Jāres shifted his weight in the chair.  He picked up the map offered by
 the warrenlady.   As he looked over the map he spoke. "My skills 
and abilities?  Iām afraid Iāve been on medical leave so long Iām not 
even sure if I remember what a dragonrider is supposed to do.  Itās 
been a full year since I was taken off active duty.  You might consider
placing me in a class with the newly joined.  Iāll probably  need a
refresher course."   He laughed, but he was only half joking.

Rhia smile gently.  "Iām sure it will all come back to you.  Besides," 
Her smile grew.  "We donāt have any newly joined at the moment, 
and I doubt youāll want to wait for the next batch."    Her voice grew
more serious, but still stayed light.  "What position did you
hold in your old wing, before you were taken off duty?"  

He circled another possible apartment as he considered his answer.
"Shortly before my mateās... death...  Epionās beta wingsecond retired. 
I was short listed as a replacement, but before the final choice was
made my life sort of collapsed around me.  Iām not even sure I would
have been right for the position.  I led a few scouting groups, and Iām
not comfortable with leadership.  I worry too much.  When I only have
to worry about myself, about how Iām working within the wing.  Iām
fine.  When I have coordinate the efforts of a larger group or riders I
get... I donāt know"  He shrugged.   "It presses on me.  the
responsibility.  But I guess thatās what being a leader is about. 
Handling the pressure."  

Rhia sighed gently, she knew only too well about the pressures of
responsibility.   "I think youāll get along well here, Jāres.  I just 
want to
make sure you feel ready to return to a combat flight before I assign
you?  Iāve skimmed through your file, youāve been through a difficult
time.  Do you think your ready?"

He was silent for a moment.  Turning his response over in his mind as
he folded the map and set it on his lap.  "I donāt think Iāll really 
know
the answer to that until I try.   I would like to think that my problems
are over but depression is not something you just walk away from.  I
believe that I can perform the duties required of me.  Whatās more I
think I need to get back to work.  I need to move on with my life."  

(((((NRPG:  Tag Jill, he still needs a wing assignment.)))))

~*~Later, (as if you couldnāt figure that one out for yourself :-)~*~

He knocked gently on the half open door to the junior queenriderās
office.  He poked his head in to see the queenrider wading through a
pile of papers with an extremely disinterested look on her face.  She
glanced up, meeting his gaze.  "May I help you?" 

>From the sound of her voice, Jāres got the impression that she would
take any excuse to get away from those papers.   He grinned, feeling
like the hero out of a childās bedtime story.  "Iām Jāres, Iām new to
Xylian and the Warrenlady told me that you would be happy to show
me some of the available apartments?"  He stepped into the office
and laid the map on her desk.  She grinned broadly.  Examining the
places he had marked to visit. 

He leaned over the map with her.  "I hope you donāt mind playing
tourguide for the afternoon?"

NRPG:  Just another quick one.  I think I'm pretty caught up when it
comes to story lines.  Now I just need to get J'res a little more
involved...

Jill, I'm still working on a method of shortening the lines.  


                             *)*)(*         
Katherine Heath               \(*/    Ailill And Storm,
                               *)       Marrid Warren      
     Domani@hotmail.com        /\  
                              {**}   J'res and Tleilaxu,
           The Voice of...     ^^       Xylian Warren
                               ;}   
~_------------------@__        :}         __@-----------------_~
  \__             /    `-_     /}\    _-`    \             __/
     \___        /        `'-.) }(.-'`        \        ___/
         \___   /            (  } )            \   ___/
             \_/~,_,_,_,_,.-(   }  )-.,_,_,_,_,~\_/
              *             (   }  )             *
                            0\  } /0
                            * \ }/ *
~May Dragons Fly Ever In~      :}:
                              ;};
     ~Your Dreams...        ;};    ...Soaring On The Wings Of~
                           ;;
                          ;;             ~Imagination~
                          ;     
                           '*


______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com