Joe_Bates_Saga________________________________________________________15__ 15. Chapter : Decisions Before long, a middle aged man entered the room. He was followed by Karen Simpson. The man was carrying three manila folders. He took them and placed them on the table in front of Joe, Dave, and Mike. "Hi, my name is Norman Peterson," the man said. "I'm an attorney, and I've been asked by Dr. Krell to help you with the legal ramifications of your problem." "Joe Bates," said Joe, extending his hand. Mike and Dave did the same, introducing themselves. Norm Peterson seemed to know who they were already. "Dr. Krell told me a little about your problem," he said. "While I guess I'm getting familiar with the many different situations that exist here at the clinic, I must admit, however, this is the most unusual one I've seen." "Norm, here, is Dr. Krell's attorney. He's familiar with the requirements of most states' laws, including Arizona's," Karen added. "I have some questions to ask you," Dave said immediately. "No problem," Norm said, "but I think it would be best to work with each of you individually. It might be easier to talk in private." "Okay," Dave agreed. "Good idea." Norm explained California law on changing one's legal status. He explained what had to be done to get a revised birth record, and changing all other legal records. He explained that with proper endorsement by qualified medical representatives, just about all records could be changed, with the exception of records kept by the Department of Defense. Those were truly permanent, and he knew of no way to change them. He did not offer alternatives to changing status legally, figuring that everyone there had already decided on that course of action. After talking for about ten minutes, going through a seemingly well rehearsed format, Norm said he was finished, and ready to talk to each of them individually. Dave wanted to go first, and the others took their manila folders and left the room. Joe went back to the waiting room and sat. Mike sat next to him, with Karen on the other side. No one else was in the waiting area. "Sounds like he expects us to all want to become women," Joe said, breaking the silence. "He sure does," Mike agreed. "I have no intention of doing that, at least not until all hope of getting back is used up. Even then, I don't know if I would want to be a woman." "I wonder if we really have a choice?" Joe asked, to no one in particular. "Well, I do," Mike declared. "My records say I'm a man, and nobody can change that unless I agree." They sat there in silence. Joe went to the rack, retrieved the Cosmopolitan magazine, and found the story he had started previously. He started to read. Karen peered over his shoulder, and saw what he was reading. "PMS, huh?" she asked. "Are you worried that you might get bitchy one of these days?" Karen seemed to know how to lighten up the moment. "Well, I guess it has to be a concern now," Joe said seriously. "I really do wonder what it would feel like." "I'd like to know, too," Karen said, "but you... both of you... will probably get to find out." "Well, I'd gladly give you MY opportunity, if I could," Mike said. "I have no desire to go on the rag." "I don't know how I feel about it," Joe said honestly. "If I'm stuck like this, I guess it has to be considered a natural function, something to get used to." "There's nothing natural about any of this!" Mike objected. "Yeah, yeah, I know, but until we can figure out what can be done, we might as well do the best we can." Joe tried to calm his friend down. It was strange how tolerant of their situation he was becoming. Before long, Dave came out, carrying papers in his hand. He came over and sat with them. The nurse called Joe. Joe got up, and followed the nurse back into the room with Dr. Krell and Norm. They were sitting on one side of the table, and motioned for him to sit on the other side. "Well, Joe, and what is your choice? Do you wish to remain a male too?" Dr. Krell asked. It was obvious that the interview with Dave had not gone well. "Sure, I'd like to remain male, but it doesn't look like I have that choice, do I?" Joe said, grinning slightly. "You don't have to sign these papers," Norm said. "I'm not sure what we can do about your legal status if you don't, but nobody can force you to do anything you don't want to do. With the way you look, I suspect you might have difficulty trying to convince anyone that you're a male, but that is one of your options, if you want." Joe crossed his leg under the table. The two men could not see his legs, and he slid one of his hands along his smooth, nylon covered leg. He rubbed the slickness as he thought, "If I sign this, I'll legally be a female, and most of my records will reflect the change in status. If I don't, I'll legally be a guy, but with this woman's body, not fitting in anywhere. What choice is that, really?" He took the pen in his hand. "Will my school records, my driver's license, pilot's license, and all other records reflect the change?" he asked warily. "That is correct," Norm said. "We will help you change all the records that it is possible to change. The DOD stuff will have the change noted in your record, but they will not change what is already there." "My birth certificate? How will that be changed?" Joe questioned. "An amended certificate will be issued, and that will be in your file. You may personally keep the original, if you desire," Dr. Krell answered. "What if I can change back? What if you figure out how to make me a male again?" Joe wondered aloud. "If we can discover a way to get you back, and we will keep trying, it will be simply a matter of repeating this same process," Dr. Krell advised. "Whatever status you prefer will make no difference on our course of action in that matter." Joe ran his hand up his leg, beneath the soft silk of the slip. He got to the top of the hose, and felt the warm softness of the skin of his inner thigh. He really liked the way it felt. A nervous Joe Bates took the pen, and signed the first paper, he folded it back, and started to read the next one. It was a form used to change his legal name. He had not considered that. "What's this? I haven't even considered a name change," Joe said. "Do I have to do that?" "No, of course not," Dr. Krell said. "I just thought you might want it, however. Of course, Joe is not that unusual as a feminine name, especially if you shorten it to Jo, jay-oh, when you sign your name. I don't see any problem with keeping the legal name Joel." Joe skipped that paper, and went to the next one. It was a form for requesting a new operator's certificate, and he signed it immediately. "Since that has your picture on it, you will have to go to the DMV and get issued a new license. With this paperwork, it will be like renewing your certificate. No tests, and no questions," Norm told him. Joe looked at the next form. It was an FAA form for requesting a replacement pilot certificate. He signed it after he read through it. "I don't have a lot of experience with that one," Dr. Krell said. "I have talked with the FAA Flight Surgeon at Oklahoma City, and he explained what was needed. You will get a new certificate in the mail. All your ratings remain the same." The next group of papers was DOD related. Joe read through it carefully. It was some forms filled out by Dr. Krell, as well as about a six page summary of what had happened to Joe and his new status as female. "I'm not sure what effect this will have on your security clearance status. I would think it would have none, but I have no precedent," Norm said. The last paper was for changing his birth record. He really had concern about that. No matter what happened, or how he decided to deal with his body's physical changes, Joe still felt that deep down, somewhere inside, he was STILL a male. If his birth certificate said he was born a girl, could he still feel that way? He thought of the way he now looked, the way he now felt, and how even his personality seemed to be changing. He did not even know how he would feel tomorrow. It was likely he would be even more feminine, since he was still feeling the changes happening. It was probably inevitable, and he might as well admit it. He took a deep breath, and signed the paper. "You can take the rest of these things with you," Norm said. "I'll have these things copied, and give you the forms you will need. That's all for now." Joe got up, and shook Norm's hand. It was difficult to get used to having such small hands. All the other men seemed to have a much stronger grip now. Joe went back out into the waiting room as the receptionist called Mike. Joe sat down next to Dave. Dave was looking through his paperwork. "What did Norm advise?" Joe asked his friend. "Well, he figured I was just going to sign the papers and that would be it," Dave said. "When I explained my concern, he was sympathetic, and all, but he didn't really have any good advice. He thought it would be best if I changed my legal status to female, as far as my relationship with Honybone. But when I asked about Cindy, then he thought I had better wait. I guess it's going to be up to Dr. Krell's guys to get us back." "Yeah, I signed the papers," Joe said. "Dr. Krell said if they do find a way to get us back, I can go through it all again. It's amazing how simple it is." They sat and waited for about twenty minutes as Mike had his interview with Norm. Finally, Mike returned to the waiting room. He had a smile on his face. "Good news?" Joe asked, curious to know the cause of Mikes obvious joy. "Dr. Krell said he would accept me for reconstructive surgery, if that's what I really want," Mike said. He was almost back to his normal friendly personality. "When does he plan to do that?" Dave asked, showing interest. "He said I had better wait until they have exhausted attempts to return us using the equipment back at Honeybone," Mike said. "That might take a month or so. I guess I can wait that long. As long as there is light at the end of the tunnel." "I hope he can do something for me," Dave said. "Can he give you a working penis?" "He said that they were making advances every day, and that I might at least have some feeling. Anything's better than this," Mike said, placing his hand on his crotch. "Don't give up on getting back the way we came," Joe said. "There are still a lot of things we don't know about that." He did not want his buddies to blow the chance for a normal recovery. Changing themselves by surgery would eliminate any chance to reverse the process without causing deformities. "Don't worry about it," Mike said. "Dr. Krell won't let us do anything until all possibilities of that are exhausted." Mike sounded like he did not expect much from that possibility. Dr. Krell came out and walked over to his three patients. "Well, I think we're finished with you for today," he said. "Come back tomorrow morning, about nine-thirty, and Susan will be ready with her little seminar." "Is Karen free?" Joe asked. "I'm sure she is," Dr. Krell answered, "but you'll probably have to track her down." Joe went back down the hall, and found Karen back in the classroom, still talking to three of Dr. Krell's patients. "Dr. Krell says we are through for the day," Joe said. "Do you want to come with us, back to the hotel?" he asked Karen. "Sure, I'm ready any time you are," she said, gathering up her purse and a book. They walked back out to the waiting area where the others were standing. They gathered their things and walked out to the car. As they were driving to the hotel, Karen looked at Joe. "When do you have to back tomorrow?" she asked. "We don't have to be in until nine-thirty," Joe replied. "I guess we just have the classroom stuff to do, and then we can go back to Phoenix." "You got everything done today?" Karen asked, seeming to be surprised. "I suppose so," Joe said. "I don't know what you were expecting, but the interview, a physical exam, and changing my legal status to female seems like plenty for one day to me." "Yeah, I guess looking at it that way, it was a big day for you," Karen considered. "You don't know how big it was," Joe said. "Except for last Friday, I've never had another day to compare with this." Karen turned into the drive at the hotel. "What do you guys want to do this evening?" she asked, looking at Dave and Mike sitting in the back seat of the big Lincoln. "Get some food, and stay in my room," Mike said. "Me too," agreed Dave. "I don't want to go out in public like this any more than necessary." "How about you, Joe?" she asked looking at him. "You want to sit in your room and mope too?" "Well, I am hungry, but I don't know about anything else. I don't think I'm ready for it," Joe said. "Hey, you're officially a woman now, like it or not," Karen argued. "You look passable, that's for sure, and you're learning how to act like one very quickly. This is the place to learn, away from home where you won't find anyone who would recognize you." Joe thought about it, and realized she was right. He did not want to go out, but if he was going to be this way for a while, or forever, he had to get used to it, and there was no better place than away from home to make the inevitable mistakes. "Well, okay, I'll go with you, if you think I should," Joe conceded. "How about you two? Mike, you don't look any different, come on along," Karen asked again. "I'll think about it," Mike said. "I don't feel too good right now, though." "What's wrong?" Karen asked. "I don't know," Mike said. "I don't know. Hell, I've been feeling all kinds of strange sensations. I don't know which ones are normal, and which ones are a problem. My belly hurts, and my chest... my nipples, they hurt when anything touches them. My shirt feels like it's rubbing them raw." Joe knew what his buddy was feeling. He had the same feeling when he wore his tee-shirt the first day. He had not seen Mike's chest, but Joe guessed his friend had some changes there too, even though the clothes he wore concealed it. "Mike, are you developing breasts too?" Joe asked. "Are they real sore?" "Well... no... I'm still... I'm not..." Mike stammered. "Damn it, Mike!" Joe exclaimed "You don't have to act macho or anything like that. We're all in this together. It's nothing to be embarrassed about... at least around us." Joe was irritated at the way his friend was denying the problem. "Okay... Okay... Yeah, I guess I'm getting tits too," Mike admitted. "I got a cunt, and now I'm getting breasts. I admit it. Are you happy now?" He almost shouted at Joe. "Mike, don't feel so sorry for yourself," Joe said. "I know you don't like what has happened, none of us do, but denying it won't fix the problem any quicker. You know that." "What the hell do you want me to do?" Mike asked. "I'm not beautiful, like you are. I can't put on women's clothes, and fit right in, like you have. What do you want me to do?" "Mike, if you need help coping... if there is anything I can do... don't be too shy to ask," Karen said. "I think I can help you get through this. I have some experience with it, you know." "I don't know what I need," Mike said. "I think my body is still changing. I don't know. I just don't know what's going on." They all got out of the car, and went up to their rooms. As they walked down the hallway to their room, they agreed to call each other in about a half hour, to decide what they would do. Joe entered his room, and sat on the bed. The early morning wake up, and the events of the day, had left him tired. His old strength was not the same anymore. He had not exercised for a few days, since his racquetball game with Jay, and he missed that. He would have to get back on some type of exercise program, no matter what he looked like. It was awkward lying on the bed in the suit, and he did not want to wrinkle it, so Joe decided to change clothes. He knew he would not want to wear it anymore this late in the day anyway. He sat up and removed the gray heels. He was now used to walking in the low heeled shoes, and knew he looked good wearing them, but they sure were not the most comfortable shoes he ever had on. He placed them by the bed, and stood to remove the skirt. When he had the skirt on a hanger, he started to remove the silk blouse. He started to unbutton it, and as he did, his hands brushed against the softness of his breasts. It felt great, just to touch himself. It was not a sexual thing really, but it sure was sensual, and he found he could not resist fondling the softness. The silky blouse over the slip, and his bra, made his breasts feel wonderful. He had always loved the feel of women's breasts, but it was even better to feel them from both sides. The soft touch, and the thin, slippery fabric, made it easy to see, as well as feel, that his nipples had become hard and stiff. The sensation was quite intense, and Joe was starting to feel the familiar dampness that now accompanied his "erection." It was the first time he had experienced the pleasurable sensation for a while, and he was relieved to find that it could still happen. He had been beginning to worry that he was going to lose these new feelings. Joe quickly removed his blouse, and slip. He slipped out of the nylon hose, carefully placing everything either on hangers, or carefully piling them on the dresser. He looked over at the full length mirror, and saw himself standing in his underwear. He was becoming used to the feelings, the clothes and all the other things about being a female. He wondered when he'd ever get used to his reflection in the mirror. "It's a lot different than Jockeys and a tee-shirt," he thought to himself. He started to remove his bra, but decided against it. He liked the secure feeling it gave to his breasts. Joe went over to the TV, and turned it on, looking at the little placard to find the channel for CNN. When he found it, he went over to the bed, and lay down without pulling back the spread. Joe lay there, watching the news, and idly rubbing his left nipple through the thin material of the bra. If he ever got back, if he ever became a man again, he would certainly miss this experience. Of course, right now it did not look like that was going to happen any time soon, and he realized that he was starting to hope he could stay this way, at least for a while. He had never been more aware of his body, and now it seemed like everything that touched it made him tingle. As he watched the news, he found himself watching the news-readers, both men and women. He found that what he looked at was changing. While he used to ignore the men, he now looked at them critically, even their clothes. He had always eyed the women, but now, he found himself looking at what they were wearing, rather than just trying to undress them in his mind, as before. He tried to determine why he was now feeling this way, but had no answer. "Maybe I'm starting to accept the fact that I don't have a penis anymore," he considered. With that thought, he tightened the muscles in his crotch, and felt the now familiar sensation as his vagina tightened. It was a pleasant feeling, at least as good as if his cock was there, twitching. He reached down, and placed his hand on the slick fabric covering the soft, flat area between his legs. Touching there felt good, and with his hand, he could feel that the wetness was beginning to soak through the cotton lining. It was making even the outer surface of the black panties damp. He was enjoying the caress of his hand on this sensitive area, when he was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone on the night stand. "It must be Karen wanting me to get going," he thought as he picked up the phone. "Joe here," he answered. "Joe? I'm glad I found you," the voice on the other end said. "Who is this?" Joe asked. It obviously was not Karen. "It's me, Jim Matheny," the voice said. "I just got some more news, and I think you should hear it." "Go ahead, shoot," Joe said. He wondered what they had discovered. "I was over at Firebird, and I was talking with the line chief. He asked when we would be running the GPS tests again," Jim said. Firebird was the FBO that supported Honeybone's flight department with fuel and any other services. They were based at Deer Valley Airport. "I told him that I didn't know for sure, since it looked like there was a possibility that the equipment we were using might be causing injury to our personnel," Jim went on. "He asked what kind of injury, and I explained that it might be causing cell damage, which had unusual symptoms on the persons affected. I didn't want to go into detail, you understand." "Go on please," Joe interrupted. "What did you find out?" Jim continued, "Well, he asked who go hurt, and I told him that you, Dave, and Mike did, but that you were not in any danger." "Yeah, okay, okay, go on," Joe said, anxious to hear whatever news he had. "Well, when he heard that," Jim explained, "he thought for a minute, and said that he thought that one of his line boys, a college student named Tim Werner, was hanging around you guys last Thursday, while you were calibrating the transmitters." Joe thought about it. He did remember Tim being with them while they were working. Tim was going to college, and working at Firebird part time so that he could make a little extra money, as well as hang around airplanes. Tim was an intelligent, friendly kid, maybe twenty, or twenty-one, and was about the same size as Joe. He was always hanging around, watching what they were doing, hoping to bum a ride in the Learjet. "Bob, the line chief, said he hadn't seen Tim since Thursday," Jim continued. "He was supposed to work Friday morning, and all day both Saturday, and Sunday. He didn't show up, and he didn't call. Bob called his apartment, but nobody answered. Bob said Tim was a very reliable guy, and he couldn't figure out what happened to him. I asked Bob if he knew Tim's address. He did, and I suggested that we go over there and check for ourselves. I figured that if something happened to Tim, like happened to you guys, he might hole up, and be too embarrassed to come out. Well, we went over to his apartment, and knocked on the door. Nobody came to the door right away, but Bob saw Tim's Camarro on the parking lot, so he figured he was in there. We kept ringing, and knocking, and finally somebody came to the door. It was a girl, wearing jeans and a tee-shirt. She had short hair, though, like you guys, and she looked a lot like Tim." "Oh, shit, another victim!" Joe said aloud. "Yeah, I believe so," Jim said. "I asked the girl... She looked like a girl... I asked Tim if it was him. He said yes. He was too embarrassed to come out of his apartment looking like he does, and of course, he thought he was the only one that had the problem." "Where is Tim now?" Joe asked. "He's still at his apartment," Jim answered. "He didn't want to come out, or go to the hospital. Bob and I brought him some burgers. She... err... He said he was hungry. He's scared to death, Joe." "He needs to get over here," Joe said. "If he sees us, at least then he'll know he's not alone." "That's what I was thinking," Jim said. "I can't get him to go on an airliner, and I don't have a plane available to get him there. Can you maybe fly back, and pick him up?" "Yeah, I guess I can," Joe said. He thought about the flight back, and had another idea. "My pal Jay Logan has a Mooney 252," Joe said. "I'll call him. He knows Tim, since he keeps his plane at Deer Valley. I think I can get Jay to fly over and bring Tim to us. We're getting a briefing tomorrow which might help him too." "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Jim said. "Tell your friend to fuel up at Firebird, and Honeybone will pick up the expenses, and you do what you can to help that kid." "I'll call Jay, and tell him to get in contact with you. Where will you be for the next few hours?" Joe asked. "I'm at Firebird, and I'll stick around as long as I need to," Jim answered. "Okay then," Joe said. "I'll call Jay. If I can't reach him, or he can't get away, I'll fly back with the 421. I think I can get hold of Jay, though." "Thanks Joe. I knew I could count on you," Jim said. "No sweat Jim. I appreciate the backing you've given us," Joe said honestly. "Damn," Joe thought, "another victim." Were there others? How many people would have their lives screwed up like this? He hung up the phone momentarily, and then picked it back up. He dialed the number of his best friend Jay. The phone rang three times, and then the familiar sound of his buddy's voice on the other end. "Hey, pal, what you got planned for this evening?" Joe asked. "Not much, I guess," Jay said. "I just got home, and was getting ready to find something to eat." "How would you like to drive your plane over here to Lindberg Field?" Joe asked. "Sure, I can do that. You have something you want me to look at?" Jay asked. "No, nothing like that," Joe answered. "My boss, Jim Matheney just called. They've found another person with my problem. A line boy named Tim Werner." "Oh, shit! Yeah, I know Tim," Jay interrupted. "Well, he was watching us, Thursday, and I guess he was in the wrong place at the right time," Joe said. "Can you fly him over here? Honeybone will pick up expenses." "Sure, I'll take him over there. I need the time anyway," Jay agreed. "As soon as you can get ready, get over to Firebird. They should have Tim there by then. I'll meet you on the ramp at Jim's Air, on Lindberg," Joe said. "Okay, see you in a few hours," Jay said. The phone clicked off. Joe thought about what he had just heard. If Tim had been affected, that meant that they were probably exposed to whatever changed them while they were on the ground. That information would probably be a significant breakthrough. It also meant that the GPS was almost certainly responsible for the problem, since there was unlikely to be any other common denominator. Maybe there was hope yet. Joe lay back on the bed. The news from Jim had his adrenaline flowing again. Maybe he should call Karen. He thought about it, and realized that she was just on the other side of the wall. There was a locked connecting door, and he went to it and opened it. On the other side was another door. He knocked on it, and in a few seconds Karen opened it. She stood in the open doorway, and asked what Joe wanted. She had taken off the clothes she had been wearing too, and had on only a bra and panties. "What's up, Joe?" she asked. "I just got a call from Jim Matheney, at Honeybone," he said. "Jim says that they've found another person who has been changed. It's a line boy who was watching us set up and calibrate the GPS equipment BEFORE we flew." "That's interesting," Karen said. "That means you all were probably exposed on the ground, right?" "Yeah, I think it does. That narrows down the cause, at least a little," Joe said. "I talked to Jim, and my pal Jay is going to fly the line boy, his name is Tim Werner, to us here in San Diego. If all goes well, he will be here in about three hours, maybe less." "That's a good idea," Karen said. "That'll give Dr. Krell a chance to look him over and see if he's okay, as well as maybe help him with the adjustment." "Right," Joe replied. "Jim said he's really scared, and embarrassed. I know how he feels. I know it'll help him just to find he's not the only one." "How old is he?" Karen asked. "I don't know for sure, but he's a college student. I'd say twenty... twenty-one or so," Joe guessed. "It must be quite a shock," Karen mused, "waking up and finding you're changed that suddenly. That you aren't a man anymore." "You bet it is!" Joe confirmed. "I'm just now starting to accept the idea of looking like this for a long time, maybe forever." "What do we need to do for him here?" Karen asked. "I don't know," Joe said. "Why don't you come on in, and let's talk about it." Karen came into his room, and Joe closed the door. He followed her back into the room, looking at her figure which was easy to see since she wore only light blue nylon panties, and on top, only a matching bra. She turned and saw that Joe was staring at her butt. "Like what you see?" she teased, grinning. "Well, no... I mean... Yeah... I mean... Well, you know... It's hard to get used to seeing pretty women running around in their underwear, and keep from staring. I'm sorry," Joe apologized. "No, don't be. I'm pleased to find I'm worth looking at," Karen said, laughing, "and I love that description." "It's true," Joe said truthfully. "I'm really impressed at how you look. If I didn't know, I'd never guess your past." Karen, although she was almost six feet tall, was very feminine looking. Only her wide shoulders looked out of place, giving her the look of a swimmer, or athlete. Her breasts were average, well developed, and about the same size as Joe's. Both she and Joe had smaller than average hips, but Karen's were maybe narrower, though her upper thighs were, perhaps, a little heavier. Hormones were redistributing her body fat to follow the female form. Joe, though he was now genetically female, still had very little extra body fat. His hips were a bit wider than before the change, but it was due mostly to changes in his skeletal structure, rather than changes in amount of body fat. In that respect, Joe was more like a young girl, just through puberty. He had the curves, but was only starting to acquire all the fat distribution of a female. "I wasn't always this way," Karen said. "When I started on hormones, It seemed like nothing happened for months. Then my breasts started to grow, but just a little. It really wasn't until after my surgery that they really came on. In the last year, I've found that I have to watch what I eat. I think my butt will really spread, if I let it." She bent her fanny around so Joe could see it. "Nothing to complain about as far as I can see," Joe said, grinning. "It looks like Dr. Krell does good work." "Dr. Krell didn't cause this to happen," Karen said, smiling, and rubbing one of her buttocks. "Hormones did. Dr. Krell is responsible for this." She turned around, and patted her crotch. "The other day you said you didn't have much feeling in it," Joe said. "Does it look real?" "Well, I don't know," Karen answered. "You've got a real one now. Would you like to see it, and compare?" Joe thought about it. The whole thing was intriguing. Surgically changing sex. She looked so female. He was curious about what she really looked like. "Well... Are you sure you don't mind?" Joe said reluctantly. "I don't want to seem nosy, but I am curious." "Heck, it's only fair," Karen said. "I saw what you looked like when I assisted the other day. I guess I can't complain if you see me. Besides, we're both women, aren't we?" "Yeah, I guess we are," Joe agreed. Karen pulled her underwear down, and stepped out of it. She put her arms out slightly, and turned around. Then she faced Joe, and put her feet slightly apart. Joe looked at Karen in amazement. Even without her panties, she still looked completely female. Her pubic hair was trimmed into a triangle, probably so that it would not protrude from tight fitting swimwear, but not nearly as close as Joe's. Joe wondered what Karen had in place of a clitoris. He knew that was the key to the pleasant sensations he experienced now. "Did they give you a clitoris?" he asked. "Sort of," Karen said. "They tried to take some of the skin from the underside of my penis and place it where your clitoris is. I guess Dr. Krell did the best he could. It looks real enough, I suppose. I can feel it too, but just barely. Can't say it does much for me sexually." She reached down and with two fingers, spread her pubic folds. Joe looked at her carefully. Unlike his own, Karen's genitalia had smaller inner lips, and those were much smoother, without as many crinkles and folds as his had. It also seemed to be very dry. By comparison, it seemed to Joe, he was always wet. Sometimes uncomfortably so. "Is it always dry like that?" he asked. "It seems like I'm always soaking my underwear." "I'm sure I don't have the lubrication you have," Karen said, "but it's adequate. If I were going to have intercourse for a long time, I would probably need some K-Y jelly or something, or I'd get sore. The same would happen to you, I suspect, but it might take longer." "How do you think it would work if Dr. Krell gave me a new penis?" Joe asked, looking at the doctor's work. "Gee, I don't know," Karen answered, stepping into her underwear and pulling it back up. "I've talked to a few genetic females who had reassignment surgery to male. Some were pleased, and others... Well, they wished they had left what they had alone. I think it's a still few years behind the male to female operation. Since you had a real penis, you'd be even harder to please." "Since I've had this body, and I've been getting used to the way it feels, I think it would be hard enough to go back to my old body, much less settle for one without any feeling at all," Joe said, thinking out loud. "Yeah, I think you're right," Karen agreed. "Dr. Krell does too, and I don't think he's too keen on changing you guys back surgically." "Mike seems to think he will," Joe said. "He says he won't change his records to female no matter what." "I know, and if I were Mike, I'm not sure I wouldn't feel the same way," Karen observed. "It's impossible, I think, to make anybody become the other sex, or to keep them from changing, if that's what they really want. It's whatever is in your head that counts." "I think even that's changing for me," Joe said. "The other day, all I wanted was to get my old body shape back, but now, I think I'm still changing. I think I could stay like this. If I had to, that is." Joe tried to explain to Karen the confusion that seemed to be inside his head. "Interesting. I'm sure that the gender clinic will want to know about what's going on in your head. Don't be afraid to bring it up," Karen advised. "Oh, yeah, sure," Joe argued. "That's easy to say. How do I tell somebody that, yeah, I'm really a guy, but no, I don't want to be changed back to a man? How do I do that? Besides, I don't know if that's really the way I feel, or if female hormones, or something, are just making me think that's what I want." "I don't know Joe," Karen answered. "I can only guess. I know when I started on hormones, I became much more emotional, crying for no reason, stuff like that. No doubt, they do affect your head. After surgery, when my testosterone was much lower, I began to feel a new contentment. Maybe that's what you're feeling. I don't know. I doubt if anyone could do more than guess." "Yeah, if I'm stuck like this, I suppose it's just as well that I'm starting to like it," Joe said, a smile forming on his face. "It's not all bad, is it?" Karen agreed. "No, it's not all bad, that's for sure," Joe agreed. "I guess we better call Dave and Mike, and let them know what's going on," Karen said, going over to the phone. Karen rang Dave's number, and when he answered, she told him to open his door, and come into Joe's room. Then she dialed Mike, and told him that Jim Matheney called, and that he should come to Joe's room too. She hung up the phone, went over, and unlocked the door on the other side of the room from her own. As she was doing that, they could hear the rattle of the lock, as Dave opened the second door. In a few seconds, the door opened, and Dave looked into the room. Dave looked surprised to see Karen and Joe standing in their underwear. Dave was still wearing his jumpsuit. Before they could say anything, they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Joe went to the door, and opened it slightly. It was Mike, and Joe opened the door to let him in. Mike came into the room and stood there, staring at Karen and Joe. He suddenly realized he was staring, and started mumbling an apology. "No reason to apologize," Karen said. "It's time you admit that you've changed too. We're not embarrassed for you to see us. Are we, Joe?" "Uh... No... No we're not," Joe said. He was not embarrassed, but he was uncomfortable. Mike was still dressed like a man, and no matter what he looked like underneath, he seemed like he was one. He felt self conscious standing in his sexy underwear around a "guy." "Sit down, everybody," Karen said. "Joe has some news. Tell 'em Joe." Joe sat on the edge of his bed, and cleared his throat. "I just got off the phone with Jim Matheney," Joe explained. "Thursday, when we were calibrating the transmitters, a line boy, Tim Werner, was watching us. Today, they found him hiding in his apartment. He has been changed, too. I don't know the extent of his changes, but we'll be seeing him in about two or three hours. My friend Jay Logan is bringing him over in his Mooney. Jim wants us to help him, and make sure that he gets whatever assistance we do from the clinic." "So we were affected on the ground," Mike said, "and Tim got zapped too." "Yeah," Joe replied. "Jim says that Tim is really scared. We all know what he's going through. Does everybody want to go along to the airport to pick him up?" "Sure. Yeah. Of course," they all agreed. "Okay then. Do we want to get something to eat before we pick him up, or wait until afterward?" Joe asked. "What do you think?" Dave asked. Dave seldom spoke lately, and it sort of surprised Joe when he did. "I think we should eat first, because Tim should probably meet with us before he spends much time in public. I think they almost have to drag him out of his room," Joe said. "Hell, I don't blame him," Mike said. "I wonder if his tits hurt like mine do." He gently massaged his chest through his shirt. "Some lotion will help the irritation," Karen said. " Take that shirt off, and let me see." "No, no, it's all right," Mike insisted. "Take the shirt off," Karen ordered. Mike looked at the tall woman. He started to say something, but stopped, and began to unbutton his shirt. He removed it, and pulled his T-shirt over his head. On his hairless, muscular chest, the objects of his pain and embarrassment were very evident. Mike's well developed pectoral muscles now seemed even larger, due to the small, but definitely feminine, breast development. His nipples and areola were fairly large, easily as big as Joe's, and they were quite erect. The rough men's shirts Mike wore had rubbed the tender tissue raw, and they looked sore. Embarrassingly, Mike took a nipple between his fingers, showing Karen, and the others, the small amount of blood that oozed to the surface of the thin, irritated skin. "These darn things really hurt," he said, rubbing it with the palm of his hand. "Just a minute," Karen said, going into her room for something. In seconds, she was back, with a small plastic bottle with a pump. She squirted some of the fragrant white liquid onto the tips of her fingers, and she rubbed it on Mikes tender areas. Mike's face became red as he allowed Karen to massage the soothing body lotion into his skin. The softness of his breast tissue looked out of place on his trim, muscled body. Mike had the slightly androgynous look of a female body builder. "There. Now, if you'll just wear a bra, or at least, a silk undershirt, you'll find that you won't have any problems," Karen admonished. "Mike, you'll have to stop denying the changes that you've had. At least keep from hurting yourself." "Yeah, yeah," Mike said. "That stuff feels pretty good. What is it?" "It's Jergens lotion," Karen said. "Here, take the bottle." She handed Mike the bottle as he was putting his shirt back on. "I guess we better get going if we are going to find something to eat, and still make the airport," Joe said. Joe looked at Mike. Now that he knew how Mike looked, he realized that he could see the slight bulge of Mike's breasts, as well as the definite points of his nipples poking at his shirt. He had not noticed it before. It gave him a new understanding about the problems Mike was facing. "Where do we want to go?" Karen asked. "I'd like a steak," said Mike. "Lets go to Mongo's." "That sounds good to me," Dave chimed in. "Suits me, too," Karen agreed. "I think I'll pass on the steak, but they have a great soup and salad bar." "Mongo's it is," Joe said. "Now, let me get dressed." Everyone went back to their rooms. Karen left the door open between her and Joe's room. Joe noticed it, but did not say anything. He looked at the clothes he brought, and decided on shorts, and a new top. The casual look was all right in a place like Mongo's. The group went to Mongo's, and when they finished, they were ready to go to the airport and pick up their new friend.