Marlon receives an interesting proposition and makes some life-changing decisions, and the legal process finally grinds to completion.

Disclaimer: The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. This story is copyright (c) 2009 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

Marlon did have a quiet evening, but he didn't sleep well with everything he had been told churning around in his head. The following day wasn't much better, with, it seemed, every single available person wanting to call and offer advice. Elena stopped by mid-afternoon to tell him that she had set up a meeting the following afternoon, and not to put any plans into stone just yet. Mystified, he took that as a sign that he could forget the outstanding problems for a while, and had a much more relaxed evening and night.

After lunch the following day he took Jill to see Talya, and they spent some time adjusting to one another before Elena called him away. She took him to the Controller's meeting room, where both the Controller and Sophia was waiting.

"Before Elena and Sophia start this meeting properly," the Controller said, "I need to tell you all that the trial of Citizen Pannal will take place starting tomorrow morning, and we'll all be present, us three as witnesses, and Marlon as victim as well as witness. So after we've finished, Elena, can you take Marlon down to Stores to get fitted for a release suit. Stores may bitch about it, but if he's going to get a suit in two or three day's time I don't see the point in delaying for the sake of regulations. Now, Elena, I gather this is your idea?"

"Yes, Controller. Marlon, I had an idea a few days ago about what you might do once you're released. An idea that plays to the strengths we've seen you display since you've been on E Deck. I want you to stay with us."

"I beg your pardon, Shepherd?" Marlon was surprised by her request. "What do you mean?"

"I wondered if you might consider staying in the facility, but as a member of staff. It's been quite clear, watching you operate, that you have a way of dealing with people few of the Shepherds have any chance of matching. With respect, Sophia," Elena switched to the Medical Director, "this is perhaps something that the medical staff should be providing, but obviously aren't except perhaps in your own person."

"What did you have in mind?" asked Sophia.

"I want him to be a sort of counsellor, free to go to any part of the facility and talk to anyone, the way he's been doing on E Deck. I've been reading some ancient history books. Long ago, there used to be 'lay' persons, I'm not quite sure what that means, but I think it implies that the persons weren't strictly part of the organisation structure. These persons would provide what's called 'pastoral care'. That is, they'd just go around and talk to the detainees and offer sympathy and support, and where necessary, advice and counselling. What do you think, Marlon?"

"I'm interested," Marlon admitted. "I would have to have some training, but I don't see any big problem. It would also mean that I have a secure base of friends to lean on while I build a new life outside for myself. Controller?"

"It's an interesting idea," she said. "I think Elena's identified a gap in the facility system. She has already mentioned your good work on E Deck. Now, E Deck itself is quite a rarefied place compared to the rest of the facility. How do you think you'd be able to cope with the different conditions elsewhere here?"

"Honestly, Controller, I don't know, seeing as I've never visited anywhere else. But it would be worth trying, at the very least."

"Sophia?"

"I approve, Controller, if we can find a way for it to work. It will probably mean that the regulations need to be adjusted, but we've already said that the current regulations don't provide the proper care. Elena, had you thought how this would work?"

"I think he'd probably have to be a member of your staff," she said, "we can work out a uniform and so on another time."

"I don't want to be a Shepherd," Marlon said, "I don't think many of the detainees will want to talk to a Shepherd, they see them as the enemy. It only worked on E Deck because I was one of them."

"That could be awkward," Sophia said. "I don't think the system would take too kindly to random citizens wandering around the facility. But I agree, if you were a Shepherd, it would automatically throw up a barrier with some of them."

"Right, I approve of your idea, Elena, I think this is what we'll try," said the Controller, coming to a decision. "See if you can find fault with this plan. We'll make it an experimental post, till we find out whether he can work all the Decks, not just E Deck. Marlon will report directly to the Medical Director, and we'll give him a provisional title of 'Facility Counsellor'. He'll have an 'all areas' disc the same as Sophia has, but we'll give him a 'trusty' uniform so that he's not obviously a Shepherd. Instead of red cuffs, we'll give him white ones, so Shepherds and detainees know who he is and what he's permitted to do. Sophia?"

She nodded. "I can't see anything immediately wrong with that, Controller. Can I come back to you if I think of something?"

"Of course. We've several days before Marlon is officially released. Elena?"

"That's almost exactly the way I'd thought of doing it, Controller."

"Marlon?"

"I'm overwhelmed by the kindness you've all shown me, citizens. It sounds like a good plan. I'll try to justify Elena's faith in me. Unless anything unusual happens in the next few days, I think I will accept your offer. Assuming I do so, I think you've just crystallised some of my other options. Sophia," he turned to her, "if I am to do this I will have to be a female, at least apparently so, to work in here. So I choose to stay in my present physical state. In addition," he turned to the Controller, "I will have to have a female name, so on the day I'm set free, I think I will walk out of here as Marlon Hillier, a man, and return as Marion Hillier, a woman. I'll change my status to female socially, but because I might still be able to reproduce, I'll stay legally male so any children I have can have a legal father. Will that be acceptable?"

"More than acceptable, citizen. Now, I don't want to prejudge what you might be able to do, but you do realise that if you're successful, we'll probably have to expand the operation and recruit more staff. This is a fair-sized facility, after all, you can't expect to handle it all by yourself. So, no pressure or anything, but you could find yourself running a small department in a year's time."

"No pressure! Controller, I'm lost for words. I'd prefer just to take it one step at a time, but I'll certainly bear your thoughts in mind as I do."

"Good. I think, then, Elena, you'd better take Marlon down to Stores now. I know Sophia has a whole load of work she ought to be getting on with. Thank you, Elena, for this idea, and thank you all for coming."

The woman in the Stores was one Marlon hadn't seen before, and she complained at issuing a release suit to someone who wasn't actually going out the door, but when Elena explained that Marlon had been exonerated and was merely awaiting the Appeal Court's judgement, she relented.

Marlon got a business style suit comprising a dark grey jacket with a short straight skirt and a fitted white shirt, two pairs of tights, and a pair of plain black slip-on shoes. He tried on the suit to make sure everything fit, looked at the result in the mirror and saw an 'ordinary' woman, which was fine with him. He reluctantly changed back into his green E Deck dress and handed the suit back, to be folded ready for him to wear in the morning.

As they were returning to E Deck, Elena said, "The suit is good enough for you to wear tomorrow and when you're released, but I'd get some better outfits as soon as you can. Those release outfits are a standardised item and everyone recognises them on the street, so they'll know exactly where you came from. You really don't need that kind of aggravation at the moment. I'm sure Belle will help you build a wardrobe."

"Belle?"

Elena looked at Marlon as the lift came to a stop and smiled. "We're not blind, you know. And Belle correctly informed me once she realised what was happening. If she hadn't, she'd have seriously stretched some of the regulations. Don't worry, I approve. And the regulations do permit work colleagues to form attachments, so you should have little problem in the future, if that's what you want to do."

"It's a little early, Elena," he said, "but let's just say I'm not discouraging her. At all."

"Good choice. Although I have to say, if you'd declared your availability, a queue would probably have formed on E Deck." She smiled again as they went through the gates and she released him.

Marlon sighed. "I obviously need to work on that part of my skills," he said, "I hadn't noticed anything at all. Thank you for finding me a job, Elena."

"My pleasure. It was fairly obvious, if you think about it," she said as she left him.

The next morning, after breakfast, he went down to Stores and changed into his suit. It was the first time he had ever worn the tights and shoes, and since he had spent the last six months wearing what were little more than slippers, his legs and feet felt funny. Since he was wearing a skirt for the first time ever, the feel of the waistband was odd to someone who'd spent six months in a dress. The ensemble made him walk differently. He was glad that Stores hadn't produced shoes with heels for him, even though he knew he would have that hurdle to face in the future. He practised walking about for a few minutes in the Stores area, and then was collected by two waiting female Enforcers.

After having his hands locked behind him, he was shut into the back of their van and driven away. The length of the journey suggested he was being taken back to the same court complex he had been in before, but there was no way of telling. After much waiting around, he was shown into a courtroom, and asked to relate his circumstances. Citizen Pannal sat in the dock on the other side of the room, looking shrunken and frail between two huge female Enforcers.

Much of his story sounded incredible to anyone who hadn't seen the male Marlon, but Proctor Julian, Elena and Sophia were all in the courtroom as well, so there was plenty of corroborating evidence. Because of the nature of the case, the session was adjourned for half an hour while Marlon went into a side room with the two female and one male Judiciars and stripped to show them his body. Video clips had demonstrated that he had been a normal male on arrival at Female Facility Five. The collection of evidence was pretty conclusive, and Citizen Pannal was found guilty on all counts, to be detained for medical reports before sentencing.

Before returning to the facility, Proctor Julian managed to talk to them, and Marlon found out that his own hearing in the Appeal Court was the day after next. Julian was impressed when the Controller described to him what they had decided to do for Marlon's future. Marlon endured the ride back to the facility in a much better frame of mind than when he had left that morning.

He spent most of the next day closeted with Talya, bringing her up to date with the last two days' events and discussing the future in light of his job offer. Needless to say, word had already got round and there were frequent interruptions from well-wishers. Marlon was glad when the dinner chime went and he prepared himself for the last night he would spend on E Deck.

He was totally unprepared when the doors were released the following morning, and he went out to find the whole Deck waiting for him. The crowd, including to his amazement all eight E Deck Shepherds, stood round in a large semicircle in the corridor, and when he emerged, they burst into a round of applause. Tears streaming from his face, he went to every woman in turn to be given a good hug. Much to his surprise, he even found Talya standing there, looking apprehensive, but obviously determined to do justice to the occasion. He had another surprise when he got to the end of the circle, because Belle stood there, with a smart uniform jacket over her normal work clothes, cuffs in hand.

"Hands in front, citizen!"

Marlon looked at her, bewildered.

"Not to worry, Marlon, we have to clear your room and return your belongings to Stores," she said.

She clicked the cuffs on his wrists, and to cheers from the crowd, he returned to his room for the last time. Belle carefully collected and folded all his clothes and piled them onto his outstretched arms. Then, the room empty, he left and followed Belle to the end of the corridor through a double line of clapping, cheering detainees.

The journey down in the lift was made in silence. Marlon wanted to wipe his eyes but couldn't because of the pile of clothes on his handcuffed arms. Through the tears he returned to Stores, and gratefully dumped the pile on the counter.

"One for release?" asked the stores woman.

"Yes," replied Belle. "We're off to the Appeal Court to hear him cleared. He'll need to change into his release suit."

"Of course, Shepherd. Citizen? You get to keep the underwear while you live in the transitional housing. You can ask for more as and when you need it. Because it's all chipped, you can bring it back here for the laundry service. Understood?"

"Er, yes, citizen."

"I'll put it all in your box with your other stuff, for you to pick up when you return after your court visit. When you come back, you'll no longer be a detainee, so I'll cut off your disc then and you'll get your ID card back."

"It's slightly more complicated than that," said Belle. "He'll need a staff disc. He, or rather she, will be coming back to work here."

"How does that work then?" asked the stores woman, puzzled. "Never mind, you haven't got time for explanations, go in there and change. Here's your release suit."

Marlon changed, and handed back his E Deck dress. Belle stood in front of him and tidied him up.

"Ready? Just one last ordeal, and then you can relax."

"Belle, after the last few days I'm quite prepared for anything to happen. Yes, I'm ready."

Belle took him to a part of the complex he'd never seen before. It was the front entrance, where the staff and visitors normally arrived. Controller Brand was waiting for them.

"Citizen, you'll be travelling with us for this journey, in my car. I'm sorry but you'll have to be cuffed, as you're still technically a detainee. The whole thing that's happening today is symbolic, you understand. I'm going because I have to formally release you when you're officially cleared. Belle is going because as a detainee, you need an escort. I have no idea how long it's all going to take. Belle?"

"Yes, Controller. For the last time, citizen, hands in front."

They walked out of the front entrance and Marlon stopped.

"Citizen?"

"I remember now," Marlon said, squinting, "the big yellow thing in the sky. And those white fluffy things. Those green things on stalks. I've been inside the whole time, one forgets what the outside world looks like. It's noisy, too."

"We forget," the Controller murmured. "Of course, there's no proper windows in most of the complex. Some of the other detainees do get outside for exercise, but it can be a shock for most when they leave and have to face the world again. My car is over here."

The Controller's car was waiting, and she climbed into the front beside the driver. Belle helped Marlon into the back of the car and they set off. They took a route onto one of the cross-town expressways, but the journey still took nearly an hour. The driver dropped them off at the front of a huge old imposing building and they were guided inside by the door staff, and shown which court to go to. They were taken to a waiting room, and someone brought them drinks. After a short while a man was ushered into their waiting room accompanied by two aides.

"Service, Citizens. I am Marcus Matteson, the Minister in the Justice Ministry who carries responsibility for ensuring the smooth and correct running of the justice process."

The three introduced themselves, and he continued.

"I was very upset when I learned of this case. It represents a wholesale failure of the system at several levels," he said, and then he astonished them by getting down on one knee in front of Marlon and bowing his head.

"I offer the most abject apology of the State to you, citizen," he said. "Your case is such a bad one it may cost me and several of my colleagues our jobs. The court will tell you all, but I have to acknowledge a number of failings in the procedures which are of course designed to stop such events from happening. Your case is also quite notorious in the press, since it involves a gender changing episode. I must tell you now that you will be most generously compensated, and you should understand that the State would do this anyway without pressure from outside, given your circumstances.

"Firstly, you will be awarded, as is usual in cases of wrongful detention, the same wage as if you had stayed at work, for every day you were detained. Secondly, in view of your changed circumstances, the State considers that you should be treated the same as someone who has become permanently disabled, that you may have difficulty adapting and will assume that you may not be able to ever work again. Therefore, you will be paid a pension for the rest of your life which will be not less than your last working wage, and in fact will probably be somewhere near double. You will receive this pension even if you do manage to find employment in future years. Thirdly, because of your physical changes, and the need for ongoing treatment, the State will pay all and any medical costs for the rest of your life."

Marlon's tears flowed freely. "Thank you," he whispered, and, standing, he helped the Minister to regain his feet. "Thank you so much."

"I've seen video of what you used to look like," the Minister said, "nobody deserves to have something like this happen to them. Nobody. How are you managing?"

"Better than I expected," Marlon said, wiping his tears. "But I haven't been outside yet. I've spent the last six months in a bubble. I don't know how I'll get on in the outside world."

"If you need anything, you have only to ask. The State is in your debt."

"Citizen Minister," Belle asked, cautiously, "there is something you might be able to do for Marlon immediately."

"Yes?"

"You mentioned publicity. That's not going to be good for someone attempting to adjust to a new life the way Marlon is going to have to. He doesn't want to have newsies pushing videocams in his face everywhere he goes."

The Minister nodded. "You raise a good point. I'll speak to the court officials and see if we can't get some privacy for him. The facts of the case will come out, of course, most of them already are, but there's no reason for personal details to be released."

One of his aides received a call on his earpiece and spoke to the Minister. Shortly afterwards, a court official came to the waiting room for them. They were all ushered into a large courtroom with five senior Justiciars seated at the raised table. They were seated, and the proceedings began.

"This hearing represents the closing stages of the appeal of Marlon Allen Hillier with respect to the case of the State versus Marion Allen Hillier. We should note for the benefit of court reporters that although the details of the case may be reported as usual, the name of the appellant should not be made known, as the appellant's circumstances will require privacy from this time forward. We have previously heard testimony from Proctor Julian, who while investigating a case of fraud discovered an identification problem, and correctly brought the person of the appellant in for further investigation. Through no fault of his own, he was not able to complete the analysis which would have immediately cleared the appellant. The Custody Officer had noted the appellant's status on his own file, again correctly.

"The new Custody officer who was on shift the following day checked the case file instead of the appellant's personal file, saw the name and did not notice the mismatch. He assumed that Proctor Julian had brought in the correct suspect. The appellant was brought before Justiciar Cardona who noticed the mismatch, but also decided that Proctor Julian had brought in the correct suspect. Justiciar Cardona inspected the two personal files and decided that they belonged to the same person, and that the only way this could have happened was if the suspect had undergone gender reassignment. The appellant, a male citizen, was therefore convicted and ordered to be detained in a female facility. Since the gender reassignment had apparently not been authorised, she ordered it to be reversed.

"When the appellant reached Female Offender Containment Facility Five, his case was as usual placed into appeal status. This would normally have meant him being detained for a short period before the discrepancy was noted and then freed. But Proctor Julian had been injured and upon his return to duty he assumed that another Proctor had completed his case by arresting the correct suspect, so he didn't investigate.

"In the Offender Containment Facility, the Facility Medical Officer, for reasons of her own, decided to ignore the appeal status and begin the Regression Therapy. This of course failed, but has left the detainee with bodily alterations he is going to have to live with for the rest of his life. This case has been dealt with elsewhere, but we note it here for completeness.

"Meanwhile, Proctor Julian has obtained evidence that the same person who carried out the crimes for which the appellant was convicted also carried out identical crimes, with video evidence, for which the appellant cannot possibly be responsible. Since it is self evident that he was convicted by purest mischance, we hereby exonerate the appellant from all accusations of the crimes presented against him, and declare him innocent. The appellant should be released from custody immediately."

Marlon stood at Belle's prompting, and the Controller ceremonially removed the cuffs. Marlon executed a small bow in the direction of the Justiciars and sat down again.

"I understand that the Justice Minister responsible for regulating these matters is present in court -" Marlon looked to his left and saw him acknowledge the Senior Justiciar who was speaking "- and has already notified the appellant of the compensation package that he will receive. He has also already received our recommendations as a result of this case, and of the case involving Citizen Pannal, and he has promised to resolve these matters quickly. We therefore declare that this hearing is now ended."

The was an immediate rumble of conversation in the court, which increased once the Justiciars left the room. Belle threw her arms around Marlon and just avoided kissing him on the mouth. She whispered in his ear, "Is now okay?"

"It's a bit public, Belle," he replied. "Give me room to breathe, I've only been a free man for five minutes."

Reluctantly she released him, and they made their way back outside. The Controller suggested that they have lunch before they returned to the facility, and they eventually tracked down a restaurant attached to the court complex. While they were eating, with Marlon savouring the novelty of using metal knives and forks, Proctor Julian came to their table and asked if he could join them.

"I thought you might like to know what's happening in the case you got entangled with," he said to Marlon. "We actually made an arrest yesterday."

"Please do join us," said Marlon. "Go on."

"You heard in court, and I've mentioned it before, there was an incident while you were inside. Well, we eventually found a small number of similar incidents stretching back for a year or so, and the same woman was in all the videos. I tracked back the last ID and found it led to a woman who had lost her partner recently. It wasn't the suspect, but there were similarities in all the case details which pointed to an office which deals with updates to the ID database.

"It seems our suspect accidentally found a way to create duplicate ID entries. Now they can't be identical, because the system would reject them, hence the small changes in name and ID number. What she'd do was create a duplicate, map her own biometrics on to them, and issue herself an ID card which she would then use to draw out all the cash in the duplicate account. Then she'd cancel the biometric changes and abandon the duplicate account. The file she left confused everybody because she forgot to remove her picture, but it did provide a clue. Eventually, our backtracking led us to a clerk in the ID administration office, who fortunately for us looked identical to the woman in the videos."

"That sounds like quite a hole, Proctor," remarked the Controller.

"It is, but fortunately it only happened under very specific circumstances - such as when a citizen's partner died, and under certain other conditions. We've got her now, she'll be dealt with next week."

"If I may make a request," said the Controller, "make sure she doesn't get committed to my facility, please. I don't think my staff would treat her very kindly."

"Point taken, Controller. I'll pass that along. Well, congratulations, citizen," Julian said to Marlon, "I understand you're going to be going back to the facility to work. You have my best wishes." Julian took Marlon's hand and shook it. "Now, I must be going. Service, citizens."

After lunch, the driver collected them and drove them back to the facility. The three of them made their way back to Stores, where the storekeeper snipped off the necklace with his detention disc and replaced it with a new one carrying a golden staff disc. His new disc contained his revised gender designation and new female name, and could be removed when he left the facility, to provide anonymity. He was then handed a sports bag in which the storekeeper had packed all his belongings.

"Take as much time as you need to to settle in before you come back here," the Controller instructed, "although I know it's not likely to be very long in your case. Your new apartment is ready, and Belle will escort you over there. Good luck, Marion."

The two women walked out of the front entrance of the facility and into the late afternoon sunshine. There were clouds stretched across the sky in a way that promised a glorious sunset, and Marlon stopped to allow his eyes to adjust to the rich scene.

"Belle," Marlon said, after a while, "Why me?"

"What do you mean, dear?"

"I'm not a very good prospect for anyone at the moment, am I? I mean, I'm not a strong, handsome man. Heck, I never used to be a strong, handsome man. I don't think I make a particularly pretty woman, either. I'm half one thing and half the other, and I may have problems adjusting to life outside. I may even be impotent. Yet you still think I'm worth the trouble. Why?"

"Of course you're worth the trouble!" she replied. "Don't forget, I saw you when you arrived, and I've been with you ever since, so I know exactly what I'm getting. You can't have been that bad before, can you? You were obviously good enough to attract Anna. Women don't always go for the hunk types, you know. What I like about you is your kind, considerate nature, your thoughtful words, your smile, your sense of humour, your modesty. You have a confidence that most women lack, as well. Don't worry about the physical side, I'm not going to pressure you. We can just explore what each other has to offer, and we've all the time in the world to do it in. We'll take things slow, you're still adjusting, and you've a new job to think about as well. As for adjusting, I'm going to try to do the same thing with you as you did with Talya." She paused. "I'm not pushing you into something you don't want to do, am I?" she asked, suddenly aware that she'd made all the running.

"No, you're not," he replied. "Inside I'm still a man, and the man was attracted by you soon after I set eyes on you. But, as a man on a Deck crammed full of women most of whom were not bad looking, I had to be very careful what I said and did. I had a number of other things on my mind which were more important, as well. Now I don't have to be careful any more, and I couldn't have wished for a better conclusion. No, Belle, you're definitely not pushing me places I don't want to go," he added, eyes glistening.

Belle reached for Marlon's hand and linked his fingers through her own.

"Come on, love," she said, "I'll take you home."