frowned a little bit. As usual, he hoped he was making the right call, but his expression didn't betray quite enough to broadcast his insecurity.
"They're already unhappy enough. But also lazy and out of practice..I'm personally going halfway with mine. They need a firm hand, but their merits cannot be overlooked, either. Firmness isn't an all or nothing game, and each rider and each wing are different."
He finished off his wine. "I'm glad to see you showing concern, though. Most of the others have only complained to me, and most of them have shown nothing but contempt for their wings. People don't realize that leadership is a two way street. It's a responsibility, and they owe it to their riders t-"
He realized self-consciously that he was going on one of his tangents. R'nya wasn't there to hear a political speech. D'ren felt himself blush and laughed it off, a testament to what a good mood he was actually in. "I apologize, R'nya. You realize all of that already, I'm sure. I guess I'm just a babbling old man," he said, chiding himself lightly, albeit playfully.
He really was in a good humor. He rarely had any time to himself, or any time to converse with people he would consider peers. He enjoyed the thoughtfulness of R'nya's comments, so different from the raging complaints from the other, less patient wingleaders. The current arrangements might not be permanent, but so far R'nya was doing more to preserve his own position than he knew.
"I'm sure you'll find something that words for you boys," he said with a wink. "So tell me...do you have anything else interesting to report?"