Assignment Interview With The Dean

I wrote this to lilfluff's prompt "Sudden flip-flopping of the hemisphere's seasonal weather patterns."


“Gentlemen,” the Dean of Glyphic Studies laced his fingers under his chin and looked over his glasses at the two students standing before his desk, “I realise you are only taking this course in our faculty to fulfil the university’s ‘mind-broadening’ requirement for your degrees, but why, when your assignment was to study, analyse and report on the glyphs on this device, did you decide to turn it on?”

“It seemed the obvious thing to do, sir,” one of the young men, Jaspar Koyte according to the paperwork in front of the Dean, offered sheepishly.  “We know what the assignment said, Professor Thorn was very specific, but we were hoping to get extra credit by making it work.”

His classmate and assignment partner, Edwin Braid, added, “Engineering is all about making things work or not fall down, as the case may be.”

“Whatever you meant, gentlemen, this was not an engineering assignment and it might have been better if you hadn’t treated it as such.”  The Dean glanced at the weather out the window.  “Magical devices, intemperately used, will have unintended consequences.  The consequences of this one are such that my colleagues are debating whether the device is, in fact, as artefact.”

Edwin asked, “Is that good or bad, sir?”

“It depends on whether you’re subject to its effects or writing a paper on it, doesn’t it?”  The Dean smiled benevolently at them.  “Or whether you’re working on a solution.”

Jaspar cleared his throat.  “You mean us, sir?”

“Under the supervision of Professors Thorn and Bell, yes.  Normally this would be at least PhD level work but your reward will be to not be handed over to the world’s politicians and farmers.”  His smile turned into a steel trap.  “They’re rather annoyed about winter turning into summer and vice versa.”

“So, we should go see Professor Thorn and Professor Bell now, sir?”  Jaspar looked as uncomfortable as Edwin sounded.

“Yes, but before you go, I have one more thing to add.”  The two young men looked nervously at the Dean.  “Under the circumstances, I believe you owe Miss Nash and Miss Usagi an apology, probably accompanied by expensive flowers and good chocolate.  I would, however, in your shoes avoid pink or red flowers unless you want them to be shoved down your throats.  Now, go!”