Meeting of minds (Sanzia, D'tas, T'boren, Airy)

[Hrsegrl]

The meeting room had been furnished more to her liking, though the dark wood still left the place with a feeling of being underground. Quinn preferred to feel as if there were light rather then feeling like being trapped in the room. Too bad they couldn't have made windows. She supposed it was better because then no one was paying attention to what was going on outside the room. She was sitting with records in front of her, more recent records than the ones she was used to musing through. The ones she had occassion to write herself were all at Fort.

Earlier that day, Quinn had confirmed the time with Sanzia before requesting the company of the Wingleaders and searchriders. Tarasaith had the task of contacting them about the meeting earlier. The Queen did not mind relaying information for her rider but sometimes it was a bit tedious. Quinn had arrived early because she wanted to be there first. She sent her personal drudge on a mission to bring snacks and drinks up for those participating in this meeting and she set about making certain all the chairs were in good enough condition not to squeek or make any noise that would disrupt the meeting.

This was the first time she had needed this meeting room for more than a couple of people and it was also her first time as Senior to a have a large meeting of any sort. Quinn guessed she should have been nervous but the Goldrider was used to this sort of pressure and had always handled whatever came her way with a good attitude. Her only doubts were about how they were going to convince the Wingleaders of the importance of more Lower Caverns people when they had already expressed sentiments that they didn't need as many people in the Lower Caverns if they had less riders. Of course Sanzia would have a better idea of the exact numbers of people now.

Quinn began to hum a ballad she had learned as a child and walked back over to her seat at the head of the table. Today she had her hair down but it was not long so it made little difference. Her dress was ivory with gold threading of a light fabric which was very comfortable in the heat of Igen. Her sandals were brown and barely noticeable as her dress reached the tops of her feet. While she waited her hazel eyes scanned the first item on the agenda for today.

[DreamerLady]

Sanzia had thought that she had more time to get ready for the meeting. However, when Quinn's personal drudge arrived looking for snacks, Sanzia figured that she was late. Thus, she did not bother trying to make herself more presentable. Her clothes were serviceable, a ankle length dark blue dress, and her hair was still mostly in it's bun, with large wavy tresses escaping. Stopping briefly at her office, she gathered up all of the hides she kept in her office that might be of interested, and set off on a brisk walk.

When she arrived in the meeting room, Sanzia looked around in confusion. No one else had arrived other than Quinn who was looking over records(and looking quite nice, not even sweating, unlike Sanzia who had a light sheen from being in the heat of the kitchen), and remarkably calm. Sanzia smiled brightly, and sailed into the room, deciding to make it appear as though it had been on purpose she had arrived early.

"Hello Quinn, my duty to you and your dragon." The Headwoman intoned, taking her seat to the right of her Weyrwoman. It might have been more proper to seat herself further down the table, allowing the Wingleaders to take the seats directly to the right and left of the Weyrwoman. However, traditionally speaking, she was supposed to be on the Weyrwoman's right side, with the Weyrleader on the other end of the table, with his Weyrsecond on his right, and the Junior Goldriders and Wingleaders seated in the remaining seats.

As she waited for Quinn's response Sanzia worked on organizing her hides.

[sarah15554]

Airy smoothed her blue dress at her hips adn looked in the mirror and brushed her hair. SHe sighed at how stright her hair was, she thought to her self No mater what I do my hair just go back to being stright again ugh.

Airy walked over to her dragon and strached the top of her nose Jemth I'll be back I have a meeting to go to, keep watch over the romm while I'm gone ok. Jemth purred at Airy as she strached her don't worry nothing will be out of place when ypou get back have fun.

Airy left the room and walked to the meeting room. When she got there she knocked on the door before she walked in and saw that she, Quinn and Sanzia were the only one there. Airy smiled "Hello weyrwomen, hello Sanzia." She walked over and sat in a seat across form Quinn till the other arived.

[Hrsegrl]

While Quinn had been expecting people to begin arriving soon she was not prepared to see or hear anyone when Sanzia walked in. The sound of the woman's voice caused her to jump slightly in her seat. The Weyrwoman was not one to be easily scared, the voice had simply caught her off guard. Standing, Quinn welcomed Sanzia to the seat on her right but as she did so she noted the Headwoman was already moving to sit there. "Glad you're here Sanzia. I hope you don't mind my drudge finding some snacks for the meeting. I find people are easier to deal with when food is on the table." She smiled warmly, looking down at her records again.

Quinn was about to sit down when another woman walked in. Trust all the women to be early, she grinned to herself. Females are much more intelligent than males, especially human females. You do have a valid opinion dear but not all females are smart and not all males are dimglows. Yes well with females at least the odds are in your favor. Tarasaith was more and more feminist as it got closer to her mating time and Quinn knew well that there was not much time at all before that would happen. Better to get the entire Weyr behind her now before a Weyrleader entered in to the equation.

Smiling again, Quinn held out her hand to greet the young woman in tradition of Igen riders. " Welcome to the meeting Airy. I trust Jemth is well?" Searchriders like Airy were in high demand at the moment. She was pleased the young woman had taken the time to join the meeting and on top of that was early. That was a good sign in Quinn's opinion. Hopefully Airy liked to travel because she was going to be doing quite a bit of it soon. Not in the mood to make small talk, Quinn sat down again, eyes on her records but wondering where the Wingleaders had gotten to and if they were even going to be on time. Worse than that, where had her own drudge gotten to. It would be no good if the food coming in disrupted the meeting altogether.

[Eisu]

D’tas had, for the first time in his life, been glad to be called to a meeting with a Weyrwoman. Not only did it get him out of the heat of the sun, but hopefully it would answer more questions. He had made a list of his own Wing now, at least those who had shown up. Apparently a portion of the wing did not think arriving at the Weyr around the same date was important and the Highreaches Bronzerider was no paying the price as he attempted to sort what riders he did have into a working formation.

While he still wore his riding leather pants – out of painful habit, he had tried the headwoman’s demand of him wearing the light long-sleeved shirts she had given him and found them to be blissfully wonderful in the heat and the sun. Even now he had one on, its loose and breathable material hanging off his shoulders with the v-neck open to show a tuft of chest hair. While his face was still slightly red, it looked much better (and far more tan) than it had the first few days he had spent in the Weyr.

With the hide listing his wingriders tucked under his arm and several lengths of cord in his pocket ready for use, he paused in the doorway of the meeting room long enough to hear the voices inside. Upon hearing them he frowned, he hadn’t thought he was late yet. Without knocking he walked in and let out a silent sigh of relief to see that there were too few people to have started the meeting yet. Good, then the heat hadn’t yet befuddled his head so far that he couldn’t tell time.

Seeing the goldrider Quinn seated at one end of the long table with the headwoman on her right and another woman – green search rider from the other wing, he guessed – seated a bit away and across from both of the other women, he gave all three a broad sweeping bow.

“Good Day Weyrwoman and Ladies.” He said, coming up from the bow with a smile. Moving up to the seat to the Weyrwoman’s left and directly across from the headwoman, he pulled it out before asking politely, “May I?” just to be sure that seats had not been assigned. After all, without the traditional Weyrleader, it was hard to tell exactly how everyone else should be sat.

[Hrsegrl]

Quinn looked up as D'tas walked into the room. He was obviously not used to the sun around here and it had shown on his skin already. Inwardly she wanted to giggle but on the outside she kept the emotion from entering her face. Though she may be the Weyrwoman she still found herself to have a good sense of humor. D'tas is nice, do not pick on him too much. Do I ever do that?Its okay to do it to blueriders and brownriders but Bronzeriders have too much pride to be picked on.Tarasaith avoided answering Quinn directly but it was obvious that she had done so in the past. I couldn't help myself before and now I must help myself or the Weyr will be in the hands of that young Wingsecond. Though the younger man had yet to arrive she knew him to be amiable and rather handsome. Ahh well, the young ones always were.

With a respectful nod, "Good day Wingleader D'tas. I hope Toranth is well and enjoying the sun." As it is pbviously not something he is used to, she thought to herself. Quinn's eyes reverted back to her own hides, trying to hide the mirth behind them. She only had to wait another couple moments before the afore mentioned Wingsecond entered. He was as handsome as she remembered but she doubted that he had the common sense of T'boren and D'tas. Still she would have to make do. T'boren she had entrusted with a special mission and although she hoped he would not miss the flight it was all too likely he would be gone for two months and she knew that Tarasaith was close to flying. Maybe the Ch'vol would allow her to request an open flight but it was highly irregular for a Senior Queen to have an open flight. The other Weyrs might like the idea if only to give them the chance to have a Weyrleader from their Weyr here.

About three more wingriders entered and sat near Airy. Two of them were blueriders and the third was a greenrider. All of them had shown good qualities for Search dragons. Quinn stood up slowly, her dress made next to no sound though it rippled softly against her skin as she moved. "Thank you all for coming. I have an announcement before we get to the main topic of this meeting. You will note that T'boren is not here and his Wingsecond is taking his place. Please accord him with the same respect you would T'boren. He is leading Imperium Wing until T'boren returns."

Then she got down to the heart of the matter, "We are here to discuss a dire problem in the lower caverns. I feel that Sanzia would be the best person to communicate the exact problems that we are having and so I'm going to have her take the floor. If anyone has questions please reserve them until she is done speaking." She wanted the entire problem out in the open before they got to discussing.

[DreamerLady]

Sanzia's face held a slightly brittle smile. The nice Bluerider she'd had such fun teasing only a few days ago, was not a Bluerider at all. He was a Wingleader, and a Bronzerider, meaning he fell sturdily into the 'Weyrwoman Only' pool. Meaning, she wasn't going to be flirting with him again. Barely keeping a sigh of slightly mourning away from her lips, she smiled as in greeting to the man seating himself across from her.

Yes, he was a nice looking as he'd appeared last time, and Sanzia wished that her first impression(that he was a Bluerider) had been correct. But, such was life, and at least with the new Rider's arriving she'd have a shot at finding someone new and intriguing.

As Quinn spoke, Sanzia listened intently, frowning slightly at the secret mission the other Wingleader had been send on. That she hadn't been informed beforehand was slightly agravating. She was the Headwoman, and did not want to be given the same shrift as Greenriders. Hopefully, it was just Quinn overlooking that she'd forgotten to inform her Headwoman first. Or even second, after Quinn's other Wingleader.

When given leave to speak, Sanzia stood, slowly, not feeling, or appearing over eager. She tucked one escaping tress behind her ear, and then spoke clearly, but not overly loud, happy that she didn't have to shout at this particular meeting, with her rather low voice.

"We've had a rather large migration of Weyrfolks from this Weyr." Sanzia began. "All of the Igen Hatched Dragonriders have been removed, and many took Weyrmates and close family with them. Others, who'd lost Weyrmates, or close family also migrated out to Holds and other Weyrs. Thus, we've lost several hundred of our adult workforce, fifty or so Candidate aged children, and the barest handful of Aunties and Weyrbrats."

It was with a new breath and a slightly worn smile Sanzia continued.

"We've only got a working population of two hundred. The rest of the Weyr is elderlies, and 'Brats. And our Candidate population is at a record low of forty-nine, and almost all of them are Weyrborn. This is where your Searchriders should listen up, because I'm going to tell you what you're going to be Searching for."

Another curl exploded from Sanzia's bun, and she tucked it away before finishing up her speech.

"We need more candidates, and older Candidates. Before, at this Weyr, we'd tend to avoid Candidates under fourteen and over eighteen. I believe we're still allowing Impression up to twenty, and I want us to Search up to twenty as well. If they don't Impress, we'll offer them a spot at the Weyr, and if they do Impress, we'll have Riders who will be able to join the Wings as soon Weyrling Training is over."

The Headwoman paused again.

"Any questions?"

[Eisu]

O’sarl had nearly had a heart attack when his handsome wingleader had come into his personal weyr to invite him to a meeting with the Weyrwoman herself! O’sarl had been offered the relocation to Igen Weyr because of his abilities as a Searchrider and Igen’s need of such riders, but he had not thought the simple rank would require him to meetings with Wingleaders, Weyrwomen and Headwomen! Oh but what would he wear?!

With his untimely arrival, completely separate from others from Telgar Weyr thanks to his brothers prolonged packing (in the end O’sarl had helped him just because he knew it would never get done otherwise), O’sarl had only a few candlemarks before the meeting to get ready. After scrubbing his hair and emptying every travel sack he had to find his best shirt and breeches, he stood infront of his lovely Yarith asking how he looked.

You look wonderful, Love, but were you not suppose to be in the meeting room fifteen minutes ago?

It was with that statement that O’sarl jumped between. While obviously not physically capable of doing so as a human, there are many riders and weyrfolk from Telgar who would swear the bisexual green rider was capable of just that with how quickly he seemed to dissappear and reappear out of nowhere.

It was that sudden appearance in the chair next to his Wingleader that made D’tas jump out of his skin just as the Headwoman asked if there was any questions.

“Oh! I have one! What is your lovely name? I’m so sorry I’m late, I hope I didn’t miss too much. And your dress is lovely darling. Oh and Weyrwoman, please forgive me, how is your beautiful gold? Is she due to fly soon? And where do you hope to have us search first? I am most eager to add to the numbers of Igen with handsome young men and beautiful young women. Will we be searching in groups of searchriders or by wings? Speaking of wings, I am so sorry I missed wing practice – if there has been a practice yet, winglea---“

The sudden burst of speech from the seemingly betweening greenrider was stopped with a firm hand clamped over his mouth by the now furious D’tas. He had not had time to have a full conversation with the searchrider that had been put into his wing with his brownriding brother, but now he wish he would have taken the time.

In the three minutes the green rider had been in the room, D’tas had gone from jumping out of his skin, to pale white (despite his lobster tan) from embarrassment at his sudden capture of conversation, back to the furious red the sun had painted him as he finally put a stop to the explosion of blabber that had come with the apperance of the greenrider.

“First off,” O’sarl “O’sarl, Close your yap and let the poor ladies figure out what you just spouted off at them – second off, NEVER appear that bloody fast and out of nowhere! Next time stop at the bloody door and let us know your appearing before sitting down and scaring everyone half to death.”

Turning to the Weyrwoman, he would have blushed a brighter red if his burnt skin would have allowed him to and dipped his head. “My appologies ladies, please continue.”

[sarah15554]

AiAiryry was about to ask a question but she was stopped short by the rather blabber mouthish O’sarl who showed up out of nowhere. Airy sighed and just wait form him to stop ten growled to her self when she realized then she would be searching for canadites with him.

Airy watched as O’sarl's wingleader put his hand over his mouth. She giggled to herself while she watched this. and once everything was quite and she knew she was not going to be interrupted again she asked her question "um may I ask scine we do not want candidantes that are too young and not too old which age would you prefer us to search for an age closer to 14 or an age closer to 18? Also you said something about letting those that are 20 stand at hatchings, will we be searching for one that 20 or no?" Airy waited for her answer, hoping that she didn't speak to soon.

[DreamerLady]

Sanzia had practically forgotten she'd asked a question by the time the Greenrider who had popped out of no where had finished speaking. O'sarl, she considered to herself, was entirely the kind of Greenrider that was feared and teased in Holds. However, she did not hold it against him, having been friends with several excitable male Greenriders before.

Besides, the expression on D'tas' face quite made up for the interruption. Deciding the best course of action was to simply pretend that the chatter had never even occurred, Sanzia turned and smiled at the little female Greenrider who'd asked, very politely, her own questions.

"I would ask that you didn't Search anyone younger than fourteen, and allow the Searching age to go up to twenty, yes." At least, Sanzia hoped that she was answering the Greenrider's questions. The Greenrider had phrased her questions quite oddly, but one couldn't expect everyone to sound like Igen riders.

"And I also think that we should start Searching before Tarasaith Flies. We've more than enough food and work for more people, and starting Candidate Training early will make it easier on whomever gets picked to be Weyrling Master."

[Hrsegrl]

Quinn was watching and listening as she liked to do when other people had the floor. Since Sanzia and herself were already on the same page as far as this subject went she had no problem relinguishing control to the able woman before her. She herself had no questions on the matter though any question someone would have asked had been interrupted.

A normal person may have been annoyed but she saw the handsome greenrider and laughed, not loudly but loud enough. Thankfully no one was really put off by that. D'tas, having clamped his hand over the greenriders mouth, had taken control of that situation when Airy asked her question. After Sanzia had time to answer her question, Quinn took the time to answer the ones that O'sarl had asked.

"Searchriders, you will be put into what I call teams. We do not have a lot of riders so I'm having you put into teams of three. You will have different destinations on different days. I want anyone who has even the slightest affect on your dragons brought here. As Sanzia has pointed out, if they don't impress, there is plenty of work to be done in the lower caverns. I want a diverse group of young men and women be they holder or crafter or even trader I want them. Tarasaith's clutches are generally very diverse and I see no reason why the people who impress to them should be any different." With that said she moved on after a small pause.

"Tarasaith is close to flying I'd say two sevendays or so. That means we are close and that also means we need Candidates as soon as possible. Also if you feel like searching handsome young men and women based on their appearance I think Sanzia won't mind so long as they have hands to work with. " In other words they had free reign to search any and all people. "If any Lord Holders give you trouble, contact Tarasaith and I will make a personal appearance." She paused again looking at the faces in the room.

"I know this seems repetitive but we cannot stress enough how understaffed this Weyr is." It was critical they understand that they needed to coerce as many youths as possible to come here and be part of Igen. She didn't care if they had to offer bubbly pies and wine to get them here as long as they came.

[Hrsegrl]

(I'm going to go ahead and finish up this thread to keep the board moving. )

After her long speech she looked over everyone in the room again. This time she noticed that no one had any questions. The Goldrider chose not to make this discussion any longer than it needed to be so she began to end the meeting.

" Now I'm going to give you your team assignments. Airy of green Jemth and O'sarl of green Yarith, your leader will be O'bej of brown Devrenth." Then Quinn moved on to name the other two teams. "The searchriders will be the ones actually doing the searching. The leaders are there to be diplomats of this Weyr. I expect you all to be courteous and amiable. If you get into a bad situation, leave. I do not want even the smallest rumor or complaint to come to me because you offended or got into it with somone. If I do, rest assured you will not be leaving this Weyr again on a dragon."

She knew that most the riders going were not ones with much of a temper. "All right, you are dismissed." Tarasaith had fallen asleep on her ledge, Quinn could feel the dragons steady breathing.