Expectations
Ezri’s first group of entry trainees had finished arriving five minutes ago and it was already a disaster.
She saw now that her expectations had clearly been too high. Way too high. And she had already determined that seven trainees was too many.
Four of them had forgotten the speak when spoken to rule as she went over key orientation points, asking questions unbidden. Thus far, each had the sense to only do it once. A fifth did it as well, but that one had waited long enough Ezri suspected it was only due to the unaddressed neglect of the first four. The sixth seemed confused by this, doubting the rule, turning and looking at the others, at Ezri, in and out of position, but not yet daring to speak. The seventh was silent, and the only one to actually hold the standing position specified for such instruction.
After one of those first four had broken the rule twice, Ezri paused shortly after and asked, “Can anyone tell me what the first rule of orientation was?”
The five who had spoken shut up or looked lost. The sixth squirmed uncertainly. The seventh crossed her wrists in front of her at hip level without any other movement, fingers closed, right over left. Nonverbal request for permission to speak. Ezri would’ve happily let the question be counted as a prompt at this point. At least one of them had sense. “Clara?” She called on her like a schoolteacher getting impatient.
Shift back to position. “Speak when spoken to, ma’am.” Didn’t look up as she said it, but the smile was visible. The title usage had been hit or miss from the others, too.
“Good.” She gave an abridged version of the rest of her speech, reminded them of each rule she had seen crossed so far, and dismissed them to settle into their rooms. She would need to do some new planning.
Six were very eager to get out of her sight, though two of them hesitated for a moment, then went with the group. Clara lingered, offered the only curtsy with a slight smirk, and finally followed.
Ezri shook her head. Maybe she should just keep that one.