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Htrae Author's Note: I remember a story from when I was a kid. I think it was a Twilight Zone. Perhaps some will recognize it, I just chose to take it in a different direction. Gerald Macon sat up on the edge of his bed and was immediately excited by the prospect of the day. Today was launch day. He had been training for this mission for two years. It would be the longest mission for a human in space. He quickly moved to the shower and began preparing for the coming day, it was only 4am and there was a lot to do before the 3pm launch. Three years earlier the automated observation station that came online on Mars started scanning the heavens from a new vantage point and beaming its reports and images back to Earth. After just a couple months something astounding was discovered in an image, a new star. The scientists anxiously waited for more images to arrive and tracked the new star until they were certain: it wasn't a star, it was a planet. They watched and waited as Mars slowly receded from Earth and gradually closed in on this new world discovered within our own solar system. As months passed and more information arrived they finally determined the new planet was actually running on the same orbital path as Earth. Other reports made it clear there are an atmosphere and likely a civilization on that planet. Scientists were thrilled. Suddenly there was what appeared to be a world that might be hospitable to human life that wasn't light years away, but just years. Candidates were interviewed and five were selected. Over the first three months two were eliminated. Finally, they selected the backups and the primary. Gerald finished dressing and headed to the Kennedy Space Center. There was still a lot of prep before flight time. * - 2 - * "Commander Macon!" the man in the white lab coat greeted him as Gerald entered the room. "Doctor Wilkes." He reached and shook the smiling man's hand. "Are we ready to make history?" the Doctor asked, the excitement barely containable. "I'm ready to get started," Gerald reminded him. "I have to get there first, and that will take almost five years. Don't burn yourself out, Doc." "First steps, dear boy," Dr. Wilkes shook his hands above his head. "No reason not to be excited about getting started. Now, let's go over the schedule again." "Doc, I know the steps backwards and forward. Hell, I dream about them," Gerald protested. "I'm certain that's true," the doctor gazed at him, "but you are going to tell me about it one last time." "Yeah, ok," Gerald snickered. "OK, so lift-off at 1517 hours. I monitor systems while I make a run for the moon. After circling the moon I use Earth's gravity to slingshot me off toward Earth2 taking a path that will take me just inside Mercury's orbit on the left side of the sun. During that time I will be in a drug induced coma which will be started a day after the slingshot maneuver assuming all systems checkout. I will be awoken approximately a day ahead of my rendezvous with Earth2 so I can examine and determine an appropriate landing area. At that point I will land my craft, preferably away for any large population centers, and begin my exploration of the planet." "Excellent," Doc grinned. "And while you are also on the way we will launch two communication relay satellites that will take up orbit around the sun so that you will be able to transmit reports to us. "I especially want reports just before you go to sleep and as soon as possible when you wake up. The ship will be transmitting your vitals and all before that but it will be good to hear your voice." "Well, Doc, let's get started." * - 3 - * Gerald felt the weight increase on his chest as the rocket lifted away from the Earth. He had taken a last long look from the gantry before entering the capsule. He didn't think about how long it would be before he would see the familiar Florida landscape, just how exciting it would be to see the new world. Now he waited for the light coming through the small window to be replaced by the darkness of space. It didn't take long. Everything ran like clockwork on the trip so far. Gerald even allowed himself to check out the lights on the Moon of the two colonies and several labs scattered across the surface, well at least the tops were on the surface, most of the living and working space was buried beneath the regolith. He watched the controls as the computer fired the rockets that pushed him away and back toward the planet that was his home just a few days before. Accelerating as he fell. Another blast of the jets and his course was set. One monitor showed the blue and white marble slowly shrinking as he sped away toward the new world. He took a deep breath and a look around the capsule knowing it was almost time. Five minutes later an alert came up on the medical monitor. It was time to sleep. * - 4 - * Gerald slowly regained consciousness. First thing he was aware of was a splitting headache. At first the pain blocked out everything else, and then he slowly became aware of a blinding white light. He squeezed his eyes tighter trying to block it out. Feeling slowly returned, he tried to swallow but his mouth was dry. He felt something against his lips and then a fluid entered his mouth. It wasn't much but it helped. He swallowed it down and tried to relax. When he felt he had control over his body once again he tried opening one eye. What he expected to see wasn't even close to what he saw. He quickly opened his other eye, wincing a bit at the pain, but it quickly faded. He saw lights, walls, machinery, and a person. The room looked like a hospital room, the person, a doctor. She looked to be over six foot tall. She had on a white shirt with a black neck tie, a lab coat over the top of it. A stethoscope hung around her neck. She was holding a cup and an eye dropper. "Where am I?" Gerald croaked. "You are at Ganson Hospital in Agnon," the doctor responded in an accent that was barely understandable. "What is your name? Where did you come from? What was that craft they found you in?" "Can I have some more water first?" he asked. "Yes, but slowly please." She handed him the cup. Gerald sipped on it taking his time. Not only because he knew his stomach would reject too much of anything, but also so he could decide how to proceed. Finally, the cup empty, he handed it to the doctor. "My name is Gerald, Gerald Morse," he told her. "What can I call you?" The doctor looked at him for a moment. "Call me Dr. Gansith." "OK, Dr. Gansith, nice to meet you." He smiled at her. She didn't seem to respond but continued to eye him suspiciously. "You said I was in a hospital in Agnon? I'm afraid I don't know where that is." "Agnon is the largest city on Brakken," she answered, a confused look on her face. "Everyone knows that. Where are you from?" "Well, originally I'm from Connecticut but mostly I live in Florida these days. Something must have gone wrong and returned me. Is my ship intact? I need to see if I can review the log to see why I came back." "I don't know the places you talk about. You need more rest. Our security people have your ship secured. Perhaps some more rest and you will be able to answer my questions better." She stepped away from the bedside. "We'll talk more in the morning." She tapped a machine beside the bed and Gerald felt himself immediately begin to nod off. He tried to fight it but it overwhelmed him and he slept. * - 5 - * He woke the next day and found breakfast waiting for him. It appeared to be scrambled eggs and sausage but it had a strange taste to it. Having not had solid food in he wasn't sure in how long he didn't question it. He took his time and ate it all down. About an hour later a woman in white shirt and pants came in and cleared the tray. She said nothing though gave Gerald a curious look before heading back out the door. Gerald had only a couple minutes to look around before the doctor came back in. The blinds were drawn closed so he couldn't see out, there was a television, or he thought it was a TV it looked a bit odd, but couldn't locate a remote. "Good morning, Gerald," the doctor announced her arrival. "How are you doing today?" Gerald still couldn't place the accent. "Doing pretty good I think," he smiled at her. "Had a good breakfast, thought I would like to try getting out of bed." The doctor didn't seem to be really listening but looking across the various instruments. "Yes," she finally answered. "Everything looks to be in order. I will allow you to get up and walk about the room. I'll disconnect some things to make that easier." She went about undoing some connections and then stepped back to allow him to exit the bed. Gerald took a breath and strained as he tried to swing his legs off the side of the bed. His muscles ached but he was able to get his feet on the cold tile floor. Gradually he let his weight slide onto his legs. They wobbled as he pushed away from the bed a little. He almost fell as he tried to hold the hospital gown closed and take a step. Instead he allowed himself to lean back against the side of the bed. After steadying himself he pushed back onto the mattress and laid back. "Wow, that was a lot harder than I thought it would be," he gasped. "Yes," the doctor nodded, "you were quite malnourished and had suffered some muscle fatigue when you were found. One of many mysteries that surround you. Can you answer some of those questions I asked yesterday?" "Um, I think I'd like to wait until I get some information from my ship if you don't mind." "Fine." She retrieved her clipboard that she had laid aside earlier. "Work on getting your strength back. Slowly! We'll see about when you can visit your ship." She turned and left the room. As she disappeared Gerald thought about asking about the TV but she was gone. For the next several days Gerald ate, drank and worked on getting around the room. He felt strong enough now to be able to walk short distances, maybe a lap around a track as long as he didn't have to hurry. He hoped it would be enough to get him out. Over the time he spent there in that room he only saw two people: the doctor and the woman who brought the food and took away the dishes. He tried looking out his window but all there was out there was a copse of trees. He couldn't tell what kind they were but he never really cared about botany. "Well, do you think you are ready for an excursion?" Dr. Gansith asked as she entered. "You appear to have regained some of your strength and there are many people who are curious about your story." "As long as I don't have to walk too far, I'd like to give it a try." Gerald gave her a smile. "Fine, there are suitable clothes in the closet for you," she unlocked the door and then went to the other door to leave. "I'll be back in twenty minutes, please be ready." She was gone. "Bedside manner isn't great, but it works," Gerald spoke to the closed door. "Guess we'll see what's appropriate." He slowly worked his way across the floor to the closet, pulled it open and found a small dresser, beside it a blue dress hung. "What the hell is this?" He pulled open the drawers but there was only one item in any of the drawers, a pair of white panties. At least that was what it appeared to be to him, cut high to the hip, lace panels at the hip. He stood there thinking about it for several minutes. "Well, better than letting my butt hang out the back of this gown." He carefully got them onto his legs and pulled them up into place. He felt guilty at first and looked around the room to be sure nobody was watching. He didn't like to admit it, even to himself, but they felt nice. He swallowed and reached for the dress on the hanger. It didn't seem right, but things didn't seem right all week. If he was making a big mistake, at least he would be doing what the doctor ordered, a better chance of getting to his ship. Someone else could catch hell for messing up. He pulled the dress over his head. The material was stretchy like a knit but lighter. It fit to his body down to the waist. The short sleeves clung to his biceps. At the hips the dress flared out and hung loosely about his thighs to just above his knees. There was a pair of sandals on the floor. He carefully slipped his feet into them then turned and went back to toward the bed. He just got there when the door opened and the doctor came in, this time she wasn't alone. "Ah, good," she started, "it appears the clothes fit you well." "Um, yeah," Gerald answered and looked at the new woman. She was also quite tall. She was dressed in a green shirt and pants, the shirt had an orange stripe that ran diagonally from her left shoulder toward her right hip. "Ah, this is Captain Yinzi of Security. She will be accompanying us to where they have your ship." "Or what's left of it," the captain added. "Why, what have you done with my ship?" Gerald turned toward them swirling his dress and almost losing his balance in the process. "We didn't do anything to it," the captain responded defensively. "Frankly, you are lucky to be alive considering the shape we found it, and you, in." "Just take me to the ship," Gerald growled then added after a moment's hesitation, "Please." The doctor and the cop looked at each other and nodded. The cop held the door open and Gerald followed her into the hallway. Once outside his room he saw many more people walking around. He was surprised to see all the women were tall, each over six feet tall. And there were a few men about, but they were short, like him, under six foot, and they were all wearing dresses or skirts. He tried to maintain his composure as he slowly walked with the doctor and the security officer. When they reached the door to the outside he stopped and leaned against the doorframe. The vehicle was something he hadn't ever seen before. The wing door stood open allowing entry into what looked like a small sitting room. He licked his lips and pushed himself away from the door. He was almost certain now that he actually had reached his destination. What he had discovered was far beyond any expectation he had. He hoped he could confirm with the log data from his ship but after what the cop said he hoped it still worked. He climbed into the car suddenly conscious of how he bent and the breeze that wafted under the dress he wore. He took a seat on the far side of the car and tucked the skirt under his legs. Yinzi punched in a code on a control panel, the door closed and he felt the vehicle start to move. A few moments later a synthesized voice announced the travel time as being one hour and seventeen minutes. They drove along mostly in silence; Gerald spent the time trying to piece together the information he had so far. He was certain he had actually reached the planet on the other side of the sun; the fact that they spoke English was incredible. So far, they had not deduced that he was from off-planet and he knew he would have to divulge that before too long, but not until after he inspected the ship. "Ten minutes to destination," came the man's voice from the speaker. Captain Yinzi reached over and pressed a button. A section of the forward wall changed and Gerald could see the road ahead of them. In the distance he could just make out what appeared to be a large tent. Nothing else seemed to be in the area and he was grateful for the fact that he landed in such a remote area. "You were lucky," Captain Yinzi spoke as though she read his thoughts. "A farmer reported finding you as she was driving by the morning you were found. You probably got there just before dawn. The metal of your ship was still warm when we retrieved your body." Gerald nodded and gave her a smile. Yinzi turned and punched in a couple more codes as they got closer and the car pulled off the road and close to the tent. The screen went blank and the door opened. Yinzi and Gansith climbed out first, Gerald followed squinting in bright sunlight and holding his dress against the wind that blew across the plain. They walked together to an opening in the tent and entered. Gerald stopped and gasped at the sight before him. Half the ship's side lay open, the darkened metal at the bottom indicated the entry had been hotter than expected. There must have been some control since he landed on ground rather than water and didn't end up completely squashed. "This is the shape we found it in," Yinzi told him. "We decided to leave it as it is as long as there was a chance you would survive. It would be easier for you to explain than for us to decipher. If you had died, well we would have just taken our best shot." "Um, thanks." Gerald moved to the capsule. He looked around at the other people standing around holding clipboards or instruments of some kind. Again, all very tall women. He walked around it completely checking the ship over. Somehow the antenna had survived everything. Another lucky break. He came back to the gaping hole in the side. It went right through where the hatch used to be, though it was nowhere he could see it. "There was a door here," he indicated a smooth edge. "Has anyone found it?" "Yes," a woman spoke from just behind him. "It is still lying about two hundred yards from here. We haven't moved anything. Do you need it?" "No, I was just curious." He gave her a smile. "You can bring it into the tent here if you like." He turned and tried to carefully step into the capsule. "Damn this dress," he muttered as the skirt caught on a ragged piece of metal. He heard a couple women try and stifle a laugh. He pulled it loose and got inside. There was some juice left in the batteries so he pulled up the flight log and started going through it. Nothing unusual through most of the trip until he got to where he was about to cross Mercury's orbit for the second time, then there was a gap in the log. The next entry indicated a solar flare had fried some of the components in the ship. Automated recovery had taken a while, looked to be about three months, to recover most functions. Life support had remained functioning but in a lesser state. Radio was out for most of that time as well. When it reached the planet it was unable to initiate the process to wake Gerald, used its own algorithm to pick a landing site and proceeded to initiate landing programs. During the landing, one of the engines failed and resulted in a near catastrophic landing. Pilot was lost (he had torn loose of the monitoring feeds), radio was malfunctioning again. Perform system shutdown. Gerald went to work pulling panels off the radio and inspecting the boards within. He located a bad circuit, searched a protected compartment for a replacement board, reseated it and tested it. "I think it is working," Gerald sighed. He knew it would take a while for a message to get to Earth, and then back again. He had to let them know he was alive and what he had found. "Mission control, this is Commander Macon calling from the surface of Earth2. I am alive. I have found advanced life. Contact already made, they saved my life. Things are a bit different here but seem ok so far. I've just gotten out of the hospital so haven't seen much. Send further instructions. Over." Gerald carefully climbed from the capsule and looked around. Everyone else just stared back. "Who did you send that message to?" Yinzi asked. "The folks who sent me here," Gerald answered. "By the way, do you think we could open up some of the panels on this tent to let the sunlight in? Some of the solar panels are still good and the batteries need a charge." "Where are these people that you are sending the message to?" she continued. "Who all would you like to hear the answer to that?" Gerald answered. "I know where I am from this sort of thing would be kept tightly under wraps." Yinzi looked around at the other women. "Everyone who knows anything about your arrival is here. They know enough to be in the loop so please, answer my question." "OK," he leaned back against the outside of the ship where it wasn't damaged. "I came from the planet Earth. It is on the opposite side of the sun from here following the same orbital path. Until just a few years ago we didn't know you existed but we put a lab on Mars and because of the different orbital rates, we saw you." "Mars? What is Mars?" one of the others asked. "Um, fourth planet in the solar system," Gerald answered. "The red planet." "Ah, Gilun," she answered. "You have actually sent people there?" "Briefly, actually," Gerald answered. "The lab there is automated, unmanned." She turned and went to three other women and they talked quietly among themselves. "So, you say you come from another planet," Dr. Gansith spoke up. "How is it that you not only look very much like us but also speak the same language?" "Well." Gerald thought on it for moment. "Our worlds are very similar to each other; I can assume the same sort of evolutionary track was taken. That would account for the similarities in physical appearance. Though on my world, the men tend to be larger than the women, and from what little I have seen, it appears to be opposite here. As to why you speak English, I can't imagine." "English? I speak Agnonese, the language of the Northern Continent," the doctor countered. "Agnonese? Okay, I can go with that," Gerald replied. "It would seem that our languages parallel each other except in proper names. It's uncanny." A beeping from the capsule caught Gerald's attention. He turned and went back inside. "Gerald! My God, you're alive!" Doc Wilkes answered. "Last message we received said the ship was damaged but you were still alive. It was going to attempt a landing but then we got nothing. I am so happy! "But now you say there is an advanced society there. How advanced? What is their social structure? Physical nature? What can you tell us? I know it might take a while to get more..." The message cut off and the light faded out. The last of the battery power had run out. It would take time to get the batteries charged enough for another message. Gerald stepped back outside. "I really need to get some sun on these panels. The ship is dead right now." "We'll look at doing that for you," Yinzi answered. "But for now I think we should go back to the hospital and talk more about this other planet you say you come from." She spoke quietly to one of the other women then turned and nodded to the doctor. Dr. Gansith took Gerald by the arm and led him from the tent. They entered the car, a new code and they started their journey back to the hospital. Gerald sat quietly trying to judge where he stood with them. Either they believed him and would likely fall under a rigorous testing program, or they didn't believe him and they would commit him to whatever worked as a psyche ward, or they were undecided and would want more information before making their decision on how to proceed. He hoped for the third option. They arrived at the hospital and he and the doctor returned to Gerald's room. Gerald was now well out of breath and practically asleep on his feet. "You have exhausted yourself today," the doctor observed. "You should get undressed and go to bed. Do I need to give you something to sleep?" "No, I think I'll be able to sleep on my own, thanks," Gerald looked around for something to change into. There was a clean hospital gown lying on the end of the bed. He picked it up. "Do you think I could have some regular clothes to wear? Maybe some pants?" "Why would you want to wear women's clothes?" the doctor asked. "I will see to it that we find some appropriate things for you to wear. I will check back in the morning." The door closed behind her. Gerald stood there confused for a moment, and then shook his head clear of the cobwebs. He pulled the dress off over his head and tied the gown around him. He decided to leave the underwear on under the gown. At least he didn't feel quite as naked. He climbed into bed ready to think about a plan, but he dropped into the darkness of sleep within a minute. * - 6 - * Gerald slowly began to awaken. He heard a noise and opened his eyes to the now familiar hospital room. Dr. Gansith was just pushing the closet door closed. "Ah, good morning," she smiled at him. "I didn't mean to wake you." "You didn't." Gerald pushed himself up in the bed. "I just happened to be waking up. So tell me, where do things stand?" "I just put some more clothes in your closet. You should feel free to walk about the hospital but you should not try to leave. I think you should continue wearing the sandals until your legs grow a bit stronger before trying anything with a heel on it." Gerald shook his head. "I haven't seen a lot of men around. You mean to tell me they wear high heeled shoes regularly? I feel like I'm in an old 1950's TV show like Donna Reed." "I am not familiar with your reference," the doctor frowned. "Most men stay home and care for their homes, raise the young, teach them. They dress appropriately for that. I can't swear to what they all do in their homes but when they go out to the store or to run other errands, they usually wear nice dress and a high heeled shoe. We take pride in our appearance and believe that laziness in preparing oneself leads to greater problems." "I see." Gerald was becoming interested in the conversation. He was getting more information than before and wanted to prod her into telling him more. "Um, while I appreciate the extra clothes I don't know how I am going to pay for them, or for this stay here." "Pay?" the doctor asked. "What do you mean pay?" "You know, money," he explained. "I want something you sell, I give you money for the item, then you have money to buy things you want." "We do not use this money." She frowned at the thought. "We all work in ways that we can do best, each has their own talent. I like the work I do so it is what I do. When I need something, like these clothes, I go to a store and pick out what I need. The store owner maintains the store, the clothiers supply the clothes, the farmers supply the materials, the people eat the food the farmers grow, I treat the farmer when he needs it. There is no need for 'money'." "Really?" Gerald stared at her for a moment. "What about people who take more than they need? Or choose not to work?" "Why take more than one needs? It makes no sense. And if someone is ill or injured and can't work, then we take care of them until they can," she explained. "You mean everyone wants to work?" Gerald was leaning forward totally absorbed in the conversation. "Of course, why wouldn't someone want to do their part to support the society?" she asked. "What about government? A group of people who make decisions for everyone else," he posed. "When a question arises for our community we collect suggestions for a solution for about a week. We then have two days to vote on the one we think will best solve the problem. Once decided we all work on that solution. We have no need for a 'government'." She shook her head at the idea. "What about..." Gerald started. "I have other patients I need to check in on this morning," she cut him off. "Perhaps you might find someone not as busy that can talk to you. Everyone in the hospital is aware of your claims." "No privacy, eh?" Gerald asked. "Why would you need privacy," she asked. "How can we all help if nobody knows your story?" She turned and left. Gerald sat there for a few moments trying to decide what he wanted to do next. One thing he knew is that he was hungry. There wasn't a tray there so perhaps they have decided he was healthy enough to go find his own breakfast, they probably had a cafeteria. He walked across the floor to the closet a bit gingerly, but steadier than he had been. His legs ached from the exercise from the day before but he felt like he could walk that out. He looked in the closet and found a basket on the floor with the dress he wore the day before in it. Looking in the dresser he found there were now several pairs of panties, mostly the same style, differing colors. There were some of slightly different styles. He picked out a clean pair and swapped them with the pair he had been wearing depositing the dirty pair in the basket. He selected a red dress from a hanger because it matched the color of the underwear and pulled it on over his head. Again the top fit his body tight with a V neck and short sleeves. The skirt was loose but this one had a shorter front and longer back. He was glad for the longer back, less worry about leaning over something. He slipped the sandals on his feet and was about to reach for the door when it pushed open toward him. It was the lady who normally brought his breakfast and she held a tray with this morning's meal. "Oh, great!" Gerald took the door and held it for her as she entered. "I was just about to go looking for a cafeteria." "I'm sorry," she apologized. "If you would prefer to go there I can take this away. I just heard you were awake." "No, not at all," he turned and took the tray from her. "Tomorrow I'll eat there. Perhaps you could show me where it is." "My, you are rather forward for a man," she cocked her head at him. "I am told you say you come from another world." "Yes, that is true," Gerald set the tray on a table and sat by it scooping his skirt out of the way as he sat. "Can you tell me what it's like?" she asked. "Sure, but first how about introductions? I'm Gerald." "Of course, I am Laija." She perched on the edge of the bed. "Nice to meet you, Laija. Now, what is it you would like to know?" he forked something that looked like potatoes into his mouth. "What are the men and women like on your planet?" "Well, for one, women wear the dresses there. The men wear the suits. Though everyone wears pants a lot, the dresses and suits are usually saved for going to work, or church or special events. Mostly the men are taller than the women but sometime it's different. They work together as equals these days. Some time ago women had to fight for the right to work the same as a man." "That sounds barbaric," Laija countered. "How is it here that it seems men aren't allowed to work?" he asked taking the opportunity to eat some more of his breakfast. "History teaches us that before the Great Realignment men did rule the continents. There were several wars between the Northern Continent and the Southern Continent. They fought because the men of one wanted more than the other could provide when a drought hit. A woman, Brenez of the Southern Continent, stepped in and called them children arguing over scraps to the detriment of all people. Women of the North and the South listened to her plan and agreed it would be best for all. They rose up and stopped the men from going to war. "Everyone survived and began to flourish. Men were pushed out of positions of power, in fact those positions were eliminated. Women took over many of the jobs. Community support was set up. We have been living this way for the last five centuries." "Well, it seems to work very well for you." Gerald scraped the fork across the plate and swallowed the last of the food. "Thanks for bringing breakfast." "Would you like me to bring you lunch later?" she picked up the empty tray. "How about having lunch with me?" he smiled. "Yes, I could do that," she grinned back. "So forward." * - 7 - * "I need to speak with Captain Yinzi," Gerald explained to Dr. Gansith. "If they opened the tent my ship should have enough power to send another message. I need to contact home." "I will pass along your request to her," the doctor assured him. "In the meantime I feel you have made enough progress to allow you some excursions outside the hospital. It seems you have become quite friendly with Laija, perhaps she would accompany you. I would prefer you not be alone away from here quite yet." The doctor went out the door and almost immediately Laija came in. "Ready to get some breakfast?" she said as way of a greeting. "I want to hear more of your moon and how it affects the oceans." "Sure," Gerald laughed. "Doc told me I could start going outside the hospital as long as someone accompanies me. You up for a little excursion?" "I think that is a wonderful idea," she grinned back. "Perhaps we could do a little clothes shopping. That is the third time I've seen you in that dress." "I can't say I've ever been dress shopping before. It'll be quite an adventure." They wandered down to the caf? and ate a quick breakfast. Gerald regaled her with stories of Earth and its large moon. Earth2 had no natural satellites. As a matter of fact it had no satellites of any kind. For some reason the people of Earth2 had never seemed to want to conquer flight. They had automated land cars, high-speed trains, and ships of different kinds for sailing, but no aircraft. They finished off breakfast and Laija led Gerald out the main entrance of the hospital and down the street past several other buildings. He saw a few vehicles cruise by them, many suited women walking along, and a few men in dresses and heels here and there. Over all it was becoming less strange a sight to him as the days went by. They entered a building through some double glass doors and found themselves in what appeared to be a large department store. One thing immediately caught Gerald's attention: he saw no cashier stations. Laija wound her way through the store as though she knew exactly where she was going. Gerald assumed she had been here many times before but then realized she was glancing at signs as she passed. He had thought they were just designs but then realized they were signs. Even though their language was close to English, the written language was not at all like it. It didn't look anything like any written language he was familiar with. Vietnamese maybe? But really more flowery than that. He wondered if Laija would be able to teach him how to read it. Gerald saw the area they were heading toward with its racks of dresses. A young man in a short skirt and a very high heeled sandal saw them approaching, stopped fussing with one of the displays and came toward them. "Good morning!" he called to them. "My name is Rantai, is there something I can help you find today?" "Good morning, Rantai. I am Laija, this is Gerald. Gerald suffered a loss during his travel here and is without a wardrobe. He has been recovering at the hospital but will likely be allowed to leave soon and will need enough clothes for a normal life." "Oh dear," Rantai looked at Gerald. "I am so sorry to hear of your troubles but happy to see you appear healthy. It will be great fun helping you get set up, I was afraid I was in for a slow day. It will likely be a large load when you leave, do you have transportation?" "Oh, I hadn't thought about that." Laija shook her head. "No problem, I can call for transportation when we are finished." Rantai waved her off. "Let's get started. I'd say you look to be about a 4." "I have no idea," Gerald finally got to speak. "Ooh." Rantai gave Gerald a look. "That's an accent I've never heard before. You must be from a long way off." "Um, yeah, you could say that." Gerald glanced at Laija and smiled. "Well, let's get started. Gerald, do you have a style you like? Will you need work clothes?" Rantai began eying Gerald and grabbing dresses from different racks as he wove his way backwards into the maze of clothes. "I'd have to say let's get a little of everything and if I find myself short on something I'll come back and visit." Gerald accepted an armload of clothes as he spoke. "That sounds like a wonderful plan," Rantai nodded. "Now, dressing area is over there by the sign, I'll look for a few more things while you try them on." Gerald turned and looked at Laija pleading with his eyes. "Let me help you carry that," she came to his rescue and led him to the changing room. Gerald hardly saw any more of the store for the next hour and a half. Each time he emerged to show Laija a dress, Rantai handed him more to try on. By the time he was on the fifth dress he had forgotten about how odd it ought to be to him and was enjoying the experience. He started eying the outfits critically deciding on the styles he liked most and least and, of course, he weighed Laija's opinion in as well. "I don't want to overdo this," Gerald told Laija and Rantai when he came out wearing a short green pleated skirt with a green sweater. "How many do you think I should get?" "At least 10 casual and another 15 work outfits," Laija advised. "Oh, do you think that is enough?" Rantai countered. "I was thinking 20 each." "That many?" Laija looked at him. "Well, you would know better than I. You men are such clothes freaks. We can get by with so much less." Gerald laughed. "One more thing." Laija stopped Gerald from going back to put on the dress he came in. Rantai turned and pulled a long flowing gown from the rack behind him and handed it to Gerald. "I think we may go out to a nice concert tomorrow night if you are up for it," Laija told him. "These events are formal so you will need a dress for it. Rantai and I thought this would do." "Oh, wow, it's beautiful." Gerald took it and stroked the fabric. It was light and airy and seemed to float in his hands. He turned and went into the booth. It took him a while to figure out how to get in through all the layers of the dress but once he got it on he was amazed. The looks on Rantai's and Laija's faces were priceless. He turned and walked toward the mirror holding the skirt so he wouldn't trip. He could see flashes of his legs through the gauzy outer layer as panels within the skirt slid back and forth as he walked. The top was mostly strings that wrapped around his body but somehow managed to cover his chest and stomach but left most of his back and shoulders bare. "Shoes," Rantai said behind him. "Yes," Laija agreed. "Something special to go with that dress, but more for his regular days." "Please wait here." Rantai disappeared into the sea of clothes. "The people at the hospital will be shocked when they see you dressed up like this," Laija whispered. "I'm shocked," Gerald confided. "I can't believe I feel this...good. It isn't what I am accustomed to." "I know. But you should be. You look amazing." Gerald wanted to turn and kiss her at that moment and was surprised by the feeling. He shook his head and reminded himself he was an astronaut. He was just trying to fit in with the local culture. At that moment Rantai returned with a pair of shoes. Gerald gathered the dress and sat carefully trying not to wrinkle it too badly before he got to wear it for their date. Rantai carefully got to his knees and placed Gerald's feet in the shoes, something Gerald was glad he didn't have to ask him to do but there was too much dress for him to be able to do it on his own. Gerald carefully stood up, a good three inches taller now. The skirt hovered a fraction of an inch above the ground. He took a couple wobbly steps to the mirror. The shoes did complete the look. He hiked up the skirt and looked at his feet. The shoes were as much string as the top of the dress. He hoped he would be able to get them on himself the next night. "Well, those look like a perfect fit," Rantai commented. "I would suggest 10 pair to go with the outfits you choose. Why don't you change and we'll see about sorting them out. This dress and shoes are definitely going with you." Gerald nodded and sat back down in front of Rantai. He reached under the dress and quickly undid the shoes. Barefooted again, Gerald went back into the dressing area. He got out of the gown and carefully hung it up; dug out the dress he started the day in from beneath the rest of the clothes and put it on. "I'm going to need help figuring this out," Gerald held the door open displaying the myriad of clothes behind him. Laija and Rantai laughed. "Just bring them back out two at a time, but give me a minute." Rantai disappeared again. "I think he is having a great time," Gerald told Laija. "Yes, he has found a good place for his talents. You appear to be having a good time as well," she pointed out. "Actually, I am." Rantai returned pulling three empty rolling racks behind him. "This one will be casual," indicated the first rack. "This one work and this one discard. Now, go bring out the first two." Gerald started bringing out the outfits two at a time as requested. Some went straight to the discard rack since he had already decided on certain ones that he didn't like something about them. They talked about the work stuff a lot since nobody knew what sort of work he would end up doing. It took the better part of an hour but they eventually got to the final selections. Once they were set on the racks, Rantai took the discard rack and hauled it off somewhere. He soon returned and grabbed the other two racks. "Follow me," he called and headed off. They soon arrived at the shoe department. Rantai lined up several pairs of shoes by each rack. They had heel heights varying from an inch to three inches. Gerald tried to hide his discomfort with the idea of wearing a high heel all the time. He practically fell the brief time he wore those shoes earlier. "What about flats?" he asked. "Certainly," Rantai answered. "We could toss in a pair or two but you won't want to go out in them once you get out of the hospital. And you certainly won't want to go to work in them. More than a couple pair would be a waste." "OK," Gerald relented. "Just a couple then." "Would you excuse us, please, Laija?" Rantai asked. "Certainly." She gave them both a curious look but wandered away from them. "She did say you lost everything," Rantai spoke quietly. "I supposed that means you will need underthings as well." "Oh," Gerald could feel himself getting warmer. "Um, yes, I guess so." "Come with me." Rantai led him to the lingerie section. "Good grief," Gerald surveyed the area. "There are as many choices here as with the dresses." "Well, it is totally up to your preference," Rantai answered. "The outfits you chose it really leave it up to your comfort. Except for the formal gown. For that I would suggest this." He held up a white thong, mostly lace in the front and around the hips. "Goodness, is that enough to, um, keep everything from falling out?" Gerald asked before he could stop himself. "Oh, certainly," Rantai answered. "Once you put it on it tightens down in a way that is very comfortable and keeps everything right where it should be." "OK, fine," Gerald knew he was red as a beet at this point. Without another word he went about selecting about 20 pairs of panties to add to his trove. "Last thing," Rantai pointed out, "it is still a few months before winter hits but you likely don't want to wait until the last minute. You should have about a half dozen pairs of stocking for the cold. Why don't you start with nude and maybe later you might decide to add some color." He handed Gerald several packages. "Thank you." Gerald smiled at him. "You have been a tremendous help today. I'm glad you were here." "Thank you, Gerald," Rantai beamed. "It is always good to know that one has done their part." They walked back to the racks of clothes; Laija was patiently waiting on their return. "Are we all set now?" she asked. "I hope so," Gerald answered. "I might have to buy a truck just to move all this stuff." "Buy?" Rantai asked. "A colloquialism from his land, it just means he might require the use of a large car for an extended time," Laija covered. "Oh," Rantai answered. "Well, let me call you a car to help you get back with your things." The car arrived and they got everything loaded into it, bid Rantai a good afternoon and returned to the hospital. It took a few trips to get everything into his room, he barely had enough room in his closet for all the clothes but at last everything was put away. Gerald was exhausted. "I think it would be best if I brought dinner to you here in the room tonight. You have pushed too hard today," Laija pointed out. "Good practice for tomorrow night." Gerald smiled as he leaned against the bed. "I'll sleep well tonight." "I will go get the dinner, you get into bed," she instructed. Gerald nodded and Laija left. He pushed away from the bed and stripped his dress off. It landed in the basket and he pulled a nightgown from the dresser. "I probably should have picked up a few more of these as well," he commented to himself as he slid it over his head. He liked the feel of the silky material whisper against his thighs as he made his way back to the bed and crawled under the covers. "Ah, if mission control could see me now." He laughed and adjusted the nightgown. A few minutes later Laija came in with his meal. "You didn't bring one for yourself?" he asked. "Not tonight," she answered. "I need to be leaving. I will see you tomorrow night. We will go for a nice dinner and the concert." "I'm looking forward to it." Laija left, Gerald ate and was asleep in moments. * - 8 - * The next morning Gerald woke and asked a nurse to bring him breakfast in the room, he planned on eating lunch there as well. The day would be spent practicing walking and saving his energy for his date this evening. He stopped himself. His date. Was it really supposed to be a date or was Laija just being kind and helping introduce him to this new world. He was starting to wonder about his relationship with her beginning with was there one? He climbed out of bed and went to the closet. First things first, he dropped the underwear he had been wearing into the laundry basket which was empty again. It amazed him that someone seemed to come in each night, remove the dirty clothes and place them back in his closet before morning. He took the pair he was told he should wear and slipped them on. It felt strange not having a back to them, and even stranger having that thin string slide between his cheeks. But once he had them on they seemed to mold against his body holding him in place with no chance of slipping out the side. That caused him a little concern, what if he needed to go to the bathroom? How tough would it be to get these off? He tried to slip his fingers into the lace waistband and at first it resisted but then it started to roll down. Then it completely relaxed and slid off. He pulled it back up and again was snuggly in place. Amazed he dropped his nightgown back down, it felt different and he liked it. He stooped and picked up the shoes he was going to wear that evening. He sat in a chair and started trying to figure out the correct way to weave his feet through the many strings and straps that made up the shoe. After about fifteen minutes he finally sorted it out and also saw how easy it would be then next time he put them on. He stood and walked across the room, shaking and stumbling a little. He walked back and forth about a half dozen times before deciding he needed a rest. He lay down on the bed just as breakfast arrived. When boredom of lying there finally got to Gerald he would get up and walk around the room for a while, then back to bed. He repeated this exercise several times until mid-afternoon when he stripped down and cleaned up for the evening's festivities. He had just finished getting the dress on and was looking himself over in the mirror when he heard a knock at the door. "Come in," he called and was surprised to find his heart had started racing a bit. "Good afternoon," Captain Yinzi entered the room. "You look very nice, going out?" "Yes, Laija is taking me to a concert tonight," he relaxed a bit disappointed. "I am looking forward to seeing what music is like here." "Hmm." Yinzi looked thoughtful for a moment. "I came to tell you that we believe your ship has fully recharged its batteries. I wanted to see if you were available to take a ride out there. If we don't go this evening, it may be a few days before I will be able to take you out there again. And I'm sorry, but I don't want you going out there without me yet." "I understand." It was Gerald's turn to look thoughtful. He struggled with wanting to try messaging Earth and spending the evening with Laija. He looked passed Yinzi at the mirror, at himself. "I am afraid I will have to wait for your next convenience, Captain," he finally informed her. "I don't think it would be right walking out on Laija this late in the day." "I do understand." Yinzi nodded. "I will try and give you more warning when I am ready to go out there again." As the Captain finished Laija appeared at the door. Gerald had no idea a woman could look that attractive in a suit. But to call it a suit did her outfit a disservice. It was almost a tux, but cut in such a feminine way that it enhanced her body eliminating any doubt that she was anything but a woman. "You look amazing," Gerald breathed totally forgetting Captain Yinzi was still in the room. "Thank you," she nodded. "I think you look even better than when I first saw you try on that dress. But there is one thing that we forgot to mention." "Make-up," the Captain threw in. "Make-up?" Gerald asked. "Yes, you are expected to wear some for an event like this. I will help you, it won't take long," Laija answered. "And with that, I will take my leave," Yinzi turned and left. Laija reached into a pocket and took out a few implements. She approached him and went to work on his face. To his relief make-up consisted of some color around his eyes and on his cheeks. It created quite a look. They left and walked toward the front of the hospital. Everybody on the hall stopped and watched them walk by, smiles appearing on their faces. They entered the car and it sped away. First stop was the restaurant. They were seated immediately and a young man in a short black dress took a drink order. Gerald had deferred to Laija's choice. When they looked at the menu Gerald had to remind her that he was unable to read their language yet. "Oh, well what would you like to eat?" she asked. "A steak would be incredible right now," he answered. "I do not know what a steak is." "Meat, a red meat from the muscle of an animal we call a cow. Prepared correctly, it is tender and juicy. Ah, my mouth is watering just thinking about it." Laija's eyes had gone wide. "You eat animals?" "Yes, of course," he told her. "Some are raised specifically for that purpose. You eat animals here. I've had something like sausage, a ground meat, with my breakfast. And other things at time that while I couldn't identify it, had to have been a meat of some type." "No, nothing you have eaten here came from any animal. Everything we eat comes from the plants." "Vegetarians? I had no idea." Gerald sat back, his gown rustling with his movement. "Well, then. Once again I will leave it to you to order for us. I am certain I will find it delicious." "I will select something with texture so you can feel like you are eating meat." She shook her head. "I can see that there is still a lot I need to teach you." "I agree." They ate their meal and Gerald was completely satisfied with what Laija had selected. It almost resembled a fish dinner but was assured it had been prepared from a plant that was grown in the mountain region nearby. The drinks had some sort of alcohol to it and Gerald had a nice buzz going by the time they left the restaurant. The car dropped them off at the entrance to the auditorium and then sped off empty to the waiting area. Gerald and Laija walked into the entry and found a crowd of people milling about. Many of the women were dressed similar to Laija with minor changes to their suits and their make-up. The men were amazing in all sorts of gowns and make-up that varied from simple like Gerald's to garish. Some were in short, but fancy dresses, many wore long dresses. Gerald felt proud standing there with Laija. Proud of the date he had with him. Proud that he felt he looked good for his date. They wandered into the main auditorium and took their seats. Soon the lights went down. Music arose lightly all around them; it was a sort of electronic music, like someone had done classical music in the modern age. He looked around trying to locate the orchestra and finally found them. Instead of sitting in a group on a stage, or in a pit, they were on a level above them encircling the entire room. Spread out didn't seem right to him but he couldn't argue with the result. He felt immersed within the music. Then a screen in front of him gradually started to light. Images that complimented the music, images of nature, of buildings and cities, color patterns that wove across the screen captured Gerald's attention. All too soon the music came to a close and the screen darkened. The crowd erupted in applause. The musicians stood and bowed. "Is that it? It can't be over so soon," Gerald pleaded. "So soon," Laija answered, "we have been here for more than two hours. I guess you liked it." "I loved it," Gerald fussed with his dress. "I've never experienced anything quite like it." "Well, perhaps we can do something like that again," Laija offered. "Something different but like that." "I would like that very much." Gerald reached over and squeezed her hand. They walked out and waited for the line of cars to pick up their riders. Eventually their ride arrived and they went back to the hospital. Gerald talked the whole time of the night's experience. When they arrived at the hospital Laija walked Gerald to his room. It was late and the halls were dimly lit. Few people were still walking around tending the patients. "Thank you, Laija, for a wonderful evening," Gerald stood looking up into Laija's face still a few inches above him. "I enjoyed it very much, too, Gerald," she whispered back. "I enjoy your company quite a lot." "And I enjoy yours as well," Gerald fidgeted a bit. He wanted to kiss her but wasn't sure of the way things are done here. Was he supposed to wait for her to make the move? "I hope we can do more." Laija looked around to be sure they weren't being watched then took Gerald in her arms and kissed him gently on the lips. Gerald was stunned briefly; it was what he wanted but was surprised by how quickly she moved. Her hand against his bare back thrilled him, her lips soft against his, and then it was over before it became more. "Um, I hope that was okay." Laija stepped back. "I just felt it was wanted by both of us. I won't do it again if you would prefer." "Actually, I think it ended too quickly," Gerald admitted. Laija smiled. "Perhaps this isn't the place for more than that." "I understand." Gerald grinned. "Will I see you tomorrow?" "Could on it," Laija took Gerald's hands and gave them a gently squeeze. She turned and left, Gerald watched her disappear down the hall. Once she had gone Gerald went back into his room and carefully undressed hanging up the dress, setting the shoes on the floor and dropping the underwear in the laundry. He grabbed some regular panties and a nightgown from the dresser and went to clean his face. He crawled into bed and lay there reflecting on the evening. It was the first time in a while he didn't pass out from exhaustion. He didn't mind lying there in the dark that night at all. He felt totally at peace. * - 9 - * A couple days later Gerald returned from the cafeteria to find Captain Yinzi waiting for him. "I'm heading out to your ship today," she started right up. "I thought I'd see if you were free to accompany me." "Hello," Gerald answered. "Yes, I can go with you, let me change shoes. Heels won't work out there in that field." He grabbed his sandals from the closet and quickly changed them. An idea occurred to him and he quickly glanced up at the captain wondering if he would catch her trying to look up his dress while he was working with the shoes. She was actually turned the other way. He wasn't sure if he should be glad for the respect, or insulted she wasn't trying. "OK. Let's go," Gerald stood up and went toward the door. Yinzi held the door for him and they proceeded to make their way to the ship. It was another long quiet drive which was fine with Gerald. He had to decide on what he was going to try and get done with the short time he would likely have out there. They finally arrived and Gerald went into the tent. First thing he noticed was a flap was pulled aside allowing sunlight to bathe the ship. He was glad for that. It looked like things had been moved around some. He slipped inside through the jagged hole and found a lot of things had labels on them in that same flowery script that made no sense to him. He stepped back outside the capsule. "What has been done to my ship?" he pressed the Captain. "I see labels all over it." "Our people have been investigating it, of course," Yinzi replied smoothly. "You'll be pleased to know that we have found no weapons or causes of concern to the welfare of the people here." "Hell, I could have told you that," Gerald hissed. "But I wouldn't have believed you," she answered smoothly. "Why would you tell us you had a bomb or a gun if you thought you might use them? Either you had some or you didn't, likely either way you would have given us the same answer denying it." Gerald had to admit to himself that were the situations reversed his people would have done the same. Worse, probably. He would have found the ship spread out on a sheet with the parts numbered and labelled. "Of course," he sighed. "You needed to be sure it was safe." He turned and went back inside. He turned on all the systems for a check and saw there was a message waiting. Everything else looked functional; they did a good job putting it all back together, except for the systems that had been damaged. He knew this ship wouldn't fly again in any case. He called up the message. "Colonel Macon," began Doc Wilkes voice. "Uh oh, formal rank and name, this can't be good," Gerald whispered to himself. "I am sorry to report that war has broken out in the Middle East. We are hip deep in it and won't be able to put any resources toward a rescue mission for some time." In a more gentle voice he continued, "Gerald, I hope you are okay there. Our last transmission was cut off but I suspect you are doing alright. Send a report. This facility is being scaled back during the crisis but I'll be by every couple weeks to check on things. Good luck." Gerald flipped the switch off and sat back for a moment gathering his thoughts. He wasn't certain whether he was sad or glad about a lack of a rescue, he was really coming to love this world. He toggled some switches and began his return message. "Dr. Wilkes, I am doing very well. The people here are treating me incredibly well. I am going to try and remove the radio and a battery to power it from the ship and transport it back to the city with me. I will send a complete report when I get it reassembled and working. In the meantime, I'll leave enough solar and battery to run the beacon in case someone decides to come and find me. "Thanks Doc, and good luck to you. I think you may need it more than I do." Gerald signed off. He climbed back out of the ship and stood for a moment. "Well," he addressed Captain Yinzi, "nobody is coming for me any time soon. I have a request if I may." "What would you like?" she replied. "I'd like to know if someone can remove a couple solar panels, a battery, and the radio so that I can bring it back with me. There is also a locator beacon on the ship, one solar cell and battery would be enough to power it should someone eventually come looking. It would lead them here rather than some other part of the world. After that, your scientists can do whatever they like with the rest of the ship. It isn't usable any longer and there isn't any reason to keep it out here that I can tell." "I am concerned that with your world at war a radio for you to bring them here may not be that good of an idea," she countered. "If they were to want to come this way with the war they wouldn't need me, the radio, or the beacon," Gerald pointed out. "They already know where you are, that's how I ended up here." Captain Yinzi frowned because she knew he was right, and that it was obvious, and she felt foolish for having said it. "Fine," she nodded toward a technician, "Amnian will help you. Tell her what you want." She stalked off. "Amnian," Gerald greeted her. "Did you hear what I told the Captain I needed?" "Yes," she smiled, "she wasn't happy. I believe we can do all you asked without damaging the systems. Also, in studying your ship, I believe we can adapt your devices to our electrical systems. Perhaps we could test with some of the other systems before we convert your radio or beacon." "That would be wonderful," Gerald exclaimed. "Do you need anything from me? Otherwise I will start a long drive back to the city, and I have a feeling it will seem even longer." Amnian laughed. "Yes, I think it will be. You may go, I believe we are accustomed to your ship and know what you need. We should have it to you in a couple days." "Thank you," Gerald retreated back to the car. The drive back was long; Yinzi sulked on one side but made no show of it. At least she didn't try and reassert her control. When they arrived at the hospital Gerald bid his farewell, Yinzi barely nodded in response. Gerald was surprised to find Dr. Gansith and Laija waiting for him. "Hi!" he greeted them both and took a seat in the chair and straightened his skirt. "Good afternoon," the doctor began, "you look like you are doing well." "Absolutely," he answered. "My stamina is just about back to what it was. I hardly get tired now from my little excursions." "That is what I thought," the doctor nodded. "I believe it is time that you checked out of here and went home." "Home," he looked back and forth between the two women who towered over him. "I don't have a home. My ship is not in any shape for me to live in it even if it were close enough." "Yes, we understand that," the doctor continued. "Laija here has grown quite fond of you and has offered to help you get settled into a place of your own. She will introduce you to someone who can help you find an unoccupied apartment. I would like you to move by the end of the week." Gerald nodded. "It can be done that fast?" "Yes," Laija answered. "We just need to find one to your liking and register that you have decided to occupy it." "Then I'm sure it won't be a problem, I'm not that picky." "On a personal note, Colonel Macon," the doctor stepped closer. "I would like to say I have very much enjoyed being your doctor. If you have any problems I hope you feel comfortable enough to come and see me." "Dr. Gansith, I would seek help from nobody else. Thank you for all you have done for me," Gerald stood and gently grasped her hands. With that she turned and left. "Grown fond of me, have you?" Gerald teased Laija. "Yes, I have," she answered unphased. "But you are under no obligation to feel that you must return my feelings." "Ah, Laija." Gerald stepped closer, his eyes level with her chin. "I have developed some strong feelings toward you as well. I just wasn't sure if the attention was just you sense of duty to help me acclimate or if you felt the same." "I wasn't certain until the night of the concert," she confessed. "Then I knew." They kissed. "Well," Laija pulled away, "I think we should get a fresh start tomorrow morning. I am going to contact a realtor who can show us some places. Do you have any minimum requirements?" "I haven't seen any normal places since I've been here so tell me if I am out of line," Gerald thought, "but I'd like something with one bedroom, a bathroom, living area, kitchen and an extra bedroom or office that I can store the things they are bringing from my ship." "That shouldn't be a problem