Botanicaust

She was stunned when he wanted to support her plea to the Board. Filling the room with her successful converts had been his idea. While they would not be allowed an official say in the outcome, their show of support might sway the Board in her favor. He ’ d spent most of the night rallying as many allies as he could. Guilt soured her stomach that he insisted on helping her.
    The only missing key was Eily. The girl had disappeared in the chaos at the Holdout, and at the time, Tula had been glad. But now she needed her. And she worried for the child. Was she being treated fairly by the Old Order? Was she reverting to cannibal ways?
    Most of all, would the Board believe Tula ’ s claims against Vitus and the Fosselites without physical proof of a reversion who hadn ’ t been euthanized?
    At one end of the wide, oval Council table, Vitus sat in his assigned seat, conversing in whispers to cronies who came and went. Every now and then, he shot her a look, nostrils flared and lip curled. His bloodshot eyes made her shudder, and solidified her certainty of his participation in the Fosselite experiments.
    With or without Eily, Tula was determined to make him pay.
    Thankfully, Levi was alive. Mo brought word on that. Vitus had tried to initiate euthanization on Levi immediately, but Arnica put a hold on all Conversion Department activity until after the hearing.
    On the hour, Councilman Roben called the hearing to order. The nuvoplast ceiling dimmed, and a large vid screen at the back of the room flashed to life. Tula ’ s heart rate accelerated at the sight of Dr. Rice ’ s dark face and blood-red eyes. The Gallery buzzed loudly with excitement for a moment, then hushed as Roben cracked his gavel.
    “ Dr. Macoby, we ’ ve been asked by the Fosselites to extradite you on the murder of Dr. Edward Kaneka. In light of our own multiple grievances against you, and your past exemplary service to the Protectorate, we have decided to hold the trial here. ” The Councilman sat stiff in his chair, his hands folded across his lap.
    Dr. Rice ’ s voice ricocheted through the room, “ Councilman, I repeat my protest. ” A tech adjusted the volume as the doctor continued. “ This woman is guilty of a heinous crime against our foremost expert on telomerase. In the interest of trade relations, we demand you turn her over to us at once. ”
    “ We must first complete our own investigation, as we already discussed. You are present at this trial only out of respect for our trade relationship. ” Roben turned to Tula. “ Now, Dr. Macoby, you are accused by the Protectorate of releasing a prisoner from Confinement without permission and of stealing and destroying Protectorate property in the form of one skimmer. We have testimony and evidence these actions were committed willingly and believe they are evidence of your reversion. What do you have to say? ”
    Tula stood, resisting the urge to fiddle with her necklaces. “ Sir, I do not deny my actions were voluntary. I do deny the accusation of reversion. ”
    “ On what grounds? ”
    “ The man I rescued from Confinement was not — is not — a cannibal. ” She resisted the habit of calling Levi by name. Mo had pointed out that any hint of her origins or of anything other than a professional relationship with Levi might be used against her. “ I believed he came from a people who survived the Botanicaust without resorting to cannibalism, which I have now proven to be correct. At Councilwoman Arnica ’ s request, I was working to discover his origins while he was interred here. However, before I was able to gather this information, Dr. Dedecus scheduled the subject for euthanization. ”
    “ Sir, I object. ” Vitus ’ s voice rose from the Council table. “ We have video footage of this man attacking Dr. Macoby, which is grounds for immediate euthanization, and she failed to report the incident. ”
    “ Is this true? ” Roben addressed one of the attendants behind him.
    “ Sir, ” Tula interjected. “ Levi — the man I rescued — did attempt to free himself from his cell, at one point. He does not speak any of the Cannibal dialects, and was frightened and confused. You would probably attempt to escape such a situation, as well. But he is a peaceful man, and ceased his attack when I managed to communicate safety to him. He did not hurt me, and I did not feel the need to submit a report in this situation. ”
    “ So, the man was to be euthanized. And rather than go