Archive-name: Changes/bates22.txt

Archive-author: 

Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 22





                         CHAPTER 22

                         THE CAGE



     It was still dark when Joe woke up.  He glanced over at the glowing red

display of the clock radio.  Five o'clock it said.  Another hour and a half

until he had to get up but he wasn't tired.  It had been only about nine when

he went to bed and he wasn't used to going to bed that early, even if he

didn't actually sleep for quite some time after he got there. Joe looked down

at the floor next to the bed, and in the dim light he could see Linda's undies

laying on the floor next to the bed. He grinned...just like old times...only

now, if his had been laying there too, it would have been hard to tell them

apart.



     Joe turned slightly so he could see Linda, who was in bed right next to

him.  In the dim light, he could see the outline of her bosom under the sheet.

It rhythmically rose and fell as she softly breathed.  She was still asleep,

and her face had a contented look.  Was she was dreaming...if she was, what

could it be about.  Him?  Them?  The way they had been?  Or as they were now?

Pulling the sheet down slightly, he unintentionally bared his chest.  He

smiled when presented with this evidence of his own new femaleness.  It should

probabably seem very different with his body changed like this...to look so

feminine, and yet...he was already starting to accept it as normal.  In only a

week he could hardly remember being any other way. Nevertheless, it was still

difficult to accept the possibility of having to live the rest of his life

this way.  To look down and see his body as it was, so completely feminized,

with these new bumps and bulges, was still new, and Joe found it difficult to

keep from exploring his new shape as he lay there in the dim light.  With one

finger he slowly and gently began circling the dark outline of his right

nipple...and watched as the sensitive tissue changed from a soft full cone to

a hard little point.  He could even feel it happen...enjoying the strangely

pleasing sensation.  Mostly, he realized, he was beginning to like the things

that had happened to his body...the way it changed, and was still changing.

It seemed so much more sensitive and flexible now, completely different than

when it was masculine.



     Even with the many problems the changes might possibly cause him, and the

many things he still had to get accustomed to, Joe was finding that it was

often quite enjoyable being female. The very slowly subsiding level of

testosterone in his bloodstream was accompanied by an increasing feeling of

personal well being that he really liked.  Until recently, he hadn't even been

aware of the underlying sexual tension that was part of being male. The new

and pleasant sensations he was experiencing also helped hide the fact that as

his male hormone levels decreased, so did his upper body strength.  But, since

it it was so subtle, he couldn't really feel that it was happening.  As Dr.

Krell had suspected, Joe was also begining to experience a change in his

libido...a lessening...as it slowly adapted to to the feminine pattern.  Like

it or not, he was still changing...still becoming more and more female,

inside, and out.  But even laying here in bed, with his fiance next to him, he

knew that he missed being male less every day.



     Joe looked over at Linda again.  He wondered what she really thought of

him now.  He was certain that she had enjoyed the intimacy with him when he

was a guy.  They had made love many times, and she had obviously been

satisfied.  But now...last night..it wasn't him who had initiated their little

romp.  Sure, he had enjoyed it...Linda instinctively knew how to make him feel

good...but it just wasn't the same anymore.  There was no way it could be.

When Linda touched him...his old...as well as his many new sensitive areas, he

wasn't sure how to react, and would just lay back and let it happen...enjoying

the spectacular feel of her fingers and tongue.  But when it was his turn to

reciprocate...to return the pleasure she had given him...it was then the

differences became most obvious.  As Linda began to move around to his now

more knowledgeable touch, Joe found himself still wanting to satisfy her the

old familiar way...as he had so many times before.  Though he no longer

actually had his penis, he found he that he still longed to get between her

soft legs...to enter her...and he could sense that she wanted that too.

But...of course that was not possible now.  No matter what they did, no matter

what he might try, he could no longer function as a man. Sure, they could

still give each other pleasure...no doubt about that...but there was something

missing.  Joe could feel it, and he suspected Linda did too.  He wished he

could just close his eyes, and once more just be a guy again when he opened

them, even if it was only for a few hours.  Perhaps...especially if only for a

few hours.



     Joe moved his touch lower, to the soft hair on his now quite prominent

pubic mound.  With the palm of his hand, which has also become noticably

smaller since the change, he cupped his entire crotch...what the drawings at

the clinic called his "vulva".  Although usually it felt little different than

before the change, whenever he touched this now very different part of

himself, the new sleekness in the area where his male parts should be still

felt very strange.  His fingertips went between his legs, all the way to the

crease of his buttocks.  The feeling was still foreign to him...there was now

nothing to get in the way...as if his penis had some how been retracted...sort

of pulled up inside him.  His scrotum...he could still feel it...all the

nerves were the same...was now split down the middle to within an inch of his

anus. His testicals were apparently gone.  They had metamorphosed into ovaries

and were relocated much further up, deeper inside his body...he couldn't see

or feel them at all.  As he felt the softness between his legs, Joe wondered

if his legs were now further apart than before.  It sure seemed like it.

Perhaps it was just that his hand was smaller now, or the new shape of his

crotch that made it seem that way.  He thought back to that first

morning...his first steps with his body changed...then, it sure did seem quite

different. He could kind of feel his hips moving when he walked.  But he

didn't really notice it anymore.  Maybe his butt was a little rounder...softer

now, but he was sure his hips were not really any wider...he thought about

when he attempted to wear some of his old pants, they were actually baggy on

him, and he knew his waist was much smaller.  but maybe, along with the other

noticable changes to his pelvis, his hip joints could be a little further

apart.  He had recently read that was to allow room for the birth canal.  He

felt a flush come to his cheeks as he considered that possibility, and worked

to get those thoughts out of his mind.  He didn't want to consider that aspect

of being female right now.  Joe tightened the muscles of his crotch...it was

whenever he did that, he could tell that there was now something very

different down there now.  The muscles which had become his vaginal spincter

were probably located a bit differently than when they had to support his

penis, and they certainly felt different when he flexed them.  But even that

change felt exoticly pleasant.



     He slowly ran a finger along the moist tissues of his new sex, feeling

the touch with nerves that were strangely familiar. The anatomy he touched to

cause these feelings was still new, and as always, he explored his changed

genitalia with as much caution as curiosity.  Gentle probing quickly caused

his labia to swell and part slightly, and he carefully used two fingers to

spread the sensitive opening even more.  He placed the tip of his finger into

the rapidly moistening oriface and slowly drew it along the entire length.  As

he reached the top his finger brushed against his clitoris.  He pinched it

gently with his finger tips, still in awe at how this tiny nub of tissue could

feel so much like his penis.  To his touch it was smaller than a pea, but it

seemed as big as his penis when there was nothing touching it.  Oh, if only it

really was...he would love to bury it between Linda's thigh's...maybe just

once more.  But it appeared that was not to be.  The only vaginal lips his

little penis could get between now would have to be his own.  Joe fell asleep

enjoying his own gentle touch...dreaming unusual dreams...dreams that included

Linda, and...Jay.



                         *************************



     The radio blasted away in song, and Joe reached over and turned it off

quickly. The night had passed to quickly it seemed, and he just wanted to

sleep, maybe till noon. 



     Linda had heard the radio too, and she quickly stirred, rolled over and

opened her eyes.  When she saw Joe, who had tried to pull the sheet over his

head, she smiled and reached under the sheet and started to tickle him.

Although his body was now very sensitive to such things, Joe tried his best to

ignore her.  Finally she moved her hand up and pinched his breast. That jolted

Joe alert, and he grabbed Linda, taking both her breasts in his hands, but

then just fondled them lovingly. Linda smiled, and planted a kiss lightly on

his forehead as she sat up in bed.  She pulled the sheet off and got out of

bed, quietly going directly to her own room.





     Joe lay there a bit longer, trying to get awake.  Then he slowly got out

of bed, and went into the bathroom. While he sat there relieving himself, he

habitually rubbed his face, feeling for stubble.  The smooth softness of his

skin reminded him that his beard was no longer a concern, so he felt his

underarms instead.  Since he had shaved his underarms and legs last night, he

found smooth skin there too.



     Joe brushed his teeth and examined his face.  He had washed it in the

shower and his skin was completely free of makeup.  He carefully felt the

softness of his complexion. He still found it fascinating to see himself in

the mirror, and as usual, he found it difficult to avoid staring at his new

appearance.  He examined the much softer facial skin, looking for signs of

wrinkles...he was thirty years old remember...but found none.  Joe knew that

before the change his male features were already beginning to develop creases

around the corners of his eyes, those distinguished "crows feet" lines that he

figured were caused by squinting into the sun.  He looked at his face now.

The new softness of his skin, the new suppleness, had caused all evidence of

wrinkles to vanish.  He thought he looked much younger than his thirty

years...even for a woman.  He wondered why it was, and decided that maybe it

was because his feminine characteristics were still developing.  He looked

lower, at his body...now slightly smaller...softer, and completely

hairless...his breasts...his chest, he decided his boobs really weren't all

that large but they were well formed, and more like that of a reasonably

developed girl of sixteen or eighteen, not a thirty year old woman.  He

examined his pink nipples... could it be that maybe they were a tiny bit

bigger and fuller this morning?  Was he still changing?  He shook his breasts

and watched as they bobbed back and forth like a young girls. His nipples

responded to the stimulation by stiffening to little points.  He felt quite

pleased...maybe he couldn't be the man he was anymore, but it was obvious,

even to him, that he could be a quite attractive woman. Maybe it wasn't so

bad.  Of course, this new femininity of his was only about a week old...time

and gravity had not yet had time to act on those new curves.



     Without the wig, Joe carefully washed his face again, and then applied

some makeup, being careful to not put very much on.  Today, he would be going

back to work...to be seen by people who only knew him as a man...if they had

to see him this way, he wanted their first impression of him as he was now to

be a good one. His shaking hands gave away the nervousness he was feeling as

he thought about going to work.



     Joe went back out into the bedroom, and saw the pile of underwear on the

dresser.  He realized he still had some time, so he took it into the bathroom

sink and using the soap Linda had given him for the purpose, he carefully

washed out the dainty things by hand.  When he finished washing, and gently

wrung them out, he carefully hung them on the glass doors of the shower.  He

stepped back, eyeing the colorful assortment of panties and bras.  Would he

ever get used to the fact that this stuff was his...the kind of clothes he

would now be wearing every day, maybe for the rest of his life?



     Again going back to the bedroom, and opened his underwear drawer. He

selected some light blue nylon briefs, and a white, seamless cup underwire. He

quickly slipped his underwear on, enjoying the satiny feel, and then went to

the walk-in closet and examined his selection of clothes, trying to decide

what to wear for his first day back...his first as a woman.  He held up each

one of the small assortment of blouses and skirts, dissatisfied with all of

them.  He was eyeing the light gray suit again...he liked the way he looked in

that...when Linda came up behind him.  She was wearing a satin robe, and she

put her arms around Joe's waist, hugging him gently.



     "What are you going to wear today?" Linda asked?



     "I don't know."  Joe said. "I just can't decide." 



     "Let's see..." Linda said, quickly taking charge.



     Linda selected a light cotton blouse, and a blue A-line skirt.  She held

them together, looking at the match, and at Joe's reaction.



     "What do you think about this?" She asked. "It's simple, and

conservative, just what you like...and I think you'd look good wearing it."



     Joe wasn't sure.  The light cotton blouse was so sheer and feminine, he

was concerned at how he would look in it.  But then...he had decided that he

would be accepting of his new femininity...maybe he should wear it. He took

the hangers from Linda, and went back to the bedroom.  Linda went to his

drawer, and selected the slip they had purchased a few days ago.  Joe was

already starting to put on the blouse, he would not have thought about a slip.



     "Put this on first." Linda said.  "It'll help hide cover the sheerness of

the blouse."



     Joe pulled his arm out of the blouse and pulled the slip over his head.

He then put the blouse back on buttoned it, smoothing it over his curves.

Then he removed the skirt from the hanger and started to step into it.



     "Aren't you going to wear hose?" Linda asked with a slight grin. It was

quite apparent that Joe was nervous, and was forgetting the basics of dressing

as a woman.



     "Oh, yeah." Joe said.  



     He lay the skirt on the bed, and took the pantyhose that Linda selected,

and held out for him.  He sat on the edge of the bed, and struggled into them.



     "Most of this ain't too bad I guess, but I don't know who thought these

things up." Joe said.  "I didn't like em before, and I hate em now that I've

worn them."



     "Probably invented by a man."  Linda said matter-of-factly.



     "I don't think so." Joe said. "I don't think guy's like em as much as

women do. At least I don't....didn't."



     Joe finally got the pantyhose on and adjusted to be as comfortable as he

could get them.  He pulled the skirt over his hips, and Linda helped zip and

button the closure located at his back. Joe wondered why women's clothes

always seemed to have the closure in the back, where it could hardly be

reached.  Linda showed him a little trick to help him get the zipper closed by

himself.



     "Draw in your tummy a little." She said. 



     When he complied, Linda tugged the waistband of the skirt, causing it to

spin around to the side.  From there, the zipper and button could easily be

seen and worked with.  When Joe saw it, she spun the skirt back, careful to

get it centered on Joe's backbone. Joe then reached down for the mid-heeled

pumps, and again sat on the bed as he slipped into them.  He stood, and walked

over to the mirror.  He smiled when he saw what he looked like.  Linda had

selected well, and the person he saw staring back was a sophisticated,

professional woman...one with very short hair.  He reached over to the table,

grabbed the wig, and put it on.  He adjusted it on his head, and started to

brush it into position.  He would be glad when his own hair would grow long

enough that he could dispense with the sweaty hairpiece.  But for now, he knew

he looked much better with it on.  Looking in the mirror, he was pleased with

his appearance.  The skirt and blouse fit well, and together they accented his

figure exactly as he liked.  He cupped his breasts in his hands and squeezed

them, as if he still didn't believe they were really a part of him.  Linda

watched what he was doing with interest.



     "Still kind of different, huh?" She asked, a big grin on her face.



     "Can you believe that I really look like this?" Joe asked.



     "I think you are quite attractive."  Linda said simply. 



     "Yeah...for a girl, maybe I am." Joe agreed.  "But its a little hard when

you've been a guy all your life...to suddenly be going around looking like

this."



     "Well, I think you're doing great." Linda said.



     "But...do you really like me this way?" Joe asked.  "I think you need a

man...not a girl friend." 



     "Don't you worry about me." Linda said.  "I'll be ok no matter what you

look like."



     But how...don't you miss it the old way...I mean...wouldn't it be better

for you if I looked like a guy?" Joe questioned again.



     "Yeah, of course I do...so go ahead then...be a guy...just for me." Linda

said, seeming to be irritated by what Joe was saying.



     "Sorry." Joe said.  "I don't mean to feel sorry for myself.  There are

just so many things...I can't figure out what I want...I don't just know what

to do." He stuttered. 



     "Don't worry about it." Linda said calmly.  "I'll help you.  If we find

we can't make it together, let's worry about that if it becomes a problem.  I

don't have any problems now, do you?" 



     "No.  No, of course not."  Joe said. 



     "Ok then." Linda said finally.  "Now, brush that hair again.  You'll want

to look your best today."



     As he made the final checks to his appearance, and adjusted his pantyhose

for the third time, Joe realized it was time to get to work.  He found his

little handbag, and checked that it contained his wallet, and the few

cosmetics that he might need.  He added a few sheets of Kleenex.  Linda made

him apply a little dab of perfume. At first he objected, but then decided that

she knew best...that there was no reason not to make the best impression he

could.



     Joe went into the kitchen and fixed some breakfast cereal.  He wasn't in

a hurry to get to work this morning.  As he slowly ate, and sipped some orange

juice, he thumbed through the magazines which had arrived over the last few

days.  All were Linda's...his mail was still going to his apartment.  He hoped

he could remember to stop there after work to check his mail.  he hadn't been

there in a few days. 



     He finished breakfast, and put the bowl and glass into the dishwasher.

Joe gathered up his things, and went outside.  AS he walked across the drive

to his car, he noticed all the dust on it.  He would need to wash it soon.  He

liked a clean car.



     Getting in the car, Joe quickly noticed the restriced movement that the

somewhat tight knee-length skirt imposed. He hiked the skirt up above his

knees, and when he saw his exposed, nylon covered upper legs, he smiled as he

thought of his first ride with Karen...and how she had done the same thing.

Maybe it wasn't very ladylike, but the freedom of movement, and the wonderful

coolness caused him to keep it that way.



     Joe slowly drove to work, his heart pounding harder the closer he got to

the place where he was sure Dave and he would be the main topic of

conversation.



     He pulled into the parking lot, pulling his skirt to a more modest

position before he drove passed the guard shack. Parking the car, he screwed

up his courage, and, not without some difficulty, got out.  It had almost been

a week since since he had woke to find himself like this, but he had never

been more nervous or self concous about his changed appearance than right now.

He awkwardly retrieved his badge from his bag, and clipped it to his blouse.

When he did that, he saw his male picture staring back at him from the white

badge. He wondered if the guard would notice. Of course, the guard would know

about him, he decided...everybody would know about him.



     He walked up to the gate guard, and started to walk past as usual.  The

guard, not recognizing him, looked carefully at his name tag.



     "Good morning...Joe? Joe Bates?  Er...Mr. Ms. Bates...er yeah

sure...please go ahead." The guard stuttered awkwardly.  He obviously had

heard about what had happened, but didn't recognize Joe until he saw his

badge. Joe smiled pleasantly at the guard, and walked passed.  He was just as

nervous and embarrassed as the guard. 



     The Honeybone facility was large enough that a stranger could walk down

most of the corridors without anyone taking notice.  Joe even passed people he

knew on a first name basis, and they didn't give him a glance.  Of course,

many of the men he passed would turn around and check him out, not because

they recognized who he was, but because they did that to any attractive woman

they passed.  But Joe never noticed that.  He was not yet used to being

considered a sex object by his former peers.



     He finally arrived at the Certification Section offices. Even the short

walk was causing his feet to ache.  By now he could walk quite well in the two

inch heels, but his feet were not used to walking for any distance in such

uncomfortable shoes. He passed Jim Matheney's office and went directly to his

own desk.  It was still early, and no one else was in the other offices yet.

Jim was probably around somewhere...he usually seemed to get to work as early

as six AM.



     Joe sat down and thumbed throught the pile of mail on his desk. It had

been a week since he had been there, and he always recieved a number of trade

magazines, and sales brochures every day.  Nothing in the pile was very

interesting...it would have been difficult to concentrate anyway, with his

heart pounding like a jackhammer. He just sat there waiting

nervously...wondering who would be the first to arrive...the first to see him

as he was now.  Then he began to experince another familure sensation...he had

to pee.  Oh God.  Now what?  Should he use the ladies restroom?  He certainly

couldn't use the more familure men's room anymore.  But the ladies room? What

if somebody he knew was in there?  What if they recognized him?  His heart

pounded harder as he considered the possibilities.  Then again, he

decided...he couldn't avoid such things forever...for now it seemed he needed

to go every couple of hours at least...and besides...he was dressed like a

woman...hell, he was better looking than almost all the secretaries at

Honeybone.  He picked up his handbag from the desktop...if they doubted him,

he could always show them his drivers license, or maybe the letter from Dr.

Krell...he grinned.  What is there to be afraid of?  A bunch of women?

Yeah...he was...but then...he really did have to pee. He slowly got up and

walked out and down the hall to the ladies room.  When he got to the door, he

took a deep breath, and walked in.  Of course, he had never been inside the

ladies room at work before, and his first instinct was to check if anyone else

was in there with him.  No feet were visible under the stall doors...the coast

was clear.  He looked around the attractive room.  He found that, as usual,

the ladies room was much better appointed than the austere men's room on the

other side of the wall.  Nothing over there like this.  There were flowers,

attractive wall coverings, and a very comfortable looking couch.  He wondered

who would want to sit in the ladies room...was it for when it was crowded, and

you had to wait for a stall?  So different than the men's room, which was made

so functional by the usual row of urinals along the wall.  None of those here,

even if he had been able to use one.



     Joe picked a stall and went inside, feeling slight relief as he closed

the door and latched it.  He then went through the still awkward (for him)

ritual of unzipping the tight skirt so he could get his pantyhose down.  Oh if

he only had a fly...not to mention a cock...right now.  With the skirt,

pantyhose, and panties around his knees, he sat down and found the relief he

needed. Just as he pulled some tissue from the roll, he heard someone enter,

and that made a lump form in his throat.  Remaining absolutely still, he

waited till the invader entered a stall before he made a sound.  He finished

up, dressed, and quickly left the stall...pausing only a moment to quickly

rinse his hands and wipe them on the hand towel.  Then he left the restroom.



     Back out in the hallway, Joe was glad to find no one else around, and

quickly walked back to Certification...heels clicking on the polished tile as

he walked.  When he went in, Jim was now in his office, sitting at his desk.

Jim looked up, and Jim couldn't hide his obvious suprize when he saw Joe.



     "Hi Joe.  Welcome back." Jim said.  "My, you're looking pretty good." He

said the last as if he wasn't really sure he should, but trying to hide his

nervousness. 



     "Good morning Jim. And thanks for the compliment.  Linda picked this

stuff out for me.  I'm still having a little trouble getting used to this."

Joe said honestly. 



     "You're doing great, If you ask me.  I know I'd have a lot more trouble."

Jim said smiling, still trying to make small talk...to break the tension they

both felt.



     "It's a little difficult, but it does seem to be getting easier as time

goes by." Joe said. 



     "Sit down, lets talk about what we plan to do." Jim said, pointing to one

of the two chairs in front of his desk.



     Joe sat down, and was quickly aware that his skirt went above his knees

as he did so, and that if he happened to part his legs even slightly, Jim

would have a direct view up his short skirt.  He tried to keep his knees

together, but to remember doing that was still foreign to him and he often

forgot, only to be reminded of his oversight when he noticed Jim trying not to

look, and finding it impossible.  He smiled a knowing smile at his boss, and

tried to demurely fold his legs over to one side.



     "I don't know about this damn skirt." Joe said with embarrassment.

"Sometime's it's really a pain wearing stuff like this."



     "I must say, you do look pretty good in it." Jim said.  "Sorry if I'm

staring...you know how it is."



     "Don't worry about it.  I understand." Joe said.  He knew he would have

done the same thing. 



     "Well...anyway...lets see..." Jim said, trying to get back to the subject

at hand.  "Dr. Krell should be here within an hour or two, and I think he will

want to see the "cage".  I believe he's getting some animals...some

monkeys...or cats or dogs or something...and wants to try them in there.

We've got the transmitters set up, and there are three spectrum analyser

probes in there too.  If we can make it happen again, we'll at least know what

it took to cause it."



     "Yeah.  Dr. Krell said he had no idea what it would take to cause cell

reversion like this...much less reverse the effect.  If you ask me, it looks

like we're stuck like this." Joe said, looking directly at Jim as he spoke.



     "What do you plan to do then?" Jim asked.



     "What can I do?" Joe said, grinning somewhat sarcasticly.  "I've got a

big expense report for these new clothes partially filled out.  You should see

some of the stuff I bought." His grin changed to sexy. He realized that he was

having to fight a tendency to flirt with his friendly boss, and was embarassed

by the thought.



     "No problem...anything you need...anything you want...I've been told to

do whatever's necessary." Jim said, almost appologeticly.



     "I'll tell you what..." Joe considered what he was asking.  "How about

getting that line boy...Tim...on the payroll.  He's a student, and he's sure

gonna need the money, I think he's taking aeronautical engineering...how about

an engineering intern position, or something like that?"



     Jim rubbed his chin with his hand as he considered it.  



     "Yeah, I think I could get that approved." He said.  "Does Tim really

want a job here?"



     "I think he was hoping to get on here after graduation." Joe said.  "He's

pretty sharp, and he's absolutely nuts about aviation.  He still is." He

wanted to make sure that Jim, and everybody else realized that even though

they had changed...changed a lot...they were still as capable of doing thier

jobs as always.



     Just then Dave came to the doorway to Jim's office.  The somewhat plump

guy had, as usual, hid his new curves under a loose fitting jumpsuit.  Joe

wondered how many of them Dave had bought.  Besides the light gray one he wore

today, he had seen Dave in a yellow, light blue, dark blue, and a green one.

The shoes Dave wore, while surely women's, were probably the most androgenous

he could find.  It seemed that Dave refused to enjoy any of the more

interesting aspects of his new feminity the way the others had.  I wonder how

things are going around the Dave's house these days, Joe thought.  Of the four

of them, only Dave was married, and his wife Cindy had been very dependent on

her husband. That, and their young kids, were obviously making this all very

difficult for Dave.



     "Morning Dave." Jim said.  "How's it going."



     "Hi Dave.  Have a seat."  Joe said, pointing to the chair next to him. 



     "Good morning."  Dave said.  "What have you got going for today?" 



     "As I was just telling Joe, we have the transmitters set up in a RF cage,

and we have some some probes in there to record what we do, just in case we

can duplicate what happened the other day."  Jim repeated. 



     "Who's gonna volunteer to be in the cage?"  Dave asked. 



     "Good question." Jim said, smiling. "But, at least at first, Dr. Krell

says he has some animal specimens to try. I don't know if he has any human

volunteers for later." 



     "If we can get it to work in reverse, I want to be the first to try it."

Dave insisted. 



     "Don't worry, when that happens, you'll probably be the first to know."

Jim answered.  "Are you having any problems?" 



     Dave looked at Jim.  "Well, my family life is in the dumper...and my sex

life...damn it, I ain't a lesbian, and Cindy ain't one either...problems?

What do you think?" The irritation showed through as Dave spoke the words. 



     "If it's physicaly possible to change you back...we'll do it.  Don't

worry." Jim assured him.



     "Damn right you will." Dave said, trying to make his feminine voice sound

as menacing as he could.



     

     Suddenly the doorway to the small office filled with the still large

figure of Mike *.  Mike, who now prefered to be called Michelle, had obviously

been on another shopping spree last night.  Michelle, who's body had become

hardly noticably smaller when it feminized, was now wearing a form fitting

pants suit that emphasized her developing figure.  As Joe looked at Michelle,

he decided that indeed, as she had mentioned, her body probably was still

changing, and her bustline was surely more developed than even the day before.

When Joe first saw Mike right after the change, he had hardly any breast

development.  But now...he was almost as well endowed as Joe. Mick/Michelle

was a large woman, but was now becoming quite attractive. The muscle building

steroids he had been taking at the time of the change appeared to have slowed

Mike's transition to feminity, but they sure didn't stop it.



     "Hi Mike." Jim said. "Come on in." 



     Mike greeted them and entered the room and leaned against the wall.

There were only two seats besides the one behind the desk.  



     "Looks like you're getting accustomed." Jim said, looking at

Mike/Michelle. 



     "Yeah." Michelle said. "If this is the way it's gonna be, I guess I

better try to adapt." 



     Mike must be going through the same feelings as I am, Joe thought.



     "Don't give up yet." Jim said. "We've only begun to try to get you guys

changed back." 



     But if it don't happen soon you may find that nobody will want to go

back. Joe thought to himself. 



     "I was just telling Joe about the setup we have in the RF cage." Jim went

on. "We have both transmitters set up, and we have recorders, and signal

analyzers too. Whatever we try, if something works, we'll know what kind of

signal caused it."



     "Who is going to try it first?"  Mike/Michelle asked. 



     "No humans, I think.  Dr. Krell is arrainging for some lab animals to

use." Jim said.  "If he can get results that way, then he'll try it with

people." 



     "Will it work on animals just like people?" Mike/Michelle wondered aloud.



     "I don't know." Jim answered.  "Well have to let that up to them to find

out.  We can only supply the hardware, and data acquisition expertise."



     "Even if this thing can't be made to change us back, I think Honeybone

might find that there could be a demand for what it can do."  Joe said. 



     "What do you mean?" Jim asked. 



     "Damn it Jim, look at us...at Mike there...his genetic makeup has been

altered...maybe permanently.  And look at the results. I doubt if you

could tell him...or me, for that matter...from someone who was born female.

It's that complete.  And not only that.  I certainly had no desire to have my

gender changed...I liked being a guy just fine...but...now that I'm like

this...as time goes on, and I get used to the idea...it don't seem so bad at

all.  I don't know if I feel like that because of something that has happened

to my brain, or what, but that's the way it is."  Joe said. 



     "What are you getting at?"  Jim questioned.



     "While we were at the clinic in San Diego, I met a few of the people who

go there for treatment...gender related problems mostly, I'd guess.  I think

they all want to be the opposite sex, even if it means painful surgury.  And

they even know going in that the results are only so-so, nothing like what

happened to us.  If there was a machine...a booth or something...to go into,

have your chromosomes modified...then just wake up in the morning...I think

you could name your price.  I tell you, if this thing does turn out to be

'reversable' it will absolutely revolutionize the way we think about sex." Joe

said.



     "You really think so?" Jim asked.  "I wouldn't think anybody would want

to mess with their genes like that."



     "I don't know...but I bet if you tried this side of the fence for a

while, you'd change some of your feeling's about women...that I'd be willing

to bet." Joe said confidently.  "I know its certainly had a big effect on my

point of view." He grinned as he said the last.



     "Hey...I like women...and I think I treat em fairly too."  Jim objected. 



     "Yeah, but you don't really know what its like to BE one."  Joe retorted.



     "Well, maybe not." Jim replied.  "But I don't really have any desire to

find out either." 



     Just then the phone rang.  Jim picked it up and spoke. 



     "Certification. Jim Matheney." He said. "Yea.  Please send hi...er, her

here, 428. Ok. I'll send somebody out to escort."  He hung up. 



     "You're friend Tim Werner is at the gate." Jim said.  "Would one of you

go out and sign him in?" 



     "I'll get him."  Dave said, getting up and walking out. 



     In a moment, Jim spoke.  "Dave seems kind of depressed, don't he." 



     "Yeah." Joe answered. "I think having a family is a real problem when

something like this happens.  It's tough enough when you don't."



     "I sure hope we can get you guy's changed back." Jim said. "I don't care

if this thing is commercially useful...it's supposed to be a navigation

system, for heavens sake." 



     "But if it can do what it appears it can do, that will be insignificant."

Joe said. "I really think you might have a very useful medical tool here."



     "We'll see." Jim said. "As soon as Dave gets back, I want to take you all

down to the lab. I don't expect Dr. Krell for another hour.  He's flying in

this morning." 



     Soon, Dave walked back into the office followed by an attractive young

woman, who Joe recognized as the line boy Tim Werner" 



     "Hi. Tim."  Joe said.  "You know Jim here, and Mike, I believe." 



     "Hi."  Tim said shyly.



     Tim was wearing one of the t-shirts and a pair of jeans he bought

yesterday.  The clothes were much more casual than what the others were

wearing, but they looked good on Tim's attractive form.



     "Would you...er, folks want to go over to the lab, and see the RF cage?"

Jim asked. 



     "Sure.  Let's go."  Dave said quickly. 



     They all followed Jim down one hall, and then another, until they came to

some double doors.  Jim opened them and they all went inside.  There they

found a large room filled with benches filled with power supplies and test

equipment. On one end of the room was a large cage like room made of a tight

mesh screen.  It was not all screen, some areas were aluminum sheets, where

connectors were mounted so that cables could pass throught the screen.  There

was a wide door so that hardware could be brought into the cage.  Through the

screen could be seen the bright yellow cases which held the transmitters.

There were a couple of stools, and a work bench in there too.  Otherwise, the

room was empty.  Outside, at another workbench, were located three closed

circuit TV monitors, two spectrum analysers, and a large stripchart recorder. 



     "Well, whatever we do in there, we should have a record of it." Joe said.



     "That's the idea." Jim said. "If we can cause something to happen, we

will want to know exactly what it took to do it.  This should let us know.

And it should be safe enough...at least on this side of the cage."



     "As soon as it's ready to try, I volunteer to be the first to try it."

Dave said loudly.  "As I see it, I've got nothing to lose." 



     "If this thing can cause the type of chromosome changes which it has

apparently already done, then who knows what else it can do...it could easily

cause really strange...even fatal defects." Jim said.  "We'll have to take it

slow.  I don't want to belittle what has happened to any of you, but at least

you are all alive, and as far as we can tell, completely healthy.  We want to

keep it that way." 



     "I'd rather try anything than have to live like this." Dave said

obstinately.



     "If we can prove that it won't cause more harm than good, you'll get your

chance to try it.  You have my word."  Jim said. 



     "What will we try first?" Joe asked.  "To repeat what happened to us, or

something else?" 



     "Well, I'm leaving it up to Dr. Krell's people, but I would like to

verify that it was absolutely this hardware which caused the problem, and not

something else, God know's what." Jim answered. 



     "Try it with a human?  You want to make another guy look like a female?"

Tim asked. 



     "I don't know." Jim answered.  "I'd hope something can be done with

animals...monkees or something like that...I don't know though.  That's up to

the medics."



     "I'll bet he could get all the volunteers he wants." Joe said.  He

thought about some of the patients he met at the clinic, and how they reacted

when they found out what had happened to him and the others. 



     "Well find out what he wants to do real soon." Jim replied.  "Let's go

back to the desk and wait for Dr. Krell's people.  I have some paperwork for

you folks too." 



     They obediently followed Jim back up the hallway.  Anxious to find out

what Dr. Krell was planning to do.



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