~Click!
The lights shut off, Phin's store is only illuminated by the dim moonlight seeping in through the windows. He heads upstairs, where his lonely yet cozy bedroom is nestled between rooms piled with books and encyclopedias - all of which Phin had read and reread many times.
Phin reaches through the faint candlelight, his hand settling on a small circular tab. With a soft click, the television's screen shimmers to life, static dancing on the glass surface. Sidestepping randomly strewn books on the ground, Phin makes his way to his bed - a creaky, antique handiwork that has served him for over a decade.
As the warm softness of his mattress engulfs him, he feels a pang of despondency. The rooms, now piled to the ceiling with information, once belonged to his parents and grandparents, and remembering them brought a sting of tears.
His grandparents had passed away from old age a while back; the emergence of Florae caused a natural increase in airborne toxin levels, which affects health in various unnoticeable ways.
His parents, Rade and Liora, were both high-ranking Botanists. In fact, they first met each other when they were assigned to the same Unit. They were slain on the same mission by an enraged Shadesnapper - or, as Phin reluctantly memorized, Noctavellis phagocrypta.
Damn it... how long is this gonna take? Phin stares in annoyance at the television screen, which was still static. He has grown used to a lifestyle with rudimentary amenities, but after a mentally exhausting day of work, dissatisfaction isn't unwarranted.
The inward condensation of society, after the 2095 Great Mutation of Florae, naturally spawned a resource standstill. Most of the "modern", 21st-century materials like silicon were reserved for the elite.
If this piece of crap doesn't load for another minute, I'm going to legitimately cr-
'... have now safely returned, a significant landmark in humanity's reclaiming of the wild.' booms the television speaker.
Phin relaxes, focusing his gaze on the television's fuzzy picture. Huh, they really did it... he raises his eyebrows, grinning like a kid. I wonder how many new Florae they've discovered! For a while, Phin had fought with his interest in Florae after his parents' death. However, he had reached a compromise - he would still devote his life to studying Algae, but to defeat them rather than simply admire them. It was an old pre-Great Mutation quote: 'Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.'
'The heroes of Unit 32 have identified four new species of Florae and managed to secure the Seed of one. At an estimated Grade V, this Seed will be under intense examination by our scientific department - expect weeks before new Flora information is publicly released.'
A Grade V - just like the Shadesnapper... Phin shudders, picturing the mystery Flora's fearsome might in his head. Tsk. The only benefit of being a SciDep corporate slave... access to all those high-grade Seeds.
Phin shakes his head. Not that I'm jealous or anyth - alright, fine, I'm jealous of their work, not their lifestyle. But it's too late now - an Appraiser I shall remain! he thinks, staring off blankly.
'Please join us now as Unit 32 is given a personal congratulation by Supreme Regal Ilyios Nostreimos!'
It was hardly a congratulation. Phin watched with dry humor as the Botanists, still clad in their Terrasuits and combat gear, lined up one-by-one to exchange curt bows with Nostreimos, who donned his usual hooded white gown.
Huh... the old geezer's face isn't obscured this time. That's rare. Phin notes as the camera pans to Supreme Regal Nostreimos in his regular deadpan expression. Phin squints confusedly as he examines the number of wrinkles on Nostreimos's face - seemingly less than the last time he had shown his face.
The Supreme Regal's age has always been a fervent topic of debate amongst the Fortress's people. Nostreimos was the original founder of the Fortress in 2096, and he was already forty years old then. By modern day, 2254, he is undisputedly the oldest human in history.
The general consensus is that he has access to the Regals' best Seed selection, which many Regals use to enhance their health or boost their lifespan. But that can't be it... Phin ponders, returning to a conundrum he frequently revisits. Even the strongest documented medical Seeds only add roughly fifty years to one's lifespan, non-stackable... and the geezer seems to be getting younger every day!
Sensing a headache developing, Phin shuts off the television and sinks into the comforting certainty of his creaky old bed.