Paid Leave
Contribution to Comida's "Lead Crown". Theo taking it hard that he can't stay in the comfort of the UPU.
Definitely not the (or my) best, but I can't let Theo go without at least one contribution to help him along.
Theo heaved a sigh of relief as he closed the door to his office, shutting out the noise of the university back in the halls. Ever since that explosion with the Albatross everyone at the UPU was scrambling about like ants from an overturned anthill. Even the students were distracted by it to the point where Theo's only lecture of the day, on the differences in wing structures between the different winged peoples, fell on completely deaf ears. He cringed at the thought of all the students lining up at his office come the day before the final all asking about the topic he had made quite sure was thoroughly covered today! Yes the explosion was a most unfortunate occurrence, but these students were on the road to being Water Scholars and as such shouldn't be distracted by something that has nothing to do with their area of focus. He nibbled tiredly at his toothpick as collapsed in his chair and poked his notebook open. He didn't even get to start reading before there was a quick knock at the door followed by a rather large, rotund Dingo entering his office.
Theo purposefully closed his notebook before addressing his colleague with a bluntness to properly befit this unwelcome intrusion, "Gregory, what do you want?"
The Dingo stood at the door for a while, puffing and looking for like he had just finished a sprint when, in fact, he had probably just come down a few flights of stairs. "Theo!" he huffed loudly, "Did you hear?"
"Hear what? I have just recently finished a debacle of a lecture, Gregory."
"The upper management is putting a bunch of us out for the month!" Gregory gasped out.
Theo cocked his head at that. "Why do you think they would do that?"
"I haven't heard a reason, just heard that some of us are gonna be out of the halls soon."
Theo started to shake, "They can't do this to me! I'm in the middle of my research! I'm close to figuring it out! And what about the students?! I don't have anyone to cover my lectures! All those young minds left without proper stimulation for a month! This is unacceptable!"
Gregory took a step back as the small ermine went into a minor meltdown over the delay to his research and the rescheduling for the exam period to accommodate making up the month of missed lectures.
"Woah buddy! They haven't said who's out yet. There is still a good chance that you'll make the cut. Your research will totally give them reason to let you stay!" pulling a flask from inside his coat, the Dingo offered it the small mustelid with a smile, "Here, take a hit of this and calm down buddy."
His paws still shaking, Theo took the flask and gulped back a muzzle full of the hard liquor before nodding, "Of course. Of course they will have to let me stay."
Just as they finished a few more passes of the flask between the two scholars while Gregory waited for Theo to collect himself, the office door opened. Without a knock, a quick moving, well-dressed Rat entered the room and stopped in front of the desk. "Theo Vinson?"
Theo gave a nod, "That is me, yes?"
The Rat gave handed him an envelope, "The UPU has decided to put some staff on paid leave for the month to better deal with the issues concerning the Albatross explosion. Your position will be here upon your return, but as of today you are on leave."
Theo started to shake again, "But I'm a Water Scholar! I study anatomy! Inherited traits! I don't have anything to do concerning that machine! Why am I on leave?!"
The Rat shrugged, "less people, less confusion. Those who do not have anything to do with the Albatross might get underfoot with the investigation." With that, the Rat turned and left the office making sure to close the door behind him.
Gregory let out a small sigh as he looked at the shaking ermine, "That is a rough break Theo."
Theo just took another deep hit of the flask.