“So, you grew a bacterium to eat biowaste?”
Dr. Martin nodded slowly. “Yes.”
“And there were some problems?”
He nodded again, sheepishly. “Yes.”
Director Todd looked at the report Martin wrote an hour ago. “The bacterium appears to have a group mind. It thinks as a single being.”
Dr. Martin coughed. “That’s what the first reports suggest.”
The Director sighed. “Okay, now here’s the one that bugs me. It eats metal?”
Dr. Martin shook his head. “Not quite. It compromises the metal structure – it’s better to say that it inhabits the metal. The living elements create a flexibility unknown to the metal, while the metal provides the biologics with metallic strength.”
The Director looked out the window. “And so, when we approved this for our sewers two weeks ago…”
Dr. Martin sighed. “It may have been premature.”

Outside, sewer pipes had erupted like octopus tentacles from the ground, and were busily smashing buildings and crushing people.

The Director sighed. “We may have to revise your grant application.”