Tomorrow's Leaders Start Thinking Today
Location: Living Cavern
Time: After lunch on Day 16, month 7, turn 3
Players: Miniyal and Roa
Scene: Miniyal actually does something Roa asked her to do in a way that doesn’t make Roa angry. It just...makes her a little bit confused. D'ven gets discussed and R'vain gets a mention.
Lunch is pretty well over by now. A few people linger at various tables either because they are slow eaters or because they got a late start on the meal. Or maybe they're making an early dinner of what is left. Who really knows what people think? Who really wants to? People are scary. Weyrlings, of course, do not linger over their meals. There's no time in the schedule for it. However, there's one or two still about, cloistered at a table near the far wall. Two or three even, really, although two of the three are rising up to leave now and heading off so that only one is left at the table they were all occupying. Miniyal, left to herself, begins to gather up a few hides, pens, a couple of books and generally clean up to leave. Taking her time, sure, but she does have to stop to finish off this pastry in front of her and the mug of klah that is still warm.
The weyrwoman was sitting about half of a cavern away and spent most of the lunch hour talking to a pair of residents who, whatever the dispute, seemed determined to take it to a higher source. There have been occasional raised voices (though not from the weyrwoman), but now the pair mill off to see about their afternoon work. They head off in opposite direction, but as nobody is ripping anybody else's hair out by the roots, perhaps the meeting was successful. Left alone, Roa rises from her chair and collects her plate, heading back over to the serving table to make a sandwich of sorts. It's one of those crazy-pregnant-lady affairs. Lettuce goes onto the roll and some cheese and a citrus slice as well as mustard and a dab of the gravy that's meant to be used for the slices of herdbeast. A tiny bit of sugar is also sprinkled on before the top bun is pressed down and the goldrider slinks away and over to, why, another goldrider's table. The newest. "Hey," she offers on approach.
"I'm not here. No one sees me or anything." Miniyal shakes her head as she reaches under the table for her writing case. Once she has it up on the table she glances up and smiles. "I'm hiding in plain sight. Pretty crafty of me, don't you think?" Gesturing to a seat across from her she starts putting things away. "And for the record, he's going to work everyone into the infirmary if he can't give them more time for eating on top of all the work. Not that I am saying anything negative about the program our weyrlingmaster is running. Or trying to change things or anything. I'm just saying, well, it could be an issue." Looking back down she waves a hand towards the kitchen. "Corin promised me pastries. Something new. So I am risking wrath to try them."
Roa plunks down into the seat across from Miniyal, settling her plate in front of her. "Good think you spoke up or I would have sat down in your seat, you're so hidden," Roa notes solemnly. She picks up her dubious sandwich and has a bite as Miniyal doesn't at all critique the weyrlingmaster or his program. She swallows but only notes, eyes still on her food, "Bring him some of the pastries. Tell him Corin wanted him to have some and you were obliged to wait for them to cool before you could get back to the barracks."
Miniyal's eyes roll and she grins lightly. "Sure. So long as she plays along. They're cozy, you know. My mother and the keeper of my world." Plucking at the remains of the pastry before her she looks back up. "Anyway, how are you doing? I'm just not going to ask what you're eating. I hear the odd cravings only get worse the farther along you get. If you start to want to eat raw meat or anything I just ask you do it in private." Popping a piece of pastry into her mouth she chews in silence.
"I thought it was one of the new bronzeriders that was inclined to eat raw meat," Roa muses. Then there is a thoughtful pause. "And bite people." She has another bite herself, hers of sandwich, and waits to swallow before she speaks again. "You don't want to know what's in it," she agrees with a faint smirk. "I made it and -I- don't want to know what's in it. My mind is very unhappy, but my stomach is delighted. D'ven and Corin are friends? That's...wow. I'm sorry. So, how long exactly are you getting for lunch?"
"Half an hour. Same as every other meal. I'm telling you, there's just not enough time." Miniyal shakes her head and gestures at the remains of a pastry on her plate. "Now, I don't mind because I don't eat that much, but there are people who would like to be able to chew and all. I had a few ideas and all, but I've been keeping them to myself." Pausing a moment she grins again behind her cup. "I hear he's getting help for that. Something about his hand and hot water. I don't know the details or anything and it is none of my business so I haven't pried into it or anything." Which, of course, either means she has or she has not.
"Of course not," Roa says with a small nod. "You never ever pry." There is a tiny tease of a smile that flashes and vanishes again. "Half hour for meals, two hours a day of free time after dinner. What's he have you doing the rest of the day?"
Wrapping her hands around her mug, Miniyal shakes her head. "Alright, seriously, I have not been prying into anything going on with S'ol. The kid has enough troubles. He puts up with me which is more than can be said for most of the women around here so I'm trying not to, well, mess that up." So, there, missy gets implied in tone only. They are words she would never /say/ as they're just not proper manners. "Lessons. Lots of lessons. Exercises. Stuff. Time filler. I mean, look, I know that there's a lot of people who come here who don't know anything and it's fine, I get building some sort of group community amongst everyone and I'm not going to undermine that, but between you and me it gets boring as all get out sometimes. I don't know. Maybe it's just me though so I'm doing my best to just make do."
There is more biting and chewing and listening. S'ol's lack of being snooped gets a nod from the weyrwoman and then a moment of silent consideration. "Do you think, if one presumes that these lessons are for the benefit of those not native to the weyr, that they're helping those they're intended for? You think, with the amount of information covered each day, that what they're learning is sticking?"
"There's no real time to process what is learned sometimes. I mean, a good lesson. . .sorry. I don't know? People learn differently." Pushing her cup away, Miniyal glances towards the kitchen door, but there's no mother with pastries yet. "It's somewhat hectic or can be. I mean, babies have no time sense, right? So they keep you busy. Also, honestly, I don't think his schedule is doing him much good. He's wearing himself out and if he doesn't. . .I don't know. See, I had this idea, umm. It's probably not a good one. Nevermind."
The sandwich is gone, eaten, and even Roa seems mildly surprised that she tucked anything edible away quite so quickly. There are several blinks and then her hands brush themselves free of crumbs and settle in her lap. "He's looking worn?" she asks. And then, "What's your idea?"
Weird pregnant woman food disappearing is good if only because it keeps one from considering what was in it. So, Miniyal is spared the curiosity that is what was in there. "He is, yes. And Corin even said so and she notices those things. Mostly in men. Only in women when she wants to be catty about something. Well, what can you do?" She is her mother after all. One can only be so much about their parents. "He's either sick or he's working himself to being sick. Anyway, it's just. . .I know in the first few months there's really not much that can be done. I mean, we're all pretty much just trying to keep up, right? But lessons? There's got to be a way to make that easier. Actually, there should be a way to make it all easier, but it depends on how much you're willing to, well, see? It's like this. By the third or fourth month a pretty good idea should be had about whom is still struggling and who is doing good and who could be advanced. If you pick out those and you have them work with the others it provides something of a buffer and means that the weyrlingmaster and even his assistant don't have to be so busy. It's just, you have to be willing to do it is all. Besides, when everyone graduates and goes into a wing it's the same sort of structure. And maybe I'm not explaining it really well? But I have notes. I've been making notes on the idea for a few days."
Roa settles her chin in one palm as she listens, letting Miniyal roll on past Corin and into the weyrling program. "What do you mean by making lessons easier, though? And in the third and fourth months, there more chores and strength training and I think the start of walking formations on the ground. Or perhaps that comes a bit later. I mean, though, that the time being used for one thing will be put to another. Where would you take time from, if you're using some having weyrlings tutor one another?"
Miniyal taps absently at the side of her cup. "See? If you can figure out early who could be helpful then you can get them to help. With any lessons. Strength training and everything. If D'ven and Issa spend a little extra time with a few weyrlings and then observe them for a few sevens to see if they can do it then they can leave some of the lessons to them and it gives them more time to do other things. It leaves them time to help those who might need extra help. Because they don't have to be doing quite so much. It's just a different sort of hierarchy is all and it allows everyone to hear things explained other than one way. That doesn't detract from the overall plan he has in place, of course. It's just. . .it's so dull. The same stuff presented in the same way and nothing to look forward to but more of the same for an eternal amount of time. Well, alright, not eternal, but it can feel like that. Honestly, not everyone learns the same way as all. Classroom structures are just. . .I hate them. I mean, they work for some people, but a few hours to read material and think on it and then ask if I have any questions is all I need. I don't need to sit there and listen and listen and listen while things are beat into everyone's head is all. And it can't just be me. I have a friend who's a harper who's been teaching as long as I've been alive and I've read some of his stuff on teaching methods. It's very good."
"I'm not sure it would be wise to suppose someone who has only learned a skill for a few sevens, regardless of what the skill is, is then equipped to teach it to others. Some exercises require a sort of precision that truly gets honed over months or turns, but..." Roa's fingers tap against her cheek, "I suppose that many come into weyrlinghood with a variety of skills already in place, and I agree with you about how people learn and teaching methods. Do you...I don't suppose you have it, still? Your friend's writing on teaching?"
"Well, see, that's what I mean. I mean, maybe that's not a great idea, but the program seems to be treating us as if we did nothing before now. I know everything's different now and that it's not the same as it was before, but I had a life before now. Everyone did. We're not coming into this as babies." Miniyal, easily excited when rambling on about some favored topic of the moment pauses here to sit quietly and slow down. A drink of lukewarm klah and she's ready to continue. "I just think that what we bring to this is ignored. That's all. And, I don't. But I could get you a copy. I have to send something to Harper and I could send a note along to him as well and ask him to send you what he's written?"
"I wouldn't mind reading through it, so long as I'm not requesting anything that's likely to get you into trouble," Roa agrees with a small nod. "I suppose in some ways he's trying to help all of you put your former lives behind although...well, I'm not entirely sure what his reasons are behind everything he does. I only know that he does have reasons and they make sense to him, much as they may not translate as he expects them to outside of his own head."
Miniyal's head bobs up and down as she smiles faintly. "Oh, I know how that goes. Most of my ideas don't work nearly so well outside my head as inside them. But I'm getting better at it and anyway. I mean, it's his first full class, right? So I figure by the time there's another one he'll have worked out some of the problems and all." She's so generous like that. "I can sort of understand what's trying to do, but I just don't think it's the best thing to be doing. Especially for people who aren't from here. It's hard enough without being expected to push everything behind you. You're sort of adrift already. And, I won't get in trouble for asking. He'll be happy to share, I am sure. Oh, umm. I should probably get going soon and all. But, umm. Well, I ran into the weyrleader the other day."
Nod, nod, nod. "I think most people with complex ideas run into that problem now and again. Some more than others." Roa straightens a little as Miniyal prepares to depart, spine popping in a few places. "Did you? How'd that go?"
"Oh, it went fine. I can't get Peloth to pay attention when I point out that encouraging him is a bad idea." Eyes rolling, Miniyal finishes gathering up her things, not rising just yet. "And I am afraid if I try too hard she'll do it just to be contrary. She is such a pain." Unlike, of course, her rider who is easy going and such. "Anyway. It's just. . .I may have mentioned that, well. I'm sorry, I didn't really tell him anything. I just said that he should be careful he doesn't try to cut you out of things just because you're pregnant because that's a bad idea, is all. Umm. I'm sorry."
Up hitches one brow as Roa scoots her own chair back and stands. "They're all like that around him. The baby dragons. He melts over them and they melt right back. I don't really know what it means, but I like to think it's something good. Hopeful." Her shoulders lift and fall in a shrug and then she blinks as Miniyal goes on. "Well," she says after a beat, "He should be careful of that. Doubt that he will, but, anyhow, thanks. That was kind of you." Apology? What apology?
Standing up, picking up her things, Miniyal shrugs. "I think it means he's on the same intellectual level as a baby," is her own theory, presented with such seriousness. "Although that could be an insult to some babies of advanced intelligence. Still, I suppose I can give him the benefit of the doubt in this one thing. For now." Was it said how generous she is already? She's so generous. "Anyway. I'm just going to go see what kept Corin and get my pastries and go get yelled at or something before being late." One rather cocky, if vaguely respectful, salute later and she's on her way to do that.
The weyrwoman dips her head into a nod, accepting the salute as her due, at least for now, and steps back a couple paces as Miniyal heads off. "Still," she notes, "he has his moments. Enjoy your pastries. And your yelling. I'll see you." With a wave, she heads out of the living cavern and up into the bowl.
Time: After lunch on Day 16, month 7, turn 3
Players: Miniyal and Roa
Scene: Miniyal actually does something Roa asked her to do in a way that doesn’t make Roa angry. It just...makes her a little bit confused. D'ven gets discussed and R'vain gets a mention.
Lunch is pretty well over by now. A few people linger at various tables either because they are slow eaters or because they got a late start on the meal. Or maybe they're making an early dinner of what is left. Who really knows what people think? Who really wants to? People are scary. Weyrlings, of course, do not linger over their meals. There's no time in the schedule for it. However, there's one or two still about, cloistered at a table near the far wall. Two or three even, really, although two of the three are rising up to leave now and heading off so that only one is left at the table they were all occupying. Miniyal, left to herself, begins to gather up a few hides, pens, a couple of books and generally clean up to leave. Taking her time, sure, but she does have to stop to finish off this pastry in front of her and the mug of klah that is still warm.
The weyrwoman was sitting about half of a cavern away and spent most of the lunch hour talking to a pair of residents who, whatever the dispute, seemed determined to take it to a higher source. There have been occasional raised voices (though not from the weyrwoman), but now the pair mill off to see about their afternoon work. They head off in opposite direction, but as nobody is ripping anybody else's hair out by the roots, perhaps the meeting was successful. Left alone, Roa rises from her chair and collects her plate, heading back over to the serving table to make a sandwich of sorts. It's one of those crazy-pregnant-lady affairs. Lettuce goes onto the roll and some cheese and a citrus slice as well as mustard and a dab of the gravy that's meant to be used for the slices of herdbeast. A tiny bit of sugar is also sprinkled on before the top bun is pressed down and the goldrider slinks away and over to, why, another goldrider's table. The newest. "Hey," she offers on approach.
"I'm not here. No one sees me or anything." Miniyal shakes her head as she reaches under the table for her writing case. Once she has it up on the table she glances up and smiles. "I'm hiding in plain sight. Pretty crafty of me, don't you think?" Gesturing to a seat across from her she starts putting things away. "And for the record, he's going to work everyone into the infirmary if he can't give them more time for eating on top of all the work. Not that I am saying anything negative about the program our weyrlingmaster is running. Or trying to change things or anything. I'm just saying, well, it could be an issue." Looking back down she waves a hand towards the kitchen. "Corin promised me pastries. Something new. So I am risking wrath to try them."
Roa plunks down into the seat across from Miniyal, settling her plate in front of her. "Good think you spoke up or I would have sat down in your seat, you're so hidden," Roa notes solemnly. She picks up her dubious sandwich and has a bite as Miniyal doesn't at all critique the weyrlingmaster or his program. She swallows but only notes, eyes still on her food, "Bring him some of the pastries. Tell him Corin wanted him to have some and you were obliged to wait for them to cool before you could get back to the barracks."
Miniyal's eyes roll and she grins lightly. "Sure. So long as she plays along. They're cozy, you know. My mother and the keeper of my world." Plucking at the remains of the pastry before her she looks back up. "Anyway, how are you doing? I'm just not going to ask what you're eating. I hear the odd cravings only get worse the farther along you get. If you start to want to eat raw meat or anything I just ask you do it in private." Popping a piece of pastry into her mouth she chews in silence.
"I thought it was one of the new bronzeriders that was inclined to eat raw meat," Roa muses. Then there is a thoughtful pause. "And bite people." She has another bite herself, hers of sandwich, and waits to swallow before she speaks again. "You don't want to know what's in it," she agrees with a faint smirk. "I made it and -I- don't want to know what's in it. My mind is very unhappy, but my stomach is delighted. D'ven and Corin are friends? That's...wow. I'm sorry. So, how long exactly are you getting for lunch?"
"Half an hour. Same as every other meal. I'm telling you, there's just not enough time." Miniyal shakes her head and gestures at the remains of a pastry on her plate. "Now, I don't mind because I don't eat that much, but there are people who would like to be able to chew and all. I had a few ideas and all, but I've been keeping them to myself." Pausing a moment she grins again behind her cup. "I hear he's getting help for that. Something about his hand and hot water. I don't know the details or anything and it is none of my business so I haven't pried into it or anything." Which, of course, either means she has or she has not.
"Of course not," Roa says with a small nod. "You never ever pry." There is a tiny tease of a smile that flashes and vanishes again. "Half hour for meals, two hours a day of free time after dinner. What's he have you doing the rest of the day?"
Wrapping her hands around her mug, Miniyal shakes her head. "Alright, seriously, I have not been prying into anything going on with S'ol. The kid has enough troubles. He puts up with me which is more than can be said for most of the women around here so I'm trying not to, well, mess that up." So, there, missy gets implied in tone only. They are words she would never /say/ as they're just not proper manners. "Lessons. Lots of lessons. Exercises. Stuff. Time filler. I mean, look, I know that there's a lot of people who come here who don't know anything and it's fine, I get building some sort of group community amongst everyone and I'm not going to undermine that, but between you and me it gets boring as all get out sometimes. I don't know. Maybe it's just me though so I'm doing my best to just make do."
There is more biting and chewing and listening. S'ol's lack of being snooped gets a nod from the weyrwoman and then a moment of silent consideration. "Do you think, if one presumes that these lessons are for the benefit of those not native to the weyr, that they're helping those they're intended for? You think, with the amount of information covered each day, that what they're learning is sticking?"
"There's no real time to process what is learned sometimes. I mean, a good lesson. . .sorry. I don't know? People learn differently." Pushing her cup away, Miniyal glances towards the kitchen door, but there's no mother with pastries yet. "It's somewhat hectic or can be. I mean, babies have no time sense, right? So they keep you busy. Also, honestly, I don't think his schedule is doing him much good. He's wearing himself out and if he doesn't. . .I don't know. See, I had this idea, umm. It's probably not a good one. Nevermind."
The sandwich is gone, eaten, and even Roa seems mildly surprised that she tucked anything edible away quite so quickly. There are several blinks and then her hands brush themselves free of crumbs and settle in her lap. "He's looking worn?" she asks. And then, "What's your idea?"
Weird pregnant woman food disappearing is good if only because it keeps one from considering what was in it. So, Miniyal is spared the curiosity that is what was in there. "He is, yes. And Corin even said so and she notices those things. Mostly in men. Only in women when she wants to be catty about something. Well, what can you do?" She is her mother after all. One can only be so much about their parents. "He's either sick or he's working himself to being sick. Anyway, it's just. . .I know in the first few months there's really not much that can be done. I mean, we're all pretty much just trying to keep up, right? But lessons? There's got to be a way to make that easier. Actually, there should be a way to make it all easier, but it depends on how much you're willing to, well, see? It's like this. By the third or fourth month a pretty good idea should be had about whom is still struggling and who is doing good and who could be advanced. If you pick out those and you have them work with the others it provides something of a buffer and means that the weyrlingmaster and even his assistant don't have to be so busy. It's just, you have to be willing to do it is all. Besides, when everyone graduates and goes into a wing it's the same sort of structure. And maybe I'm not explaining it really well? But I have notes. I've been making notes on the idea for a few days."
Roa settles her chin in one palm as she listens, letting Miniyal roll on past Corin and into the weyrling program. "What do you mean by making lessons easier, though? And in the third and fourth months, there more chores and strength training and I think the start of walking formations on the ground. Or perhaps that comes a bit later. I mean, though, that the time being used for one thing will be put to another. Where would you take time from, if you're using some having weyrlings tutor one another?"
Miniyal taps absently at the side of her cup. "See? If you can figure out early who could be helpful then you can get them to help. With any lessons. Strength training and everything. If D'ven and Issa spend a little extra time with a few weyrlings and then observe them for a few sevens to see if they can do it then they can leave some of the lessons to them and it gives them more time to do other things. It leaves them time to help those who might need extra help. Because they don't have to be doing quite so much. It's just a different sort of hierarchy is all and it allows everyone to hear things explained other than one way. That doesn't detract from the overall plan he has in place, of course. It's just. . .it's so dull. The same stuff presented in the same way and nothing to look forward to but more of the same for an eternal amount of time. Well, alright, not eternal, but it can feel like that. Honestly, not everyone learns the same way as all. Classroom structures are just. . .I hate them. I mean, they work for some people, but a few hours to read material and think on it and then ask if I have any questions is all I need. I don't need to sit there and listen and listen and listen while things are beat into everyone's head is all. And it can't just be me. I have a friend who's a harper who's been teaching as long as I've been alive and I've read some of his stuff on teaching methods. It's very good."
"I'm not sure it would be wise to suppose someone who has only learned a skill for a few sevens, regardless of what the skill is, is then equipped to teach it to others. Some exercises require a sort of precision that truly gets honed over months or turns, but..." Roa's fingers tap against her cheek, "I suppose that many come into weyrlinghood with a variety of skills already in place, and I agree with you about how people learn and teaching methods. Do you...I don't suppose you have it, still? Your friend's writing on teaching?"
"Well, see, that's what I mean. I mean, maybe that's not a great idea, but the program seems to be treating us as if we did nothing before now. I know everything's different now and that it's not the same as it was before, but I had a life before now. Everyone did. We're not coming into this as babies." Miniyal, easily excited when rambling on about some favored topic of the moment pauses here to sit quietly and slow down. A drink of lukewarm klah and she's ready to continue. "I just think that what we bring to this is ignored. That's all. And, I don't. But I could get you a copy. I have to send something to Harper and I could send a note along to him as well and ask him to send you what he's written?"
"I wouldn't mind reading through it, so long as I'm not requesting anything that's likely to get you into trouble," Roa agrees with a small nod. "I suppose in some ways he's trying to help all of you put your former lives behind although...well, I'm not entirely sure what his reasons are behind everything he does. I only know that he does have reasons and they make sense to him, much as they may not translate as he expects them to outside of his own head."
Miniyal's head bobs up and down as she smiles faintly. "Oh, I know how that goes. Most of my ideas don't work nearly so well outside my head as inside them. But I'm getting better at it and anyway. I mean, it's his first full class, right? So I figure by the time there's another one he'll have worked out some of the problems and all." She's so generous like that. "I can sort of understand what's trying to do, but I just don't think it's the best thing to be doing. Especially for people who aren't from here. It's hard enough without being expected to push everything behind you. You're sort of adrift already. And, I won't get in trouble for asking. He'll be happy to share, I am sure. Oh, umm. I should probably get going soon and all. But, umm. Well, I ran into the weyrleader the other day."
Nod, nod, nod. "I think most people with complex ideas run into that problem now and again. Some more than others." Roa straightens a little as Miniyal prepares to depart, spine popping in a few places. "Did you? How'd that go?"
"Oh, it went fine. I can't get Peloth to pay attention when I point out that encouraging him is a bad idea." Eyes rolling, Miniyal finishes gathering up her things, not rising just yet. "And I am afraid if I try too hard she'll do it just to be contrary. She is such a pain." Unlike, of course, her rider who is easy going and such. "Anyway. It's just. . .I may have mentioned that, well. I'm sorry, I didn't really tell him anything. I just said that he should be careful he doesn't try to cut you out of things just because you're pregnant because that's a bad idea, is all. Umm. I'm sorry."
Up hitches one brow as Roa scoots her own chair back and stands. "They're all like that around him. The baby dragons. He melts over them and they melt right back. I don't really know what it means, but I like to think it's something good. Hopeful." Her shoulders lift and fall in a shrug and then she blinks as Miniyal goes on. "Well," she says after a beat, "He should be careful of that. Doubt that he will, but, anyhow, thanks. That was kind of you." Apology? What apology?
Standing up, picking up her things, Miniyal shrugs. "I think it means he's on the same intellectual level as a baby," is her own theory, presented with such seriousness. "Although that could be an insult to some babies of advanced intelligence. Still, I suppose I can give him the benefit of the doubt in this one thing. For now." Was it said how generous she is already? She's so generous. "Anyway. I'm just going to go see what kept Corin and get my pastries and go get yelled at or something before being late." One rather cocky, if vaguely respectful, salute later and she's on her way to do that.
The weyrwoman dips her head into a nod, accepting the salute as her due, at least for now, and steps back a couple paces as Miniyal heads off. "Still," she notes, "he has his moments. Enjoy your pastries. And your yelling. I'll see you." With a wave, she heads out of the living cavern and up into the bowl.