Mature mushrooms

Neph settled down aboard the Future.

Cattleya bought the Beyonder characteristic for Frank, who had long since gathered all the supplementary ingredients and completed the ritual. Advancement was a matter of course.

Cattleya kept an eye on Frank and ordered him to rest for a night before advancing. The next morning, Neph met the newly advanced Frank. Ignoring her just-awakened bewilderment, he exclaimed excitedly:

"My potion was already more than half digested the moment I drank it. I'm confident I'll soon be able to cultivate the crops you need!"

That... really is just like you. Neph struggled to turn the twitching corners of her mouth upward, arranging her face into a delighted smile.

"That's wonderful!" she said as cheerfully as she could. "I look forward to your results!"

"You're looking forward to it too, aren't you?" Frank asked Neph warmly. "Would you like to witness the birth of that crop yourself?"

No, I absolutely would not. Neph resisted the urge to bare her teeth and tried to make her smile look natural.

"I am, but I still have some things to discuss with your captain. Besides, I haven't participated in your research. You shouldn't invite me, no matter what. You ought to invite the people who've helped you instead."

This convinced Frank, and he left thoughtfully. Behind him, Neph shut her door without hesitation and locked it.

Fortunately, this torment did not last long. Frank already had ideas for most of the steps; he had merely lacked the corresponding abilities to bring them to life. Just three days later, Neph saw his latest results.

It was an armful of mushrooms, black beneath a tracery of blood-colored strands and marbled fat. Standing in the laboratory at the bottom of the ship, Neph hesitantly accepted them and asked:

"What are these-?"

Frank