G11

by Sarah Bayen

Part Two

 

Steve walked along a long corridor he had never seen before. It was obviously something the Machine had created while they had been in the Main Assembly. It often rearranged the internal structure of the ship, seemingly on a whim, but rarely bothered to inform any of the occupants about it. He was walking slowly. Not because he was anything but anxious to show his friends that he had managed to escape from his skirt, but because the trousers he was wearing kept slipping from his waist. He looked down at them in anger, and saw a glimpse of white socks beneath the huge turn-ups he had made. Damn, he thought, he should have got Karen to swap socks with him as well. Still, he reasoned, she would probably have thought they were too small for her. He looked at the ridiculous pattern traced out in tiny holes on them and stopped, letting the turn ups down a little more in an effort to hide them. Just about satisfied that his efforts would save him from further ridicule, he continued along the corridor.

He came to an archway after about one hundred meters or so. A bright neon sign above it said, "Sleeping Quarters, B numbers." He smiled to himself. This was to be his new home. Clutching the blue bag that contained his only possessions, as well as the waistband of his trousers, he stepped forward towards the Arch. A flash of light stopped him. "Warning," the Machine announced. "G numbers must not enter B sleeping area until breeding programme has commenced."

Shit, he thought. He stepped forward again, with the same result. Beyond the archway, he could see two of the boys coming out of rooms to find out what the commotion was all about. "Sounds like one of the girls is coming in to get us!" he heard a voice call. It was Colin. He walked along to the Archway from the other side, and stopped, facing Steve. "Oh it's you," he observed, then looked Steve up and down. "Got rid of the skirt did you? You might have got some trousers that fitted you though."

"I didn't have much choice," Steve replied through gritted teeth. "Let me in will you?"

Colin looked bemused at this. He shrugged. "Sure," he said, and stood to one side. Steve stepped forward again, and was held back by a force emanating from the frame of the archway.

"Warning," the Machine's metallic tones echoed out again. "G numbers must not enter B sleeping area until breeding programme has commenced." He stood confounded outside in the corridor.

"Switch it off Colin," he snapped.

"I'm not doing it, it's the Machine," the other boy protested. "It still thinks you're a girl! Ha ha!"

"What's going on?" said another voice from behind Colin. Bryn pushed himself to the front. "Oh hi Steve. Back to being a boy now are you? Good."

"I can't get in," Steve hissed back. Bryn looked bemused.

"Well we just walked in. There's not a door or anything."

"I know that, watch." Steve stepped forward again, and, with a faint flash, was pushed backwards again.

"G numbers must not enter B sleeping area until breeding programme has commenced," the Machine announced with seemingly infinite and infinitely infuriating patience.

Bryn walked through to join Steve outside, paused for a moment, and then walked back through the arch. "It works for me," he commented, shrugging.

"It still thinks he's a girl," Colin added, sneering as he chortled to himself. "Looks like you'll have to sleep with the girls for a while my son."

"Lucky you," Bryn observed, with a twinkle in his eye.

"Hardly." Steve muttered dolefully in response.
More of the boys now filled the corridor on the other side of the Archway to see what was going on. Steve looked pleadingly through the forbidden threshold at them. Surely there was a way to switch the bloody thing off. "Is there any other entrance?" he demanded.

"Not that I've noticed," Bryn replied nonchalantly. "The Machine's obviously set on protecting our modesty or something."

A boy called Stuart, tall, and with thick black hair, began looking at the frame of the door with some interest. He was generally considered to be one of the brightest of the children, particularly in scientific matters. "It looks as if it's some sort of force field," he announced at length. "Not a strong one. I'm not sure what triggers it."

"He does," Colin suggested, sneering at Steve again.

Stuart followed his gaze. "Try it again," he suggested.

Steve stepped forward, and was immediately repulsed. "G numbers must not enter B sleeping are until breeding programme had commenced."

Stuart tilted his head to one side. "It's got some sort of recognition device in it," he said. "It won't let girls through."

"I'm not a girl!" snapped Steve.

Stuart considered this for a moment. "Yes," he agreed at last. "But the Machine thinks you are, so it's not going to let you through."

"Can't you switch it off?" Steve demanded. "You're good with electrics and things like that."

"No, I don't think so." Stuart replied thoughtfully. "And even if I did, the Machine would just build another one to replace it."

"Well then, what am I supposed to do?" Steve demanded.

"Go and find a room in the G area," a voice behind him suggested. He turned, and saw Karen standing behind him, wearing the skirt that he had been forced into by the machine. She looked grim faced, and determined.

"Nice skirt!" Bryn told her, looking at her preposterously short attire. She snarled at him, and then turned to Steve.

"Looks like you've found the same problem as me," she observed. Standing beside him for a moment, she stepped forward through the archway without any reaction from the Machine. She turned to face him. "The Machine still thinks I'm a boy, and that you're a girl," she announced. "We might as well make ourselves comfortable until we work out a way to put it right." She then turned to the assembled boys, taller than most of them. "And I don't want any stupidity from you lot!" she announced. "As far as you are concerned, the Machine is right. I am a boy, so leave me alone, alright?"

There were a few mumbles, and the crowd began to disperse. "What about me?" Steve asked, after a pause.

Karen turned around to face him. "Well I'd get myself off to the girls' quarters if I were you. I've not been in there, but according to Sarah, we've all got rooms to ourselves, so it shouldn't be too difficult, as long as you keep yourself to yourself."

Steve felt new tears of frustration welling in his eyes. Karen stepped back through the archway, and placed a hand gently on his shoulder. "Don't worry," she said kindly. "We can sort his out. There's no need to let it upset you. Boys will be boys won't they? The Machine won't be able to think a boy is a girl for long, or the other way around."

Consoled, Steve smiled at her, and put his hand on hers. "I'm sure you're right," he said. "Shall I see you later?"

She smiled again at him, her hand still on his shoulder. "Yes, when we eat. We can swap ideas then about how to put this madness right."

He smiled again. "Welcome B15," he heard the Machine say from the other side of the arch. "Your sleeping quarters are ready, and have been labelled with your designation."

"I'll just go and have a look," she said to him, smiling again. "See you later."

Steve wistfully watched her walk down the corridor beyond the archway, as she looked left and right for what should be his room. Sullenly he turned, and retraced his steps to the Main Assembly, and from there, through the other door, still open, into an identical corridor leading off into the distance.

His progress was still slow, hampered by the clumsiness imposed by his huge trousers. Eventually he reached another archway, identical to that which had rejected him, except with a gaudy, "Sleeping Quarters G number," across its top. He hesitated on the threshold for a moment, and then stepped through. The Machine made no protest. Once inside he stopped again, looking at the rows of doors, each with a number on it, a G number. He supposed he should look for the door marked G11.

"Welcome G11," the Machine intoned. "Your sleeping quarters are ready, and have been labelled with your designation." Grimly clutching both his trousers, and his blue bag, he walked forward, looking at the numbers on the doors as he passed. There was giggling coming from inside the one marked G3. He wondered briefly who was in there. As he passed G7 the door opened, and he jumped. Janet stood framed by the door, and looked at him in distrust. "Oh, it's you," she said, as if she'd been expecting him.

"Yes," he responded, coughing nervously. "I couldn't get into the boy's area."

She looked at him appraisingly. "No," she agreed. "I didn't think you would be able to. Karen couldn't get in here." She looked down at his trousers, and raised her eyebrows. "They're a bit big for you," she commented.

"I know," he replied. "But rather that than wear a skirt."

She raised her eyebrows even higher. "I'm not sure I'd agree to be honest."

Her comment on his fashion taste made him feel uncomfortable. "Well I'd best go and find my room. My temporary room that is. We'll sort this out soon enough."

He walked further down the corridor, looking for the room that had been designated his. He was aware that Janet was watching him as he searched. He found it, marked G11 as expected.
"Welcome G11," the Machine intoned. "Please enter and make yourself comfortable. He touched the button on the left hand side of the door, which swished open.

"Oh God it's him!" he heard a voice behind him. He turned around. Several of the doors had now opened.

"At least he's wearing trousers now," someone else commented, and there was an echo of giggles. Closing his eyes wearily, he stepped into the room, and allowed the door to shut behind him. He learnt against the door with his eyes shut for a few moments, trying to compose himself, but eventually opened them, and looked around the room.

It was sparse, with a simple bed against one wall, and a desk and computer terminal on the other. There was the standard Interface with the Machine itself on the far wall at the foot of the bed. From there he could obtain things that the Machine made, including clothing. He had never paid much attention to the Interface before, his Mum and Dad had handled that sort of thing for him. Thinking of them, he felt infinitely sad again, and lay himself down on the bed, and began to cry softly to himself.

He didn't know how long he had stayed like that, face down on the bed, but he was aroused by the sound of the door alert, and the voice of the Machine. "G13," it intoned, informing him of who had rung his doorbell.

Cursing quietly to himself, he dried his eyes on the sleeve of his blouse. It was only then that he noticed the thin pink piping around the cuff. He stood, only for his trousers to slip down his thighs. Cursing again, he hoisted them up, and holding the waistband walked to the door, and pushed the button on the side to open it. Standing in the doorway was Sarah, her dark curly hair framing her face, which had a sheepish expression on it. "Hi Steve," she said brightly. "Oh my, have you been crying?"

"No," he snapped in response. "I was just," he hesitated for a moment, "sleeping." She looked at him with some sympathy and disbelief in his denial for a second or two.

"Listen," she said, visibly blushing. "This is a bit awkward, but I've got to go to the loo." He stared back at her, and wondered why she felt the need to tell him this. His puzzlement must have been obvious on his face, because Sarah decided, in spite of her obvious embarrassment, to press on with an explanation. "Only we share a toilet, you and me," she went on. He was still not clear as to the issue. "It's between your room and mine," she went on. "We've got a door each, but I wanted to make sure you weren't going to be in there for a minute or two. Hadn't you noticed we were sharing then?"

"No," he replied, now sharing her embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I've only just got here."

"Well it's not your fault," she went on. "But it is a bit awkward. Actually it's worse for Jeanette," she confided, biting her lip. Jeanette was Sarah's best friend, a taller girl with long mousy hair. "She's sharing a shower with you!" Her eyes opened wide to emphasise the horror. Sarah nodded to the other wall of his room, where Steve, turning, noticed a door. "The rooms have got a shared shower on one side, and a shared toilet on the other. I suppose it saves on space."

"Yes," Steve agreed, now blushing as much as the girl.

"She's a bit nervous about you being here," Sarah went on. "Perhaps you could, I don't know, reassure her that you won't be bursting in on her or something?"

"Yes, of course," he replied, gathering himself together. "And I don't need the toilet for the moment, so you can go ahead."

Sarah smiled sweetly again. "Thanks." She looked down at his legs for a moment. "Those trousers are a bit big for you aren't they?"

He looked down at the seemingly massive waistband held in his hand, and nodded. "I swapped with Karen,"

Sarah nodded. "That was kind of her. Perhaps you should have a belt or something? That might keep them up a bit."

"I haven't got a belt," Steve said glumly.

"Then get the Machine to make one," Sarah said, amazed at his stupidity. "Do you know how?"

He nodded. "Yes. I'm not completely helpless you know."

"No I'm sure you're not," Sarah agreed. "Well, I'll leave you in peace then. Let me know if you need anything."

"Well I'll not be staying long," he said weakly, and wiped his eyes again.

"You have been crying!" Sarah exclaimed. "Oh poor Steve!" She stepped forward, and put an arm around his shoulders.

"I just miss my Mum and Dad," he spluttered.

"We all do," Sarah consoled. "I tell you what. Let me help you out finding a belt." She smiled at him, and he nodded meekly in response. Sarah sat down on the stool by the Interface, and pulled out the keyboard. The screen flickered to life, and rapidly she managed to display a series of nine potential belts. "Which one do you like?" she asked. He walked over and stood beside her. The belts were all a little girly for his taste, with hooks and flower motifs. He pointed at the least offensive one, which was in mock leather, with a heart for the buckle. Sarah pushed some more buttons on the keyboard, and, out of the chute by the side of the machine, the belt appeared. He grabbed it gratefully, and slipped it through the tabs on the waistband of his trousers, and did it up. It was a little tight, more than a little tight, and made the top of the trousers look all crumpled, and a little absurd. Sarah watched him attentively as he finished the job.

"You'd be better with your blouse hanging out," she observed. "It'll cover up where the trousers are too big."

"Do you think so?" he asked. She nodded, and he pulled the blouse out of his trousers, and let it hang loose over the newly belted trousers.

"Actually it would look even better if you put the belt over the blouse, rather than just through the trousers," Sarah observed critically. "But you'd probably think that was a bit girly." She giggled to herself.

Steve suddenly had a thought. "Can I order boy's stuff through there?" he asked. "Or a pair of trousers that fit anyway?"

"I don't see why not," Sarah said, turning back to the screen, her fingers flicking over the keyboard again.

"That choice is unavailable to G11 at the present time," the screen responded to her final click.

"Oh that's a blow!" Sarah exclaimed. She tried again, with the same response. "I'll have to try on mine in a minute. I don't want to be stuck in a skirt all the time any more than you did!"

Steve found it hard to sympathise with her, and the brief surge of optimism the thought of ordering trousers through the Interface had brought him evaporated. Sarah stood up. "Right, well I'd best have my wee then. I won't be long, but I'd be grateful if you'd let me know when you're going to go. Just knock on the door and tell me."

"I will," Steve replied, now back in the depths of melancholy. Sarah smiled once more, and left. The door hissed shut behind her, and Steve sat himself down on the edge of the bed. His belt dug into him a little, but he had had to do it up tight to make sure his trousers stayed in place. God, having to share a toilet and shower with girls! It was just as well this was a temporary problem. I hoped Karen was having more luck than him thinking of a way of solving it.

"Attention," the Machine suddenly announced. "Will all G and B numbers please reassemble in the Main Assembly for further briefing. Thank you," it added, as an afterthought. Steve jumped up immediately. Much as he hated the Machine at that point, the summons was welcome as a way of ending his temporary exile amongst the girls. He placed the blue bag, with its memories of his childhood on the bed, pausing briefly to wonder whether he would have a chance to retrieve it. He was certain that he would not be coming back to the girl's sleeping quarters; Karen would have figured some way out of the mess. Nevertheless, he didn't want to carry it around. He decided to leave it there. He could always ask Karen, who would no doubt be allocated this room, to let him have it back later.

He walked over, and through the door. The common area outside the rooms was empty, and all the other doors closed. Feeling rather hopeful for the first time that day, he strode purposefully towards the archway, and passed through it without comment from the Machine. He retraced his steps along the corridor beyond the sleeping area, and into Main Assembly. The large room, still with chairs scattered hither and thither from the reassignment process, was empty. He had reacted quickest, and most alacrity to the summons.

"Attention," the Machine repeated itself. "Will all G and B numbers please reassemble in the Main Assembly for further briefing." Steve moved over towards the door that led to the boys' area, and sat himself down purposefully on that side of the room. That would show the Machine he meant business, he thought to himself. He heard some laughter from the corridor, and was relieved to see Stuart and Charles enter, sharing some joke.

"Hi," he said, eagerly, pleased to have masculine company. The other two boys looked at him dubiously. He had never been particularly friendly with either. Charles, he had bullied extensively, and Stuart he had ridiculed as a geek. Eventually, and with some reluctance, they nodded in reply.

"You got some trousers then," Charles commented curtly, and then sat down a significant distance from Steve.

The room soon began to fill. Steve waved as Richard and Bryn entered, and they came over to join him.

"Wotcha," Richard said, he at least, pleased to see him. "How's it going?"

"Not great," Steve replied. "But at least I managed to swap clothes with Karen."

"Yes," Bryn responded. "It was a bit odd seeing you in a skirt you know. I might have fancied you if I wasn't careful."

Steve pulled a face, and looked up as a furious looking Karen entered from the boys' side. He waved to her as well, eager for some news of her escape plan, but she ignored him, and walked across the hall to join her friend Mandy on the other side. She walked awkwardly in the tight skirt she had taken off him, and kept pulling its hem down to avoid revealing even more of her legs.

"Nice skirt Karen!" Bryn shouted across the room, obviously delighted at the girl's discomfort.

"Shut your face," she retorted without bothering to turn, and then sat with some difficulty next to her friend.

"Briefing commences in two minutes," the Machine's metallic tones informed them. Stragglers, particularly from the boys' side, came through the door, and took what seats were still available. Two or three of them elected to comment on Steve's lack of a skirt, to which he simply responded with a sneer. The skirt as a joke, he knew, would run for a while, but at least he had escaped from the ignominy of actually wearing it. The only comment that really upset him came from Colin. He walked right up to Steve, and sneered, before saying. "You looked better in a skirt," and walking away.

The lights dimmed, and the familiar 'Other' face appeared on the screen. It proceeded to give them a lecture on what the programme for the immediate future was to be. Their education would continue, with maths and science still forming a large part of the curriculum. They all listened with half interest to the list of topics they would be covering. Sports would continue to be available, but as they were older, the Machine told them, the girls and boys would exercise separately. There were a few murmurs of discontent from the girls at this. The murmurs turned to uproar as the Machine made its next pronouncement. What they were wearing then was what it had called the Learning Uniform. They were to wear it during the daytime hours each day when there were lessons. It would, the Machine informed them, create an atmosphere conducive to learning. The children had been able more or less to wear whatever they chose before, and this restriction, although minor, grated considerably. The girls in particular, seemed to regard it as an affront that they should have to wear skirts for lessons. Steve's blood went cold, as he realised that unless and until he could correct the Machine's stupidity, the same fate would befall him.

The Machine finished by telling them that lessons would commence the next day, and that they were free to do as they wished, at least, until dinner, which would be served communally in the Refractory. There had been no such room before, when the parents were still with them, and Steve hoped that it would be adequately signposted. The Other face froze on the screen, and the lights in the room were switched back up.

The outrage of the girls then filled the room, orchestrated by Linda, and ably assisted by Sylvia, a tall girl with a mass of dark hair. The Machine's pronouncement, it appeared, had demeaned them. Steve, and most of the boys, stayed silent during the tirade. What might be done about it was a question the girls all seemed happy to leave to later, simply revelling in their sense of offended fair play.

"Well I think it's good," Bryn whispered to Steve, as the ranting went on. "Girls look better in skirts anyway."

"Yeah," agreed Richard. "Better than you do anyway Steve!" Steve grimaced anew at the reminder of the uniform the Machine had picked out for him. "I tell you what, shall we get off to the sports hall, and kick a ball around for a bit. It'd be better than sitting here listening to that lot."

"Good idea," agreed Bryn. "Let's just go back and get changed into our football kit, and have some fun."

Steve was on the point of agreeing, as the other two stood, when he realised that he wouldn't be able to follow them off to the boys' sleeping area. Still, he could get to the Sports Hall just as easily from the girls' side, he reasoned, having picked up his gear. But he really ought to have a word with Karen first. "I just need to plan how to get back into the boys' quarters for the night," he said. "I'll join you in a minute."

Bryn and Richard nodded, and disappeared through the boys' exit. Steve stood, and picked his way across the room to where Karen was sitting with Mandy, both listening to Sylvia's renewed tirade about the sanity of the Machine.

"It's so bloody unfair," she exclaimed. "Making us wear skirts all the time." There was a chorus of 'yeahs' in response to this. Looking around nervously, Steve noticed that he was the only boy left in the hall. "I'll give the bloody thing Learning Uniforms!" she exclaimed, and raised her fist at the frozen face on the screen.

"My Mum told me that men used to keep women down by forcing them to be ladylike!" Gill added, to much agreement, and nodding. "It was only recently that girls were allowed to wear trousers at all."

"Yeah," Linda went on, warming to the theme. "Now that bloody Machine has taken away one of our basic rights, without so much as a by your leave!"

"Hi Karen," Steve whispered, sitting next to the tall girl, sitting very rigidly in the tiny skirt she had taken off him. She turned to face him, and smiled thinly, before returning her attention to Linda.

"Well I don't think we should put up with it," Linda went on. A chorus of 'no's' signalled the general agreement. "And what do you think Steve? You're a boy, or at least, you were until this morning." This was greeted by a peal of laughter from the girls sitting around. All eyes turned on him. "What do you think of the Machine's plans?"

Steve didn't know what to say. He hadn't been paying that much attention to what the Machine had said in respect of the girls. That, in his mind, had been someone else's problem. "I'm not sure," he managed to stutter eventually.

"Well it'll affect you too," Janet said, sitting opposite him. "Or at least, for as long as the Machine thinks you're a girl!" There was another chorus of giggles, and Steve felt a cold horror arising in his stomach. She was right, until he managed to convince the Machine that he was properly a boy, he was going to have to suffer its regime of making them wear skirts during the day.

"Well I think we need to make a protest," Linda went on, again to general agreement. "I'm not prepared to grow up as a mere plaything for men!"

"But what can we do?" asked Gill. The general chorus quietened, as all eyes fixed on her and considered this point.

"There's a new Machine-Human interface room," Steve was startled to hear Karen's voice, quiet and authoritatively announce. "It's designed for us to air any issues with the Machine. I've made an appointment for tomorrow morning for me and Steve to go and see it to discuss," she hesitated, and turned to look at Steve. "To discuss our particular problem."

There was another outbreak of murmuring. "Well that sounds a good first step," Linda agreed. "I'll make an appointment for all of us."

"It'd be better just to have three or four go," Karen suggested, again with an air of authority. "And to plan exactly what you're going to say. Steve and I are meeting this evening to go through our issues."

"Are we?" Steve asked, bewildered. She turned to him again. "Yes," she said, smiling at him. "I hadn't told you yet, but that's my plan."

"Well I think the rest of us need to plan what we need to say as well," Linda went on, looking a little discomforted by Karen's intervention.

"Good, well let's go and do it then!" exclaimed Gill. Almost as one, the girls stood to walk off to the sleeping area.

"Aren't you coming Karen?" Linda asked. "We could do with your help."

Karen looked up at the smaller girl. "I can't can I?" she replied, a little bitterly. "I'm stuck with the boys."

"Oh yes, I'm sorry," Linda replied. She stood for a while, trying to think of something to say, then joined the general exodus, leaving Karen and Steve on their own.

"It should be fairly straightforward," Steve suggested. "Convincing the Machine that you're a girl and I'm a boy."

Karen looked at him carefully. "Maybe," she suggested, "but we ought to plan it properly. We'll do that after dinner. I think better when I'm not hungry."

Steve didn't protest at this. Karen was a much better thinker than him, he knew that. If she wanted to do the planning after dinner, then he was happy enough with that. "How are you getting along with the girls?" she asked him, unexpectedly.

Her eyes held him in their gaze, demanding an answer. "Fine," he said, "They're friendly enough." He thought for a while. "It's a bit awkward having to share toilets and the showers though."

"Tell me about it!" Karen said, an exasperated tone in her voice. "I was having a quick shower when your mate Richard burst in on me!"

"Oh God, did he?"

"Yes. Still, I sent him off with his tail between his legs. My plan is to keep myself to myself as much as possible, until we've sorted this out anyway," Karen went on. "This bloody skirt doesn't help much," she said, tugging at the hem once more. In spite of himself, Steve's eyes fell on it, and the muscular legs it was exposing. "I manage to get a bit of elastic to fasten it at the back, but it's way too tight, and too bloody short as well."
"I'm sorry," Steve said, blushing a little. She looked at him, and shrugged.

"Well I'm not sure I'd be happy having to wear your skirt too often," she said, smiling. "Still, we'll get it sorted out tomorrow, and the Machine can give me one in my own size."
"Yes," Steve agreed, pleased that Karen wasn't blaming him for her predicament. There was a silence for a few seconds, then Karen announced that she was going back to her room. Steve stood, and thought about what to do. It would be some time before the main meal. He might as well join his friends in the Sports Hall, and make the most of having the day off lessons.

With a fairly light heart, he ran along the girls' corridor to the sleeping area, and through the archway. One of the bedroom doors was open, Linda's he guessed, and most of the girls were in there. A few glanced at him as he walked past, but made no comment, as he went along to his room, G11. He opened the door, and walked in. The room was undisturbed from his previous visit, blank and uncoloured everywhere. He sat down by the Interface he had seen Sarah use, and clicked onto the screen.

"Hello G11," the screen greeted him. "Do you wish to select the décor of your room?"

Underneath was a choice of Y or N. He selected N, and a new prompt appeared. "Please type in requirement." He typed 'sportswear'. The Interface hesitated for a moment, and then asked him if he wanted to select or design. He wondered what that might mean, but clicked on no. The Interface announced that it would deliver a standard sports kit for wear, was he happy with that? Again, he pressed Yes. Steve was pleased with his mastery of the equipment, and eagerly watched the chute for the delivery of his request.

Nothing happened for a few moments, and he looked back to the screen. "Please place your current clothing in the disposal chute for recycling," the screen told him. Sighing, he took his belt off, and then removed his clothes, and dumped them into the disposal chute. After a few seconds, the clothes were sucked back into the machine, and the chute on the other side chuntered, and then dumped a small package of clothing.

His self-satisfaction turned to horror when he saw what it was. He shook out the folds to confirm his suspicions, but the nature of the fabric, Lycra rather than cotton, had already told him something was wrong. He had been issued a light blue leotard, and a matching blue skirt. Damn the Machine! That was not what he meant by sportswear! He threw the offending items down on the floor, and stared sullenly at the interface screen again. "Please type in requirement," it said again. He typed in 'shorts'. It considered this for a moment, and then the screen told him. "This item is not available to G11 at the present time." He tried again, with the same result, and swore at the screen.

He considered the situation. The Machine had convinced himself that he was a girl. It was, therefore, perversely logical that it would provide him as a default with girl's sportswear. He could not, however, understand why it specifically debarred him from ordering shorts as an alternative. It had been the same when Sarah had tried to order him some trousers to go with his belt. He decided to try a different approach, to see if he could figure things out.

He typed 'trainers' onto the interface. It considered this for a moment, and then told him the request had been accepted. He waited, and stared at the chute for what might appear. Trainers were trainers after all. The Machine wouldn't be able to make them too girly.

There was a clunk, and he stared at what had been provided, unable to believe his eyes. They were trainers all right, and in his size, but both the laces, and the flashes on the sides were powder pink. He'd look as ridiculously girly in them as he had in his stupid shoes with buckles! He took them out of the chute, and threw them across the room again. Exasperated, he stood up, and went to sit on his bed. He picked up the blue bag, and looked inside. He pulled out the photograph of him with his Mum and Dad, looked at it, and smiled wistfully. If only they were here to help him out!

There was a beep from the door. "G9 and G13" the Machine's voice told him. He stood up, naked, and wondered what to do. Perhaps he should just tell them that he was about to take a shower. Then he remembered that he had agreed to inform them in advance of anything like that. He cursed quietly. There was no way he was going to open the door naked, so he walked over to the discarded gym kit, and picked it up. Looking at the leotard, he decided that it was too complicated for him to try and put on. Instead, he stepped into the tiny blue Lycra skirt, and pulled it up to his waist. Like the skirt on Karen, it was preposterously short, but at least it covered him with a modicum of modesty. Gritting his teeth, he pushed the panel on the side of the door that would open it.

"Hi Steve!" Sarah said, as she appeared with her friend Jeanette in the doorframe. She looked down at his waist and saw the gym skirt. "Oh, were you thinking of getting some exercise then?"

"No!" Steve protested. "I was trying to get the Machine to give me some proper clothes to wear!"

Both girls were a little taken aback by the venom of his outburst. "Well it's good to exercise," Jeanette said, smiling at him.

"Yes," Sarah agreed, still smiling. "Although you might be more comfortable in a pair of shorts," she added, giggling a little.

"The Machine wouldn't let me have any," he muttered sullenly.

Their expressions were puzzled. "Well I don't know why that should be," Sarah said. "I tried to order some trousers from my Interface; jeans actually. They were quite nice, blue with a bit of a stonewash look."

"Really?" Jeanette said, with genuine interest.

"Yes," Sarah went on. "It told me that I couldn't order it until the Learning Time was over, but there didn't seem to be any other problem."

They both turned to look at Steve, to see what he made of this new information. "Well maybe I'm not doing it right," he said, sullenly.

"Shall I have a look for you?" Sarah asked him, still smiling. He shrugged, but stood aside to give her access to the room and the Interface. She clacked at the keyboard for a few moments, with no noticeable result.

"Well that's odd," she said at last. "It seems specific to you. It's saying that G11 can't have them at this particular time, not all G numbers or anything."

"Let's have a look!" Jeanette said, stepping forward to stare at the screen. "Yes, that's right," she agreed. "It's specific to you Steve."

"Oh God," Steve exclaimed in despair. "So it's not going to let me order any trousers or anything like that?"

"It looks that way," Sarah agreed. "Poor Steve! What are you going to do?"

"I don't know," he snapped. "Well when Karen and I go and see the bloody thing tomorrow, we'll sort it out."

"But what about now?" Jeanette went on. "Did you put your trousers in for recycling?"

"I had to!" he snapped again. "I didn't think. Oh God, now I'm stuck!"

The two girls looked at him in sympathy. "Well it'll only be for today," Sarah reassured him. "Once you've sorted things out, you can have trousers whenever you want."

"Well I want them now!" he snapped, not looking at them. Jeanette and Sarah looked at each other. There was nothing much they could do to help, and he was obviously quite distraught. Jeanette nodded towards the door, and Sarah took the hint that they should leave.

"Well what we called to say, " Sarah said. "Is that Jeanette wants to have a shower if that's all right. You won't try and get in there will you? Not until she's finished anyway."

They both looked at him eagerly for his response. He shook his head. "No, you'll be fine," he said at last. "I'm not a pervert."

"We didn't think you were!" Sarah protested. "But it is, well, awkward."

"Yes," he agreed. "No, you'll be fine Jeanette. I'll keep myself to myself until it's time to eat."

Both girls smiled gratefully at him, and went back to Jeanette's room. He sat himself back down on the bed, and stared at his legs stretching out from beneath the flimsy pelmet of a skirt. How could he have been so stupid as to surrender the trousers? He had been so eager to go and play football with his friends that he hadn't thought through what the Machine's reaction was likely to be. Now he was stuck again. The damn thing was refusing to let him order anything remotely masculine, even girls' trousers. Feeling desperately sorry for himself, he resolved to miss dinner entirely, and try and meet up with Karen afterwards in private. That way, at least, he wouldn't be subject to the constant ridicule of his friends. The thought of meeting with Karen to plan their confrontation with the Machine cheered him a little. With her brainpower on his side, he was sure of a positive outcome.

  

  

  

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