Botanicaust

a good impression. He was flattered. He ’ d never been able to wear lapis because the blue made his skin appear more jaundiced.
    Today the back of his hand remained a bright malachite green, even after ten days without treatment. And it wasn ’ t his imagination this time. The spectrometer had confirmed chlorophyll stabilization in his sample cells this morning. The longevity research was finally taking root.
    Vitus was on the cutting edge of conversion technology — a perfect test subject because of the natural senescence of his chloroplasts. Symbiotic fungi in his body should replicate telomerase ad infinitum, freeing him of the need for treatments forever.
    And his team wondered why he never let them give him the standard telomerase treatments. He snorted. Primitive. Only a handful of people knew about the project — the highest officials in the Protectorate, and natural born, every one. Oh, how he looked forward to rubbing this in the faces of all the people who had pitied his ripening.
    Once the research was perfected, Vitus would live forever. Then he would eradicate the cannibal weeds swarming the surface of the earth.
    He tapped his access code into his vidcom. While he waited for a response, he straightened the silver chain around his neck. He ’ d have to hint around that he needed lapis beads to match his new bracelet.
    The vidcom image popped to life on the glossy surface of his desk — a pale face with arterial red eyes. “ Dr. Dedecus. ” Kaneka ’ s voice greeted him with the usual superior impassiveness. For once, Vitus ’ smile was genuine. He didn ’ t like Kaneka — those eyes disturbed him — but today he felt magnanimous.
    “ Kaneka. Seems the latest combination of enzymes is holding steady. I ’ m forwarding the spectrometer and diagnostic data now. ” Vitus settled back into his chair to give the Fosselite a broader view of his magnificent skin and rubbed his chin just to show the camera a flash of his new bracelet.
    He chuckled to himself. Not only would he have chloroplasts, but immortality. Even the Fosselites were a step behind him, physically unable to accept the introduction of foreign plastids into their current longevity treatments.
    The red-eyed doctor ’ s scrutiny showed no appreciation. “ Mmmm. The scan shows excessive production of naive T cells. I need you to come here for a bone marrow sample. ”
    Vitus twitched. He hated going to that cave the Fosselites called home. Not to mention the pain of a biopsy. “ I ’ ll have my people send you a sample. ”
    “ I suppose that would work. ” Kaneka paused. “ But I had hoped to reunite you with one of your reversions. ”
    “ Why? ” Vitus snorted. “ Those weeds are dead to me. ”
    Part of the deal with the Fosselites was to send them test subjects. The higher-ups chose to be “ unaware ” of this part of the arrangement. Vitus didn ’ t care. He was in the perfect position to facilitate the project. Rather than waste conversion resources already invested, he signed the euthanization papers and then sent reversions north. It wasn ’ t like anyone would miss them. What the Fosselites did with them was their business. Unless they succeed with one of those weeds and don ’ t give the cure to me.
    He sat forward, glaring into the screen. “ You ’ d better not break our deal, Kaneka. If you ’ ve discovered something new … ”
    An unnerving smile twisted the corners of Kaneka ’ s lips. “ She ’ s asked for asylum. We ’ d like to know what she is worth to you before we decide her fate. ”
    For a few heartbeats, Vitus processed Kaneka ’ s words. He hadn ’ t sent any reversions in months.
    Who -? His eyes widened as he realized whom Kaneka must be talking about. Shaking, he leapt from his chair, sending it skittering back to hit the wall behind him. He leaned closer to the pale image, nostrils flaring. “ That weed actually reached you? ”
    “ She and her companion are a bit worse for wear. ”
    When the Council voted to give her a trial if she came back, Vitus had stormed from the meeting. She ’ d obviously reverted. His disgust with the Board made him want to vomit. But they never located her, and Vitus found joy in visualizing her tortuous death in the desert. But she lives . If the Fosselites gave her amnesty, she ’ d have access to the longevity treatments. “ She ’ s a reversion. I demand her euthanization immediately. ”
    “ She says she is one of your Conversion