The supervisor turned the pumpkin over, unwilling to give up.
The mark on the bottom was scrawled crookedly, nothing like the neat printed label it should have been.
Mom stepped in, trying to smooth things over. "It is still a pumpkin, isn't it? Just take it back and hand it in. After all, it's only a pumpkin. How important can it be?"
The supervisor looked pained. "This variety was developed from seeds brought back from the space station. There were very few to begin with. Every plant grown from them carries immense scientific value.
"We barely had enough seeds, and yours was the only one that survived to maturity. The research institute will need a proper explanation."
The lead official directed his team to carefully collect every seed they could find from the trash.
Then he t
