The Draft
by Michelle Lurker (c) 1995
PART ONE
The Turboway stopped abruptly, snapping Paul Mathhews out of his
daze. Around the car the other passengers seemed unfazed, though slightly
annoyed. This was becoming yet another one of the daily trials of living
in the city... along with crime, pollution, and indifference, unscheduled
stops of the Turboway were now commonplace. Paul looked out the window,
but could see only darkness, and his own reflection.
"Probably damn protesters again", mumbled a well dressed
businessman in the seat next to Paul.
Paul looked to the man, unsure if the comment was directly posed
to him or if it was just meant for the whole car. Paul shrugged a 'what
are you going to do?' shrug at the man and looked around absently.
Finally, after about five minutes, an intercom broke the uneasy silence
of the car.
"TURBOWAY CAR 73 WILL RETURN TO STATION 54, DUE TO...
UNFORSEEN COMPLICATIONS WITH THE TRACK AT STATION 55...",
the cold mechanical voice uttered, "ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION WILL
BE PROVIDED AT THAT POINT. THAT IS ALL."
The car erupted into a low chorus of grumbling and complaining,
and Paul checked his watch. 0843. Great... he'd be late for school
again. It seemed to Paul that apparently the School System didn't know,
or care, about the problems with the Turboways. Nope, regardless of his
excuse he'd be put on work detention. Again. Paul was thinking of how
much he hated work detention when the car lurched back into motion, back
towards the previous station. The man next to him sighed and rolled his
eyes.
"Damn protesters... should just take the whole lot and put the up
against the wall...", he said, and Paul was sure that this time his
comment was directed at no one in particular.
As the car excellerated Paul looked out the window, at the
rapidly passing darkness. He looked at his watch again, and sighed...
* * * * *
As he expected the Attendance Administrator didn't care that the
Turboway had been the cause of his lateness, and Paul was given one day
of work detention. He figured he had got off pretty easily, actually,
considering the number of times he'd been late. Still, one day of work
detention was more than enough to put him in a foul mood for the rest of
the day.
He made his way along to his first class, History. His teacher,
Mr. Billings, seemed uninterested when Paul handed him the admittance card.
Mr. Billings swept the card through the reader next to his terminal,
checked to see that everything was okay, and looked to Paul for a moment.
"Well... don't just stand there like an idiot, Matthews, sit
down!" he said, with obvious dislike in his voice.
Paul knew that Billings did not like him. You see, Mr. Billings was
Head Coach of the football team at School System Centre #21, and didn't
care for students that didn't fit his particular brand of "macho". Paul
was nowhere near Billings ideal of a man... slim build, shorter than
average, fair skinned. The teacher had made numerous allusions to Paul's
shortcomings, both to him privately and in front of class. That had
always been a source of embarrasment for Paul, and entertainment for the
'jocks' in the class.
Mr. Billings returned to the lesson - yet more information on "The
Reformation and It's Impact on Our Society - and Paul's mind drifted. This
was definitely shaping out to be a horrible day. A horrible day, Paul
thought, like so many others...
* * * * *
After school Paul had an uneventful Turboway ride home, and was
greeted by his Mother when he opened the front door.
"School called..." she said, obviously dismayed, "Another day of
Work Detention? Your Father will be furious!"
Paul shrugged absently, and looked away, "It was the damn
Turboway..."
"Paul... I don't care what your excuse is, and don't use language like
that. The point is that you have another day of Work Detention..." his
Mother continued. Paul shrugged again, frustrated. "Well... go to your
room and wash up, your Father will be home soon and supper is almost
ready."
Paul carried his schoolbag upstairs to his room and washed up.
When he was done slumped down onto his bed, deciding to watch the
television until his Father got home rather than listen to his Mother
complain even more. He clicked the screen on and turned to the News
channel. A rock-jawed announcer began to spew out the days events...
"Further developments in the Turboway Station #55 malfunction
today... Police are blaming Protestors, who apparently hacked into the
Turboway mainframe and shut the station down..."
Gee, Paul thought, I wonder if the Attendance Administrator
watches the News...
"There should be no concern, however, as the Police Anti-Hacking
Unit has traced the source of the illegal activity. In other stories, a
major success for our forces in the Southwestern Continent War... an
entire division of enemy forces were destroyed as..."
The War. It had gone on as long as Paul could remember. If it
wasn't the Southwestern Continent it was the Eastern Allianance, or the
Central Continent... it didn't seem to matter. There was always a war,
just as there was always crime, pollution, and, as it now seemed, there
were always Turboway interruptions.
He was almost drifting into sleep when he heard his Father come
home. Through supper he absently listened to his Father's lectures on
responsibility, on how _he_ had never done a day of work detention when
_he_ was in school, on the Football trophies, on everything. When it
finally ended Paul excused himself to his room. His Father mumbled
something and nodded.
As he closed his bedroom door Paul looked around his room, and
sighed. Everything in life seemed to be going wrong. He looked at his
desk, and his history lesson disc stared back at him. Printed on the
disk was "The Reformation, Chapters 5-8". He moaned at the thought of
homework - today had been crappy enough. He thought for a second, and
threw his t-shirt over the disk. Why bother?, he thought, I'll be on Work
Detention tommorow anyway. He layed down on his bed, and closed his
eyes...
* * * * *
Paul was awakened by the loud buzzer of his alarm. He looked at
the display... 0500. On a normal school day he wouldn't have to wake up
until 0730, but the today Work Detention vehicle would be by to pick him
up at 0530. He ambled out of bed, and quietly slipped down to the
kitchen to have some breakfast. His parents were still sleeping when he
shut the door behind him.
The Work Detention vehicle soundlessly glided up in front of his
house, and he walked to the rear entrance. He had been through this
before, so he knew the routine. He swiped his ID card through the
reader, and put his thumb down on the scanner. The Supervisor gruffly
nodded that everything was okay, and handed him coveralls. He quickly
slipped them over his clothing and took a seat. There were already
six other boys aboard, and after him there would be one more to complete
the unit at eight. The vehicle started again, and Paul closed his eyes,
hoping that the day would end soon.
As the vehicle stopped again, for the last boy, Paul looked to
the rear door. His breath caught, and he shuddered. Well, I thought
this day couldn't get any worse, he mused, but it just did. Getting into
the vehicle was Tom Renalds, one of the jocks from Mr. Billings' football
team. Tom had harassed Paul many times at school, once even giving him a
black eye for no particular reason.
After completing the sign-in routine and pulling on his coveralls
Tom took the last seat - next to Paul.
"Well, well, look who we have here... Ms. Matthews", he mumbled
to Paul, who tried to ignore him, "I thought only boys were put on work
detention... not cocksucking pussies like you..."
As Tom chuckled to himself the Supervisor looked over. "Shut
up," he said, "No talking allowed..."
Tom gave a look to the Supervisor, but seeing his tazerstick he
tought better of it. Instead, he turned his sneer to Paul, and
wordlessly communicated his intentions...
* * * * *
The Work Detention crew eventually reached their destination,
Turboway Station #23. They were told their assignment - cleaning of the
Turboway shafts and passenger areas, and Paul figured that maybe it
wouldn't be quite so bad. Sure, he'd get dirty, but he'd done much worse
on Work Detention. The day was brightening slightly when he and Tom were
paired as work partners.
Tom had voiced protest at being paired with a 'weakling', but the
Supervisor told him to shut up and do what he was told. Their first job
was to take a long thick hose and wash out the northbound Turboway
shaft. Turbos were scheduled around these cleaning periods, but Paul still
didn't like the idea of going into those dark tunnels, espescially with
Tom.
They carried the heavy hose into the tunnel, Tom periodocally
complaining to Paul to 'pick up the slack.' Finally they reached their
destination, a few hundred metres into the tube, and Paul turned the hose
on. They would normally take turns directing the hose and monitoring
pressure, but Tom figured Paul didn't have the strength to hold the hose
still. Fine, Paul thought, fuck you...
As he washed down the walls, Tom began to talk. "Hey pussy, how
come you like sucking cocks so much?" He laughed as Paul ignored him,
but continued. "I guess you wish you were a chick, huh pussy? Then you
could suck all the cocks in the world, and no one would care... and you
could take big cocks into your hole and love it. You want to, don't
you?"
Paul ignored him. Tom finished cleaning the section and Paul
turned the water off. Paul picked up the pressure unit and started to
go. "Better get moving..." he said, nervously.
Tom's hand grabbed his shoulder, and spun him around, pinning him
against the Turboshaft wall. "Not so quick, pussy... don't you get all
hot and horny being down here with a _real_ man? I bet you're thinking
about sucking my cock right now, aren't you?"
Paul started, "Tom, I think..."
"Shut up!", warned Tom, "You think you'd like to suck my cock,
right? So tonight when you put on your panties and pretty dress alone in
your room you can feel like a _real_ woman..."
"Tom, let's be sensible, there's work to do..."
"Say it, pussy. Say you want to be a girl, so you can suck big
cocks... SAY IT!"
"Tom..."
"Okay, if you can't say it, do it..."
Tom was reaching into his coveralls, and Paul was terrified. He
knew Tom was nuts, but not like this. Tom pushed Paul's head to his
groin, and unleashed his stiffening prick. "It's okay," he said, "I know
you want it. It'll be our little secret, pussy..."
Paul was staring at Tom's erection, feeling Tom push his head
closer when a shout came from down the shaft. It was the supervisor...
"What the hell is going on here... I want you two fucks back to
work NOW!" The Supervisor was still around a bend, and hadn't seen what
was going on.
Tom quickly let go of Paul, and shoved his dick back into his
pants. "Sorry, Sir", he called, "This weakling little fuck is slowing me
down..."
Paul stood, trying to regain his composure. The Supervisor was
not close enough to see yet, though his flashlight made shadows on the
wall.
"Well anyway, get your asses back to work", he called, and turned
back.
Tom looked to Paul, and winked, "Well... I guess you'll have to
wait to get your cherry popped, huh pussy?"
He laughed as they collected the hose and went back down the
shaft to the next section.
* * * * *
Luckily for Paul the rest of the shaft cleaning was completed
uneventfully. And the cleaning of the passenger areas was done in four man
crews, under the watch of the supervisor, so Paul didn't feel quite so
threatened by Tom. The day went by surprisingly quick, and soon he was
handing in his coveralls and receiving his "Work Completed" form at the
Detention vehicle. He turned and walked back into the Turboway
station... Work Detention made sure you got to the job on time, but when
it was done you had to find your _own_ way home. He sighed relief as he
noticed Tom walking the other way, toward some other destination.
Paul stood among the busy rush-hour crowds, waiting for the next
train. He casually observed himself in a mirrored wall by the track, and
noticed just how dirty he was. The coveralls had prevented the worst of
it, but his pants were probably ruined.
He stood musing about how dirty he was and how his Mom would
have a fit over the ruined pants when he saw the woman. Through the
crowd he saw her, at first in the corner of his eye, but he quickly
turned to look. She was beautiful... a few years older than his
seventeen with long curled golden hair, eyes that blazed a blue fire, and a
face that was both youthful and mature. Something else, too, though Paul
could not put his finger on it. Concern? Trouble? He wasn't sure.
She wore a conservative grey business suit, though on her it
seemed more sexy than anything he'd ever seen. Hmmn, he thought, she
must be a secretary at one of the Corporations downtown. It struck Paul
odd that she was carrying an attache... he'd only seen business men carry
them. And there weren't any business women he knew of...
Paul's mind raced to remember the term... "The Feminist Schism".
That was it - he'd read about it in history class. Just after the
Reformation there was a major rethinking of Feminist philosophy... Women
began to accept the dogma of "Biological Division". Something about
being better suited to tasks such as housekeeping, mothering, simple
employment tasks. Nope, there weren't any 'business women' (even the
term sounded odd in his head), and fewer and fewer secreteries, for that
matter. Most women graduated the School System and got married and
raised a family nowadays. Still, there she was, carrying an attache.
Must be her employer's, he figured.
He watched her move gracefully through the crowd... captured by
her every move. She eventually stopped, and set her attache down. She
looked around for a few moments (waiting for the train, Paul figured),
and then did something that perplexed him. She turned and began to
briskly walk away, without her attache.
She must have forgotten something, he figured, and in her rush
forgot her attache. He looked at her as she moved, and back to the
attache. There was no way he'd be able to reach the attache _and_ get
her attention, so he ran after her. Hopefully someone else had noticed
and would hold the case for her.
He worked his way through the busy crowd, trying to keep contact
with her position. She turned up one of the stairways that led to the
city street above. When he reached the stairs there were fewer people,
but still enough stragglers trying to catch the next train to impede his
movement. He watched her turn a corner and head towards the next stairway.
As he turned the corner he saw her at the base of the stairs, and
figured he hade to make his move. "Hey lady," he called, "You forgot
your attache!"
She stopped dead, and turned to look at him. For a second his
eyes met hers... deep blue, awesome. It took him a second for him to
recognize what he saw there - terror!
She turned and began to run up the stairs, and Paul ran after
her. He yelled after her, "Wait... I only said you forgot your case... I'm
not some weirdo!" She kept running, and he saw her go through the street
exit. He ran out into the bright light of day and looked for her. There
were people everywhere, but she was gone.
He stood there, at the entrance to the Turboway, and scanned the
area again. Nothing. She was gone. Oh well, he thought, I tried. He
was just about to head back down to the Turboshaft when he heard a loud
explosion down the stairs. Everything went black.
* * * * *
He awoke slowly, to the sound of sirens and confusion. When Paul
finally opened his eyes he realized he was on a stretcher. There was
smoke and debris everywhere, and a man came over to him. The man yelled
as he saw Paul open his eyes, "We've got a conscious one here!"
Another man, probably a Doctor, came over and ran an infrared
scanner over Paul's body. "Everything's okay here... just a few bruises
and scratches..." Paul was amazed at how oblivious they seemed to his
presence.
As the Doctor got up and went away Paul staggered up. Wow, he
thought, my head must have taken one hell of a beating. He looked around
and saw a number of Police and Soldiers. The shit must have really hit
the fan...
He staggered over to an Officer, and asked what had happened.
"An explosion in the Turboway," he said, barely noticing Paul,
"We figure it must have been Protestors." The officer turned to look at
Paul, and asked "Did you see anything?"
Paul was about to tell him about the girl, but he stopped, unsure
why. "Um, no... just heard an explosion and blacked out..."
The officer looked away, "Fine then... listen, the best thing you
can do is go home, and get out of the way so we can do our job..."
Paul nodded agreement, though the Officer had walked away. Hmmn,
he thought, but he was unable to come to any conclusions about what he
was hmmning about, so he turned and began to walk home.
* * * * *
Paul arrived home later than expected, and was ready for a lecture
on promptness. He was shocked to find his parents sitting in the den,
waiting for him. He began to recount the story of the explosion
(omitting the girl) when his Father cut him off...
"Paul," he said solomnley, "Sit down. This came for you..."
Paul took the envelope from his Father's hand, and looked at it.
It was from the Department of Overseas Activities. The Army. He quickly
opened it and read the letter...
PAUL MATTHEWS,
YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO JOIN THE MILITARY FORCES OF
THIS COUNTRY. THIS IS A GREAT HONOUR. BE AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF OVERSEAS ACTIVITIES AT 0800 ON THE DATE
BELOW.
Paul looked at the date. It was the very next day. He looked to
his Parents, stunned, "I've been drafted?"
"It would seem so," his Father replied, "I personally think it
will be a great opportunity for you... you haven't been getting along too
well at school... it will make a man out of you..."
His Father continued, but Paul lost what he was saying. Drafted,
he thought. He couldn't believe it. For the first time in his life he
stood up while his Father was talking and walked away. When he reached
his bedroom he dropped onto his bed. The events of the day came crashing
over him, and he fell into a fitful sleep.
* * * * *
The next day he rose as if it were any other, showered and had
breakfast. Neither his Father or Mother made any mention of the draft,
except for his Father's offer to drive him to the Department. They
finished breakfast without further conversation, and soon Paul found
himself in their vehicle. He looked to his house as they drove away,
unsure if he'd ever see it again.
His Father dropped him off in front of the huge building, and
after a few words of encouragement drove away. Paul stood there, and
looked at the looming structure. He had only his draft notice, and the
clothes on his back.
He pushed open the heavy doors and walked inside. Looking around
fruitlessly for a moment he finally went to an information desk, and was
directed to the appropriate floor. Stepping out of the lift he saw a
long line of other young men. Seeing no other options, he joined it.
The line seemed to go on forever, but he eventually stood before
an officer behind a desk. "Form please," the man asked calmly.
Paul stared at him for a second, and realized what he wanted. He
handed him the form and the man looked it over. "May I have your ID
card?", he asked.
Paul handed him the card and the man looked to him, almost
smirking, though Paul could not figure out why. "Special Division F," he
said, "Floor 24". He showed Paul the special lift to the floor and sent
him on his way.
Riding the lift Paul thought about the man's smirk, and what
"Special Division F" might be all about. He reached the floor, and went
to the reception desk. Again, the officer took his papers, and checked
his ID. He then told Paul to wait in the next room and remove his clothes.
Paul sat in the small room, naked, and feeling very akward. A
physical, he presumed, before he found out about his assignment. After
what seemed an eternity a man in a white smock entered the room. He
smiled and introduced himself as Dr. Phillips.
After a few routine examinations and an injection of some sort
the Doctor sat down, and began to talk.
"Paul," he said, "You are a very lucky young man to have been
chosen by Special Division F. You will not see active combat."
Paul felt relieved. He wasn't sure what the Special Division was
all about, but he was beginning to like it.
The Doctor continued, "But what you will undergo is as important
to our country, and our way of life, as the sacrifice of any soldier in
the field. Paul, some time ago our enemy conducted secret chemical
attacks on our nation. You have not heard about this, as it is
classified information. The aim of the attack was not to kill, not
outright, but to destroy our greatest resource - our population." Paul
was perplexed, not knowing how he fit into all of this.
"The chemical attacks affected only the female portion of the
population. They did not harm the women, except for one thing - the
effect of the attack left them infertile. Only 20% of our... natural...
female population is capable of childbirth..."
Paul was very confused. He tried to ask his part in all of it,
but couldn't find the will to speak. In fact, everything was becoming
sort of hazy...
"I can see from the look on your face that you are confused as to
your role," the Doctor started, "Very common. Paul, for years we had
geneticists work on a solution, but none could be found. The effects of
the attack were permanent, but finally we stumbled across a solution.
You see, Paul, males and females are not so different. We found a
process by which we could genetically re-engineer a male into a female, a
fertile female. That is where you come in, Paul. A small portion of
draftees, who meet certain biological requirements, are assigned to
Special Division F. That portion, of which you are a member, are
re-engineered into females, so our society can continue!"
Paul was about to raise his opposition, but could not.
Everything went hazy, and he passed out.
* * * * *
Paul woke up on a hospital bed. He still felt very hazy, but was
regaining his faculties. What had happened?, he thought. The
conversation with the Doctor came back to him... great, he thought, I
hope the Army knows they have a crackpot working for them. He tried to
sit up, and felt very strange. There was a strange tugging at his chest,
and he felt as though his body proportions were all wrong. What happened
next almost made him pass out again...
He looked across the ward, and saw a beautiful girl sitting up in
the bed across from him. She was something, he thought... long dark
hair, deep green eyes, very full breasts (as far as he could tell through
her hospital gown), pouting lips... she could have been a fashion model,
like he saw on TV. Just then, though, something seemed odd about her.
Paul raised his hand to brush the hair out of his eyes, and she did so
simultaneuosly. What sort of game is she playing?, he thought. He tried
to sit up to get a better view, and she sat up too. Wow, he thought, what a
flake...
Then, as Paul's eyes began to focus, he noticed something...
something completely incongrous with his sense of reality... there was no
other bed - he was looking into a mirror! He quickly moved to look more
closely, and so did his reflection. Taking his eyes away from the mirror
he looked to his hands, long and slender. Dark hair cascaded onto his...
breasts? Oh my God, Paul thought, he wasn't a crackpot. He quickly
guided his hand under the hospital bedding, under his gown. When he
reached his groin he found exactly what he expected - nothing. Nothing
that he had had before, anyway...
He dropped back onto the bed, and closed his eyes. What have
they done, he thought, I can't be a woman! Just then he heard the
Doctor's voice.
"Ahh, Matthews, I see you're awake. Not bad, not bad... the
geneticists have really got their work down..."
Paul sat up and looked at him, "What the hell have you done to
me?" Even the sound of his voice was alien, feminine...
"I explained all that before, Paul. Or Paula, I guess..." He
chuckled. "You are doing your country a great service! Bearing her
children!"
"Don't you think my parents might find it odd when I come back
from the army with these?" Paul asked, holding his breasts.
"Don't worry... that has been taken care of... Paul Matthews will
have died in a battle fighting the forces of the Southern Continent. I'm
sure you'll receive a pothsumous medal for bravery, or valor, or
something... Your parents will be proud. You, however, will have a new
personality, a new family, a new life..."
"And what makes you think I will go along with this? What if I
tell every living soul I meet about this 'Special Division F'? What then?"
The Doctor shook his head, "Paul, Paul, Paul. You won't want
to. Trust me, you will be very happy..." Just then two large men in
hospital uniforms came into the room. One was pushing some sort of machine.
The Doctor injected something into Paul's IV, and he became
instantly sleepy. "You see, Paul, our technology is far beyond what you
can grasp." One of the men began attaching wires to his forehead. "For
all intents and purposes Paul Matthews will be dead. We can wipe your
memories and replace them with an entirely new set. One that will be
more comfortable, so to speak, in that gorgeous little body..."
Paul felt a small electrical pulsing on his forehead, and then
inside his skull. Before he blacked out he heard the Doctor speak one
more time...
"Sleep well, fair Paula, for when you wake you will be an
entirely new person..."
CHAPTER TWO
Paula giggled as she read the note passed to her. It contained a
rather complete description of her best friend Lisa's activities of the
previous evening... right down to measurements! Mrs. Stalhorn, Paula's
teacher, cleared her throat. "Ms. Busch?", she asked.
Paula looked up, "Umm, yes?"
"Anything you'd like to share with the rest of class?"
Paula looked to Lisa, who wore an expression of terror, and turned
back to the teacher, "Um, no, Mrs. Stalhorn..."
The teacher smiled, "Okay. Girls, I know this isn't the most
exciting stuff in the world, but it will be over soon. So, please keep
your notes until after class..." She darted a wink at Paula and Lisa,
"Okay?"
The class murmered acceptance, and Mrs. Stalhorn went back to the
lesson. Paula rather liked Mrs. Stalhorn, as did the other girls. She
was beautiful, and had a gorgeous husband (the girls usually took their time
leaving on days when he picked her up at work). And at the young age of
twenty-five she already had two children. Paula very much wished that
she would some day be so lucky... though she could do without the job part.
"Can anyone tell me why the Feminist Schism happened?" she asked
the class. Paula, figuring she should try to make up for her earlier
disturbance, put up her hand. Mrs. Stalhorn pointed to her, "Paula..."
She started, somewhat self-conscious (she didn't really like
talking in front of large groups), "Well... women realized that the
so-called feminist movement was being run by... well... lesbians..."
A chorus of giggles spread throughout the class. Mrs. Stalhorn
hushed them, "Correct, Paula... why was this a problem?"
"Um, well, they didn't want to have babies... so they caused a
population problem..." She smiled as she saw Mrs. Stalhorn nodding, "And
that's when real women embraced the idea of Biological Division..."
Mrs. Stalhorn smiled, "Correct. Very good, Paula. Women, real
women, realized that Biological Division was the only true way to live.
Tell me, what would you think of a turtle that tried to fly?"
The class erupted into laughter, but Mrs. Stalhorn hushed them, "I
know, it's ridiculous! But you see what I mean... why should we, as
women, cause undue stress upon ourselves and our society by forcing
ourselves into roles that we are unequipped for? We are best to leave
those tasks than men are better at to men..."
The class buzzer rang loudly. "That's all for today," Mrs.
Stalhorn said, as the girls gathered their things and began to file out
of the room, "For Monday read paragraph four on your Feminist Issues disk
#2..." The class groaned at the thought of homework, especially on a
weekend, but nodded agreement as they went out the door.
* * * * *
Paula and Lisa walked together to the Turboway Station, making
small talk about boys, fashion, and other 'girl' things. They were both
very aware of the stares the received from passing men, and loved it.
The two walked with an air of innocent sexiness about them, ocassionally
stopping to bend over and look at a dress in a shop window, intentionally
allowing the short kilts of their school uniforms to ride up and give a
peek of their panties. They eventually reached the Turboway Station and
stood waiting for the train.
Lisa was making eyes at an older gentleman when Paula asked her
about her plans for the evening... Lisa smiled at the man and turned to
respond. "I'm going out with Bobby again... why don't you and Terry come
along?"
Paula smiled. Terry was a boy she'd been dating on and off
lately. "I'm not sure... I think we were going to the park..."
Lisa grinned coyly, and Paula blushed, "Paula... I hope you're
not planning on doing anything I wouldn't do!"
Paula laughed, "Lisa... there is nothing you wouldn't do!"
The two girls giggled and Lisa started making eyes at another
man. Paula looked around absently, catching her reflection in a mirrored
pole across the tracks. She took inventory of herself - long raven
tresses, full breasts for a girl of eighteen, deep green eyes, a pouting
mouth. Her makeup was perfect as usual. She was one of the most
beautiful girls at School System Centre #43, and she knew it. But as she
looked at the mirror something seemed wrong... she could not place what,
but something was definitely wrong about the reflection...
She felt dazed, and for some reason turned to look up the
Turboway shaft. It was dark, menacing, and for some reason it filled her
with dread... she felt dizzy as a bright light overtook her vision.
Suddenly she felt jerked back, and realized that Lisa had grabbed
her. "Hello?" Lisa blurted, "What's with you? You almost walked into the
path of a speeding Turbo..." Paula looked back to the track and the
Turboway car was stopped in front of her. People were getting on and off...
"Are you coming?", Lisa asked her.
Paula still felt slightly dazed, but muttered "Yes". They got on
the train and began the ride home. The feeling of confusion stayed with
Paula for awhile, but eventually drifted away as the two girls began to
talk about boys, fashion, and their plans for the evening...
* * * * *
Paula arrived home at the usual time, the incident at the
Turboway Station long forgotten. Her Mother greeted her with a wide
smile, and asked how the day had gone. They chatted a bit about the
Feminist Schism, and Paula's Mom even made an off-colour joke about
lesbians! The two giggled, and promised each other not to say anything
about the joke to Dad.
When they were finished talking Paula ran up to her room to change
before helping with supper. Her room was decorated in soft pastels -
mostly in pink, her favorite colour. She took off her school uniform,
and, wearing only her panties and bra, admired herself in the mirror.
She smiled and posed a few very feminine poses, giggling to herself as
she thought about Terry. Turning to her closet, she grabbed a grey pair
of tights and a green sweatshirt with "S.S.C. #43" written across the
front in white. Finished dressing, she skipped downstairs to help her
Mother with dinner.
Because it was Friday, her Mother allowed her the special task of
preparing one of the side dishes unsupervised. Paula did very well in
her Domestics class, and was always happy to show her skill in the
kitchen. She made her special au-gratin whipped potatoes, smiling as she
thought of how much her Father liked them.
Dad got home about half an hour later, greeted with a hug from
his 'little princess'. Paula loved it when he called her that! The
family sat down to dinner, and her Father smiled when he saw the whipped
potatoes.
"You sure are good in the kitchen, Princess, you'll make a good
wife someday," he said as he swallowed a mouthful of her specialty.
Paula blushed, "Daddy! I hope so..."
Her Mother smiled, "So... out again with Terry tonight?" Paula smiled.
"I'd hate to give up my Princess, but he seems like a nice
fellow," her Father added with a grin.
Paula rolled her eyes, "C'mon! I'm only 18... I don't have to
think about marrige for another two years!"
They all laughed, and continued with dinner. They talked about a
number of things - Dad's work (though Paula and her Mom didn't really
understand much of it), school, their relatives - and when they were
finished Paula helped her Mother clear the table and do the dishes. Dad
relaxed in the den with a snifter of brandy and a cigar. When the
cleaning was done Paula was given permission to go to her room to get
ready for her date with Terry.
* * * * *
Paula stood before her closet, dedicing upon what to wear for
Terry. She finally selected a short denim miniskirt, and a white
t-shirt. No nylons, she thought, why risk ruining them? She giggled to
herself at the thought, and went over to her lingerie drawer. She
selected the frilliest, sauciest panty and bra set she had, knowing Terry
liked it when she wore them. She stood in front of her mirror, admiring
herself, and enjoying the luxurious feeling of getting dressed. She felt
very happy, and very lucky. Sitting in front of her makeup mirror she
expertly applied her lipstick, mascara, eyeshadow... not too much, but
enough to drive Terry wild!
When he finally arrived they made some small talk with her
parents, then waved their goodbyes. Terry promised to have her home for
2330...
They parked in a secluded section of "The Park". "The Park" was
just a city park, City Park # 14 to be exact, but to young lovers it
had a proper name. As the engine in Terry's vehicle stopped the two
wordlessly moved to the back seat.
Paula was sure to not be too agressive, having learned in her
Intimacy course that men prefer to control sex. Soon, though, they were
engaged in passionate kissing. Terry reached his hand under her t-shirt
and began to massage her breasts. Paula rubbed at his groin, enjoying
the growing size she felt there.
Terry helped her out of her t-shirt and skirt, and after a bit
more groping he undid her bra and slipped off her panties. Terry
quickly pulled off his own clothes, and guided Paula into the position he
liked best. 'Doggie Style' the called it in Intimacy class, and Paula
knew many men preferred it. She crouched on her hands and knees, and
soon felt Terry grip her from behind and insert himself into her.
As he began to pump in and out of her vagina she thought about
how he would be as a husband. His family was fairly well off, and he did
well in the boy's classes at school. And then, from nowhere, she began
to wonder what sex felt like for a man... she tried to push the thought
away, but it lingered. She began to visualize herself as the man, having
sex with a woman. I'm no lesbian she thought, and pushed the idea away,
only to have it replaced with the memory of the Turbostation. She kept
imagining seeing herself in the mirror, only instead of seeing a beautiful
girl there there was a boy dressed in dirty clothes. The thought became
hazy, and she began to think about the dark Turboway shaft when Terry's
moaning snapped her out of it.
She felt him release inside of her. Though _she_ didn't achieve
orgasm Terry's moans made it clear that he was pleased, and that made
her happy. The rested awhile, and began again. Though they had
intercouse many times that night she did not climax... her mind was too
preoccupied by the confising thoughts that kept entering it...
* * * * *
The next morning Paula was awakened by a telecall from Lisa.
Unsure of her appearance she left the video mode off. "Video off," Lisa
said, "Must have been a good night! So, did you?"
Paula blushed, "Yes..."
"Did he make you?" Lisa's question remained unfinished as she
began to giggle.
Paula thought... she wasn't about to tell her best friend that
she didn't have an orgasm because she was preoccupied with thoughts of
being a man... "Umm... yes... three times..."
"Three times! God girl, I can see why you left your video off!"
Lisa laughed, "Anyway... what are you doing tonight?"
"Nothing... Terry has some family thing..."
"Excellent! I need your help..."
Paula knew what she meant when she 'needed help'. She had met
some guy, who had a friend... "Lisa, what about Bobby?"
"Oh he's nice... but, listen, I know these two football players
from across town..."
"Lisa, I don't know..."
"Pleeeease! I'll owe you one..."
Yeah, to go along with the dozens other you owe me, Paula
thought. She sighed, "Okay..."
They chatted a bit more before eventually disconnecting. Paula
layed in bed awhile longer before getting up and doing her chores. The
work helped her get her mind of the previous night, and soon she found
herself happily whiling away the afternoon being domestic...
* * * * *
Paula met Lisa at a popular restaurant near school. She wore the tan
riding pants and tight green turtleneck sweater outfit she adored so
much. Her brown boots completed the look, making her a very appealing
sight, and she knew it. She and Lisa exchanged compliments on their
outfits, and Paula found out that the boys would be meeting them soon.
About twenty minutes later a red sportsvehicle pulled into the
lot and two tall muscular boys got out. Lisa ran over to one of them,
and then brought both of the boys over to meet Paula.
"Paula, this is Jim Billings," she said as she motioned to the
boy whom she now hand her arm around, "and this is Tom Renalds..."
Paula smiled as the boy who was to be her date held out his
hand. He took her small hand in his and shook, "Hello, Paula..."
Paula smiled, and then looked at his face, confused... "Do I know
you?"
Tom smiled, "Umm, I don't think so... I'd remember a pretty face
like yours..."
Paula was unfazed by the compliment, and continued to stare at
him. Lisa broke the akward silence, "Must be one of those deja vu
things..."
Paula strained a smile, "Yeah..." There was something about him
she didn't like...
* * * * *
The two couples hung out at the restaurant a while longer, making
small talk about school, the war, and football. Jim and Tom talked about
their recent win over S.S. Centre #26... the girls oohed and ahhed at the
appropriate times, though honestly neither cared. Eventually Jim suggested
going for a drive, and soon they were whisking along in his red sporter.
They pulled into 'The Park' and Lisa suggested that her and Jim
should take a walk. They said they'd be back in an hour, leaving Paula
alone with Tom...
Tom made some more small talk before resting his hand on Paula's
thigh. She smiled nervously and looked at him. "Tom... I'd really
rather not..."
"C'mon baby..." he replied smoothly.
"Tom, I..."
Tom shook his head. "Well, if your going to be difficult..."
Paula had almost thought the situation was over when he pulled
his erection out of his jeans and grabbed her head, forcing it to his
groin...
He chuckled as he forced her mouth onto him, and began to roughly
move her head along his shaft. "C'mon, baby, I know you like it... you
like sucking cocks, I can tell. Suck it baby... suck it my little pussy..."
Paula was about to try and subdue him by doing as he wished when
something unhitched inside her... a sharp pain shot through her head and
she became nauseaus. She opened her eyes, but she could only see
flashing lights, like a strobe. Then suddenly, like a burst dam her mind
flooded with memories...
The came quickly, darting through her mind like a video fast
forwarding... A doctor. A turboway shaft. Her father. A draft notice.
Special section F. Tom, trying to force her (him?) down in the shaft.
The woman. The explosion. Finally, only one thought remained, repeating
like a stuck audiodisk... I'm Paul... I'm Paul... I'm Paul...
Unable to think, only act, Paul bit down hard. His mouth was
filled with the coppery taste of blood...
Tom let go with a scream, "JESUS CHRIST! WHAT THE HELL ARE
YOU DOING!"
Paul quickly opened the door and leapt out, frantically looking
around. Lisa and Jim, who heard the scream, ran over... "What's going
on?", Lisa yelled as she ran to the vehicle.
Tom was still in much pain, but yelled out, "That bitch tried to
bite my prick off..."
Paul looked around. Couples from other vehicles were looking
on as the commotion intensified. Lisa ran up to him and grabbed his arm.
"Paula, what the hell is the matter with you?"
Paul shook loose of her grasp and looked at her. "Let go of me,"
he screamed, "I don't know you!" He looked around, people were now
getting out of their vehicles to see what was going on. He looked back
at Lisa for a second, and ran into the night...
* * * * *
Paul ran aimlessly, his head pounding. He felt akward as he ran,
his body proportions so entirely alien. Memories kept flooding in...
often so quickly it became hard to think. When he finally stopped
running her was on a busy city street. Exhausted, he sat down on a
public bench, and dropped his head into his hands...
What the hell was happening?, he thought. He almost hoped that
he had gone insane, but he knew otherwise. The sensations, the emotions,
the memories - they were all too real. Whether or not he wanted to
believe it he was faced with only one solution - he was now a girl.
As he sat his mind whirled. His memories of his male life were
overwhelming, yet still the memories of being Paula remained. They
weren't as prominent, yet they still lingered. He felt part of himself
pulling back to those memories... he felt like he was fighting a war
inside his head. The memories of Paula eventually receeded, though they
did not disappear completely.
He could not think of what to do, where to go... it was all to
hard. He was tired, very tired...
A voice snapped Paul back to reality. He looked up. A street
person was standing in front of him... all rags and unpleasant smells.
Paul squinted, "What?"
"I said are you going to use that bench girlie cause I need to
sleep somewhere and I want to there..." The man's teeth were yellow, and
decaying.
Paul stood up without answering and began to walk down the
street. The street person mumbled a thank you, but Paul walked on.
Regardless of what state his mind might be in, he thought, his body was
still very much that of a girl... a beautiful girl. And city streets
were no place for a beautiful girl to be at night.
He finally decided to go home... Paula's home. He needed time to
think, and was desperately tired. He found a Turboway Station, and after
deciphering where he was, Paul found a route home...
* * * * *
When he unlatched the front door his 'parents' were waiting for
him. His Mother quickly ran to him, "Paula, where have you been? We were
so worried... Lisa called..."
"Princess, no one better have tried to hurt you..." his Father
added. Paul wanted very much to hit the man, but held back.
He looked at the two people before him... to part of him they
were complete strangers, yet to another part they were his parents. He
shook his head...
"I'm okay..." he said, "listen, I'm just really tired..."
His Mother smiled, "You go get some sleep, then, and we'll talk
tommorow..."
He began up the stairs and the two people who were his parents
watched him, and then looked at each other.
* * * * *
He reached his room, and quickly got out of his clothes. He
pulled off the frilly panty set and sat on his bed, staring at his
reflection in the mirror. He shook his head as he gazed at the beautiful
girl there... the long dark hair, the green eyes, the perfect body. How
can this be me?, he thought.
He found a t-shirt and some cotton panties, and put them on.
Crawling under the sheets he curled into a tight ball. He thought some
more, but eventually pushed the thoughts away. He was too tired. With
nothing left to think about he began to sob... tears began to pour down
his cheeks. He fell asleep crying, yet somehow it made him feel better...
* * * * *
Paul awoke to find his 'Mother' sitting at the end of his bed...
and for a second she _was_ his Mother, and he was Paula. He shook his
head, trying to collect his thoughts as the woman began to speak.
"Paula dear... I'm sure you've had a terrible night. Do you want
to talk?" she intoned softly.
He stared at her for a second before answering, "No."
She smiled and shifted closer, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"Paula, growing from being a young lady to a woman is sometimes difficult..."
Paul cut her off, shrugging off her hand. "Listen lady... I
don't know who you are, but get this straight. I am not Paula, and I am
not your FUCKING daughter..." His eyes were red with rage and frustration.
She smiled nervously and began to speak again. "Paula, I..."
"Shut up and get out..."
"Listen to yourself..."
He screamed "GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE! NOW!"
His 'Father' appeared in the doorway to his bedroom. Paul looked
at him, seething. "What the fuck do you want?"
The man didn't reply, but only looked to the woman. She nodded
slightly, shrugged, and then got up from the bed and walked out of the room.
The man gestured to someone down the hall...
Five men in white overcoats quickly ran into the room. Four of
them pinned Paul down, and the fifth reached into a small bag he was
carrying and produced a needle. Paul spat at him...
"What are you doing? Let me go... I said LET ME GO!"
The man ignored him and slowly inserted the needle in Paul's
forearm. He became instantly dizzy, and felt consciousness slipping
away. As his mind became black he shouted at them... "YOU BASTARDS!
YOU BASTARDS!..."
* * * * *
Paul awoke in a hospital room. Though it was dark he recognized it
instantly... somewhere in the Department of Overseas Activities building
he figured, where 'Special Division F' does their little science projects.
A man walked in and turned on the lights, closing the door behind
him. Paul tried to lunge at him, but was restrained. He knew the man...
Doctor Phillips.
The Doctor chuckled, pulled a chair next to the bed, and sat
down smiling. "Well well, fiery little one we have here..." he laughed.
"Fuck you..." was all Paul could think of to say.
Phillips shook his head, grinning, "Now that's no way for a young
lady to talk." He paused and rubbed his eyes. "Paul Matthews... what an
interesting case you have proven to be..." Paul simply stared at him.
"You are the first case of complete memory recovery we've
experienced. Sure, we've had small incidents... usually controllable by
medication, sometimes a low level brain scan to reinforce the
personality... but _never_ a complete recovery where the original
personality has resumed control. You are quite the talk around the
division..."
"It's nice to be popular," Paul said coldly.
"Don't really know what to do with you... the Army brass up high
wanted you terminated, the security risks and all, but I talked them out
of it. I've convinced them to conduct tests, and impose a second brain
scan. This time, however, we'll keep you under closer survaillance..."
He reached out and gently brushed Paul's cheek, "How do you feel about
being the young wife of a prominent doctor?"
Paul turned his head away, and the Doctor laughed. Phillips
looked over Paul's enticing female form, "I'm going to love fucking your
little pussy there." He leaned closer, and whispered into Paul's ear,
"I'm going to love it even more when you beg me to fuck you again and
again..."
Paul turned and spat in Phillips face. The doctor sat back in
his chair, and took a handkerchief out from his pocket to wipe his face.
He laughed as he was doing it, "So you spit, eh? Don't worry when I'm
done you'll love to swallow..."
The hospital room door swung open, and a young nurse with blonde
curly hair walked in. Phillips turned to look at her, "Nurse, I gave
specific instructions _not_ to be disturbed. You'd better have a good..."
She didn't respond, but walked swiftly over to him, pulling a
thin wire from her uniform. Unflinchingly she inserted it into the
Doctor's temple and his body slumped off the chair. Paul looked down at
the doctor and saw blood pooling on the floor. He turned to look at the
Nurse, confused...
"You killed him..." and was suddenly overcome with recognition...
It was the girl from the Turboway station. He stared at her and said, "It's
you..."
She ignored him, and opened the door. Three men in hospital
whites came in. She addressed them quietly, "Quickly..."
One of the men took out a needle and inserted it into Paul's
arm. The other two pulled in a stretcher and began to undo his
restraints. Paul began to black out, again... he looked to the girl and
asked, "What are you doing?"
As he finally faded into unconsciousness he watched her. She did
not even seem to notice his question. His final feeling before the
darkness was his body being lifted onto the stretcher and being wheeled
away...
CHAPTER THREE
Paul awoke slowly, his head pounding and his mind foggy. He
opened his eyes and looked around. He was in a small white room... it
looked very old... there were no windows, and only one door. He was
on a bed, a regular bed, not a hospital bed, and was wearing a loose
white cotton robe. He didn't need to look under the robe to know his
body hadn't changed. He was quickly becoming used to the different weight
displacement, having breasts, and having nothing between his legs. He
sat up cautiously, trying to maintain his balance. His head pounded even
more as he propped himself up. Where the hell am I?, he thought.
The door opened, and a man in grey clothing walked in carrying a
small bag. When he saw that Paul was up he smiled.
"Hello," the man man said, "You'll probably feel better if you
keep your head on the pillow, at least until the drug wears off..."
Paul looked at him, confused, and laid down again. He was
right, Paul thought, as the pounding subsided somewhat. The man smiled
again and took a chair from the corner and unfolded it. Smiling, he sat
down.
"I guess you've been through a lot," he said, "There's no need to
worry... you'll be safe here..."
Paul began to mutter out a question, his words slurred, "What..."
The man smiled and hushed him, "Shhh... you're too weak to talk.
In time you'll be able to ask all the questions you want..."
Paul nodded slightly. He didn't know why, but he trusted this
man. He seemed sincere, and friendly.
The man gestured to his case. "I've got a needle here that
contains a nutritional suppliment... nothing else. You are very weak and
need it... There will be a small prick on your arm, but it won't hurt
you, okay?"
Paul smiled and nodded. He'd been pricked by more than his fair
share of needles lately. The man smiled and took the needle out of the
case... he slowly, cautiously inserted it into Paul's arm. As he pulled
it out he placed a small cotton ball over the puncture and taped it with a
bandage. He smiled again, and stood.
"Now, you should get some more rest..." he said as he opened the
door and turned to go.
Paul laid there for a few minutes more, before falling into a
calm, restful sleep.
* * * * *
When Paul woke again he was feeling much better. Still a little
weak, but the pounding in his head was gone. He looked around the room,
and saw a pile of clothes on a chair next to the bed. There was a small
note attached.
He sat up and read the note. "These should be more comfortabled."
was all it said. He looked at the pile of clothes - a pair of dark
green work pants, a grey t-shirt, a pair of cotton panties, a cotton bra,
and some grey socks. On the floor next to the bed were a pair of low cut
black work boots. Well, Paul thought, I won't be winning any fashion
contests, and chuckled to himself. He was glad to be able to wear
something other than the robe, and was in no mood to play dress up.
Dealing with this new body was enough to handle without being made up
like a tart... the clothes would do.
He stood, cautiously at first, but feeling his sense of balance
restored he began to dress. He was very conscious of the proportions of
his new body... the bra would be a welcome relief to the constant tugging
at his chest. He expertly put it on, not knowing where he had learned to
put on a bra. He figured it was a lingering memory from the brain scan.
As he put on the rest of the clothes and pulled on the boots he began
to feel much better than he had in a long while. He still had no idea
where he was, but he had a sense of security. One last item that he had
failed to see before was on the chair, a hair elastic. He took it and
pulled his long dark hair into a ponytail. It felt good to get his hair
out of his eyes...
He tried the door but found it locked. Not knowing what to do he
sat at the end of the bed. A few minutes later the door opened and the
man whom he had met before came in. He was smiling, and Paul couldn't
help but smile back.
"Hi," the man said, "I see you found the clothes... I hope
everything fits okay... it was all we had..."
Paul nodded, "It's fine, thanks. Who is we?"
The man smiled, "In a few minutes you'll be told everything."
Paul shrugged, "I guess I'm in no position to bargain... I tried
the door."
The man shrugged apologetically, "Sorry, we thought it was best
if we kept it locked. You were on some pretty serious meds there, you
might have hurt yourself..."
"And I might have gotten away?" Paul asked dryly.
"Sorry... that too. Listen, if you come with me we can get some
of your questions answered..."
There was not much else to do, Paul figured, and he was very
curious to find out what had happened. He stood, and looked at the man.
"First question... do you have a name?"
The man smiled, and held out his hand, "Damon."
Paul shook his hand, "Hi Damon, this might be a bit hard for you
to believe, but I'm Paul..."
Damon shook his head, "Don't worry, I know all about it..."
Paul smiled, and began to laugh. Damon started laughing too.
Paul wasn't sure why he had begun to laugh, but laughing with another
person made him feel much better...
* * * * *
Paul followed Damon down a maze of corridors, all dark and damp,
lit only by the occasional uncovered lightbulb hung from the ceiling. He
had no idea where he was, but it seemed very old. They passed a few
people, all of whom nodded to Damon as the walked by. Eventually they
came to a door. There was a Guard posted, with a rifle slung over his
shoulder. He nodded to Damon and unlocked the door...
The room in which they entered was much larger, and brighter.
The floors here were not cold concrete like the corridors or the room he
had awoke in, they were tiled. The pattern was very old, and in
disrepair, but enough of the original mosaic was left to make out the
picture. It was of a sad-eyed woman holding a baby... they both had
gold rings around their heads. There was a round table in the centre of
the room, and Damon gestured to one of the chairs.
They both sat down, and Paul turned to Damon, "Are we waiting for
someone?"
He nodded, "Yes, Eva will be here soon..."
Paul nodded and looked around the room... there was something
very comforting about the architecture, the colours, the light. He
somehow felt safe there. Soon the door opened and three people walked
in. He recognized one instantly - the blonde assasin who had killed
Dr. Phillips. Another was a tall, muscular black man. The last woman to
enter was a woman who appeared to be in her late fifties or sixties...
She had long silver hair, tied into a bun. Her face was very
warm, and she smiled when she saw Paul. Paul nervously smiled back. She
wore the same dark work clothes as the others, but carried herself with a
grace that defied her appearance. Looking at her Paul thought that she
must have been incredibly beautiful whe she was younger. As it was, even
though she showed the signs of her age, she was still stunning.
The trio sat down at the table with Paul and Damon. Paul shot a
look at the beautiful blonde girl who had planted the bomb in the
Turboway and killed Dr. Phillips in cold blood. She appeared as cold and
impassive as ever. The black man seemed friendlier, though with an air
of caution about him. The older woman smiled and began to speak. Her
voice flowed with the same elegance as her body, "Hello Paul Matthews, I
am Eva..."
Paul smiled, "Hello." Though he had dozens of questions, he
didn't know where to start. She started to speak again...
"Paul," she said, "I am sure you are very curious about a number of
things, but I believe a few introductions are in order first. I see
you've already met Damon. This is Reginald..." she gestured to the black
man. They exchanged smiles, Reginald's smile somewhat tainted with
caution. Eva gestured to the girl, "...and this is Alicia." Paul
smiled, but the girl merely nodded. "We four are members of a group that
calls itself The Underground."
Paul nodded, though he had never heard that name before. Eva
smiled and continued, "Paul, I'm sure over the last few months you have
experienced things that have dramatically changed the way you look at our
society... what I am about to tell you will challenge these notions even
more..."
"Our society is based on the remenants of a country called the
United States Of America... you may have heard of it in your school
classes on the Reformation. About two hundred years ago there was a
global conflict that destroyed many of mankind's established nations.
In their place grew smaller socities, with less central government - lose
affiliations of City-States, if you will. Our society grew out of what
had been the eastern part of the United States of America. At first,
like many of the new nations, it was hostile, ungoverned, chaotic. Then,
the event you know as The Reformation occured. Small groups of people
who had managed to control some wealth during the tumultous years
following the great global conflict sought to establish order. The used
their power to begin imposing a society based upon their ideals.
"The Reformers felt that the cause of the global conflict, and
subsequent breakup of nations, was the lack of a moral absolute. They
believed that by maintaining certain aspects of society in strict roles
they could maintain order. For example, they felt that the rapid influx of
women into the workforce in the century leading up to the great conflict
eroded the family unit, causing crime and moral degeneration. To
maintain their society as they wished, they had to ensure that women
would be kept in submissive roles, essentially as breeders and
nurturers. And not only women were to be controlled... men needed to be
agressive and dominant, yet respectful of authority, and minorites needed
to be segregated and subdued. To achieve this goal they found only one
solution.
"Before the conflict many of the Reformers had made themselves very
wealthy by dealing in the trade of elicit drugs. After the conflict they
sought out those contacts with whom they had dealt with before, but this
time with a far more organized plan. They developed huge factories,
initially on the Southwestern continent, and in their labs created many
types of drugs for their specific needs. For women they developed a drug we
believe is called Subtain. It causes the user to develop passive
personality traits, to be controlled easily. For men they developed
Mastain, which reinforces the agressive instincts of men, but also
develops a need for authority. For the minorities they developed
Regutain, which causes submissiveness and lowers intelligence levels.
They found ways of exposing the select groups to the drugs without their
awareness. Soon, as society began to feel the effects, there was a
population waiting to be controlled. With virtually no opposition, the
Reformers gained control easily."
Paul started blankly, overwhelmed by it all. Had someone told
him before all this had happened to him that his society was controlled
by behavoir modifying drugs he would have though them mad. Now, however,
it made sense. He thought of all of the women he had ever known, his
Mother even, and they fit the profile exactly. The men... he only had to
think of someone like Tom Renalds or Mr. Billings to confirm his
suspiscions. He shook his head, and looked to Eva. "But where do I come
into all of this? Why did they do..." Paul looked at his body, "...this
to me?"
Eva nodded, "They had too. The drugs did a marvelous job of
controlling the populace... but over time they began to show
side-effects. Men would occasionally have bouts of rage, minorities
experienced a high number of birth-defects, and a large number of women
became infertile.
"They told me it was because of an enemy virus..." Paul said.
Having seen the way in which his society ran, though, he knew it was just
another lie.
"That is the typical story they tell... they can't very well explain
why women are bereft without exposing their manipulation of society
through drugs. Nonetheless, the infertility caused much concern... how
could they control a population that was not propigating? They did
numerous tests to discover a way to maintain control over women, yet
leave them fertile, but came to no solutions.
"At the same time they had been doing genetic experiments,
mostly to develop better soldiers. One of their scientests developed a
way to change a biological male into a biological female, capable of
repoduction. They had some horrible mishaps at the beginning, but over
time developed a process that was flawless. You only need look into the
mirror to confirm that..."
Paul nodded. His body gave no reason to believe that it was
anything other than female. There were no traces of his former
masculinity at all. "But why me?