An Audience with Alpha Platinum 9000

[Basil Benson]

Basil knocked briskly on Ashlie's door, awaiting some kind of response. He wasn't sure if she was in, as he hadn't seen her wandering around much lately.

[Ashlie Minamida]

The response is a slightly muffled and tinny, "Come on in."

The room itself is empty although the monitor on the desk has been turned around to face the room and is displaying Ashlie's face.

[Basil Benson]

Lately, Basil's suits had become a bit more adventurous when he was off shift as opposed to on, and he today he was wearing a vest with a pattern of peacock feathers in turquoise and purple. As he entered the room he was still wearing his shades, but to Ashlie, he was just an empty suit.

".... Good afternoon Ma'am....

Busy? Should I come back later?" He asked as he took off his shades.

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I'm always busy, but I'm good at multi-tasking. How can I help you?"

[Basil Benson]

"I wanted to talk to you about my continued place here at the school."

Basil made himself comfortable since it seemed like she was stating she had the time to discuss it with him.

"Unless I completely whiff in the next couple of months, I'll be graduating. If the school can accommodate, I'd like to go ahead and stay on for my masters.

But I'm very uncomfortable with the living situations here. I know that you all have adopted the American method as a means to accommodate lacking space, and Shane is a nice enough fellow, but I'm nearly twenty years old and I'd like a bit of privacy.

And I've come to realize I'm not the only one, so I've been trying to come up with a solution that works for both the university, and the student body."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I'm glad to hear you're planning on continuing on for a Master's degree. But I'm afraid that there simply isn't enough room. Especially since, as you said, you would not be the only one to ask for a room to yourself."

"You are, of course, always free to opt to live off-campus and seek out accommodations that are more to your liking in Maldon itself."

[Basil Benson]

"I suspected already that asking for solo accommodations was out of the question, which is why I hadn't come to you earlier.

What I am requesting instead is that you consider sectioning off a portion of the dormitories for multiple occupancy housing, for couples and families."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I question the viability of dorm rooms for families. And, no offense to your relationship, but opening the door to that means I would have to rearrange the dorm occupancies constantly as people break up and it is not up to me to judge the longevity of student relations."

"If you wish to live together with your significant other then I highly recommend finding a small flat in Maldon."

[Basil Benson]

"I thought of that too." Basil replied, with a congenial enough tone.

"Make the availability of such only to students that have passed first year exams, and over the age of 18. You would eliminate quite a bit of the problem of two people moving in together willy-nilly once they've had the chance to understand the complexities of university life, and avoid the possibility of the parents of American students being uncomfortable with the arrangements."

Basil paused.

"I know you think this is just about me, but it isn't. I'm not the only student questioning whether or not I should remain on campus, but I am one of the few students who have the means to afford moving off campus.

Students could risk dropping out if they can't afford the rent in Maldon, not to mention the safety concerns of us not sticking together."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"You are, however, the only one to have voiced this concern to me. We provide a reasonable amount of space, free of charge. I understand that your background probably colors your expectations regarding living quarters, but others seem to manage."

[Basil Benson]

"You are correct that my status as a citizen of the U.K. has indeed coloured my perception of how dormitories are handled." He replied.

He also decided not to tell Ashlie exactly how the others were managing and risk narcing out the thruple.

"I'm not on the scholarship program so I don't know how the funding works. Does Colette lose her scholarship if she moves off campus?"

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I wouldn't have suggested it if she would."

[Basil Benson]

Basil sighed. " I suppose that's what we'll do then, unless you've any other suggestions."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Not particularly, no. Sorry to not have a more agreeable option to offer."

[Basil Benson]

"It's fine. "

Basil paused again, deliberating on some thought in his head


" How long are you stuck Hattie Heyridge'd? "

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Ideally not for very much longer. I have a solution in the prototyping phase."

[Basil Benson]

"I don't know how I could be, but let me know if I could be of any assistance. "