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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