Shock to the System
by Julie O
Edited by Amelia R
Chapter 1
August 23, 2012
7:55 PM
"We can't thank you folks enough," wearily exclaimed Dr. Thomas Edwards. "The hurricane took down all the power lines and the hospital is in ruins."
Just twenty hours earlier, Alexandria, a Category Five hurricane had ravaged the Virgin Islands.
"We're glad we could help. It was pretty difficult getting in here. We're fortunate that the helicopter could find a place to land," stated Dr. Hector Sanchez.
"Hector, I must admit, I had my doubts about this invention of yours, but not after what I've seen to day. Those machines have saved at least ten lives! I was convinced that the woman currently in that contraption would lose her leg." He was pointing at one of the self-contained medical units.
"It was for emergencies like this that I invented Patecatl, Thomas," replied Dr. Sanchez, as he ran his hand through his gray hair. His weathered face showed the many years of working in the tropics.
"I'm stunned at how quickly you got them operational. You only arrived forty minutes ago," continued Dr. Edwards.
"Excuse me, Dr. Sanchez, we've got two more units up and operating. We're ready for the next patients," interrupted a beautiful young woman, looking up from a computer control screen.
Even though he hadn't had any sleep in the past two days, a gorgeous blonde could still arouse Dr. Edwards. Even in her green coveralls, she was stunning, he thought. They looked like they were painted on her lovely body. He wondered how his old friend Hector was so lucky to have her as one of his technicians.
Chapter 2
July 11, 2011
7:34 PM
Andrew Bishop headed out to the deck and grabbed a cold bottle of Steinlager out of the cooler. Flopping down in a beach chair, he popped the top off the bottle and took a long drink. He could finally relax after months of exhausting work. Tomorrow morning they would finally conduct the first operational exam of Patecatl, a self-contained medical examination apparatus. Actually, it was programmed to do much more than just conducting assessments; it could also be programmed to conduct surgery through the use of nanites.
Andy took another long swig of the beer as his mind shifted to dreams of wealth should the machine operate as projected. Actually the money was secondary, what he craved was the prestige of inventing something special. This was just the sort of project that could lead to a great career. Andy watched the sun slip down in the Caribbean Sea and thought about his bright future.
Chapter 3
July 11, 2011
8:15 PM
Dr Hector Sanchez once again ran the diagnosis program for Patecatl and, for the sixth consecutive time, the program confirmed that everything was operating correctly.
At fifty-seven, he was at the age when doctors with his experience were looking for a nice hospital to run; instead he had put everything he had into creating a dream.
Patecatl was named after the Aztec god of medicine and was the creation of Dr. Hector Sanchez. His goal was to create a portable device that could be used to evaluate and treat a patient located miles from the nearest medical facility.
Dr. Sanchez envisioned Patecatl being flown in to disaster sites or to impoverished areas to treat and save lives. He had served several years with Doctors Without Borders and was often frustrated that lives were lost due to lack of proper medical facilities. It was then that he dreamed up the idea of Patecatl. He studied nanotechnology and soon became a respected expert.
The prototype device was almost ten feet long and five feet wide and resembled a shrunken MRI machine. Dr. Sanchez hoped that future models would be smaller, but that depended on finding better power supplies. Nearly half the weight of Patecatl was the power supply. Hector knew that the device had to be totally self-operating and was obsessed with having a stable internal power supply.
Once a patient was inside Patecatl, all their vital signs and a myriad of lab values could be viewed locally or across the world. After viewing the patient's status, the doctor could then authorize the appropriate treatment. IV fluids and blood transfusions could be administered automatically. The system could store up to ten pints of blood or plasma and could hold up to 100 different drugs, ranging from painkillers to anti-infection medications. Patecatl also held both oxygen and anesthesia gases.
The actual surgery would be conducted by nanites, micro machines injected into the patient. The nanites were programmed to conduct a specific medical procedure. Once the task was completed, they would deactivate and be removed from the body, via the waste removal system. They would be able to perform surgical procedures ranging from closing wounds to repairing internal injuries. One of the many benefits was that by conducting the surgery internally, there was less chance of infection. Another plus side was that the scars were almost invisible.
Hector hoped to get the size and weight down to the point where a patient could be transported inside Patecatl. The goal was to make it portable enough to transport in a standard medical helicopter.
Andy had been hired as a computer programmer. He was initially assigned to work on the emergency power systems. Hector often brought in technicians to work on specific tasks and then he would usually let them go. His fear was that someone would steal the plans for Patecatl. He realized that while his goal was for the betterment of mankind, there were others out there who saw the profits in a device like Patecatl. He knew of several other teams working on devices designed to conduct plastic surgery. However, he had come to trust and respect Andy. This trust paid off as Andy became one of the main troubleshooters for the entire system. Andy had recently redesigned several of the robotic features, making them smaller and more versatile.
Hector had no interest in Patecatl being used to give a starlet larger breasts, his goal was to help those in genuine need and without medical facilities. However, he knew that selling it for commercial uses could allow him to fund his altruistic desires.
In addition to Andy, there were five other permanent technicians presently working on Patecatl. There was Sara Roberts, an electronics genius, who had designed much of the power supply system and the control console. Jim Chambers was a programmer who created the instructional programs for the nanites. Todd Finley designed all the system robotics that maintained internal sterility, analyzed blood samples, administered drugs, manipulated the patient, and administered the proper nanites for surgery. Tommy Jones was Jim's assistant. There was also Randy Brown, another computer programmer who worked on the robotics control systems. Other part time techs were brought in to assist on various parts of Patecatl. There had been dozens of others who had worked on one part or another of the project over the past five years.
Dr. Sanchez had offered each technician a choice of a flat rate salary or a percentage of future profits. The patents alone from Patecatl could be worth millions. While he wasn't interested in personal wealth, he did understand that he was in the minority.
Because of legal and medical "issues" Dr. Sanchez had set up the project on a small island in the Bahamas. When he had Patecatl up and running, he would try to get the approval of the US Government. The biggest obstacle in gaining approval for the project was that Patecatl could perform surgery without a doctor. He imagined that the AMA wouldn't be too pleased about this. He had already received conditional approval by several other countries, assuming he could show the system was safe.
Hector wasn't overly worried about the impending test. It would just be a standard medical examination. The entire procedure would only take one hour. Three doctors were flying in from Miami in the morning to monitor the process. His only regret was that he wouldn't be the first person to be examined by Patecatl. He had originally planned to be the first to be examined, but was talked out of this by the others.
Sara had convinced him that he was the expert on the device and he should be at the controls. There were several volunteers to be first and the decision would be made by drawing straws. Not exactly the most scientific method, thought Hector, but it was at least impartial. He was pleased that almost all of the technicians had volunteered to be the first to be examined.
Chapter 4
July 11, 2011
8:30 PM
Sara joined Andy out on the deck. He pointed to the cooler of beer and without hesitation she accepted his offer. She opened the bottle and took a sip and savored the flavor. Being one of the few single women to have worked on the project, she had grown tired of the constant come-ons, however she didn't seem to mind Andy's attempts to hit on her. Presently she was the only woman working on Patecatl.
Andy was a pleasant looking young man with bright blue eyes. He was five-ten and thin, but muscular, thanks to his morning swims. What attracted Sara to Andy was his easygoing nature and sense of humor. He was the only other male on the island, other than Dr. Sanchez, who wasn't intimidated by her engineering knowledge. Sara lost track of the many times she could have fixed a simple problem, if only the stubborn male engineer would have asked her for help. Andy never hesitated to ask for her help or advice, not that he often needed it.
Andy held out his bottle and tapped it on Sara's. "Here's to a successful test."
He ran his eyes over the attractive engineer. Sara was the same height as he was and was almost as good a swimmer. She wore her auburn hair in a short athletic cut. Sara had told him that long hair was a pain when working inside a machine. Andy was especially attracted to her emerald green eyes.
"Are you going to Miami this weekend?" asked Andy nonchalantly.
Sara nodded. "It's been a few weeks since I've been off the island. I have some shopping to do."
"Exciting. How 'bout I take you out to dinner when you're finished?" asked Andy glancing back over at her.
"Let me guess, candlelight dinner, romantic ocean front view, wine, and music?"
"Nothing so grand. I was thinking hotdogs and beer at a Marlins game," replied Andy with a laugh.
Sara laughed. "You know Todd asked me on a cruise, and the best you can come up with is a baseball game?"
Andy shrugged his shoulders. "I can't help it if I can came up with a better offer than Todd."
Sara laughed in spite of herself.
"What did Randy offer you?"
"Ugh! I wouldn't go out with that jerk if he were the last man on Earth. I can understand why his wife left him," replied Sara.
Randy was a bit arrogant and thought of himself as a real ladies' man. He was in reasonable shape, but was starting to put on a few pounds. His brown hair was thinning slightly too. Andy didn't think he was that good of an engineer either. While Randy was good at design, he was very sloppy in his programming. Andy often spent hours debugging and streamlining systems that Randy had created, and he suspected it was more out of laziness than intelligence.
"So does that mean that I'm winning?" asked Andy with a wink.
Sara laughed. "I just might take you up on that game." She finished her beer and debated reaching for another.
"Go on, a few beers wouldn't hurt you. I already asked Dr. Sanchez and he said that it won't disqualify us from tomorrow's test, unless we're hung over."
"Are you in the running for the maiden run?" asked Sara, as she opened the second beer.
Andy nodded. "I'm a sci-fi geek and wouldn't miss an opportunity to be the first. I think that's why I wanted this job."
"You worried about anything going wrong?"
Andy shook his head. "The program that'll be run tomorrow is just the physical exam program. I know that Patecatl's been prepped for full surgery, but that's just to see how the system operates. Besides, Dr. Sanchez wanted to see how long it took the nanite producing program to warm-up."
"True. This could be a great medical breakthrough. I can imagine that this could lead to a Noble Prize for Dr. Sanchez."
"Maybe, but I doubt that the medical community will be accepting of it."
"That's why he's having some doctors fly in tomorrow to observe."
Just then Jim walked out on the deck munching on a Twinkie. Jim was a brilliant programmer and had designed many of the operating programs for the nanites. In many ways he looked like a stereotype of a computer programmer. He was overweight and wore his long brown hair in a sloppy ponytail. He had an equally disheveled goatee that looked like he trimmed it with a weed whacker. Andy noticed that you could always tell what Jim had for his last meal by looking at his goatee. His standard wardrobe consisted of comic book character t-shirts, khaki shorts, and sandals. Still he was well liked and respected by the rest of the team.
"Doc is ready to hold the drawing for tomorrow's guinea pig," he announced. He then finished off the Twinkie in one bite.
Andy and Sara stood up.
"Are you in the drawing, Jim?" asked Andy.
"Are you kidding? I know that I'm a mess physically. I don't want my wreck of a body to be immortalized for all in eternity," retorted Jim with a laugh. "Hell, my cholesterol level would probable break the damn thing."
Chapter 5
July 12, 2011
7:31 AM
"I still don't think it's fair," bemoaned Sara, as she prepped Patecatl for its initial test.
"Are you accusing me of cheating?" asked Andy with a grin, as he worked next to her. "If I remember right, you did pick before me."
"You can be second if you want," added a distinguished looking man with a gray beard. He was only forty-two, but the gray hair made him look older. He was an avid sailor and was in excellent shape.
"Oh, thanks Todd!" replied Sara. She checked the operating parameters. "Everything looks good."
Dr. Sanchez walked into the room. "Bad news. The doctors won't be coming."
"Why?" asked Todd.
"They wouldn't say. I imagine the government put pressure on them," replied Dr. Sanchez.
"Are we still going to test it?" asked a hopeful Andy.
"I would have preferred to have outside observers, but I think we should run the test as planned. That is, if you're still up for it, Andy?"
Andy grinned. "Let's do it!"
"Where's Jim?" asked Sara.
Andy laughed. "He's too nervous to watch. He said that he would wait outside until the test was over."
Chapter 6
July 12, 2011
9:20 AM
"Andy, can you hear me?" asked Dr. Sanchez, through Patecatl's communication system.
Andy gave a thumbs up. "Loud and clear, Doc."
Andy was lying inside Patecatl. He was naked and his body was covered with electronic monitoring patches.
"Okay, we'll start the physical program. If there are any problems, let us know immediately. Remember there's a panic button to your right. It will stop the program immediately. Press it if you can't talk."
"Got it, Doc."
"Todd, is the video camera ready?" asked Dr. Sanchez.
Todd nodded. The first test of Patecatl would be fully monitored. He was controlling the camera monitoring Andy. Randy was controlling the camera on the controls.
Several of the part-time technicians were standing by, curious to see how the machine operated.
"Okay, Andy, I'm starting the process," announced Dr. Sanchez.
A soothing female voice softly announced the start of the examination to Andy. The voice was specifically selected to make the patient feel at ease. Andy had kiddingly suggested that they use the voice of Sponge Bob Sqaurepants. Andy giggled slightly thinking about this as the woman's voice told him that his blood pressure was normal.
For the first thirty minutes, the program and machine operated perfectly. Dr. Sanchez monitored each step and was pleased that everything was operating according to plan.
"The program should be finishing up shortly," announced Todd, as he looked at his watch.
Andy found the whole experience to be rather relaxing. He knew part of the reason why he felt calm was that the atmosphere inside Patecatl was designed to slightly sedate the patient. He actually had to fight to stay awake a few times. He also knew that the process would be over shortly.
Andy's tranquility was shattered when he heard Sara's voice over the announcing circuit. "What the hell!"
Chapter 7
July 12, 2011
9:55 AM
"Doc, what's wrong?" asked Andy. He tried to stay calm but he was fighting back a sense of fear that something bad had happened. He felt a momentary panic as if he was like a rat in a trap.
Sara attempted to shut down the machine. "A new program has been initiated. I'm shutting Patecatl down."
Andy glanced over at the panic button and was about to reach over to hit it when he felt a sharp prick in his left arm. His head swung over just in time to see one of Patecatl's syringes pull out of his arm. He also saw additional syringes heading towards his body. It struck him that those were syringes used to inject nanites into the body. He tried to speak but was overwhelmed by darkness as the sedatives took effect.
Meanwhile Dr. Sanchez, Sara, and the other technicians were frantically trying to shut down the machine.
"What's happening to Andy?" asked Sara, as she attempted to override the program.
Dr. Sanchez swore. "Stop all attempts to shut down Patecatl! The machine has entered a surgery mode."
"What? That's impossible!" exclaimed Jim, as he waddled quickly into the room. He had been hovering just outside the lab, nervously awaiting the results of the test.
"Look for yourself. So far six different nanite injections have occurred," snapped Dr. Sanchez. "There aren't supposed to be any nanite injections for the physical examination program."
Jim stared at the program and then did a quick check of the computer systems. He looked at the computer connected to the nanite program and all the color suddenly went out of his face. In a growing rage he began to stammer. "Who…. who connected my personal computer to the system?"
Tommy, Jim's assistant stepped forward. At twenty-three he was the youngest member of the team. Jim had recruited him from MIT. Tommy had spiked bleached blonde hair and looked more like a surfer than an aspiring computer genius, as Jim had described him. "I did. The nanite computer wouldn't boot this morning. I grabbed yours as it has the backup programs on it."
"Why didn't you get me first!" screamed Jim angrily.
"Don't yell at me! I couldn't find you!" snapped back Tommy. "What's on that computer anyway?"
"Stop it! Jim, look at me. What's happening?" demanded Dr. Sanchez.
Jim calmed down and took a deep breath. "My computer had a program I was working on for the nanites. I had no intention of connecting it to Patecatl without your permission."
"Dammit Jim, what's it doing to Andy?" interrupted Sara anxiously.
Jim hesitated for a moment. He walked over to his desk and lifted up his laptop. The screensaver showed a stunningly gorgeous nude woman. "She's not real. I created her out the best parts of Playboy centerfolds."
"What does that have to do with what's happening to Andy?" demanded Sara impatiently.
Jim stood in silence.
"Jim, you need to tell us," demanded Sara.
"I…I have a college friend who is transgendered. I wrote the program for him," replied Jim softly. "I was hoping to use Patecatl to help him."
The only sound in the room was the humming of Patecatl's motors.
"You mean that the nanites are turning Andy into…. her?" asked a shocked Sara, pointing at the centerfold image on the computer's screen.
Jim nodded. "The program will take forty hours to complete."
Dr. Sanchez turned to the monitoring panel. "What can we do?"
"The program cannot be stopped — correction, make that it must not be stopped. To do so would put Andy's life at risk. Even if we pull Andy out of there, the nanites will be in his system. There is no way to turn them off. Do we have any estrogen in the medical supplies?" answered Jim. "The program requires large injections of estrogen."
Dr. Sanchez nodded. "I'll get it from the medical locker."
"Also human growth hormone. I know we have some of that."
"Can the process be reversed?" asked Sara
Jim shook his head. "Not completely. Andy's entire body is being transformed. I could write a program that would give him back his face, but he won't be a complete male again."
"You mean that he's being completely transformed?" asked Todd.
Jim nodded.
Dr. Sanchez returned with the injectable estrogen and HGH. Todd took them and inserted the bottles into Patecatl.
"So all we can do is just sit here?" asked Sara. "Can't we neutralize the nanites?"
Jim shook his head.
"I don't see any alternative. The nanites are already hard at work. Look at Andy's face," replied Dr. Sanchez.
The team gathered around the monitor showing Andy's body. Sara noted that she could actually see his face change before her eyes. His nose was already becoming small and pert. His cheeks were larger now and his chin seemed softer.
"What about his beard?" asked Todd.
"There are nanites programmed to eradicate his body hair," explained Jim. "He won't even have to shave his legs or underarms."
"Looks like you thought of everything," noted Sara sarcastically. "Except how to keep the program from being used."
"Look, this isn't my fault. I didn't plan on this happening to Andy," retorted Jim angrily.
"You wrote the program!" slammed back Sara.
"I didn't connect the computer to the system!" screamed back Jim.
"Enough!" exclaimed Dr. Sanchez.
There was instant silence in the room. All heads turned to Dr. Sanchez.
"We can work out why this happened later. But now we need to focus on the problem at hand. We need to monitor what's occurring to Andy. There is no sense in all of us being here. Sara, you stay here with me. Todd take everyone else out and set up a schedule for monitoring Andy's progress. Jim, write out a timeline of what's happening. Also, for Andy's sake, no one is to talk about this with anyone else."
Chapter 7
July 12, 2011
5:30 PM
"Jim, sorry I snapped at you earlier," apologized Sara. She sat down next to the control panel. "I know you didn't do this to Andy on purpose."
Jim nodded. "I was just trying to help a friend. Damn, I like Andy, I really do. I can't imagine what he'll do to me."
Sara nodded. "Why don't you take a break?"
"I'm okay. I want to be here if something goes wrong. I can't believe I broke one of the cardinal laws of programming. Never leave a program unprotected. I should have encrypted more some safeguards!"
Sara looked at the monitor and was shocked by how much Andy had changed. His body was smaller, softer, and less muscular. Andy's new face was stunning. He looked identical to the image of Jim's computer. Even Andy's lips were fuller and thicker. Andy was gorgeous, every man's fantasy of a dream woman. Somehow she knew that this would make Andy's adjustment even more difficult.
She saw that he now had breasts. They weren't very big, maybe a B-cup. She looked over at the image on Jim's computer.
"What size breasts did you program?"
"38-E," replied Jim sheepishly.
Sara shook her head. "Why are you guys always so obsessed with huge breasts? Do you have any idea how difficult it will be for Andy?"
Jim shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say? The initial program was my friend's dream image of what sort of woman he wanted to be. I can go back later and make them smaller if Andy wants."
Sara glanced over at Jim. She doubted there was a college friend, but figured this wasn't the time or place to bring that up. "What will Andy's new figure be?"
"38E-22-32, why do you ask?"
"Andy will have to have something to wear. Other than his buxom chest, that's close to the small size. I will have to get him some bras, and tops."
Jim nodded. "What will we call Andy?"
Sara looked over at Jim. "Good question. We'll leave that up to Andy."
Sara wondered how Andy would react. According to Dr. Sanchez, Andy was heavily sedated, almost as if he was in a coma. She shuddered slightly thinking what it would be like to wake up with an entirely new body and gender.
Jim stared at the monitors. "Don't take this the wrong way, I'm concerned about what's happening to Andy, but do you realize that we've succeeded?"
"Excuse me if I don't pop open the champagne," replied Sara without taking her eyes off Andy.
"No, I mean it. Look at Andy. The program is working to perfection. His body is within ninety-eight percent of the parameters of the program I wrote. There are no visible scars and judging from his readings, his vital signs are normal. No internal bleeding or problems."
Sara nodded. Dr. Sanchez had reviewed the program and had told her that it was far more complex than anything he had initially imagined for the device. While he was concerned for Andy, he was also pleased that Patecatl was operating correctly.
"Tell me more about how this happened," stated Sara, as she stared at Andy's increasingly feminized appearance.
"As I said earlier, I wrote this program for a friend. I attached it to a copy of the physical examination program. The sex change program would only activate if the person passed the physical. Additionally, the program would only run if the person fell into specific height-weight criteria. If Andy had been taller or weighed less, then the program wouldn't have activated."
"Why weigh less?"
"The nanites are redistributing body fat. The process isn't very efficient and my projections showed that a person would lose 20-40 pounds during the procedure."
"How did you write something so complex?" asked Sara.
"I have a perfect memory. I remember anything I can read. I also have the ability to analyze what I absorb," replied Jim. "The problem is that I don't always take the necessary precautions. I'm a sloppy person, in more than my wardrobe. I wrote the program directly to my computer's memory and included codes so that it couldn't be transferred to another computer. The idea that my entire computer would be moved never occurred to me."
"Tommy must feel awful," added Sara.
"I know. I talked to him and told him that this isn't his fault. The only one to blame is me," answered Jim softly. He muttered another curse under his breath.
Sara nodded and returned to observing Andy. His sexual organs were in a state of transformation. His penis looked as if it was being pulled inside the body and his scrotum appeared to be empty and flat.
"How…. functional will he be?" asked Sara.
"He'll have full sensations in his vagina. I based my program on the latest SRS surgery techniques. The nanites are actually redirecting nerve endings into his vagina. In fact, he should achieve orgasm during sex. Of course he can't get pregnant."
"Would it be possible to conduct an organ transplant with Patecatl?"
"Sure. The nanites are capable of making surgical connections far superior to anything done by man. There would be the problem of organ rejection, but the drugs today are far superior to anything used in the past."
Sara nodded, not even sure why she asked the question. In spite of her feelings for Andy's well being, she couldn't help but be fascinated by the program.
"Why is his hair still short?" she asked.
Jim smiled. "No way to make hair grow faster. The same goes for nails. The program can transplant hair, but that wasn't necessary with Andy."
Sara studied Andy's new face and hair. His brown hair wasn't that much shorter than hers, she thought. It wouldn't take much to give him a style fitting his new appearance.
"What happens when the program finishes?"
"After the sex change program is complete, another physical will be run to ensure that there is no internal bleeding. Andy will remain sedated for several more days, to give his body time to adjust. Even so, when he wakes up he'll be in some discomfort. I imagine he'll feel like he went through a massive workout. Every part of his body will be sore. I've already talked to Dr. Sanchez concerning what sort of medication he'll need."
"The physical pain can be handled by drugs," noted Sara. "What will be done about his mental side?"
Jim stared back. "I have no idea."
"It'll be important that we give Andy all the support we can," stated Dr. Sanchez, as he walked into the lab.
"I never planned this program to be run on the unwilling. I never thought what the side effects would be if it was," commented Jim.
"I believe you," replied Dr. Sanchez.
"The big question is, will Andy?" added Sara.
Chapter 8
July 13, 2011
12:15 AM
"How's he doing, Todd?" asked Sara, as she reentered the lab. She took a sip from her coffee mug.
"Vitals are steady. I can't believe that…that women inside there is…. or was Andy."
Sara gazed at the monitor and was stunned by how different Andy looked from the last time she had seen him. He was the same height, but was now nearly completely feminine looking. He now had the large E-cup breasts programmed in by Jim. Sara noted that they were perfect in their form and size. Even Andy's nipples seemed perfect.
She ran her eyes down his body. His waist was thin and more womanly in its bodily position. Andy's hips were also larger, giving him the shapely look of the computer-generated model. Jim had actually programmed the nanites to modify Andy's bone structure, so that his new hips weren't all fat and his rib cage tapered down nicely to his slim waist.
She let out a gasp when she reached his newly formed vagina. Other than the lack of hair, it looked totally natural. Sara had gone online during one of her breaks and had checked out several sites dedicated to SRS. While the surgical techniques were good, she could always spot the man-made vaginas. Andy's looked as if he had been born with one.
"I have to hand it to Jim, he's one hell of a programmer," commented Todd, as if he could read Sara's mind.
"I know. However, I'm not sure if looking like a centerfold is going to help Andy adjust. I only wish that Jim's program had been less male fantasy and more reality!" commented Sara.
"I see what you mean. It'll be hard for him to not to be noticed with a body like that. Maybe Jim can write a program to…."
"Take Andy's looks down a notch?" added Sara. "He said he could, but that Andy's body won't be able to have a second round of surgery for at least a year. Something about nanite poisoning."
The nanites were constructed mainly of biodegradable materials. However, there were certain elements used that remained in the body for up to a year. International medical standards recommended a max level of these byproducts. Jim had calculated that it would be twelve to eighteen months before Andy's body could handle another round of surgery.
"The program is due to end at 1:00 AM tomorrow. Although, it looks like Andy's pretty well done now," noted Todd.
"Jim said that the outside appearance would be finished first, the rest of the program is internal."
"Well, I'm going to bed, after a drink. Who's relieving you?"
"Dr. Sanchez."
"I hope this doesn't make him end the project. I'm sorry for what's happening to Andy, but this does prove his machine works."
Sara glanced over at Todd.
"Hey, I know you feel for Andy, and so do I, but look at the big picture, we've succeeded," explained Todd.
"I know. I just wonder how he'll feel about it," noted Sara, pointing to the monitor.
"Do you still see Andy as a guy?" asked Todd.
Sara shrugged her shoulders. It was something that all the team had been discussing. How would they refer to Andy?
"For the sake of not confusing outsiders, I guess we should refer to Andy as a woman. The question is what will Andy see himself as?"
"True. Then there is the whole problem of his identity," added Todd.
"Dr. Sanchez has been working on that. He contacted a lawyer who deals in identity issues. Dr. Sanchez said that Andy's identity could be shifted to female legally, as if he had SRS."
Todd yawned. "See you in the morning, Sara."
Sara nodded slightly and let out a sigh. If only she had won the straw drawing that morning, none of this would have happened. She reviewed the criteria that Jim had placed in the program and saw that Andy was the only member of the team that the program would activate.
She returned to monitoring Andy's progress. Over the next few hours she began to write down names on a notepad. While Andy could keep his same name, she worked on a list of similar feminine names. Of course Andrea was on the list, along with Anastasia, Anne, Angelina, Angela, and many others.
She looked over at the monitoring panel and saw that Andy was doing fine, considering everything that was going on.
Sara thought about one of her college classes and how they had talked about what would happen if you suddenly took a person from one era and sent them into a totally different one. They talked about how mentally shocking it would be to the person and that many wouldn't be able to cope. She momentarily closed her eyes and thought about Andy. He seemed like a strong person. It was then she realized how little she actually knew about him.
She got up and walked over to Dr. Sanchez's desk and accessed the personnel files. Andrew Robert Bishop was twenty-seven and held numerous degrees. Sara skipped the work related information and shifted to his family information.
Andy was born just outside Baltimore. His father was an engineer working for the government. He died in a car crash when Andy was ten. His mother presently worked as a social worker in San Diego.
Andy had graduated early from Cal-Tech with dual degrees in electronic engineering and computer programming. Additionally he minored in philosophy. That caught Sara off guard. She wouldn't have thought that Andy would have studied Plato.
Sara scanned through Andy's file and found that he was a single child. She thought back and couldn't remember if Andy was close to his mother. She did remember that Andy had been engaged once, but he'd never gotten married. Andy refused to say why the marriage never happened.
As she read she learned more about Andy. He played ice hockey and was an avid swimmer. She cracked a grin when she saw Andy's response to the questionnaire's question about what is your favorite fish. Andy wrote "Swedish." She wondered if she could find some of the candies before he awoke.
Sara leaned back in the chair and thought about plans for Andy's life. He was still a brilliant engineer and could get a job almost anywhere. One problem Andy would have to deal with would be that, with his new looks, it would be difficult for him to be taken seriously. Sara sighed at the fact that engineering was still dominated by men. Many would just see his looks and never go any further. Then there would be those who would think Andy got his job based on his looks. She had experienced that several times herself.
Now, if Patecatl became accepted, then Andy wouldn't have to work another day in his life. He had worked on several key systems and he could live off the royalties. No, Andy wouldn't do that anymore than I would, thought Sara. He couldn't stand to just lie around and do nothing.
Sara then began to read the post-operative plan for Andy. According to Jim, Andy would be placed on heavy doses of hormones and HGH. The HGH would be used to speed up his recovery from the procedure.
One of the benefits of nanites was that recovery time was greatly accelerated. At least Andy's physical recovery would be quick.
"How's he doing Sara?" asked Dr. Sanchez.
"Everything is progressing per the program."
Dr Sanchez sat down next to her. "I plan on addressing the entire team tomorrow concerning Andy."
"From what I've heard, most are very supportive. I don't think we'll have any trouble with them."
Dr. Sanchez nodded. "I want you to be the first to know of my decision concerning Patecatl."
Sara stared back at Dr. Sanchez.
"We need to make sure that this never happens again. I want the team to design a new computer control system. I want safeguards to prevent a future mishap."
"So, you're continuing with the project?"
Dr. Sanchez nodded. "As it has been put to me several times, the machine works. The humanitarian benefits are too great. What do you think?"
"I support your decision. I think Andy will want to help too."
"I'm counting on it."
Sara nodded. "Oh, I've started working on an order for clothes for Andy. Any problem with me putting it on my project credit card?"
"No, not at all. In fact, I insist upon it," replied Dr. Sanchez.
"Don't worry, I'm not going overboard. I'm focusing on casual stuff, tops, shorts, underwear, etc. I doubt if Andy will want to jump right into a dress."
"When will the order arrive?"
"I'm sending it directly to Stephen. He can bring it with our daily mail. It should be here in two days," replied Sara.
Stephen ran the boat service for the island. He brought in food, mail, and technical equipment. While the island had an airstrip, it was cheaper and easier to bring things in by boat.
"We're lucky to have you. I know that you and Andy are friends…."
"You don't have to say anything else. Andy will need guidance in his new life. I'm happy to help," interrupted Sara.
"Still, I want you to know how much I personally appreciate your help."
Sara smiled. "Too bad I'm not a shrink. I think Andy will be needing one of those."
"I agree. I can handle the physical side, but Andy's going to be facing a huge shock to his mental state. I don't know how I'd handle it."
"I've been wondering the same thing."
"What may make it worse is that he may be unable to speak when he first awakes. Jim told me that Andy's vocal cords will be very sore and that he may not be able to speak above a whisper for several days."
Sara nodded. She then looked around the lab, as if she was confirming that they were alone. "Do you really think that Jim put this much effort into the program, just to help a college friend?"
Dr. Sanchez nodded. "I must admit that it does sound funny. Still, Jim isn't exactly a normal person. He has more than his share of eccentricities. He doesn't care about personal wealth or prestige. Obviously, he doesn't care about his appearance either. He's also one of the most brilliant programmers I've ever met. You know, he has created programs based only on a casual conversation."
"What do you mean?"
"Hmm, well just last month I mentioned that I wished that Patecatl could be used to detect and treat internal parasites. Two days later he showed me a basic program that could be instantly modified to treat parasites of a specific geographic region. He had included a database of parasites common to each island in the Caribbean and Central America. I think he likes taking on great challenges, just for the mental exercise."
"You might be right. Just for argument sake, would you let him help his 'friend'? Assuming he asks you."
Dr. Sanchez pondered the question. "To be honest, I don't have a huge problem with it, assuming the patient has been diagnosed as transgendered. After all, it's an accepted medical issue in most countries today."
"Makes sense. I'd rather Patecatl be used for something like that than to give vain actresses boob jobs and face lifts."
"I agree. However, it might be a good way to introduce Patecatl to the medical community. They might be more accepting if they can see what it can do."
Sara nodded. "If the US doesn't approve it, what are you going to do?"
"My lawyers have begun preliminary talks with several countries, including the Bahamas. I was thinking of turning the island into a clinic. The money raised could then be put to humanitarian causes. I also like the idea of keeping the technology close."
"How would that work with the portable units?" asked Sara. Her mind began to contemplate the problem.
"That'll be one of our next tasks, to safeguard the technology."
"Sounds exciting. I'd love to be involved."
Dr. Sanchez nodded. "I was hoping you'd say that. I was going to talk to you about this later, but no time like the present. I want to hire you fulltime. I'm also going to offer fulltime jobs to Jim, Todd, and of course Andy."
Sara looked over at the monitor. Andy seemed to be resting peacefully.
"I wonder if he has any idea of what is happening to him?"
"From looking at his brainwaves, I'd say no. He has all the indications of being in a deep coma."
"I hope he won't freak out too badly."
"Either way, we must support him."
Chapter 9
July 13, 2011
7:55 AM
Sara walked into the lab sipping her coffee. She had tried to sleep, but was too worried about Andy. She found Jim and Todd monitoring Andy.
"How's he doing?" she asked.
"Hey, Sara. Good. There was a slight problem earlier, but everything looks good now," noted Todd.
"What happened?" she asked in a concerned tone.
"He had some minor internal bleeding. The nanites quickly detected the problem and fixed it," interjected Jim. "He only required a half pint of blood."
She reviewed the monitor and saw that Andy's vitals were all normal. Dr. Sanchez had taught all of them much about human physiology, so that they could better understand any problems that might arise. She reviewed Andy's vitals for the previous four hours and saw the dip in blood pressure.
"Where was the problem?" she asked.
"The nanites were adjusting Andy's bladder," stated Todd. "Don't worry, we immediately contacted Dr. Sanchez."
"Everything progressing as planned?"
"Yes. The program is still operating on schedule. We'll be able to remove him from Patecatl sometime after 1 AM tomorrow. However, Dr. Sanchez and I believe it would be best to leave him inside for a day or so. We can better monitor his body and treat any problems that might happen," stated Jim.
"And when do we wake him?"
"I recommend we keep him sedated for at least three days. Even then, when he awakes we should have him initially tied down, so that he doesn't hurt himself. He'll be rather fragile at first."
"Okay, well you guys might as well go grab breakfast. Don't forget that Dr. Sanchez wants to see you at nine," reminded Sara.
Jim and Todd nodded and left the lab.
Sara sat down and stared at Andy's image in the monitor. She shook her head as she stared at the lovely woman that Andy had become. She had overheard several of the male technicians talk about how "hot" Andy was. She had to agree with them. As she gazed at Andy, she felt some strong feelings of sexual attraction.
Sara considered herself bi-sexual. Actually she didn't like that label, she just felt comfortable enough with her sexuality to be attracted to both men and women. She didn't consider one to be better than the other, just different. She began to fantasize what it would be like to be with the now feminized Andy. She smiled at the notion, as she had thought about being with Andy before the accident. She wondered how Andy would react to his new body in a sexual manner.
Because he was a composite of several attractive women, Andy was stunningly beautiful. No, she thought, perfect would be a better description. The only thing detracting from Andy's appearance was his short hair.
Somehow, the short hair made Andy even sexier to her. It gave him an exotic look, she thought. Sara found that she was getting aroused and had to refocus her thoughts.
Sara checked her e-mail and was pleased to see that the clothing order was filled and would be delivered the following day. At least Andy would have something to wear. She looked over her order and went back to the website. She looked at several dresses and skirts and selected several for Andy. She also selected jewelry and other accessories. No, she wouldn't spring them on him immediately, but she would have them available, just in case. Besides, she could always return them.
Chapter 10
July 13, 2011
9:03 AM
Jim walked into the meeting in the conference room a few minutes late.
"Glad to see you could make it," joked Todd.
"Sorry, but someone left the coffee pot empty, AGAIN," bemoaned Jim.
The bantering continued for a few minutes. Dr. Sanchez was actually pleased to see the team joking again. While he couldn't downplay what had happened to Andy, he couldn't just sit back and do nothing either. He would need the entire team, and hopefully Andy too, to correct the flaws in Patecatl.
Dr. Sanchez glanced at his watch. "Okay, we need to get started. Everyone is here, except Sara… and, of course, Andy."
The room immediately got quiet.
"First thing, Andy is still changing. The program will finish tomorrow morning. In spite of the changes, Andy appears to be in excellent physical condition," stated Dr. Sanchez.
He looked out and saw that most were genuinely relieved to hear that Andy was okay.
"Now, we must consider what we're going to do about Andy. When he awakes we must offer him our full support. I realize that I'm stating the obvious here, but Andy's going to be experiencing a major shock. Our support will help him recover. I recommend that you treat him as you did before. He'll need a sense that some things haven't changed."
"How can we do that? My God, have you seen her?" stated Randy. "I mean she's hot. I'm only being honest here, but Andy is literally oozing sexuality."
"First off, even though Andy's body is feminine, let's hold off on referring to Andy as female. I know that we'll have to cross that bridge later, but for now put that aside. Second, the last thing Andy needs is to have you all drooling over him."
"While the program is mainly physical, there are large amounts of female hormones being pumped into his system. That will further put his emotions on edge," added Jim.
"So, Andy will be dealing with some very loose emotions," stated Dr. Sanchez.
"Doc, I've looked up data on SRS. Hormonal changes usually take months, if not longer to occur. Why do you think Andy will be different?" asked Tommy.
"It has to do with the nanites. In addition to conducting the surgery, they're distributing hormones to various parts of his body, including his brain. This doesn't mean that Andy is going to think and act like a woman. It does mean that his emotional state will be in flux. I imagine that it will take a while until he adjusts to the changes. In some ways it will be like a woman going through postpartum depression, or PMS," stated Dr. Sanchez.
There was more head nodding.
"PMS? Shit, my ex was a real bitch when that happened," quipped Randy. He then started to laugh.
No one else laughed and Todd stared back angrily. "Randy, shut the fuck up."
Randy glared back at Todd, but kept his mouth shut.
"Now, I got the letter that Todd wrote and you all signed, stating that you all will abide by Andy's wishes and protect what happened here. I truly appreciate this," continued Dr. Sanchez. He stared directly at Randy.
"Hey, it's not Andy's fault. He didn't do anything to deserve this," stated Todd.
A few heads turned towards Jim.
"That's true. It was an accident. If I thought otherwise I would say so. Now, please don't take what I'm about to say the wrong way, but we have some engineering issues to fix with Patecatl. First we need to redesign it so this sort of mistake can never, ever happen again," instructed Dr. Sanchez.
"Does that mean that we're not shutting it down?" asked Randy.
"Patecatl works. It just had a flaw in the system. It would be a huge mistake to abandon it now," stated Dr. Sanchez.
Randy looked over at Jim, who was holding out his hand palm up. Randy sighed and reached into his pocket, retrieved a twenty-dollar bill from his wallet. He handed it reluctantly to Jim, who smiled back.
"I also want you to look over every system and see if there are other potential problems out there," added Dr. Sanchez. "Look at any part of the system that could be compromised, intentionally or unintentionally."
For the next two hours they brainstormed ways to prevent a reoccurrence of the accident. A new interface was suggested, along with changes to the basic Patecatl program.
"Okay, you've got your assignments. Don't rush this, we need to do it right," stated Dr. Sanchez.
"We should have the new interface ready in two weeks," stated Randy.
"We should have the program changes ready by then," added Jim.
"Good. While I know that you want to get to work, please stay out of the lab until Andy's out," reminded Dr. Sanchez.
Chapter 11
July 14
0030
"Well, if everything continues as planned the program will stop in thirty minutes,' noted Jim as he looked at his watch.
"I still don't like the fact that we're leaving him in there for another day," stated Sara, standing cross-armed by her control console.
"It's for the best. It's sterile, we can monitor Andy better, and it also has a high oxygen level that will help his recovery," replied Jim.
"Sara, I agree with Jim. We designed Patecatl so that a patient could be kept in it for days. Besides Andy needs rest now. His body needs time to recover."
"What about the nanites?" asked Sara.
"Most have already shut down and are being processed out of his body. I don't think we need to worry about nanite poisoning," answered Dr. Sanchez.
They sat down around Patecatl and quietly waited until the program shutdown.
At 1:01 AM Patecatl's audio alarm sounded, announcing the completion of Andy's transformation. Dr. Sanchez immediately placed Patecatl in patient monitoring mode. He began to analyze the data on the monitor.
"Everything looks good, except that he's slightly anemic. That's to be expected after all the changes his body has gone through. I'll make some adjustments on his IV to help bring up his blood cell count."
Andy looked as if he was sleeping without a care in the world. Sara was struck by his peaceful appearance. She hoped he would be able to recover psychologically from the change.
"Do we maintain the watch schedule?" asked Todd.
"Yes. I'll take the first shift," stated Dr. Sanchez. "Todd and Jim, can you relieve me at 4?"
"Sure, no problem," replied Todd.
Sara stood there staring at Andy, lost in thought. "I wonder if he knows what has happened to him?"
"What was that Sara?" asked Todd.
Sara snapped out of her trance. "Oh, nothing. I'll see you all in the morning."
Chapter 12
July 14
5:43 PM
Sara was sitting in her room sorting through the clothing and other items that she had bought for Andy. There were several tops, t-shirts, and shorts. Additionally there were panties and bras. Sara had also ordered a supply of toiletries for Andy. She figured that if Andy wanted more stuff they could always fly to either Nassau or Miami.
She planned to try to get Andy out in the world as soon as possible. It would be incredibly easy for Andy to seclude himself on the island and avoid contact with the outside world. Sara knew that would be the worst thing he could do. Like it or not, Andy would have to adjust to his new body. Sara wanted to be there to help him, guide him, and when necessary, prod him. Being the only other woman on the team automatically made her the perfect person to help Andy.
So far, Andy's recovery was right on track. Dr. Sanchez had reduced the sedation and was keeping Andy in a light coma. All tests showed a normal physical recovery.
She looked at her watch and saw that it was getting close to her shift. She wasn't hungry, but decided to try to eat something. She stopped in the kitchen and fixed herself a salad.
She carried it out to the dining area and sat down across from Jim.
"Are you on next?" he asked.
Sara nodded as she ate.
"You know, I debated fleeing the island for a few days. I'm not looking forward to facing Andy," confided Jim.
Sara finished her mouthful of food. "You won't run away."
"You're right. Still, I'm really worried about how he'll react. I know that I'm a social misfit and I'm also a computer geek. I like my work because I mainly work alone. I don't have to worry about anyone else but myself. Now, due to my inattention to detail, I've fucked up an innocent person's life. If there was any way I could make it up to him, I'd do it in a heartbeat."
"Just be honest with him. Andy has a right to be upset. Lying to him will only make matters worse."
Jim nodded. " I debated destroying the program."
"Did you?"
Jim shook his head. "Believe it or not, I really did write it for a friend."
"I'd like to hear more about your friend someday," replied Sara with a sly smile.
"You really don't think that I made that program for myself do you?"
Sara shrugged her shoulders. "If you did, I'm not judging you, you have a right to make your life whole."
Jim laughed. "Trust me, I didn't make it for myself. I imagine that the others think I did it for myself too."
"Maybe, you'll have to ask them."
"If I ever write a program for myself, it would be to get rid of some of this fat." He grabbed his belly with both hands and laughed.
Sara smiled back. She wasn't sure if Jim was telling the truth or not, but she had other concerns.
"I'm glad Doc isn't killing the project. We'll be fixing some serious problems with the system. After that, it should be a much improved and much safer system."
Jim nodded. He then shook his head back and forth in disgust. "How could I have been so fuckin' stupid?" he mumbled.
Sara sat in silence and then answered. "You're only human."
Jim mumbled something else that Sara couldn't quite make out. She glanced at her watch. "Well, Todd will be wondering where I am. Catch you later."
Sara rinsed out her salad bowl and headed into the lab.
"How's he doing?" she asked Todd.
"Take a look for yourself," stated Todd pointing to the monitoring console. "I'm no expert on these things, but it looks like Andy's having some intense dreams."
Sara looked at the console. Todd had brought up Andy's brainwave pattern. It indicated that Andy was in a heavy REM cycle of sleep.
"I didn't think he would be able to dream in the sedated state he's in," remarked Sara.
"Doc came in a while back and checked out the readings. He suspects it may have to do with the high level of hormones in his system."
"I wonder if he's dreaming or having nightmares," added Sara.
Todd shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I'm off to get together with my engineering group. I have a new idea for the interface system."
Sara sat down and stared at Andy sleeping. He had a content look on his face; almost as if he was experiencing something pleasant. She hoped he would find happiness in his new life.
Chapter 13
July 16
8:45 AM
Sara stood next to Dr. Sanchez in Andy's room. He had been removed from Patecatl that morning and was now lying in his own bed. Sara had dressed Andy in one of his old t-shirts. It was large enough on Andy's reduced frame that it was like a nightgown.
Andy's arms and legs were secured to the edge of his bed. This was done so that he wouldn't hurt himself as he was revived.
"How long will it take him to wake up?" asked Sara.
"Not long," replied Dr. Sanchez. "His vitals are already responding."
Sara watched as Andy's breathing became deeper and stronger. His body began to flex. Sara noted what looked like a twinge of pain on Andy's face. She remembered that Jim said that Andy's body would feel sore all over.
Then suddenly Andy's eyes opened. He looked as if he was trying to focus. Slowly he fought off the effects of the sedatives and tried to regain consciousness. He tried to lift his right hand to rub his eyes, but couldn't. He tried and failed with his left hand. A look of confusion grew on his awakening face.
"Andy, it's okay," stated Dr. Sanchez.
Andy's mind was so foggy, he felt as if he had been asleep for days. The last thing he remembered was being in Patecatl for the physical examination test. Suddenly he remembered the needle inserting into his arm and his vain attempt to reach the panic button. He tried to sit up but was held back.
"Relax, Andy. You're in your room. There was …an accident with Patecatl," stated Dr. Sanchez.
Andy turned his head towards Dr. Sanchez. He cringed slightly as he moved. His whole body ached, what had happened he wondered.
Andy turned his head towards Dr. Sanchez. He cringed slightly as he moved. His whole body ached.
Dr. Sanchez took a deep breath. "We made a mistake when we started Patecatl. A secondary computer was hooked up to run the program when the primary computer failed."
Andy nodded. He remembered the program refused to load. "Go on," he mouthed. He was surprised to see Sara there. Her face instantly told him something was very wrong.
"The computer had an additional program on it, which initiated after the physical program was completed," continued Dr Sanchez.
Andy stared back at Sara and mouthed "Sara. Tell me!"
"Your body was transformed. You're physically female now," replied Sara. She turned to Dr. Sanchez. "Sorry."
Dr. Sanchez nodded his approval.
Andy's eyes opened wide. "What?"
"There was a program on the other computer that was designed for a transgendered person. Designed to give them complete sex reassignment surgery."
Andy shook his head. "Let me see," he mouthed.
Without waiting for Dr. Sanchez's permission, Sara began to untie Andy.
"I'll help you up," explained Sara. "Now wait until I finish untying you before you try to get up."
Andy nodded in a very apprehensive manner.
Sara undid the restraints. "Let us help you up. You're body is still weak."
Andy nodded and let Sara and Dr. Sanchez help him sit up. He was instantly aware of the weight on his chest. He looked down and gasped as he saw his large breasts.
Sara and Dr. Sanchez helped Andy slide around on the edge of his bed so he could look at his reflection in the mirror.
Andy lifted his head and stared at the image in the mirror looking back at him. He didn't see himself, rather there was an extremely attractive woman sitting across from him. He shook his head in disbelief and she did the same. This can't be happening, he thought. He lifted his hand to his face and touched his cheeks. He pulled back as if he had touched something hot. His face felt so different. It was so soft and smooth.
"How're you doing, Andy?" asked Dr. Sanchez.
Andy's eyes cut over to him for a moment, but then returned to the image in the mirror. That woman couldn't be me, he thought. He looked at his breasts, which were very visible, even in the oversized t-shirt.
With slight hesitation, Andy's hands reached down and touched his chest. Instantly he knew that they were real as he brushed against his nipples. He tried to lift off the shirt, but was too weak.
Seeing his plight, Sara reached down and assisted him.
Andy smiled slightly and mouthed, "Thanks."
Andy turned and stared at the mirror. The stunning woman was now naked too. She had huge breasts just like him. Andy looked down and saw that the changes were total. His penis was gone and he had a vagina.
He was almost afraid to touch it, but curiosity overcame him and he reached down. His fingers ran across his labia. It was real.
Andy looked over at Sara and tried to say something, but his head felt like it was spinning and he fell back into unconsciousness.
"It's okay, Sara, he's just fainted. Make sure he doesn't fall forward. We'll get him back into bed," stated Dr. Sanchez.
"Do we reawaken him?" asked Sara, after they had him lying down.
"No, we'll let him sleep. This is going to be a long recovery for him."
"I'll stay here for now," stated Sara, as she sat down in a chair next to Andy's bed.
"Okay. But call me as soon as he wakes up."
Sara nodded and reached over and ran her hand gently across Andy's head, brushing back his hair.
Chapter 14
July 16
2:33 PM
Andy slowly awoke. What a strange dream that was, he thought. He opened his eyes and saw that Sara was sitting next to his bed. He sat up suddenly and groaned as he felt an ache over his whole body. He looked behind Sara and saw his image in the mirror. It was the woman in his dreams staring back at him.
"Shit!" he croaked. Damn, even his voice was different.
"I'm here, Andy," comforted Sara.
"Then it wasn't a dream?" asked Andy, his eyes glued to the mirror.
"That's right."
"This can't be me," he whispered.
"The nanites changed you to fit the program," stated Sara.
Andy struggled to speak. "I've… seen this face before…."
Sara nodded.
Then it hit Andy. "Jim's screensaver!"
Sara nodded again. "She was the model for the program."
Andy began to shake his head and mumble no.
Sara reached over to comfort him. Andy's face began to show a growing panic.
"It's okay, Andy. We're here for you."
Not being able to speak only frustrated Andy more. Sara saw tears forming in Andy's eyes. The panic on Andy's face was turning into fear, pure fear. She called out for Dr. Sanchez, not wanting to leave Andy's side.
Andy turned to Sara and, unable to speak, mouthed in a near pleading manner, "Change…. me…. back! Please!"
Dr Sanchez arrived and Sara began to tell him what had happened.
Overwhelmed with panic and fear, Andy tried to stand up and escape, but was too weak and collapsed to the floor. The inability to even run overwhelmed Andy, who began to weep uncontrollably. He never felt the needle in his arm as Dr Sanchez sedated him.
Chapter 15
July 16
3:15 PM
"Is this how you'd think he'd respond?" asked Sara, as she looked at Andy, now sound asleep from the sedative.
"I don't know. What's the normal reaction for someone having their gender changed unexpectedly?" replied Dr. Sanchez.
"It was too much for him to accept. He can't even talk to us," stated Sara.
"His voice should start to improve. He should be able to speak better in the next day or so."
"Should we keep him from talking?"
"No, in fact the more he talks the better it will be," replied Dr. Sanchez.
"How long will he be out?" asked Sara.
"Not long. I just gave him enough to put him out for an hour or so. I want to be here when he awakes this time," stated Dr. Sanchez.
Chapter 16
July 16
4:25 PM
Andy opened up his eyes; he was still in his bed. He rolled over and saw Dr. Sanchez and Sara sitting next to his bed. He let out a long sigh. The reality began to sink in. He struggled to sit up, wincing from the pain that seemed to be everywhere.
"Take it easy, Andy. The pain will pass," stated Dr. Sanchez.
Andy nodded. He swung his legs around to the edge of the bed. "I need to see… to see it all."
Sara understood and helped him undress. She pulled the shirt over his head and Andy had his first good look at his new body. He let out a long gasp.
"You okay?" asked Sara.
Andy glanced up at her and rolled his eyes.
Sara cracked a slight smile. It was the first time since the accident that she had seen any of Andy's sense of humor.
"Okay, let me rephrase that. Let me know if you need anything," commented Sara.
Andy nodded and stared down at his surgically altered body. He just shook his head in disbelief.
"This isn't me! I don't know who that woman in the mirror is," he complained.
Neither Sara nor Dr. Sanchez said a word; they just let Andy absorb what had happened.
Andy continued to gently shake his head back and forth. His body was gorgeous, but it wasn't his. It belonged to a computer-generated hottie, a composite of several centerfolds. He hesitated to touch his enormous breasts. He reached up and slowly cupped his hands around them. He was amazed by their weight.
He then looked down at his vagina. I have a vagina, that will take some getting used to saying, he thought. He ran his hands lightly around his thighs. He couldn't quite bring himself to touch it. He let out another long sigh. Without thinking he reached up and wiped away a tear.
"I really liked being a guy," he rasped out. There was a tone of true sadness in Andy's words. He wiped away another tear.
Sara nodded and was pleased that he seemed slightly more in control of his emotions that the previous two times.
"Can this ….be reversed?" he asked hopefully.
Dr. Sanchez was prepared for this question. "No. Not completely. We can restore your face and some of your body structure. But the surgery was too complex, too many changes, especially in terms of your sexual organs."
Andy nodded. "That's what I thought. No harm in asking though."
"We can't do anything for at least a year anyway," added Sara.
Andy looked at her and then it hit him. "Nanite poisoning?"
Sara nodded.
"What happens now?" he asked, as his eyes turned back to his body.
"We help you recover. Then we get your life back in order," stated Dr. Sanchez. "Just so you know, you have the support of the entire team."
Andy nodded slightly. The tears started again. "I can't remember the last time I cried." He reached up and began to wipe the tears away from his eyes.
Sara handed Andy a tissue. "Your emotional state is going to be loose. The procedure required extremely high doses of female hormones. You may experience large emotional swings."
"No shit," Andy growled out and then paused. A slight smile began to form on his face. "I'm sorry, I know you're trying to help."
"It's okay. I've been pondering how I would react if I was in your shoes," replied Sara.
Andy let out a long sigh. "It's like a living a nightmare. I keep hoping I'll wake up and be…. me. But this is really me now isn't it?"
Sara nodded.
Andy stared back and his eyes returned to his body. He cupped his breasts in his hands. "I can't believe how much these weigh."
Sara sat next to Andy on his bed. "In case you're curious, your bra size is 38-E."
"They really get in the way," remarked Andy, as he tried to cross his arms across them. There was a tone of frustration in his voice. "From a strictly practical viewpoint…. I suppose I'll have to start wearing a bra…."
"I have some clothes that will fit you. Don't worry, nothing is too extreme," informed Sara.
Dr. Sanchez stepped towards the door. "I'll let you two talk for a while. Call me if you need anything."
Andy looked up and nodded. "Thanks, Doc."
"You want to try on one of the bras?" asked Sara.
"My fiancée asked me that once when she was in a kinky mood," joked Andy. He then looked down at his breasts. "Not that I'm happy about this, but I suppose that I have to face the facts. My body is now female…. very female. I doubt if many of my old clothes would fit."
"While I'm not as well developed as you, let me tell you that wearing a bra will feel good, from a physical comfort standpoint," explained Sara.
She got off the bed and retrieved the clothing. She pulled out a beige bra and handed it to Andy.
He took it as if she was handing him something dangerous.
"It won't bite," quipped Sara.
Andy grinned. "I just never thought that I would have to wear something like this. I know it's just a piece of clothing, but it doesn't seem right."
"Andy, you have a female body. I know that you're the same person inside and you will have a lot of adapting to do, but you're strong and you will succeed. I'm not downplaying what happened, but you can't lay here naked in your bed for the rest of your life."
"You're right. But knowing that still doesn't make it any easier," stated Andy. "So how do I put this thing on?"
Sara helped Andy slip on the bra. She adjusted the straps and was pleased with the fit, although Andy appeared to be slightly bigger than his programmed 38-E, but she kept this knowledge to herself.
"How's that feel?" asked Sara.
"Not bad," replied Andy; he reached up and adjusted his bra strap. "Okay, what's next?"
Sara reached into a bag and pulled out a pair of matching cotton panties and handed them to Andy.
"What, no thongs?" asked Andy with a smile.
"Sure, I'll get some for you next time," replied Sara.
Andy tried on the panties. He stood up and looked at his reflection in the mirror. "They fit."
"I also have some shorts and tops." Sara laid out a pair of light green shorts and a sleeveless yellow t-shirt. The outfit was similar to what she was presently wearing. It was her normal casual off-work outfit.
Andy picked up the shorts and slipped them over his enlarged hips. He then did the same with the top. In spite of his apprehension, he had to admit that he looked good.
"I also got you a new watch, your old one is too big," added Sara. She handed him a woman's digital watch. She had picked one with similar functions and style to his male watch.
Andy looked at his dainty wrists and nodded in agreement. The new watch was soon around his wrist.
Sara was pleased that Andy had been so accepting of his new wardrobe. She decided to press him slightly, seeing he was being so open-minded.
"Andy, do you want me to help you with your hair?"
Andy glanced in the mirror. As much as he was unhappy about his new body, he had to agree that his present haircut was out of place. He reached up and ran his fingers through his short brown hair.
"I could style yours similar to mine," continued Sara.
"Makes sense. If I leave the island, I don't want to draw any undue attention…not that many people will be looking at my head," replied Andy, looking down at his breasts.
"Okay, sit down over here," instructed Sara, pointing to a chair.
In a few minutes she had trimmed Andy's hair and styled it into a more feminine look.
"After a while, when your hair grows out, we'll go to a salon and get a professional to style you," stated Sara.
Andy looked at himself in the mirror and nodded. "I don't know, I think you did a pretty good job."
"I used to style my friends' hair in college. Earned a little money that way," confessed Sara.
Andy nodded. He looked at himself in the mirror and it was clear that no one would ever suspect that he was once male. He felt his emotions kicking up again and he felt the tears forming again.
"Shit," he mumbled, as the tears began to flow.
Sara reached over and put her arms around him and gave him a long hug.
"Sorry," sniffed Andy. "I was just overwhelmed… again."
"Don't apologize. Besides, it's okay to let your emotions out," replied Sara.
"You mean, now that I'm a girl?" countered Andy. A slight smirk formed on his face.
"Yes, but it's never good to hold in your feelings. Andy, I'm not trying to make you into a woman. But let's face the facts; you have the body of a woman, an extremely beautiful woman. People are going to notice you. You can't try to hide your looks."
Andy sat down and stared back at Sara.
"It's not the end of the world. Yes, it's a huge change, but you're very healthy and you're also very intelligent. That hasn't changed one bit. Dr. Sanchez wants you on the team. He was planning on offering you a fulltime position BEFORE this happened. The accident hasn't changed his opinion."
"That's good to know. So, what do I do about my identity?" asked Andy.
Sara was pleased that Andy was willing to talk rationally about what had happened.
"Dr. Sanchez talked to a lawyer, who suggested that we treat this as if you had a regular sex change operation. He can file the paperwork that would change everything from male to female… along with a name change."
Andy sat silently absorbing what Sara had just said. The logical engineer side of him agreed with Sara. But another part of him didn't want to let go of his male identity. He began to internally debate the pros and cons of what to do.
Sara didn't say anything initially, she let Andy contemplate. However, eventually she felt the need to pipe in. "You don't need to make up your mind this very second."
Andy looked up at her. "You're right. Thanks."
"You hungry?" she asked.
"Famished," replied Andy.
"You want me to bring you something, or…."
"No. Let's go to the dining room," interrupted Andy.
"You up to that?" asked Sara.
"No, but let's go before I change my mind," replied Andy softly.
"Here's a pair of sandals for you," stated Sara.
Andy nodded and noticed that they were the female style of his old favorite sandals.
"Did you buy these too?"
Sara nodded.
"Very thoughtful. Thanks."
Chapter 17
July 16
6:38 PM
Sara and Andy stood outside the dining area. Andy was very nervous and took in a deep breath and let it out in a long blow.
"Okay, let's get this over with," stated Andy.
They walked in together. The room was filled and within seconds all heads turned towards them.
"Yes, I'm alive," stated Andy.
His voice was still a bit soft, but Sara noticed that it was almost up to full volume.
Andy's statement caused a round of laughter. It was a good sign, thought Sara.
"I'll be glad to talk later, but right now, I really need to get something to eat," continued Andy. "Oh, and just in case you're wondering, please call me Andy."
Andy and Sara sat down together with their meals. Andy took a seat with his back to the rest of the technicians.
"Are they all staring at me?" he whispered to Sara.
"Not all of them," replied Sara.
Andy took a bite of his lasagna. "This is really good, but then again it's the first meal I've had in days."
"You're doing great," stated Sara.
Andy nodded. "I can't believe how strange my body feels. I mean when we walked over here I could feel my hips swaying and my…. my breasts bouncing. I know they were watching me."
"I imagine you're right," replied Sara. She had seen a few of the men staring at Andy, and it was a look of lust. She couldn't blame them as Andy had a killer body.
"And it doesn't matter to them that I'm a guy inside this body?" he whispered back.
Sara noted the slight tone of anger in Andy's voice and she wondered if she had pushed him too far, too fast.
"You want to stay out here?" she asked.
Andy nodded. "I guess it's just something else I'll have to tolerate." He let out a long sigh.
"After dinner, you want to take a walk along the beach?" asked Sara.
"No. I want to see Jim."
Sara stared back. "You sure about that?"
Andy smiled. "Don't worry. I just want to ask him a favor."
Chapter 18
July 16
7:18 PM
Jim sat nervously across from Andy and Sara. They were sitting in the main lab next to Patecatl.
"Andy, please let me apologize for what happened to you," Jim exclaimed.
"Thank you. I know you didn't do this to me on purpose. I'm not happy that it happened, but I accept that it was an accident," stated Andy.
"So what do you want? I can't change you back completely, at best I can write a program that will change you partially back or, as Sara suggested, tone down your appearance," asked Jim, he took a bite from his chocolate bar. "But that will be at least a year from now. To do so sooner would have dire consequences."
"I know. Nanite poisoning," interjected Andy.
"Exactly," replied Jim. "It could cause a variety of problems including kidney and liver failure."
"A year is a long time. What I want is for you to destroy the program that changed me."
Jim got a panicked look on his face.
"Before you throw a fit, you don't have to destroy the entire program. I just want the part of the program that gave me my specific looks changed, if that's possible," continued Andy.
"Why?" asked Jim.
"Like it or not, this is my face for now. I don't want to be the first of several copies," replied Andy. "I've lost a lot, but if I have to be this person, then I want to be the only one."
"Oh. Of course," replied Jim sheepishly. "I can do that."
"I'm asking you to do this as a friend," continued Andy.
Jim noticed the sense of sadness in Andy's voice.
"I'll get onto it immediately, Andy. I promise you that you'll be unique."
Andy cracked a slight smile. "I think I'm already unique now."
Chapter 19
July 16
9:38 PM
Andy was lying in a bath filled with hot water. Sara had suggested that it would help him relax. While the steamy water felt good, Andy was too wrapped up in thought to really relax.
First off, he wasn't sure if he wanted to spend the rest of his life as a woman. It wasn't the end of the world, as Sara had pointed out, but it was a huge adjustment. He felt a shiver up his spine as he thought of how some of the men looked at him. His eyes ran down to his vagina. There was no way that a man's cock was ever going inside him, he declared to himself.
Andy began to run through his mind a list of his close friends and family. It was a short list. He wondered how they'd react to his new appearance. He knew that he couldn't just disappear. Andy began to create a list of those people who he felt would accept him as a woman, and those that wouldn't.
Marcy would look upon what had happened as an improvement. She had been Andy's fiancée. They had broken up when she'd confessed that she preferred women to men. He'd never told anyone the real reason why they broke up; his male ego was too shattered.
For the first time in months, he thought about Marcy and her pert little breasts. He knew the right way to rub them to get her hot and bothered. Without thinking, Andy began to rub his own nipples. The pleasurable sensation was definitely eye opening. Andy's nipples when he was male were never all that sensitive, but now they were very responsive.
Andy stopped before going much further. He wasn't ready to explore his new body. In some ways he still didn't accept it as his. It would take time to see himself as female.
In a shift of emotions, Andy suddenly became very sad and depressed. He could feel his eyes watering up again.
"Shit," he exclaimed softly, as the tears began to run down his face. "I don't want to be a girl!"
Wiping his eyes, he climbed out of the tub and dried off. He felt composed enough, until he saw his image in the mirror. Seeing his beautiful feminine body was too much and he collapsed on his bed and began to sob.
Sara was standing outside of his door. She wanted badly to go in and comfort Andy, but Dr. Sanchez had told her to hold off. He said that Andy needed moments like this to release his emotions. Sara didn't agree with the theory, but she didn't disobey Doc's orders.
After a few minutes she couldn't hear anymore crying and she figured Andy had fallen asleep. She wished him sweet dreams.
(continued)
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