Playing Marbles for the Big Blue

01 Alban Invasion, Almost

By Jo Dora Webster

How will Rasctan make a name for himself on Alban Kai?

01 Alban Invasion, Almost

My name is Rasctan and I am a pre emergent male Alban from the planet Alban Kai. I am at the top of my class in the Aurenium which is an educational facility for geniuses. My specialty is in AI engrams and positronic which gives me a wonderful and lucrative profession. I finished at the Aurenium five cycle of Alban Kai before the standard completion time. That gives me a head start on those who share my birth time.

So far my claim to fame was my creation of an AI the size of a gem stone. I gave my AI a female persona who named herself Sela. Sela's most useful ability is that she can interface and take over commanding any interfaced device. The unique thing about Sela is that she can grow and add other functions and abilities. Sela was my entry in the Alban Kai Innovation Contest of all Aurenium and I won. However I only was eligible for half the prize since I would not sell my intellectual property or Sela herself to the corporation which sponsored the contest. It was after this slight that I resolved that I would be extraordinary instead of ordinary and I have a plan.

I consider it an opportunity that we have just a few planets that we allow to trade with us, since all of Alban Kai is cloaked. The few people who discovered our present trading partners are the most treasured people on the planet. I resolved to become one of those people and I started by asking Sela to take a new form. She formed herself into a very attractive woman's bracelet which was permanently around my right wrist.

"Sela, what are we going to do today?"

"The same thing we do every day, Rasctan. Try to take over the world."

"How are we going to do that Sela?"

"Go to the spaceport and steal a spaceship."

"How do we find a space port, Sela, since they are cloaked? "

"We will go to the coordinates that I obtained from Space Control and I will give us passage through the cloak"

Sela led us straight to the coordinates and gave us safe passage through the cloak. I didn't have to ask Sela where to find a spaceship because our most advanced scout ship was birthed right in front of us. Sela went to work and opened the door to allow us to enter it. Next Sela commanded the support automation to fully fuel and provision the ship. Sela outfitted the ship and engaged a new type of cloak which was undetectable by the authorities. Even though the ship was normally operated by 6 people, Sela was able to control all of the ship's functions.

"Sela, You seem to have everything under control. What can I do?"

"Rasctan, why don't you go to the bridge and sit in the command chair. If you do that you'll feel useful."

I went to the bridge and sat in the command chair as Sela suggested.

"Sela, What is ship status?"

"Ship is fully functioning and ready for space flight."

"Sela, Disengage all moorings. Set course for planetary cloaking shield. Engage!"

"Moorings disengaged. Ship on course for planetary cloak"

"Sela, I guess it's too late to ask this but can you get us through the planetary cloak?"

"I'm working on it. 100 picocycles to cloak boundary."

"Sela, what will happen to the ship if we don't get passage through the cloak."

"Rasctan, the ship will implode. 50 pico cycles to the cloak boundary."

"Sela, should I go to the travel pod just in case?"

"It's too late for that. 10 picocycles to the cloak boundary"

"Aaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeee!"

"Passage given through planetary cloak. Ship has emerged in interplanetary space."

"Sela, Scan for planets which have more water mass than land mass."

While Alban Kai has lakes on the surface and water beneath the planet's crust, it stands to reason that one day we will have used our supply and we will need a trading partner to provide us with water. None of our current trading partners have any more water than we have so they will keep theirs.

"I have found three planets that meet those parameters"

"What is the data on the closest planet?"

"The Closest planet is Sol III or Terra inhabited by Terrans. It's been a quarantined planet due to being privative with mandatory Terran body illusion required but in your case it won't be necessary because Terrans are identical to preemergent Albans. Albans may have colonized Terra in the distant past but Terrans don't have an emergent state. Terra is privative because Terrans perpetuate wars with themselves using fission and fusion weapons. Their technology is unremarkable and with their rockets they have only had maned landings on their moon, Selene."

"Sela, set a course for Sol III and engage Tessaract Drive."

"Course set and Tessaract drive engaged and operating under normal parameters"

"Sela, E.T.A. to Sol III"

"One Microcycle."

"Have there been any sanctioned landings on Sol III?"

"There is no data on that since all spaceships that made a close approach to the planet sent back the limited data we have on the planet but none returned. Standard procedure on approaching a quarantined planet is to remain cloaked so that Sol III's limited space ships and sensors could not detect them."

"Sela, Do you have any recommendation on how to proceed?"

"Rasctan, We could terminate the Tessaract Drive at the edge of the Sol System and engage our cloak then travel using our photon drive. The Sol system has an asteroid belt which is mostly unexplored by their probes. We could hide the Spaceship behind one of those asteroids and take a cloaked travelpod on photon drive to explore Sol III from orbit. If there is no danger detected then a landing would be indicated."

"Sela, if beings more advanced than us sent a ship into proximity of Alban Kai then we would consider that an alien invasion, wouldn't we."

"It's only in the third person that it would be their invasion. In the first person it would be our exploration."

"Sela, alter destination to boundary of Sol system then cloak and proceed to their asteroid belt on photon drive and park behind an optimal asteroid."

"Course altered and implemented. Further instructions recorded for later execution. Sol system boundary arrival, ship cloaked and proceeding on photon drive. Course set for Asteroid AET64. ETA 100 Pico cycles."

Sela, please do not give a countdown to arrival. Please park behind Asteroid AET64."

"Compliance!"

"Sela, scan signals from Sol III and detect speculative fiction and scan them for concepts not considered by Alban technology and report by most remarkable."

"Most remarkable concept is a teleport. Albans have nothing like it. However their own physics discovered by their Heisenberg renders actual implementation impossible. Their fiction gets around it by saying that the teleport has a Heisenberg compensator."

"Sela, has our science created a Heisenberg Compensator?"

"It has and all of the functions of a teleport can be reduced to mathematical implementation. It would be restricted in range from high planetary orbit to the surface."

"Sela, extend your function to be able to teleport."

"Additional function implemented. We have arrived and have parked behind Asteroid AET64."

"Excellent. Sela, please ready the travelpod for operation. I'll be there momentarily."

"Travelpod ready for departure. What a good idea to monitor the Terran fiction broadcasts. They have thought of many things that the Albans have not yet and we have the technology to implement."

"Sela, Engage cloak and set course for Travel Pod to high Sol III orbit and engage photon drive."

"Course set and photon drive engaged."

"Sela, how much trouble awaits me back on Alban Kai?"

"Since the cloaking technology that I used on you and the spaceship is unknown, there is not any evidence of what you have done. Your absence may be detected but it would not occur to them to look off planet for you. We have arrived in high orbit of Sol III."

"Alert! Radiation detected in belts surrounding the planet of a kind unknown to us Alert! The radiation belts have expanded due to the impact of Sol eruptions. . Alert! Radiation has penetrated ship systems damaging them. Alert! Photon drive detonation imminent!"

"Sela. Teleport, Teleport now!"

Just before the travelpod exploded, I and Sela were teleported to the surface of Sol III also known to us as Terra. However, I would bet that like all primitive cultures the inhabitants called their planet Earth. I guess I just made what they would call an alien invasion of Earth.

"Sela, are you undamaged?"

"Thank you Rasctan. I am fully functional. I am very glad that you made me radically different from all existing Alban technology. The radiation and all other Terran abnormalities can not damage me. All other technology on the travelpod was compromised so only you and I escaped alone."

"Sela, Was the travelpod detectable when it exploded?"

"Yes the explosion was detectable by their satellites in high Sol III orbit which is desirable since they are geostationary. There are even higher probes located at LaGrange points L4 and L5 but those sensors are mostly directed away from Sol III. However three satellites launched by the nation states: China, Russia, and USA were destroyed in the explosion of the travelpod which will be missed and investigated. This may be interpreted by them as either an attack between nation states or an invasion of Sol IIi."

"Sela, this breach of the quarantine concerns me. I must acquire native clothing. I don't want to disobey the planetary quarantine any further."

"I have detected ambient magic bound to this planet's earth wind fire water and heart. In their fiction there is mention of magic in their ancient times but no one practices it today. I however can utilize it to transform your clothes. I have examined their present day transmissions. Would you like casual or formal clothes?"

"Sela, casual clothes please. And pick for me a name that a Terran in this area might have."

"A name for you could be Robert. the diminutive names associated with Robert are Rob or Robbie."

Sela used magic to transform my clothes into a Terran casual wear and I was satisfied with them. Robert was an acceptable Terran name for me and I felt I'd removed the most apparent advertisement of my status.

"Sela, Are there any remains of the travelpod that their sensors might detect?"

"All of the travelpod was disintegrated by the photon drive. The small pieces of the three satellites caught in the explosion remain in their orbits. Fortunately no trace of our technology is detectable by their technology at this time."

I turned my attention to my surroundings which were all in their natural state for as far as I could see in every direction.

"Sela, what is the Terran designation for our location?"

"We are in the Rocky Mountain National Forest in the state of Colorado in the USA nation state, on the continent of North America. The nearest Metropolis is called Denver. It is 10 minutes past noon in their time units which means that it is about six hours until sunset. the season is spring but in this area temperatures at night are frigid to Terrans or humans as they call themselves."

"Sela, must I seek shelter?"

"I can provide warmth and protection from the elements by magic. However remaining here long-term may not be optimum since you might be discovered accidentally."

"Sela, can you with magic enable us to communicate telepathically by magic when we are not alone?"

"Yes I can and I will implement that protocol"

"Sela, can you devise a way that we could get water to a spaceship without the spaceship penetrating the radiation belts? They can't carry enough to be useful with their rockets."

"Actually their technology might give the Albans a solution to replenish our water. They have a means of producing power that they call a fuel cell. It has Hydrogen and Oxygen as inputs and outputs water. The Albans already have means of getting the inputs in unlimited quantiles both on planet and from our current trading partners. The Terrans store the inputs in their liquid state which may help with acquiring large quantities from our trading partners."

"Sela, does that mean that I can accomplish the same recognition by bringing the new inventions to Alban Kai instead of proposing trade with Sol III?"

"Yes, we could do that once we arrive back on Alban Kai. However the radiation belt blocks my Confed non-RF communication with the space ship so I can not bring it closer. My teleport range is only to High earth orbit which is not sufficient to reach the space ship which even if we were able to bring it closer could not enter the Van Allen Belt. My magic decreases exponentially as I get farther from the surface so that would not help either. We can't go home until this challenge is solved, which we don't have a solution."

"Sela, would you concentrate on the challenge and tell me a solution is found that we can implement."

"Indeed, I have found a solution that will satisfy our parameters. I have discovered in Ecuador a previously unused due to fiber optics 40 meter satellite dish which was converted to a radio telescope. Since this radio observatory was financed by a rogue SETI scientist, part of it's utilization is to send SETI broadcasts which might permit our communications with the space ship by piggybacking our signal to the spaceship on to their broadcast. All we would need to do is to wait until the SETI broadcast transmitter is directed toward our spaceship. Ordinary Earth broadcasts would escape the Van Allen Belt but our undecodable Confed RF signal is less likely to be discovered with our plan."

"Sela, interface with the SETI Radio Telescope and alert me when their broadcast is being sent in the direction of the spaceship."

"I will. I have found a solution for your lack of information about this planet. I have obtained a great deal of information from their broadcasts and from a digital repository that they call the internet. I can use magic so you will know all of this too."

"Sela, that is a wonderful idea! please proceed."

"Compliance."

Sela gave me the knowledge that I needed to understand life on Earth. Not only that but I fully understood the technology that Earth had to offer along with all the speculative fiction inventions that we could implement on Alban Kai. What I could not understand is how someone without any identification could make a life in Colorado. The United States had laws to prevent unauthorized immigration so without identification I would be treated as a law breaker.

"Sela, Is there any update to what the nation states have determined about the explosion of our travelpod and the destruction of their satellites?"

"Since they all denied that they caused the explosion, they all were compelled to share their data which triangulated the position of the explosion. With the explosion originating in space where no object existed before, each nation state concluded that this was an invasion using technology beyond their own. In the absence of any more occurrences, they determined no imminent threat existed. However they agreed to share deep space intelligence indicating any future threat."

"Sela, I guess that is the best outcome that we could expect under the circumstances. Since we are marooned here, avoiding a war between nation states is fortunate. While our addition to evidence of visitation of Earth is unfortunate, their nation states have continued to be successful in convincing humans that such visitations are a myth."

"Robert, I have detected that your advancement to your emergence and puberty has accelerated and the acceleration is variable. If you were to undergo emergence you would no longer be the same as the humans and you might require some sort of camouflage."

"Sela,I guess since we don't know when that will happen, we will decide what to do when it happens."

"Robert, have you decided to remain in this location for now?"

"Sela, until we can determine a way to comply with their laws, I feel that we should stay away from other humans. Are there other places within teleport range that we could visit with the same parameters, which may provide further insight.?"

"Indeed, there are other locations which would satisfy our parameters."

We had a good life in this remote area of the Rocky Mountain National Forest. Sela could, much more quickly than I could, select other places which were remote enough to visit. I particularly enjoyed a remote place in Mexico with access to the Pacific Ocean. We had nothing like the oceans with salt water on Alban Kai. Sela monitored her interface with the SETI Radio Transmitter but it was not yet pointed in the right direction time after time. Finally, Sela discovered that the radio telescope had been commanded to transmit in the right direction.

"Robert, I have a communication link with the space ship which according to their scheduling will be maintained for some time."

"Sela, transmit all knowledge of Sol III that we have obtained including our discoveries which will be beneficial to Alban Kai. Since the spaceship can not approach close enough to Earth to permit us to teleport to it, keep the spaceship parked behind Asteroid AET64."

"Transmission complete. I have saved this planetary position so that we may return to send future messages to the spaceship. However transmission will only be possible if the same position of the transmitter exists at the time."

"Sela, we discovered that there are elements on Earth which are missing from our Alban Kai periodic table. There are elements missing from Earth but were discovered on Alban Kai or we discovered from our trading partners. Was that data included in the transmission?"

"Of course, Robert, that information was included. It is relevant because the composition of the salt water and even the composition of the air on the Earth has elements not present on Alban Kai."

A great deal of time, days, weeks and months passed and we explored more of the planet Earth within our parameters. We kept returning to the very familiar place we called home where we first arrived on Earth. When Sela discovered the transmitter pointed in the right direction, she sent an update to the spaceship.

"Robert, we ought not go on any more adventures for a time. The time of your emergence draws near."

"Sela, you are right. Here in our home in the Rocky Mountain National Forrest, we have had a history of being alone. I hope that my emergence goes well."

More time passed and The SETI Radio Telescope discovered some promising results while it was receiving signals pointed in the right direction to transmit to our spaceship and the radio telescope remained pointed in that direction. Finally the time had come.

"Alert! Robert your vital signs are fluctuating. Your emergence is coming now."

I was overcome with the symptoms that every Alban knows which culminate with unconsciousness. When I awoke ,I will have emerged. I was unaware as things happened to me over some time.

"Robert, your vital signs are stabilizing. Are you awake?"

"Sela, I am awake but I feel funny. I know that I have not emerged. What happened to me?"

"You have become an adult female human. I can only guess that the new elements and new environment hijacked your emergence and did that to you."

"If I had become an Alban female, I would have joined the superior sex. But if i returned as a human, adult female I would forever be an oddity on Alban Kai even with my unique status.. Sela, please call me Roberta and make me some appropriate clothes. "

Sela put me into a casual blouse and slacks with athletic shoes and the right undergarments.

"Sela, could you teach me to be female?"

Playing Marbles for the Big Blue

02 Abducted by Alvians

By Jo Dora Webster

How will Roberta make a life for herself on Earth?

02 Abducted by Alvians

Sela did teach me to be a female just as I had asked her. That was just after I had been transformed into a human female. Being human was not a great burden since I looked and functioned almost the same as I had been as a Alban. Being female was jarring. Instead of slowly growing into a adult woman, I had been instantly transformed into one. I also had to get used to the name Roberta which was my second name change from Rasctan when I was an Alban male.

"Sela, do you still have your link to the SETI radio telescope in Ecuador?"

"Roberta, not only do I still have a control link to there, but they also continue to get interesting data when they are receiving data, so they are keeping the antenna pointed in the direction where our space ship can receive it. While they are broadcasting we continue to be able to contact the spaceship."

"Sela, it has been difficult for me to deal with my emergence having been hijacked. I don't even know what the result of the emergence is to be. My parents always took a pre-emergent form except they had gone through puberty and were adults. It is tradition to keep children in the dark like that, but it does not serve me well cut off from my people like I am now."

"Roberta, while I have a great deal of information on Earth, my information on Alban Kai is limited to the information that you had access.
to have. from what I know about Alban behavior, your being human will be the greater oddity. You would be a fully developed adult who was not and could not undergo emergence. Then there is your being the child of the Queen of the Alban Matriarchy and your father being her consort. As a female ordinarily you would become the princess and next in line to be queen. As a human you might be disavowed by your parents. With being denied your rights as an Alban, you could be exiled from Alban and have no home."

"Sela, what can I do to make a life on Earth?".
"Roberta, I dislike mentioning this, but I have one possibility for you to gain a legal identity. It would involve a death of a human in a remote area that we could find the body before the authorities. Of course, it would have to be one who's death that we could not prevent. I could alter your body to be identical to the dead person. In addition, your body would have signs of an accident which could indicate possible memory loss, which would explain your lack of some knowledge."

"Sela, perhaps by successfully taking the person's place, we could delay their loved ones dealing with their death. Sela, I have decided we will stay on Earth. Let me know when the transmitter is pointed in the right direction for transmission to the spacecraft."

"Roberta, the SETI Radio Telescope continues to be pointed in the direction where our spaceship can receive it and the radio telescope is transmitting now."

"Sela, Send the spaceship a sequence of commands to execute. First cloak and proceed on photon drive to the edge of the solar system. Next, set course for Alban Kai orbit outside the planetary cloak and engage Tessaract drive. In transit use Confed standard communication to retransmit all data. Upon arrival maintain position."

"Roberta, the spaceship has received the commands and has started its journey to Alban Kai."

I thought that I would have time to spend moping around feeling sorry for myself that I had lost my home world, yet I had yet to make a home on Earth. But as had happened so often since I began seeking fame and fortune without help for myself, another unexpected event happened.

"Alert: A car on the road at the boundary of our home area has ejected a human female and has left the area at high speed."

"Sela let's go find the woman and render aid if we can. Please teleport me to the exact location that she is now."

"Compliance."

It was an ugly sight. A human woman had her life taken from her long before she had been tossed out like garbage along the road. Her body showed the evidence of having been beaten to death. That was all apparent at first sight, Sela would be able to determine more.

"Sela, surround us with a cloaking shield."

"Compliance. She is an ordinary human with an extraordinary implant in her forearms which are of Limoxian manufacture. Unlike the standard illusion implants used for observing quarantine planet restrictions and the like this set was modified for spy work. Instead of the large data collection area, many specialty functions originated there suitable for spying. Elsewhere in the device hidden and password encoded there is a recorder for just the thoughts and actions of the individual. The illusion projection was augmented by a hologram emitter which allowed the new solid form of the person to match their appearance. "

"Sela, If I am to portray an amnesiac human, perhaps it would be better for you to copy the contents of the secret recorder to yourself so that we'll have access to it. Once copied remove both the data and the secret recorder from the devices."

"Compliance"

"Sela, Please, make a copy of all that is me, maintain and save it within yourself so that in an emergency I can be rendered a complete amnesiac especially if I am initially examined by medical personnel. Please implant the devices in my forearms and then by magic turn me into her but remove all her trauma except the evidence of one accidental nonlethal head blow sufficient to render her unconscious."

"Compliance"

I didn't feel any different even though my body had changed, in basic form I was the same. I was aware of and because I was born an Alban, I could access the implants and operate them. I had successfully taken over the identity of this woman so three tasks remained. I must find out my new identity and history particularly how did I die. We must dispose of her body. We must drop the cloaking shield after I duplicated her position and Sela made me unconscious while keeping vigil over me.

"Sela, who am I now?"

"You are Natalie Oakley Wellington married to Mark Wellington but also with Golram name Nayika married to Makelan."

"What is the original Natalie's history?"

"The original Natalie's history on the recording begins on their wedding night when Mark inserted the implants prior to their marriage being consummated Mark revealed himself to be a Golram from the planet Confedia named Makelan. He released the illusion and his true appearance reminded Natalie of either a dwarf or troll from earth's legends. He turned on the implants and Natalie found herself looking like a female of Makelan's species. Makelan named her Nayika and told her that she would be in that form whenever they were alone and unobserved. He revealed that the reason he had fallen in love with her was not because of her appearance but because of her inner beauty. He had been marooned on Earth after his spaceship was destroyed in the Van Allen Belt. He entered the escape pod that soft-landed on Earth which was all that remained of the ship after the explosion. They consummated their marriage never suspecting that their species were biologically incompatible and that they could never produce children."

"Sela, Golram's speak Confed, so I guess He had to learn to speak English like I did. It must have been like Confedia all over again for him being marooned on Earth. Confedia is the seat of the Limoxian Confederation or Confed and because of this Golrams became a minority on the planet. Confedia has the governing conclave and appointed Autocracy of the articles of confederation. While most Golram are peaceful people dedicated to Confed government with an ambassadorial fleet of spaceships deployed, this Makelan must be different since he undertook a spy mission on a quarantined planet."

"Makelan had heard that Earth had plenty of desirable untapped resources like it's abundant water. His plan was to covertly find those in power on Earth and augment its technological advancement so that it quickly would be able to join the Confed. With his acquiring rights to Earth's important resources, He could return to Confedia as Earth's representative and join the government as a freshly minted member of the Confed Autocracy. However, he soon found out that there were too many nation states to negotiate with and with Earth's waring nature giving them Confed technology would be hastening Earth becoming a dead planet without resources which they already might do with their fission and fusion weapons."

"Sela, the failure of his plans must have made Makelan a very bitter Golram. It's no wonder that he chose to remake his mate in his own image and have a family even if not full Golrams. It must have upset him year after year that his wife did not bear him children. I guess it upset him that even though she looked and felt like a Golram and spoke Confed with the inner beauty he fell in love with she was only a knockoff in reality. Was that why He killed her?"

"Yes, the year after year of her being a knockoff and not bearing children had turned his love to hatred. His anger became so uncontrolled that he attacked her. Fortunately, the first blow rendered her unconscious, so she was spared the painful and gruesome nature of her death."

"Sela, please augment your function by being able to emit a stunning beam and a disintegration beam. Use the disintegration beam to dispose of Natalie's body. Please aid me in assuming the position that her body was in. Then render me unconscious, communicate with me telepathically and watch over me. Finally drop the cloaking shield so that I may be observed."

"Compliance ~Natalie you are now unconscious, and I am speaking to you telepathically. I am watching over you.~"

"~Sela please give to me telepathically what your visual and audible senses detect.~"

"~Compliance.~"

I was now able to see and hear what was going on around me. It was not long afterward that a car drove up and stopped 100 yards from my location. A handsome man got out of the car using a device that was obvious to me had Limoxian technology. He used it to scan the area and it appeared locked on to my implants because using it he became closer and closer to me.

"~Don't worry Natalie, neither this device or any others they have will be able to detect me. I'll take care of you. The man is an Alvian so he should not harm you.~"

"~Sela, The Alvians, as I remember, are a Confed Member just like my original species, the Albans who come from the planet Alvia, they appear like angels from earth's legends which might suggest a visitation in earth's distant past. They have a missionary fleet of spaceships, and they are dedicated to spiritual enrichment over physical needs.~"

~"Natalie, you are correct. In addition, they are pacifists and generally a good species. However, they are not above using coercion, deception, and other such tactics when they feel like it can serve the greater good for them but not to their victim.~"

The man finally stopped near me and stood over me. He used his device to scan me, and I assumed that Sela had interfaced with the device to make it report what we wanted it to reveal. That is that I was an unconscious human woman with a head wound and having Confed implants.

"Oh Natalie, Natalie, Natalie. I begged you to leave that Golram because eventually his rages would kill you. I'm glad that he did not succeed this time. it's been very painful seeing you in the neighborhood and witnessing all the evidence of his physical abuse of you. The implants you have reveal that even though there is no standard recording that he's been using it for you to appear as a Golram. Technically that means that you are Limoxian now and the quarantine does not apply to you. That callous husband of yours has disposed of you, left you for dead if I had not found you, and took off. He obviously won't be back and will be assuming a new life elsewhere. The medscan detects that not only are you unconscious but you have total amnesia. That presents an opportunity for me and protection for you should that Golram come back in search of you."

"~Natalie, I'm detecting that he is changing the programing of your implants. He cannot alter your natural state, but he is programing another appearance mode for you which he just activated. You now appear to be his missing wife, Celeste Hardin. He's replaced the Golram appearance mode with an Alvian appearance mode.~"

"Oh Sweetheart, my Celeste! It is disturbing to see your image again. Our medbay inside the escape pod was unable to stop your death. Since we could not risk a human burial for you lest you be discovered as Alvian, I had to disintegrate your body. After much searching and no evidence of foul play, your status was determined as missing. Now Natalie you will become Celeste. You will be hidden from detection from that Golram and my children will have a mother again. I have no expectation or desire that you will be a wife to me. At least as Celeste, I can protect you from future harm. I need to get you to a medical facility which will be alright since you are human. I will take advantage of your amnesia to give you Celeste's life. I know that makes me an abductor imprisoning you, but I hope it to be benevolent."

"~Fortunately, the implants will present you as an ordinary human to earth technology. Your abductor, Greg Hardin, will get confirmation of your condition via medical records when he takes you to a hospital. They will be able to revive you and they will be able to confirm your new identity as Hardin's wife. He will be able to use his medbay to change your physical body to a copy of his dead wife. I will revive you at the appropriate time.~"

We arrived at Estes Park, CO and stopping at the Estes Park Medical Center. Greg carried my unconscious body inside the E/R where he was led to an exam room where he placed me on the bed. Before they had a chance to inquire about the circumstances Greg spoke to them.

"This is my wife, Celeste Hardin. I'm her husband, Greg. Celeste has been missing for six months. I found her with this headwound and unconscious in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Please help her."

"I'm Doctor Janice Zha, I specialize in head trauma. We'll go ahead and admit your wife. We'll need to do some tests to diagnose her condition and also some tests to confirm her identity for the authorities. Mister Hardin where do you live?"

"We live in Loveland with our two girls. The Loveland police handled Celeste's disappearance. They could not find any evidence of where she went after she left home that day. It's been a real mystery of what happened to her. There wasn't enough to go on that none of those reality shows asked to cover her disappearance."

"I'll alert the Estes Park Police and let them know that your wife disappeared in Loveland. Meanwhile I will get those identification tests done and then send her to get a head MRI to see how much damage she has sustained. Were the Loveland police able to obtain a DNA sample for Celeste?"

"Yes, they took a DNA sample from hair caught in her hairbrush and confirmed it from DNA samples taken from me and my girls. Thank you, Doctor."

Before she left Doctor Zha took a DNA sample and made a fingerprint card to establish Celeste's identity. Then I was sent to get the MRI of my head that the doctor ordered. Sela had given me a temporary total memory loss then I was given the MRI. I was very glad that I was unconscious since the containment would have made me very claustrophobic. When they were through, Sela restored my memory, and I was taken back to a private room. Waiting there for me was Greg and two Estes Park detectives.

"Mr. Hardin, the DNA and fingerprint results have come back and with the data provided by the Loveland police we can confirm that this is your wife, Celeste. With the medical results that the blunt force trauma was accidental, the case can be closed."

"Thank you, detectives. I am so glad to get her back and her daughters will be too. Now hopefully the doctors here will treat her so that she will make a full recovery."

"Mr. Hardin, I believe our work here is done. We'll report our findings to the Loveland police so that they can close the missing person's case on your wife. We'll be going now and give our regards to your wife when she recovers."

The detectives left and Dr. Zha returned to give Greg a report on my condition.

"Mr. Hardin, I have the results from the MRI. Celeste sustained a blunt force trauma sufficient for memory loss. She has a concussion and no real medical reason for her to remain unconscious. Her brain and head seem okay aside from the external damage which should heal completely. She should make a total recovery. I'm going to try to wake her with smelling salts."

Dr. Zha introduced the smelling salts and Sela woke me. I opened my eyes and spoke.

"Where am I?"

"Darling, you are in Estes Park Medical Center. Celeste, I have missed you so much."

"I don't remember that name. I don't remember anything at all. I'm afraid."

"I'm Doctor Zha, your attending physician. Even though you don't remember being named Celeste, we are going to call you that. We have confirmed medically that you are Celeste Hardin. You disappeared sis months ago from your home in Loveland. You are wife to Greg Hardin, the man here, and mother to two children. Celeste we are going to give you a few more tests and if they look good you will be released from the hospital into Greg Hardin's care. We don't have any way of knowing when or if your memory will return. It is best that you be in familiar surroundings as that might trigger memory recovery. Also, even though you don't know Greg or your daughters, they all love you dearly and they will take good care of you. Is that okay with you, Celeste?"

"Yes, Doctor Zha. that sounds great. Greg, when they release me, I will be glad to go home with you so that hopefully I will regain my memory, and everything can go back to the way that things were before I disappeared."

Greg excused himself while I was being wheeled away to call and check up on his daughters who were being looked after by a neighbor girl. Sela intercepted the conversation with the sitter then with his oldest daughter. Greg told her that her mother had been found alive, but she had total memory loss and that she believed she was a human. He told her to let her sisters know and to keep secret that Mother was an Alvian until he thought she could handle being told.

They put me through a few more tests and confirmed that my body was okay. I was able to walk and function normally. Finally, they released me into Greg's care, and they transported me to the hospital entrance in a wheelchair even thought I did not need it. Greg had pulled the car up to the entrance and they helped me into the car. Greg got into the car then drove us away from the hospital and on the road to Loveland.

"Sweetheart, I'd like to remind you of a few things before we get to the house. We have two daughters and you being missing has hurt them deeply. I'll help you learn about them, and they understand that you don't remember them. I hope that once you see them you will be able to tell that they are your genuine daughters even though you don't remember giving birth to them. For their sake, please love them and treat them as your own daughters. I don't expect you to be a wife to me when you don't remember loving me, but please be a mother to them."

"Greg, I will be a mother to my daughters even though I don't remember them. I will love them because they are my children. Greg, please tell me more about them?"

"Celeste. your oldest daughter is Gail. She's 10 years old. She takes ballet lessons, and she wants to be a ballerina when she grows up. She loves hearing stories She want s to be an episcopal priest when she grows up just like me. Your youngest daughter is Sally. She's six years old. She loves horses and we take her to an equestrian stable where she rides a pony. She loves science and wants to be an astronaut when she grows up. "

"Greg, they are far enough apart in age that I should not have any problem calling them by their names. I am so excited to meet them! I'm going to go over in my mind everything that I have been told so hopefully I won't make many mistakes."

"Celeste, I will leave you to your thoughts and let you rest. Goodness knows that you'll have plenty of activity when we arrive home soon."

I didn't really have to memorize everything about my new life that I had been told. I had Sela to telepathically prompt me of all the things I had been told. I had yet another new life on Earth. I had the longest time as Robert. I had a short time as Roberta. I had an even shorter time as Natalie, the victim of a Golram. Now I had a new life as Celeste, an Alvian mother.

I felt it was ironic that I am now a human who was abducted by an alien Alvian and was his captive. My plan was to take the place of a human woman and now I had twice over. Hopefully my Alvian abductor will never find out who I really am and will be kind to me for the sake of his children. It is fortunate that Alvians are not telepathic. So now I go to meet his children and be the best mother to them that I could be.

Playing Marbles for the Big Blue

03 Mother - Ship

By Jo Dora Webster

Will Celeste escape slavery at the hands of the Alvians?

03 Mother - Ship

"~Celeste we are about to be able to see Greg Hardin's house on the right.~"

"~Thank you Sela. Do you observe anything else?~"

"~Greg has a Tesser set to stun hidden in his left hand. I suggest that you don't react and simply turn your back to him and let him stun you.~"

"~Sela, I will comply. Please send me your perceptions of the sights and sounds around us telepathically.~"

I turned my back on Greg and looked out the window of the minivan that Greg was driving. Greg spoke to me.

"Celeste, sweetheart, please keep looking at the houses on the right. Our house will be in view soon. I hope it begins to jog some memories."

Sela showed me from her perspective what Greg was doing. Greg stopped the minivan on the street just before his home's driveway. He then pulled out the Tesser and shot me with it. I again was aware subconsciously and functional thanks to Sela even though incapacitated outwardly. I fell unconscious and I slumped against the minivan door but did not fall out of my seat. Greg drove the Minivan to the end of the driveway. At the end on a separate slab which merged into the driveway, sat a Mini Cooper. Greg came out his door and went around to mine. He slung me over his shoulder and carried me down a hill around to the back of the house. At the back the full basement wall with windows was exposed and it had it's own entrance. Something sensed his presence and it opened up the door for him and closed it after we were inside. There was a mud room with space to hang coats and store boots. Beyond the mudroom was the entry into a great room but over to the left was a closet. The closet door opened like the back door and behind the ordinary door was another door which opened by disappearing into the top to open and it let us in.

"~Sela, the closet is bigger on the inside than on the outside.~"

"~Celeste, the interior is dimensionally transcendental which is why it is bigger on the inside. This was their escape pod which took the family safely to Earth when their ship was presumably destroyed by the Van Allen Belt.~"

Greg took me deeper into the space pod. I recognized the Alvian design of the interior and had further confirmation that they were Alvans. I supposed that our destination was to their infirmary where Greg would alter my human form to be identical to his dead wife's appearance. I was curious what the Alvan Technology would be able to do to reshape my human body. My destination was revealed a moment later when Greg took me into the infirmary and laid me down on a treatment bed. Greg turned off the disguise emitter and he restrained me on the treatment bed. I could hear Greg talking to me again while I was unconscious.

"Oh Natalie, Natalie, Natalie. Now I am going to hide you in plain sight from that Golram, Makelam. You get your freedom from him and I get a Mother for my children. You can be assured that I will treat you with every kindness and respect due to you as Mother to my children. Even though you did not birth them, you will care for my children as if you did carry them in your womb. I don't know if over time you will fall in love with me and want to have a life as my wife. I shall be content to let us have separate lives and beds. Even though I would never have chosen a human to mate with I will treat you with as much love as I had for Celeste while she lived. For a while you will be ignorant of my family's origin on Alvia. With your spy bands to aid, you will see yourself transformed into an Alvian and with their capabilities you will be able to fly as we do. Then you will be truly one of us and with you sharing our lives and secret, I won't take the risk of you ever leaving us. Your life will be in a cage with us but I shall do my best to make it a pleasant cage. This will be the last time I address you as Natalie. Now you take on my wife's body, in every human detail, that for her was a human simulation but for you will be real. I shall always call you Celeste starting now. Sleep on Celeste, because when you wake you will take on your new life."

Greg programed the medical device, then it began to remake me in Celeste's image. Watching the process was amazing and at the end I was indeed looked the splitting image of the image in the photos of Celeste that I had seen earlier. After the process was completed, Greg scooped me up and again draped me over his shoulder and took us back around the house to the front but this time he took me to the front door. Greg laid me down sitting with my back against the houses exterior wall. He changed the setting on the Tesser to revive and discharged it in my direction. I came out of it and looked up at Greg.

"Greg, what happened to me?"

"Celeste, you feinted as we got to the front door. We need to get you to eat to build up your strength again. Do you think you can stand if I help you up?"

"Greg, I think so. Let's try."

I was indeed able to stand with Dreg's help and then Greg rang the doorbell instead of unlocking it with his key. A pretty and pleasent 18 year old girl answered the door.

She saw Greg and greeted him. "Hello Mr. Hardin. How did your search go with the tip you received?" Then the girl gasped when she saw me, "Mrs. Hardin! It's so good to see you. We thought we had lost you."

"Janey, as you can see Mrs. Hardin is fine. How did the girls do?"

"Mr. Hardin, they were both angels." Janey smiled a mischievous grin since the Alvans looked like human's perception of angels in their native form. Mr. Hardin paid Janey and she left to go to her own home across the street.

"Let's go inside and see the girls, Sweetheart."

"Of course, Greg."

We entered the house and went to the daughter's room. Greg spoke to them with me hiding behind Greg but I came out as he spoke to them.

"Girls, look who I found!"

Both Gail and Sally, the two girls to which I was now bound in servitude as their mother, came and wrapped me up in a big hug which Greg joined as well. We were joined as one family and I hoped that the lives, especially the girl's lives, would be happy ones. We broke the hug and then Greg spoke to his daughters.

"Gail and Sally, I have something to tell you. Let's sit down in the living room."

Both the girls answered, "Yes, Daddy."

We all sat down in the living room. Greg sat in the recliner facing the sofa and I sat on the sofa with Gail on one side and Sally on the other with the three of us holding hands.

"Girls, your Mother who was lost is now found. She is not as she was since her head was injured somehow. I took her to the hospital and a nice Dr Zha told me that your mother's head being hurt made her forget everything about us. Even though she sees us all now again, she does not know us. The Doctor felt like even though she doesn't remember us that being at home with us may help her regain her memory in our home. I've told her that her name is Celeste and a little about you two, Gail and Sally. Celeste has promised to be your mother and treat you as her very own girls, even though she does not remember you. We'll get back into the routine we had before and hopefully both that and being home will allow her to remember us. If she doesn't ever remember us, we will love her just like we did before she went away. I know that this makes it hard since so many questions on what happened to her will remain without an answer. We'll just have to do the best that we can together as a family. Girls, I'd like for you to play in the living room while I get your mother settled in our home."

"Yes, Daddy" both girls said and they got down from the couch and onto the living room carpet where was a doll house and dolls and various other things scattered on the floor used for their playing. Greg took me from room to room in the house and in each room I saw tasks that had been left undone that a mother would do. In the kitchen I saw a sink full of dirty dishes. Also I saw evidence that the girl's breakfasts had been cereal, their lunches sandwiches, and their dinners either frozen meals or take out food, by the evidence of all the things I saw left out on the counters. Greg gave me a running commentary on all the rooms of the house. Finally the tour was over and we stopped and Greg turned to me.

"Celeste, has seeing the house and the girls given you back any memories?"

"No Greg, It hasn't given me back anything at all. I am so sorry."

"Celeste it will all be alright in time. Let's not let setbacks get us down. Everything will be good in the end. I have a replica of the necklace that I gave to you on the day we first met. You never took it off before you left us and I hope that you will never take it off now. Please let me put it on you."

"Of course, Greg."

Greg put it on me and kissed me. I would have to ask Sela about the necklace later when I could talk telepathically to her out of Greg's presence. Even though Greg could not overhear my thoughts or Sela's, I did not want to forget myself talking to Sela while if he was observing close up. I observed that our tour was over as we stood in the basement.

"Thank you Greg for being so understanding. What shall I do now?"

"Celeste, take it easy and rest. Feel free to look in drawers and closets and cabinets all over over the house. There is one exception is the locked closet that I showed you when we were down in the basement. I would like neither you nor the girls to go in there looking. It has special things in it for my work which I need to be, where I can find them and not broken by accident. Only I have the key and I keep it locked. If you ever find it unlocked, Don't go in nor let the girls into it either. You can lock off the door to the basement from the upstairs and the back door and keep out of the basement until I can lock it again. Can you do that for me, Celeste?"

"Of course, Greg. Shall we begin giving the girls back some boundaries and rules again?"

"Celeste you are correct. The girls need rules and boundaries. I had neglected enforcing the rules that we had, when they had to deal with the loss of their mother. The girls behave well in most things but they have to be prompted to do their chores and I had never done that before. For now, let's wait to discuss it before we reintroduce any rules, boundaries or chores for the girls before restarting them. Is that alright for you, Celeste?"

"That is alright with me, Greg. I'll start exploring the house now. What will you be doing?"

"I'll go back to the living room to be with the girls. Happy exploring!"

Greg and I walked up from the basement where he had ended the tour. Greg turned to go to the living room while I turned to enter the kitchen. I realized that Greg telling me to explore was code for me to get to work. I knew that I would be expected to do all the mother's chores that had been left undone for six months by the looks of the house. The house would be a wonderful place once all the chores that had been put off were done. I was to be a stay at home mother caring for the house, the children, and Greg. When I finally finished all of the chores that had been put off, keeping the house clean and in order would be much easier taking care of chores as they arose instead of them accumulating again. I had been so absorbed into taking all this in that I had neglected to check in with Sela.

"~Hello, Sela. What do you make of things?~"

"~Celeste, you are in for a great bit of labor to get done, all that has been left undone. You'll have to do it all with earth technology, too. You have to keep cover even with Greg and the girls and they have not told you yet about their origins on Alvia.~"

"~Sela, We'll have to keep speaking telepathically. The walls are thin in this house even when we are alone, we might be overheard without even trying. Are there monitors that Greg can use to spy on the children and myself?~"

"~Every part of the house is monitored for sight and sound as well as other sensors monitoring the house systems. We will never be truly alone. Even the vehicles are monitored. The necklace that you are wearing is of Alvian origin and has monitoring equipment inside it. It is made so that once it is put on it becomes sealed so that it can never be taken off without using Alvian technology to unseal it.~"

"Greg, the little sneak, will be able to spy on me anywhere that I am. If Celeste had really been lost, instead of dying, Greg would have been able to track her where ever she went and now he will be able to do the same with me. It is a gilded cage but a cage nonetheless. I've been practicing how to act while talking to you, Sela and being observed. I won't be able to let my guard down since I will be observed all the time.~"

All this time I had been looking inside every cabinet and drawer and those things out in plain sight to familiarize myself with the kitchen's layout. I started with the girl's toys and I gathered them up and put them in a couple of tote bags. Next I took the clean dishes out of the dishwasher and put them away. With the dishwasher empty, I started putting the sink full of dishes into the dishwasher which filled it up and I started it washing. There was enough for another load spread over the counters and on the kitchen and dining room table. I gathered the remaining dishes up and placed them into the sink, which was filled up again. That gave me enough space on the two tables for me to clear all the counters. The counters were a mess with a coating of gunk. Removing the gunk took me several tries and use of a brand new bottle of cleaner which never had been opened. Once the counters were cleaned, I put back everything that belonged on it.

Next I tackled the tables. They were piled up with mostly empty frozen dinner trays and lots of wrappings and bags from fast food. When I glanced back at the living room, noticed most of the same among the toys in there. I guessed when there was no longer any room to eat in the kitchen and dining room that eating started happening in the living room. Having cleared the two tables, I started on the floor. It too had a quarter inch of gunk on it but I had removed all the trash and filled up a second trash bag. Another unopened bottle of floor cleaner was found in the cabinet under the sink. I cleaned the tile floor until it was spotless. Next I looked at the appliances. The dishwasher and the stove had not been used for 6 months and when I cleaned the counters. I had already wiped down the outside of the refrigerator and microwave. The Microwave had the same quarter inch of gunk but after several tries at cleaning it it was as spotless as all the other things that I had cleaned.

I was afraid to see the inside of the refrigerator. Fortunately it was frost free and the freezer was clean but bare except for a stack of frozen dinners. Before I looked inside the refrigerator, Greg checked in on me and I pointed out the 3 bags of garbage that I accumulated so far in the kitchen.

"Hi Celeste. I see you have started cleaning up in the Kitchen. I did the best I could but I don't cook except for microwavable items so frozen Dinners and fast food have been most of our suppers, sandwiches for most of our lunches and cereal for breakfasts. Is there anything I can do for you, besides cleaning? I am allergic to cleaning."

"Greg, I have three bags of trash already accumulated that need to be taken out. I'll have more but they are just in the way of my cleaning. I haven't looked at the refrigerator or the other rooms yet so I have a feeling that there will be more. The plus side is that before the backlog this was a wonderful Kitchen and it will be again."

"Celeste I'll get on that right now. Please listen in on the girls while i am outside. Is there anything else that you need?"

"Just from looking inside the food cabinets, there are a lot of sugary snacks and treats. We should just eat what we have and not buy any more. I can make healthy snacks and treats for everyone. Most of the time you all have not had a real balanced and unprocessed meals. We'll need to get healthy foods for me to prepare for your suppers and for me to prepare for your lunches. So all that means we will need to make a trip to the grocery store to stock up. I'll prepare a list for you to purchase only the things on the list. Do we have a utility cart that we can empty for us to use for the kitchen?."

"Celeste I'm glad that you suggested that. Even with refilling the pantry and refrigerator with nothing left, buying natural foods and not buying processed foods will save us money in the long run. Thank you. I will go to the grocery store and buy exactly what is on your list. There is already a utility cart in the pantry. I guess you haven't has a chance to check on it yet. I emptied the cabinets of all the cooking things that you used before you left. All the food is kept in the Kitchen cabinets now since it was easier for me to prepare food when I became a single father without going to the pantry. The Pantry has been locked up so the most you should see in there is some dust. I am reminded that I need to give you the house keys and the keys to your mini."

"Thank you, Greg. these keys will get me in everywhere except your closet?"

"Yes that is exactly right, Celeste. There are other places that are locked up including the guest room where you will be staying. The whole basement is kept locked and I have been at least been keeping up the cleaning in the basement. There are several rooms in the basement including the children's play room. That is why the girl's toys are found in every upstairs room. I'll go now and get the garbage you already have taken out and I'll be ready to get only what is on the list from the grocery store."

"thank you, Greg."

I cleaned out the refrigerator filling another trash bag that I had double bagged with most of the refrigerator contents being science experiments 6 months old. The only usable food was some milk, orange juice and condiments. The rest was garbage. I didn't wait for Greg to check on me again to suggest that the trash be taken out again. I took it out myself. There was a list of many other chores that I had do to clean the Kitchen. I have already revealed what the rest of the chores were like, both in the kitchen and in the rest of the house. It took me about a week to get the entire house cleaned as I worked on one room at a time.

I had time to start work on the guest room which I supposed would become where I was to sleep. I would not be sharing the master bedroom with Greg for a while, if even at all. Since it had been locked up the room was in good shape. It only needed dusting and and vacuuming to get it in shape. While I was doing the cleaning, Sela had been planning meal menus. She found out what items were needed to prepare the meals. We tried to keep our communication down so that we would not be discovered. Most of the time when we communicated telepathically it was in my locked bedroom or if there was something that Sela needed to tell me quickly. The next week after the cleanup had concluded and I had a chance to become familiar with my instant daughters.

Over time I found that I had formed a maternal bond with Gail and Sally. My knowledge of adopted families was not due to my Alban background where there were no adoption or surrogates to give a child to a family. There was no death from natural causes for adult Albans who had emerged since I had been told that they no longer required air, food and water to sustain them and instead were tapped into sustenance which was everlasting and plentiful. They left only to a different dimension after all their children had emerged and had settled into their emerged state. There was no crime on Alban Kai because there was no need for money since all were given everything that was needed to sustain themselves. Albans practiced professions where they earned luxuries. The reason that Alban Kai was xenophobic was because anything from outside would introduce all the things that would jeopardize our way of life and even our existence, so we hid behind a cloaking shield that was impenetrable.

Sela informed me about earth culture where it was possible for an adult or child to enter an existing family from outside it. Being adopted into a family as a adult or a child was beyond my understanding but I learned quickly the human virtue of love. Love made all things seem possible. Love took away all the barriers and united once separate elements into a cohesive whole. Love initiated my bond with my girls.

When love happened, my captivity and slavery ended. I know that with my new identity established that I was free to dissolve my bond to Greg's family through something called divorce. Greg and the children would no longer have any claim on me and I would be free to go my own way. With my superior Alban technological skills I could easily get work developing earth technology so I could earn all the money that I would need to exist in their economy. But i chose to stay part of my Alvian family on earth. There was deception on both sides which might cause future challenges but for the moment all was well.

I maintained the home cleaning and cooking, doing laundry and such. It was much easier to clean something when it happened instead of letting the work accumulate like it had before after Celeste left their home. I was concerned that Gail and Sally had no children their age and Limoxian to play with together. I would have to wait until Greg revealed to me that they were Alvian to actually give Gail and Sally playmates. First I had to see if such a search to determine the location and population of all the families who had Limoxian members. Scanning for the disguise devices that anyone who intended to go to a quarantined planet, even if they were okay and not be trapped on the Earth.

"~Sela, can you perform a scan of all the Limoxians on earth and the family members even if thy are human.~"

"Celeste, I can make that happen using a combination of science and magic. Science alone is unable to scan them since they are designed to be undetectable even by superior Limoxian technology. That is why the Limoxians had not been able to find each other before. I begin the scan now.~"

And Sela did find out who and where all the Limoxians families in the world. We even had a family of Limoxians in our neighbor hood about a block away who had two girls the same ages of Gail and Sally. I was pleased with myself that I had done so well with Sela's help in locating all the families who were so far from home. I was also pleased with the wholesome meals that I prepared for Greg and his daughters. Unbeknown to Greg, Sela planed meals that had all the elements that would be beneficial to Alvians. I was pleased that Greg and the girls were thriving.

The only downside was that I was stuck most of the time at home performing needed tasks, not because I was a slave but I did them out of love . I was able to go to the store to get things we had run out of in between shopping trips done by Greg. I was also able to go to the salon to get my hair and nails done. I was prepared for the next step where Greg would reveal that his family was Limoxian. I was attached by love to Greg and his daughters.

I wondered what would happen if my Mommy the queen and my Daddy her consort came to rescue me in her official transport. The name in Alban was mostly unpronounceable by humans but translated to Mother - Ship. That was humorous since the humans labeled any extraterrestrial ship which held more than 10 people to be a mothership. The one thing that I knew was that if they had found a way to correct the emergence and make me an adult Albian female I would no longer have the bland future that I had run away from fulfilling. As a female adult Albian, daughter of the Queen, I would be next in line to the throne when Mommie stepped down. With Alban Kai being very xenophobic, the Alvian family could never live on Alban Kai so I would be free of them. I would be The Princess.

Playing Marbles for the Big Blue

04 Angel Flight

By Jo Dora Webster

Will Celeste learn how to fly like an Alvian?

04 Angel Flight

I, Gail, and Sally had bonded as mother and daughters. I no longer thought of myself as a captured prisoner or slave. I stayed with the Hardins through human love even though my original body was not human. As a human woman my maternal instincts were fulfilled caring for my daughters. I also cared for their father Greg but that was only for my daughter's sake. 
Greg had lied to me and assumed that I was stupid since I had appeared to him as his neighbor Natalie. Greg used the amnesia that I presented then to facilitate giving his children a mother. He took advantage of a professed amnesiac on the pretense of protecting her from discovery.  
If the status quo maintained, I would never be a real wife to Greg. I really did not need Greg's help since being Natalie gave me a legal identity and together Sela and I could take care of ourselves. I would continue to be a Hardin only for the sake of the children.
I had not cared about the family dynamics of the Hardins when I first arrived with them. Greg continued to go to work, and the children continued going to elementary school and middle school. I was so bogged down in my own misery at having so much to clean up that I really did not know why they had left but just that they were gone.
When the home became well cared for and easily maintained. I discovered and kept up with their comings and goings. Greg's job as an episcopal priest was flexible enough at most times during the work week to be able to put the girls on the bus and be back to meet them when the bus returned. Eventually I took over those duties from Greg
.
About a month after I had become a Hardin and things had settled for us, Greg had me take the tests from all the professional certifications that the original Celeste had gotten. I aced them all which greatly surprised Greg who had just been testing to see if he should help me apply for reinstatement at the original Celeste's job which she telecommuted to in the hours when the girls were away at school.
"Celeste, How do you feel about contributing to our household financially even though you haven't recovered your memory yet?" 
"Our savings has not been growing for quite a while and I want our girls to have the means to get more education beyond high school. I'm formulating a plan for a business that I and the girls could run which could give us the savings for our girls."
"Can you tell me about the details of that business, Celeste?"
"I'm not sure that it is a fully formed idea yet. Let me noodle on it and get back to you, Greg."
"Celeste, you test out as maintaining the same certifications that you were qualified in before you left us. Please look at the work folder on your computer to familiarize yourself with the work you had been doing before. If you would like to do it again, I could help you apply for reinstatement."
"Greg, I will do that. I know that money has been tight while I was gone because of the loss of my income. I'll look at the Work folder to see if I feel able to do that work again." 
"Of course, Celeste. Please tell me what you want to do about getting reinstated after you have a chance to review those work files.""
"I will, Greg."
I of course agreed to and received the job reinstatement. It served my interests as well as the family's interests. If my situation with the Hardins became unbearable, I could easily divorce Greg and support myself by working that job or another like it full time. 
I did very well at work and the things that I didn't remember were covered by my amnesia. I was a very valuable employee so the things I could not remember about work-related things did not impact my employment.
I loved my new life as one of the Hardins. I continued to work on my secret business idea but could not present it yet because it used a fictionalized Limoxian Universe that I was supposed not to know. I suspected that eventually they would tell me about being Alvians so as to stop having to exclude me from that part of their lives.
More time passed and it had been six months since I had become a member of the Hardin household and a year since the original Celeste had died. Sela still kept the real me company as well as looking for other Limoxians.
I stood in the backyard, my heart racing with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. The warm afternoon sun cast long shadows across the grass as I watched Greg help Gail and Sally into their specially designed flight suits. The girls' eyes sparkled with anticipation, their small hands fidgeting with the unfamiliar fabric.
"Now remember," Greg said, his voice low and reassuring, "these suits will help protect you during flight. They're made of a special Alvian material that's both lightweight and durable."
I nodded, absorbing the information.. The concept of flight without any visible means of propulsion seemed impossible, yet here we were, preparing to defy gravity.

Greg turned to me, his expression softening. "Are you ready, sweetheart? I know this must be overwhelming for you."
I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "I think so. It's just... all so new. How exactly does this work?"
Greg smiled, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. "The flight capability is linked to the implants in our arms. It's Alvian technology, far beyond anything on Earth. When activated, it allows us to manipulate gravitational fields around our bodies."
As Greg explained the basics of Alvian flight techniques, I felt a strange tingling sensation in my arms. I glanced down, half-expecting to see something visible, but my skin looked unchanged.
"Will it hurt?" Sally asked, her small voice filled with a mix of worry and excitement.
"Not at all, sweetie," Greg assured her. "It might feel a little strange at first, like butterflies in your stomach, but it's completely safe."
Gail, ever the adventurous one, was practically bouncing with impatience. "Can we start now, Dad? Please?"
Greg chuckled, ruffling Gail's hair. "Almost. We just need to go over a few more safety precautions. Remember, we'll start low and slow. No showing off or trying any fancy maneuvers until you're comfortable with the basics."
As the family huddled together for their final preparations, I couldn't help but feel a surge of maternal protectiveness. Despite my being decieved about my own identity, the bond I felt with these girls was undeniable. Whatever challenges lay ahead in the sky, I was determined to face them together, as a family.
The family made their way to a secluded clearing on the outskirts of town, far from prying eyes. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the grass as Greg gathered everyone around him.
"Alright, everyone," Greg said, his voice a mix of excitement and caution. "It's time to show you how to activate your Alvian flight capabilities."

I watched intently, my heart racing with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. Despite Greg's earlier explanation, the concept of flying without any visible means of propulsion still seemed impossible to me.

Greg stood in the center of the clearing, his arms relaxed at his sides. "The key is to focus on the implants in your arms. They're connected to your nervous system, so you can control them with your thoughts."

He closed his eyes for a moment, and suddenly, he began to rise off the ground. Gail and Sally gasped in delight, while Celeste's eyes widened in astonishment.

"It's all about intent," Greg continued, hovering a few feet above the grass. "Visualize yourself becoming lighter, almost weightless. The implants will respond to your desire to fly."

Gail, always the adventurous one, was the first to try. Her face scrunched up in concentration, and after a few seconds, she let out a squeal of joy as her feet left the ground.

"I'm doing it, Dad! I'm flying!" she exclaimed, wobbling slightly as she rose to join her father.
Sally, more cautious by nature, took a deep breath before attempting the feat. Her ascent was slower, but soon she too was airborne, giggling with delight.

I hesitated, unsure of my abilities. Greg floated down to my side, offering an encouraging smile. "You can do this, Celeste. Trust yourself."

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and focused on the strange tingling sensation in my arms. I imagined myself becoming lighter, picturing my body rising effortlessly into the air. To my amazement, I felt the ground fall away beneath my feet.

As I opened my eyes, I found myself hovering alongside my family, a mix of exhilaration and disbelief coursing through my veins. The world looked different from up here, more expansive and fuller of possibility.
"Well done, everyone!" Greg beamed, looking proudly at his floating family. "Now, let's start with some basic maneuvers. Remember, slow and steady wins the race."

As they began to practice simple movements – forward, backward, up, and down – I couldn't help but marvel at the surreal nature of our situation. Here we were, a seemingly ordinary family, defying gravity as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

As the family hovered in the air, Greg's face beamed with pride. "Alright, everyone, you're doing great! Now, let's try moving around a bit."

I watched in awe as Greg demonstrated smooth, graceful movements through the air. He glided forward, then backward, ascending and descending with ease. The girls' eyes widened with excitement, eager to mimic their father's actions.

"Remember," Greg called out, "it's all about intention. Think about where you want to go, and your body will follow."

Gail, ever the daredevil, was the first to attempt movement. She shot forward with surprising speed, letting out a delighted squeal. "This is amazing, Dad!"

Sally, more cautious, moved slowly and deliberately. Her face was a mask of concentration as she navigated the air currents. "I feel like a bird," she said softly, a smile spreading across her face

I hesitated, still adjusting to the strange sensation of weightlessness. Greg floated over to me, offering an encouraging smile. "You're doing great, honey. Just take it slow."

Taking a deep breath, I focused on moving forward. To my surprise, my body responded instantly, gliding through the air with unexpected grace. The feeling was exhilarating, unlike anything I had ever experienced before.

As the family soared together, their laughter echoed across the clearing. Gail and Sally quickly gained confidence, chasing each other in playful aerial tag. Their natural aptitude for flying was evident, their movements becoming more fluid and instinctive with each passing moment.

I found myself relaxing into the experience, the initial fear giving way to a sense of freedom and joy. I watched my daughters with a mixture of pride and wonder, marveling at how quickly they had adapted to this extraordinary ability.

Greg flew alongside me, reaching out to take my hand. "How does it feel?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with delight.

"It's... incredible," I replied, my voice filled with awe. "I never imagined anything like this was possible."

As we soared higher, the world below seemed to shrink, offering a new perspective on their surroundings. The family flew in formation, reveling in our shared experience and the unique bond it created between us.

As the family soared through the air, reveling in their newfound ability to fly, Greg's expression grew serious. He glided closer to me, taking my hand gently.

"Celeste, there's something important I need to tell you," Greg said, his voice barely audible above the wind rushing past them. "It's about our family... about who we really are."

My heart raced, a mixture of excitement and apprehension coursing through my veins. I nodded, encouraging Greg to continue.

"We're not from Earth," Greg began, his eyes searching my face for any sign of recognition. "We're Alvians, beings from a planet called Alvia. Our appearance here on Earth is just a simulation, a way to blend in."

Gail and Sally, who had been chasing each other playfully, slowed their flight and moved closer to listen. Their young faces were a blend of curiosity and concern.

Greg continued, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "This ability to fly, it's not some newfound skill or technology. It's part of who we are as Alvians. The implants in our arms allow us to manipulate gravitational fields, just like we would on our home planet."

I listened intently, my mind reeling with this revelation. What Greg did not know is that with the aid of Sela I knew this already, the evidence was literally all around her as they hovered in mid-air.
"But Greg," I said, my voice trembling slightly, "if we're all Alvians, why don't I remember any of this?

Greg's expression softened, a hint of sadness creeping into his eyes. "Your memory loss... it's more extensive than we initially thought. You're one of us, Celeste. You've always been."
I looked down at my hands, half-expecting to see them change or reveal some alien characteristic. Greg was telling me the truth but not the whole truth.
"There's more," Greg added, his gaze shifting between I and the girls. "We came to Earth on a mission, but something went wrong. We've been stranded here, living as humans, waiting for a chance to return home."

The impact of Greg's words was hanging in the air between us. Gail and Sally exchanged glances, their young minds trying to process this new information about their identity.
My mind raced with questions. Those could wait until I had a chance to converse with Sela who was the only one who knew the whole truth.

As the family hovered in the air, the weight of Greg's revelation about their Alvian heritage hung heavily between them. My mind reeled with questions, but before I could voice them, Greg's expression grew even more serious.

"There's more you need to know, Celeste," Greg said, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's about your relationship with the girls."
I felt a chill run through my body, despite the warm air surrounding them. I glanced at Gail and Sally, who were watching their parents with wide, curious eyes.

Greg took a deep breath before continuing. "Celeste, you're not the girls' biological mother. Their real mother was an Alvian named Simosa. She... she died on Alvia before we came to Earth."

The words hit me like a physical blow. I felt as if the air had been sucked from my lungs, and for a moment, I forgot how to fly. Greg quickly steadied me, his hand gently gripping my arm.

"But... I remember..." I stammered, my mind frantically searching for memories that suddenly felt out of reach.
"I know this is difficult to hear," Greg said softly. "Your memories of being their mother are part of the simulation we've been living in on Earth. It was necessary for our cover, but the truth is, I married you shortly after Simosa's death."

Gail and Sally exchanged glances, their young faces a mixture of confusion and concern. "Dad," Gail spoke up, her voice trembling slightly, "is that why we sometimes have dreams about another mom?"

Greg nodded, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Yes, sweetheart. Those are memories of Simosa."

I felt as if my world was spinning out of control. The love I felt for these girls was real, visceral – I had grown to love them even after Greg had hijacked me from my life. I looked at Gail and Sally, searching their faces for any sign of rejection or resentment, but found only love and confusion mirroring myr own emotions. But I could not let Greg know that I already knew.
"I... I don't understand," I said, my voice barely audible. "If I'm not their mother, who am I? Why did you marry me?"

Greg's expression softened, filled with a mixture of guilt and affection. "You're still a crucial part of our family, Celeste. When Simosa died, I was lost. You helped me through that dark time, and we fell in love. We decided to embark on this mission together, as a family."

As the truth settled over them, the family remained suspended in the air, our newfound ability to fly now a stark reminder of the otherworldly nature of their existence. My mind raced with implications, trying to reconcile my deep love for these girls with the knowledge that I hadn't given birth to them.
"But why can't I remember any of this?" I asked, my voice trembling.
Greg's expression grew troubled. "The process of adapting to Earth, of taking on human forms and memories – it affected us all differently. Your memory loss was more extensive than we anticipated. We hoped that over time, living as a family here would help you recover those memories."
Gail and Sally exchanged glances, their young faces a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Is that why sometimes we have dreams about two different moms?" Gail asked hesitantly.
Greg nodded, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Yes, sweetheart. Your subconscious minds are holding onto memories of both Simosa and Celeste."
As the family hovered together, the weight of our shared history hung in the air between us. I felt a surge of conflicting emotions – love for these girls who weren't biologically mine, affection for Greg tinged with confusion, and a deep sense of loss for a life and memories I couldn't fully recall.

"I know this is a lot to take in," Greg said softly, squeezing my hand. "But I want you to know that regardless of how we came to be a family, the love we share is real. We've built a life here together, and you've been an amazing mother to Gail and Sally."
I nodded. My heart was full of emotions I couldn't quite name. As we floated in the air, our Alvian nature now fully revealed, I realized that our journey as a family was far from over. There were still mysteries to unravel, memories to recover, and a future to shape – together.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm golden glow across the sky, Greg guided the family back to the ground. We landed softly in the same secluded clearing where our extraordinary flight had begun, the grass swaying gently beneath our feet.
I took a deep breath, my mind still reeling from the revelations Greg had shared during our time in the air. I watched as Gail and Sally touched down, their faces a mixture of excitement from the flight and confusion from the truths they'd learned.
Greg gathered the family close, his eyes scanning our faces with a mixture of love and concern. "I know this has been a lot to take in," he said softly. "How are you all feeling?"
Gail, ever the outspoken one, was the first to respond. "It's... weird, Dad. But also kind of cool? I mean, we can fly!" Her enthusiasm was tempered by a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
Sally, more reserved, simply nodded and moved closer to me, seeking comfort in my embrace. I wrapped an arm around the young girl, feeling a surge of maternal love despite the knowledge that I wasn't their biological mother.
"And you, Celeste?" Greg asked, his gaze meeting mine with a mix of hope and apprehension.
I paused, carefully considering my words. "It's overwhelming," I admitted. "But... it also feels right, somehow. Like pieces of a puzzle falling into place."
I glanced down at my arms, where the implants lay hidden beneath my skin. "I still have so many questions, but I'm grateful for the truth."
Greg nodded, relief evident in his expression. "We'll take this one step at a time," he assured us. "Our family may not be conventional by Earth standards, but our love for each other is real."
As we stood together in the fading light, I observed the girls' reactions. Gail seemed energized by the revelations, her mind clearly racing with the possibilities their Alvian heritage presented.
Sally, on the other hand, appeared more contemplative, processing the information in her own quiet way.
I felt a complex mix of emotions wash over me. There was a sense of loss for the memories I couldn't recall, but also a growing acceptance of my place within this extraordinary family. The love I felt for Greg and the girls was undeniable, transcending the boundaries of biology and origin.
As we prepared to head home, I realized that while our flight had come to an end, our journey as a family was far from over. There would be challenges ahead, but facing them together, with our newfound truth as a foundation, felt like the beginning of something remarkable.
Greg was the first to break the silence. "I know this has been a lot to take in," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "How about we head home and talk more over some hot chocolate?"
Gail's eyes lit up at the mention of her favorite treat. "Can we have marshmallows too, Dad?"
Greg chuckled, grateful for the moment of normalcy amidst the chaos. "Of course, sweetheart. Extra marshmallows for everyone."
As we walked back to our house, Sally slipped her hand into mine. Despite the knowledge that I wasn't her biological mother, the bond between us stronger than ever. I squeezed Sally's hand, a wordless reassurance that nothing had changed in my love for the girls.
Once inside, Greg busied himself in the kitchen while I helped the girls out of their flight suits. The familiar routine of hanging up coats and removing shoes felt surreal after our airborne adventure.
In the cozy living room, we gathered around the coffee table, steaming mugs of hot chocolate in hand. Greg had indeed been generous with the marshmallows, and Gail was already sporting a frothy mustache.
"So," Greg began, his tone serious but kind, "do you have any questions about what we talked about today?"
Gail and Sally exchanged glances before Sally spoke up. "Dad, if we're really aliens, why do we look human?"
Greg nodded, appreciating the directness of the question. "It's part of our Alvian technology. We have the ability to blend in with the inhabitants of other planets. It's how we've been able to live here on Earth without detection."
I listened intently, still processing my own role in this complex family dynamic. I may not have been their biological mother, but the love I felt for these girls was undeniable.

As the conversation flowed, touching on our Alvian heritage, our life on Earth, and our uncertain future, a sense of unity settled over the family. We may have been from another world, living under assumed identities, but in this moment, we were simply a family, bound by love and shared experiences.
The evening wound down, and as Greg tucked the girls into bed, I stood in the doorway, watching. I may not have given birth to them, but I was their mother in every way that mattered. As I kissed them goodnight, I silently vowed to protect and love them, no matter what challenges our extraordinary life might bring.
No matter why Greg revealed this much of the truth for me, I had hope that later on Greg would reveal the whole truth. Till then I would share with the only one I completely trusted, Sela.

Playing Marbles for the Big Blue

05 Abducted by Helmagians

By Jo Dora Webster

Will Celeste foil the Helmagians seeking to abduct her daughters?

05 Abducted by Helmagians

I felt a chill run down my spine as I noticed the group of strangers eyeing us intently. What had started as a simple shopping trip with Greg and the girls had suddenly taken a sinister turn.

"Sela," I thought, reaching out to my AI companion through our telepathic link, "are you detecting anything unusual?"

"Caution, Celeste," Sela's voice echoed in my mind. "I'm picking up Helmagian energy signatures. They appear to be using Alvian detection devices."

My heart raced as I tried to maintain a calm exterior. I glanced at Greg, seeing the tension in his shoulders. He must have sensed it too.

"Girls," I whispered urgently, "stay close to us."

But it was already too late. The Helmagians were moving towards us, their eyes gleaming with a mix of triumph and malice.

"Well, well," one of them sneered, "if it isn't the son of the Alvian leader and his precious family."

I instinctively moved closer to Sally and Gail, my mind racing. How had they detected us? Our disguises had never failed before.

"Sela," I thought frantically, "can you interfere with their detection devices?"

"Negative, Celeste," Sela replied. "Their technology is shielded against such interference. We are exposed."

Greg attempted to bluff, but the cold smile on the Helmagian's face told me it was futile.

"Oh, we're not mistaken, Greg Hardin," he spat the name like a curse. "Or should I say, son of the current elected Alvian leader?"

Memories of the past Alvian spy incident flashed through my mind. The kidnapping of the Helmagian leader's grandchildren, the political fallout, the increased tensions between our peoples. And now, here we were, about to pay the price for those past actions.

I could feel Sally and Gail trembling behind me, and I silently cursed our carelessness. We should never have let our guard down, even for a moment.

"What do you want?" Greg asked, his voice steady despite the tension I could see in his eyes.

The Helmagian's eyes narrowed. "Justice," he hissed. "An eye for an eye, as you Earthlings say."

In that moment, I knew exactly what they were planning, and a cold dread settled in my stomach. They were going to take the girls, just as Alvian spies had taken their leader's grandchildren years ago.

"Sela," I thought desperately, "we need options. Now."

"Analyzing potential escape routes," Sela responded. "But our options are limited. The Helmagians have us surrounded, and we're in a public space. Any overt action could endanger civilians."

As the Helmagians closed in, I steeled myself for what was to come. I may not be the girls' biological mother, but in this moment, I felt every bit the protective parent. Whatever happened, I would do everything in my power to keep them safe.

The tension in the air was palpable as we made our swift escape. With each step, I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins, my senses heightened and alert for any sign of pursuit. Greg's hand found mine, squeezing it reassuringly as we guided the girls through the crowded streets.

Despite the chaos of our retreat, I couldn't help but marvel at the strength of the bond I felt with this family—a connection that transcended biology and spoke to something deeper within me. As we rounded a corner and ducked into a quieter alley, I allowed myself a moment to catch my breath, the reality of our narrow escape finally beginning to sink in.

I felt my heart racing as the Helmagians discussed their plan, their voices low but filled with malice. Sela's voice echoed in my mind, providing a constant stream of information.

"Celeste, they're planning to kidnap Gail and Sally," Sela warned. "It seems they're seeking revenge for a past incident involving Alvian spies and their leader's grandchildren.

"I struggled to maintain my composure, acutely aware of Greg's tension beside me. The girls, oblivious to the danger, were examining a display of colorful toys nearby. I yearned to rush to them, to shield them from the threat looming over us, but I knew any sudden movement could provoke the Helmagians.

"Sela," I thought, careful to keep my face neutral, "what options do we have?"

"Limited, I'm afraid," Sela replied. "The store is crowded, and any overt action could endanger civilians. However, I've identified a potential exit route through the back of the store. If we can create a distraction, we might be able to slip away unnoticed."

I glanced at Greg, wishing I could communicate Sela's plan to him. But our silent communication was interrupted by one of the Helmagians stepping forward, his eyes fixed on Greg
."Son of the Alvian leader," he sneered, his voice barely above a whisper. "How fortunate for us to stumble upon such... valuable prizes."

Greg's jaw clenched, but he remained silent. I could see the calculations running behind his eyes, trying to find a way out of this situation without endangering the girls or the humans around us.

Suddenly, an idea struck me. "Sela," I thought urgently, "can you interface with the store's systems? Maybe trigger a false alarm?"

"Excellent idea, Celeste," Sela responded. "Initiating now."

As if on cue, the store's fire alarm blared to life, startling everyone in the vicinity. In the ensuing chaos, I grabbed Sally while Greg scooped up Gail. We pushed through the crowd, heading for the exit Sela had identified.

As we burst into the alley behind the store, I couldn't help but think of our Ceti Alphan and Silurian friends, the extraterrestrial families we had befriended. I wondered if Gail Sands, or Glivney Athos as she was known on Ceti Alpha, had ever faced such danger. Her calm demeanor in stressful situations suddenly made more sense.

We ran, our feet pounding the pavement as we put distance between ourselves and the Helmagians. I could hear their shouts of frustration fading behind us, but I knew this was far from over. They had discovered our presence on Earth, and they wouldn't give up easily.

As we turned a corner, I held Sally close, my heart heavy with the knowledge that our peaceful life on Earth was about to change dramatically.

We hurried away from the store, my heart was still racing from our close encounter with the Helmagians. Greg's face was etched with worry, and I could feel the girls' fear radiating off them in waves.

"Sela," I thought, reaching out to my AI companion, "we need to regroup and figure out our next move."

"Agreed, Celeste," Sela responded in my mind. "I suggest we contact the Ceti Alphan and Silurian families immediately. They might have valuable insights or resources to help us."

I nodded, catching Greg's eye. "We should reach out to our friends," I said aloud. "The Ceti Alphan and Silurian families might be able to help us."

Greg's expression softened slightly, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "You're right. We're not alone in this."

We made our way to a secluded spot, and I used our secure communication device to contact our Earth allies. As we waited for their response, I couldn't help but feel a mix of gratitude and anxiety. These families had become our lifeline, our connection to this world we'd been stranded on.

When we finally connected with them, the flood of relief was palpable. We quickly explained our situation, the close call with the Helmagians, and our fears for the girls' safety.

"Sela," I thought as we talked, "can you scan for any Helmagian presence nearby?"

"Scanning now, Celeste," Sela replied. "No immediate threats detected, but we should remain cautious."

As we shared updates with our Earth allies, I felt a renewed sense of purpose. We weren't just hiding anymore; we were actively working towards a solution. The Ceti Alphan and Silurian families offered their support, suggesting safe houses and potential strategies for evading the Helmagians.

Greg then brought up the upcoming rescue mission, explaining our plans to locate and help other stranded Limoxians. Our allies listened intently, offering their assistance in any way they could.

As we discussed the complexities of our situation, I couldn't help but marvel at the bonds we'd formed on this planet. These humans, who had no stake in interplanetary conflicts, were willing to risk so much to help us. It was a testament to the compassion and resilience of Earth's people.

"We're stronger together," I said, squeezing Greg's hand and looking at the girls. "With our friends' help, we'll find a way through this."

As we ended the call, I felt a renewed sense of hope. Despite the dangers we faced, we weren't alone. We had allies, both on Earth and beyond, and together, we would find a way to keep our family safe and return home.

We drove in our minivan to meet with the Ceti Alphan and Silurian families. Our understanding was that in the worst-case scenario they might hide us in their space pod which was the only thing that had survived from their crashed shuttlecraft. Although on the outside it took up the space of a closet, it had on its dimensionally transcendental inside plenty of rooms available to host us.

As we approached the group of Ceti Alphan and Silurian families, I felt a mix of anticipation and nervousness. These were people who understood our unique situation, who lived with the same daily fear of discovery that we did. I reached out telepathically to Sela, seeking reassurance.

"Sela, what can you tell me about these families?" I asked silently.

"They are like you, Celeste," Sela responded. "Extraterrestrial beings stranded on Earth, trying to maintain their cover while longing for home."

A woman stepped forward from the group, her human disguise flawless. I recognized her as Gail Sands, though Sela informed me that her true Ceti Alphan name was Glivney Athos.

"Greg, Celeste, it's wonderful to see you both," Glivney said warmly, embracing us in turn. Her touch was comforting, a reminder that we weren't alone in our struggles.

As we exchanged greetings with the other families, I felt a surge of emotion. These people had formed a tight-knit community here on Earth, supporting each other and keeping each other's secrets. It was a stark reminder of how isolated our own family had become.

"Why haven't we been in closer contact with these families before?" I asked Sela silently.

"Greg has been cautious about maintaining too many connections," Sela explained. "But recent events have made him realize the importance of community support."

We moved inside the space pod, and I listened intently as the families' shared updates on their situations. The air was thick with a mixture of hope and anxiety. For many, the prospect of returning home was both thrilling and terrifying after so many years on Earth.

I found myself drawn into conversations about the challenges of maintaining our cover, the difficulties of raising children who straddled two worlds, and the constant fear of discovery. Despite my initial reservations, I felt a sense of belonging among these people that I hadn't experienced before.

As the meeting progressed, I realized that this gathering was about more than just sharing information. It was about reaffirming our bonds, supporting each other through the uncertain times ahead, and preparing for a future that might take us far from the lives we'd built on Earth.

Glivney approached me during a lull in the conversations. "Celeste, how are you holding up?" she asked, her eyes filled with understanding.

I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "It's... challenging," I admitted. "Balancing our true selves with our Earth identities, always looking over our shoulders. But being here, with all of you, it helps."

She nodded, placing a comforting hand on my arm. "We're all in this together. Remember that, whenever things get tough."

As I looked around the room at these extraordinary beings disguised as ordinary humans, I felt a renewed sense of purpose. We were more than just stranded aliens; we were a community, bound by shared experiences and the hope of one day returning home.

But I immediately panicked because two Helmagians decloaked behind my daughters. After the Helmagians grabbed them, both Gail and Sally disappeared along with the Helmagians as I looked on in horror. Despite our best effort to protect my daughters, the Helmagians had abducted them.

Playing Marbles for the Big Blue

06 Rescue My Daughters

By Jo Dora Webster

Will Celeste rescue her daughters from the Helmagians who abducted her daughters?

06 Rescue My Daughters

Understanding that the Space Pod was not a safe haven against the Helmagians, Greg and I prepared to leave. Through our telepathic link, I reached out to Sela, my faithful AI companion who had become so much more.

"Sela, can you track them?" I asked silently, my heart pounding against my chest.

"Yes, Celeste. Their armbands are still active. I'm monitoring their location in real-time," Sela responded, her presence a calming force in my mind. "The Helmagians are taking them to a facility approximately 12 kilometers northeast of our current position."

Glivney plead, "Celeste, you and Greg don't have to go now. Our sensors found the deficiency in our shielding. We can make it better. We're stronger together. Ya know."

Greg asked, "Can you send me the shielding specifications? We need to make our home safe, so that when we get our daughters back that we can keep them safe going forward."

Glivney answered, "Of course." She took a memory card out of her scanner and handed it to Greg. She continued, "The Helmagians are a threat to us as well. We'll do whatever you request. When they are finished with you, they may come for us."

I gave Glivney a hug and held her hand as I told her, "Let us go home and find out just what we are up against and how many. If they think we have had a falling out, their attention will be focused on us and you all will be able to surprise them. We'll be in touch. Cross circuit to EC on the communicator.
"
"Be safe, you two. Take back your daughters!" Glivney told us as we left to get into the minivan.

Sela reported, "When they entered the facility, I lost the signal. I'm so sorry Celeste."

"Thank you for trying, Sela." I telepathically sent hoping to comfort Sela.

We drove home in silence with each of us grieving the loss of our daughters. Greg revealed to me the entrance to a secret room in our home. I was aware of the obvious Alvian styling in the secret control room.

"Greg, what can we do?"

"I don't know now, Celeste, but we'll come up with something. We have to get them back."

I stood in the dimly lit control room, my heart pounding as I reached out to Sela through our telepathic link.

"Sela, I need you to infiltrate the Helmagians' network. We must know what they are planning," I instructed, my voice steady despite the storm of anxiety within me.

"Understood, Celeste," Sela replied, her tone calm and precise. I watched as the faint glow of her interface activated, a testament to her unparalleled capabilities. Moments later, her voice echoed in my mind.

"I have accessed their communications. They are convening in the lower chambers."

"Sela, change the resonance on the children's trackers so that I can pick up their location before you leave them."

"Celeste, I have found a defect in their shielding. I can change the resonance on their tracker signal to take advantage of that defect on your command."

Through Sela's eyes, I saw the Helmagians gathered around a holographic display. Their leader, a towering figure with crimson eyes, spoke with a venomous edge. "We will strike where it hurts the most. The Alvian leader's grandchildren will pay for the sins of their ancestors. Our technology can now penetrate their defenses."

A chill ran down my spine. "Sela, transmit this to me immediately," I urged.

Within seconds, the data streamed into my consciousness. The Helmagians' plans were more advanced and dangerous than I had feared. Minutes felt like hours as I waited, trying to maintain a calm facade for Greg's sake.

Suddenly, Sela's voice returned, urgent and filled with concern. "Celeste, I've uncovered their true intentions. The kidnapping is just the beginning."

I listened intently as Sela relayed the Helmagians' plans. They weren't content with simply abducting the girls; they aimed to strike at the heart of Alvian society. The Helmagians had developed technology capable of penetrating our defenses, planning to use it to breach our sanctuary and expose our presence on Earth.

"They intend to use Gail and Sally as bait," Sela continued. "Once Greg attempts a rescue, they'll track him back to our hideout and launch a full-scale attack. Their ultimate goal is to force a confrontation between Alvians and humans, revealing our existence to Earth's governments."

My heart raced as I processed this information. The stakes were higher than we'd imagined. Not only were our children in danger, but our entire way of life on Earth was threatened.

A chill ran down my spine. "Sela, transmit this to me immediately on the locator's resonance locked into their shielding defect" I urged. Within seconds, the data streamed into my consciousness. The Helmagians' plans were more advanced and dangerous than I had feared.

But then, a sudden shift in their demeanor caught my attention. One of the Helmagians, a wiry figure with sharp features, glanced around suspiciously. "We are being watched," he hissed. The room erupted into chaos as they scrambled to secure their systems.

"Celeste, they have detected my presence. They are altering their plans," Sela informed me, her voice tinged with urgency. I clenched my fists, knowing the window of opportunity was closing. "Extract yourself, Sela. We have what we need."

As Sela disengaged, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the battle ahead. The Helmagians were formidable, but with Sela's intelligence, we had a fighting chance.

Frustration and fear battled within me. We'd gained vital intelligence, but at the cost of losing our advantage of surprise. Now, we were back to square one, facing an enemy who knew we were onto them and would be even more cautious.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come. We'd have to be smarter, faster, and more resourceful than ever to outmaneuver the Helmagians and bring our girls home safely.
"Greg," I called out, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "We need to talk. Things just got a lot more complicated."

I turned to Greg, who stood frozen in place, his face a mask of anguish. "Greg, we need to act fast. My band - it can help us find them. I've got their signal!"

His eyes widened with recognition. "You're right. But there's something you need to know first."

"What is that, Greg?" I asked in amazement that Greg would pick this time for confession.

"Your band's, the spyband's capabilities are more extensive than I've let on. It's not just Alvian technology; it's specifically designed for covert operations."

Through Sela's silent assistance, I could already see the complex network of Helmagian security measures surrounding their hideout. Their technology was impressive, but they hadn't counted on the unique combination of Alvian engineering and Sela's enhanced capabilities.

"I can help track them," I said, carefully maintaining the pretense that it was the spyband's abilities rather than Sela's intervention. "Their armbands are giving off a signal that I can follow."

In reality, Sela was already formulating a rescue plan, analyzing every possible entry point and security weakness. Together, we would bring my daughters home, even if I wasn't their biological mother. Some bonds transcend blood, and my love for them was as real as any parent's could be.

I watched Greg's face intently as he made the difficult decision to reveal the truth about the spyband. The weight of our current crisis with the girls' kidnapping had forced his hand. Through my telepathic link with Sela, I could sense her processing the complex layers of truth about to unfold.

"Celeste," Greg began, his voice heavy with resignation, "I need to tell you something about who you really are."

He reached for my wrist, where the spyband lay disguised. "You're not who you think you are. Your real name is Natalie."

I maintained my composure, though inside I felt Sela's reassuring presence steadying my thoughts. Greg explained how I had once been married to a Golram spy, who had given me a spyband similar to his own. The band had saved my life after the Golram's violent attack, though it couldn't restore my memories.

"I found you and used Alvian technology to change your appearance to match Celeste's," Greg continued. "The original Celeste, my wife, died six months ago. I used the band to hide you from the Golram and protect you."

Through our private connection, Sela confirmed the truth of his words now at last. Thanks to Sela, I already knew this but was faking amnesia. The spyband's capabilities had allowed me to fly, to appear Alvian, to become the mother these girls needed.

"I'm giving you access to the spyband's full capabilities now," Greg said, inputting a new code. "We'll need everything at our disposal to rescue the girls."

I watched Greg input the new code into my spyband, though I knew through Sela that this was merely a formality. The weight of his revelation about my true identity still hung in the air between us.

"The spyband's full capabilities are now yours," Greg said, his voice heavy with both trust and desperation. "It will help us track and rescue the girls."

Through my connection with Sela, I could already sense the complex network of security measures the Helmagians had in place. Their technology was impressive, but they hadn't anticipated the unique combination of Alvian engineering and Sela's enhanced capabilities.

"I can sense them," I said carefully, maintaining the pretense that it was the spyband's abilities rather than Sela's intervention. "The girls' armbands are giving off a faint signal."

In reality, Sela was already mapping multiple entry points and analyzing security weaknesses. "The Helmagians have implemented a three-layer defense system," Sela communicated silently to me. "But there's a vulnerability in their eastern perimeter."

I felt a surge of determination. These girls might not be my biological children, but the maternal bond I felt was real. Whether I was Natalie or Celeste didn't matter – what mattered was bringing them home safely.

"Greg," I said, turning to face him, "I know how we can get them back. The spyband is showing me a way in through their defenses." I didn't mention that it was actually Sela's advanced capabilities guiding us. Some secrets were better kept, even from allies.

Together, we began formulating our rescue plan, while Sela continued to gather intelligence on the Helmagian compound. Time was of the essence, and failure wasn't an option.

As darkness fell, we put our plan into motion. My heart raced as we approached the compound's perimeter, staying low and moving between shadows. Sela's constant stream of data guided each careful step, identifying blind spots in their security grid. The spyband hummed silently against my skin, its power merging seamlessly with Sela's capabilities.

Greg moved beside me, his years of training evident in his fluid motions. After twenty tense minutes of methodical advancement, we reached the outer wall. The moment had come to infiltrate their stronghold and bring our daughters back to us. We flew over the wall through the sensor blind spot that Sela had detected.

Through Sela's guidance, we moved silently through the Helmagian compound. The spyband's capabilities (or rather, Sela's advanced interface with it) allowed us to navigate past their security measures with surprising ease.

"The girls are being held in a containment cell two levels below," Sela communicated silently in my mind. "I've detected a weakness in their eastern security grid."

Greg moved beside me, his face tense with determination. I knew he believed the spyband was guiding us, and I maintained that illusion. In truth, Sela's abilities far surpassed anything the Alvian technology could achieve on its own.

"They're moving the girls," I whispered to Greg, as Sela fed me real-time information. "We need to hurry."

We descended through darkened corridors, our movements precise and calculated. The Helmagian technology hummed around us, their revenge plot against Greg's family - against our family - now clear. They wanted to hurt the Alvian leader through his grandchildren, just as they believed their leader had been hurt years ago.

Through Sela's eyes, I could see Gail and Sally huddled together in their cell, frightened but unharmed. My heart ached at their fear, and I felt a surge of maternal protectiveness that had nothing to do with biology or false memories.

"Three guards approaching from the north corridor," Sela warned silently.

I touched Greg's arm, signaling him to stop. We pressed ourselves against the wall, waiting as the guards passed. The moment they were gone, we moved swiftly toward the containment area.

Finally, we stood at the door of our daughter's cell. Sela unlocked it and Gail ran into Greg's arms, and he carried her. Sally jumped up into my arms and I carried her too. Greg and I made a hasty retreat guided by the information that Sela continued to give me.

The girls' cries of joy filled the corridor as we made our escape from the Helmagian compound. My heart raced as I maintained telepathic contact with Sela, ensuring our path remained clear. Greg led the way, his protective instincts on full display as he guided us through the shadows.

"Two guards approaching from the eastern corridor," Sela warned silently in my mind. "Take the next right turn."

I gently nudged Greg's arm, directing him toward the alternate route. The spyband on my wrist hummed quietly, maintaining our disguise capabilities. Through Sela's enhanced perception, I could monitor the Helmagians' movements throughout the facility, their confusion growing as they discovered their prisoners had vanished.

"Mom!" Sally whispered, clinging to my hand. The word sent a complex wave of emotions through me. I might not be their biological mother, might not even be the Celeste they first knew, but in this moment, protecting these children felt like the most natural thing in the world.

"Almost there," I murmured, both to the girls and to Greg. Sela's guidance had led us to a maintenance exit, far from the main security checkpoints. The cool night air beckoned through the partially open door.

As we emerged into the darkness, I felt the weight of our deception - both mine and Greg's - pressing against my conscience. Yet watching him embrace his daughters, seeing their tears of relief, I knew that sometimes the truth was more complex than simple facts. Through Sela's silent presence in my mind, I understood that family wasn't always about blood or birth - sometimes it was about the choices we make and the love we choose to give.

"Let's go home," I said softly, keeping my senses attuned to any pursuit through my connection with Sela. Whatever came next, we would face it together.

We quickly entered the minivan and sped away. I used the spyband and some skillful driving by Greg so that we were untraceable by the time we reached our destination.

Back at home, I watched Greg embrace the girls, their tears of relief mingling as they clung to each other. Through my connection with Sela, I monitored the surrounding area for any sign of Helmagian pursuit, but we seemed to have escaped cleanly.

"You're safe now," I whispered, my heart aching with a love that felt no less real for being built on artificial memories. The spyband on my wrist hummed quietly, maintaining our protective disguises.

Greg looked up at me, his eyes filled with gratitude and something deeper - perhaps guilt for the layers of deception between us. Through Sela's enhanced perception, I could sense the complex emotions radiating from him. He knew I wasn't his Celeste, wasn't even truly Alvian, yet here I stood, having risked everything to save his children.

"Thank you," he said simply, extending his hand to include me in the family embrace.

The girls wrapped their arms around me, their small bodies still trembling slightly from the ordeal. "Mom," Sally whispered, and despite knowing I wasn't their biological mother, wasn't even the Celeste they'd first known, my heart swelled with maternal love.

As we held each other in that moment of safety and relief, I knew that whatever came next - whether facing more Helmagian threats or eventually returning to Alvia - we would face it together, as the family we had chosen to become. I wondered after Greg had revealed the deception of my identity, would he refer to me as Celeste or Natalie?

Playing Marbles for the Big Blue

07 Paint Ball Universe

By Jo Dora Webster

Will Celeste sell Greg on her income idea portraying the Limoxian universe as fantasy?

07 Paint Ball Universe

I sat across from Greg at our kitchen table, watching his face light up as I shared my idea. After the recent ordeal with the Helmagians, we needed something to help us blend in better on Earth - and generate some extra income.

"A paintball business," I explained, while Sela silently processed data about Earth's recreational activities in my mind. "But not just any paintball - we could create something unique, something that draws on your knowledge of other worlds."

Through my connection with Sela, I carefully measured my words, ensuring I didn't reveal too much about my enhanced understanding of Limoxian worlds. "We could model the battlefield after Siluria," I suggested, remembering the details Greg had shared about the wild planet where technology couldn't exist.

Greg leaned forward, his eyes sparking with interest. "That's... actually brilliant," he said. "We could design the arena to replicate Siluria's terrain. The whole concept of a planet where technology doesn't work would explain why players need to use basic weapons and equipment."

"And we could organize teams of four," I added, while Sela silently calculated optimal group dynamics. "Each team could represent different species from your... stories." I kept my tone casual, maintaining the pretense that I only knew what Greg had told me about Limoxian species.

Through our telepathic link, Sela began generating designs for protective gear that would look like spacesuits while meeting Earth safety standards. I watched Greg's enthusiasm grow as we discussed the possibilities, knowing that this venture would serve multiple purposes - providing income, helping us blend in, and allowing Greg and the girls to maintain a connection to their true heritage while hiding in plain sight.

It became a family project with Greg and the girls gathered at our dining room table. The table's surface was covered entirely of unrolled paper upon which they were drawing a map of our battle zone.

I watched as Greg and the girls worked together to design our battle zone, their enthusiasm infectious as they sketched out terrain features that would mirror Siluria's wild landscape. Through my telepathic link with Sela, I could analyze their ideas and suggest subtle improvements that would enhance both safety and playability.

"What if we created elevated platforms here?" I suggested, pointing to a spot on their rough diagram. "It would give teams strategic positions while maintaining the otherworldly feel." In truth, Sela had calculated the optimal placement for such features, but I carefully presented them as simple intuition.

The girls were particularly excited about designing the team bases, each one themed after different Limoxian species. Sally's eyes lit up as she described how we could incorporate natural barriers and obstacles that would make sense on a planet where technology couldn't function.

"Mom," Gail called out, still using the title that touched my heart despite knowing the truth about my identity, "what if we made the bases look like ancient ruins? That would explain why they're here without breaking the no-technology rule."

Through Sela's silent guidance, I helped them refine their ideas into something both practical and magical. We mapped out zones that would challenge players while maintaining safety, creating a layout that would feel alien yet familiar enough for Earth-bound customers to navigate.

As I watched Greg explain to the girls how Siluria's strange properties would justify our low-tech approach to the game, I felt a deep appreciation for how this venture would help us blend in while staying true to our extraordinary reality. The paintball arena would be more than just a business - it would be a bridge between our hidden truth and our public facade.

A business grant, city property given to us for one dollar, and a superb contractor came together to make the kitchen table designs into reality. Our "Mission Center" would include every way we could imagine bringing maximum profit from our concept. Our mission center was still under construction, but our battle ground was fully completed. We also had completed the prototype equipment need for a customer to safely play paint ball. We invited a group of play testers, and today was the day that we had our first reveal of our creation for actual play.

I stood in front of our newly assembled team of test players, watching their reactions as Greg explained the concept of our four-person squad system. Through my connection with Sela, I monitored their vital signs and engagement levels, ensuring our presentation hit the right notes.

"Each team will represent a different species from Earth legends," I explained, gesturing to the display of masks we'd created. "When you put on these masks, you're not just playing paintball - you're becoming part of an intergalactic conflict."

The prototype masks lay before us, each one carefully designed to evoke familiar Earth mythology while secretly drawing from real Limoxian species. Through Sela's guidance, we'd managed to create designs that would seem fantastical yet believable to Earth customers.

"The bases will be themed accordingly," Greg added, pointing to them on the battlefield. "Each team will defend their flag while trying to capture others."

I demonstrated how the protective gear worked, showing off the kevlar and spandex blend suits we'd designed to look like authentic space armor. The full-body padding underneath provided extra protection while maintaining the illusion of alien technology.

"These aren't just regular paintball guns," I said, lifting one of our modified weapons. In truth, Sela had helped me redesign them to appear more advanced while remaining completely mechanical - perfect for our Silurian theme where technology couldn't function.

As our test group suited up, their excitement was palpable. They weren't just playing paintball; they were becoming part of something larger, even if they didn't realize how close to reality our "fantasy" concept was truly.

Our players showed anticipation on their faces. They have signed up for a complete test, so now we launched in to our programed speech which would occur before we opened the battleground for play.

"Welcome to our Silurian Battleground," I began, gesturing to the intricate map behind me. "You're not just playing paintball today. You're stepping into a world where technology doesn't function, and only your wits and skills will keep you alive."

I watched their eyes widen as I explained the team formations. "You'll be divided into groups of four, each representing a different species from Earth legends." As I spoke, I held up the first of our custom-designed masks. "When you don this mask, you're not just hiding your face. You're becoming part of an intergalactic conflict."

Greg stepped forward, adding his expertise to the briefing. "Each team will have a base to defend, complete with a flag. Your objective is to protect your flag while capturing those of your opponents."

As I described the various objectives and battle scenarios we'd designed, I could feel Sela processing the team's reactions, helping me adjust my presentation for maximum impact. The masks before us, secretly inspired by real Limoxian species but presented as Earth legends, seemed to captivate our audience.

"Remember," I continued, "on Siluria, you can't rely on high-tech gadgets. Your paintball guns are your lifeline." I lifted one of our modified weapons, its design a perfect blend of Earth expectations and otherworldly aesthetics.

As our team suited up in their Kevlar and spandex blend 'spacesuits', I couldn't help but marvel at how this venture allowed us to hide in plain sight, sharing a piece of our extraordinary reality under the guise of imagination and fun.

I moved among our newly assembled test players, adjusting their protective gear and ensuring each mask fit properly. Through my connection with Sela, I monitored their comfort levels and safety parameters as they prepared for their first game.

"These suits aren't just costumes," I explained, helping one player adjust their kevlar-spandex blend armor. "They're designed to protect you while maintaining the authenticity of our intergalactic theme." In truth, Sela had helped design the suits to closely mirror actual Limoxian battle gear while meeting Earth safety standards.

The masks before us represented different species, each one carefully crafted to evoke Earth mythology while secretly drawing from real Limoxian races. I watched as players selected their team affiliations, their excitement growing as they embraced their chosen roles.

"Remember," I called out, "on Siluria, you can't rely on advanced technology. Your skills and teamwork are your greatest assets." Through my telepathic link with Sela, I could sense the growing immersion of our players in the experience we'd created.

Greg demonstrated the modified paintball weapons, their design a perfect blend of Earth expectations and otherworldly aesthetics. "These weapons are completely mechanical," he explained, "perfect for a world where technology doesn't function."

As I watched our test group divide into their four-person teams, I felt a surge of pride. We'd created something unique - a business that allowed us to hide in plain sight while sharing a piece of our extraordinary reality.

The players might think they were just participating in an imaginative game, but they were actually experiencing a small taste of the incredible universe we knew existed beyond Earth's boundaries.

I watched our test group suit up in their newly designed gear, my heart filled with anticipation. Through my connection with Sela, I monitored each player's vital signs and comfort levels as they prepared for our first full trial run.

"Remember, you're not just playing paintball," I explained, adjusting a player's mask. "You're stepping into the world of Siluria, where technology doesn't function and only your skills matter."

Greg led the first team through a basic strategy session, explaining how the terrain features mirrored Silurian landscapes. I watched as players discovered the strategic positions we'd carefully designed, their movements becoming more confident as they familiarized themselves with the environment.

"Each base represents a different species' stronghold," I explained, guiding another team through their starting position. The masks they wore, secretly modeled after real Limoxian races but presented as Earth mythology, helped them embrace their roles with unexpected enthusiasm.

Through our telepathic link, Sela helped me track the players' movements and interactions, ensuring our safety measures worked effectively while maintaining the illusion of our otherworldly theme. The modified weapons performed perfectly, their mechanical nature fitting seamlessly with our story of a technology-free environment.

As the test run progressed, I couldn't help but smile at the irony - we'd created the perfect cover story, allowing us to share a piece of our extraordinary reality while appearing to be nothing more than creative entrepreneurs.

I watched with satisfaction as our first paying customers tried out the paintball experience. Through my connection with Sela, I monitored their engagement levels and safety parameters while they navigated our carefully designed battlefield.

"The terrain really makes you feel like you're on another world," one player called out as they ducked behind one of our artificial rock formations. Through Sela's enhanced perception, I could track how effectively the teams were using the strategic positions we'd created.

Greg moved among the players, offering guidance on team tactics and explaining how the "primitive" weapons suited the technology-free environment of Siluria. The modified paintball guns performed exactly as designed, their mechanical nature perfectly matching our cover story.

"Each species has their own strengths," I explained to a team regrouping at their base, adjusting their alien-themed masks. The masks, secretly modeled after real Limoxian races but presented as Earth mythology, helped immerse them fully in the experience.

Through our telepathic link, Sela helped me identify areas where we could improve the experience. The kevlar-spandex blend suits were performing well, providing optimal protection while maintaining the futuristic aesthetic we'd aimed for.

As I watched the teams engage in their tactical maneuvers, I felt a deep sense of accomplishment. We'd created something unique - a business that allowed us to hide in plain sight while sharing a piece of our extraordinary reality. The players might think they were just participating in an imaginative game, but they were experiencing a small taste of the incredible universe that existed beyond Earth's boundaries.

With the play test a complete success, we took our documentation to other potential investors who greedily signed on to support us. The day came after everything was completed according to our designs.

I was especially proud of how the command center building turned out. It housed the pre-game briefing area, our sales and equipment rental center, the locker and dressing rooms for the participants, our otherworldly food concession, and our store where customers could get a piece of the world we had created.

Opening day had come and gone while our business surged ahead. The growing enthusiasm of our customers confirmed that our venture was succeeding, not just as a business, but as the perfect cover for our otherworldly family. Another successful day of operation was coming to a close.

I stood with Greg at the entrance of our paintball arena, watching as another group of satisfied customers departed. Through my connection with Sela, I could sense the growing success of our venture - not just financially, but as the perfect cover for our extraordinary situation.

"The Silurian theme really makes it unique," one player commented as they returned their gear. "It's like stepping into another world." If they only knew how close to the truth they were.

Through our telepathic link, Sela helped me analyze the day's operations. The modified weapons had performed flawlessly, their mechanical nature perfectly supporting our story of a technology-free environment. The Kevlar-spandex blend suits had protected our players while maintaining the otherworldly aesthetic we'd worked so hard to create.

Greg gathered the team masks, each one secretly modeled after real Limoxian species but presented as Earth mythology. "The four-person squad system really works," he said, pride evident in his voice. "It creates the perfect balance for tactical gameplay."

I watched as our staff cleaned and maintained the equipment, following the precise procedures we'd established. The battle zone, with its carefully designed terrain features mirroring Silurian landscapes, had become more than just a playing field - it was a bridge between our hidden truth and our public facade.

As we closed for the day, I couldn't help but appreciate the irony of our success. We'd created a business that allowed us to hide in plain sight, sharing pieces of our extraordinary reality under the guise of imagination and entertainment. The growing popularity of our paintball universe proved that sometimes the best place to hide the truth was right out in the open.

Destiny's Serendipity

Episode One: The Copernicus Family

A Thriller - Romance - Transgender Serial

By Jo Dora Webster

~~~~~~~~

Will Bart's investigation of Regalia's mysteries bridge the gap to the region beyond the barrier and save all on their planet?

~~~~~~~~

The classroom was a model of Regalian efficiency, with sleek desks arranged in perfect rows and holographic displays flickering with complex equations and diagrams. At the center of it all sat Bart, his fingers dancing across his console with lightning speed.

The instructor, a stern-faced man with graying hair not attempting to hide the growing bald spot on his crown, approached Bart's desk.

"Bartholomew Copernicus," he announced, his voice carrying across the silent room, "your solution to the quantum entanglement problem is... flawless. Not only have you solved it, but you've also proposed a practical application that could revolutionize our energy production methods." A murmur of awe and envy rippled through the classroom. Bart's classmates stared at him with a mixture of admiration and resentment. One student in particular, a boy named Marcus, glared openly at Bart, his fists clenched under his desk.

Bart, for his part, accepted the praise with a modest nod. "Thank you, Instructor Ventor. I merely applied the principles we've been studying and followed them to their logical conclusion."

Instructor Ventor's lips twitched in what might have been the ghost of a smile. "Your 'mere application' has outpaced our most advanced researchers, Bartholomew. The Scientific Council will be most interested in your findings."

As the class was dismissed, Bart gathered his materials, acutely aware of the eyes following him. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of isolation. His intellect, the very thing that made him exceptional in Regalian society, also set him apart from his peers in ways that sometimes left him feeling profoundly alone.

Walking through the pristine corridors of the Academy, Bart observed his fellow students clustering into their usual social groups, their animated discussions about quantum mechanics and genetic optimization echoing off the polished walls. A few nodded respectfully in his direction, but none invited him to join their circles. Even Marcus, his closest academic rival, kept his distance, though his eyes followed Bart with a mixture of envy and calculation.

The solitude felt particularly heavy today, perhaps because of the pending announcement about his father's appointment. As he made his way home through Regalia's geometrically perfect streets, the towering spires of the Scientific District cast long shadows that seemed to mirror his internal state - standing tall but ultimately alone.

The problem with being a technocracy in Regalia on planet Litolus was that any other ruling systems tried before had been expertly covered up, like the reason behind the barrier that divided the planet. Bart had no time for such weighty thoughts since he had to rush home for an important ceremony involving his father. He was just in time to get in line with his brothers.

The Copernicus family stood at attention in their living room, facing the large viewscreen that dominated one wall. On the screen, a stern-faced official in an immaculate uniform addressed them directly.

"Raymond Copernicus," the official intoned, his voice resonating with authority, "by decree of the ruling elite, you are hereby appointed to the position of First Scientist. Your contributions to Regalian science and your unwavering dedication to our principles have earned you this highest of honors."

Raymond's face remained impassive, but his eyes shone with pride and ambition. "I am honored to accept this appointment," he replied, his voice steady and confident. "I pledge to use this position to further advance Regalia's scientific dominance and ensure our continued strength."

As the transmission ended, the family erupted into a controlled celebration. Alenace, the family synthetic servant, looked expectantly into Raymond's eyes, his touch conveying pride and support. Bruce's muscular frame spoke of hours spent in physical training and his handshake continued the game he played with his father conveying their love with a crushing vise grip.

Following Bruce, the oldest, came the middle child, Robert, whose slender build and quick, darting eyes hinted at a mind more suited to intellectual pursuits. He congratulated his father with a normal handshake and speaking to him.

"Thank you, Father, for your work bring so excellent to rise to our highest position. You challenge me to do better by providing an excellent example of mental ability."

Bart, however, stood slightly apart, his mind racing with the implications of his father's new role. He understood the power and responsibility that came with the position of First Scientist. It meant access to Regalia's most closely guarded secrets, control over the direction of scientific research, and a direct line to the ruling elite.

"Father," Bart said, stepping forward, "what will be your first initiative as First Scientist?"

Raymond turned to his youngest son, a calculating look in his eyes. "My first task, Bartholomew, will be to review and optimize our incubator program. The future of Regalia depends on producing the strongest, most intelligent citizens possible."

"Father," Bart began, his voice careful and measured, "I've completed the advanced physics module you assigned. May I request access to the next level of study materials?"

Raymond's eyebrows raised slightly, a flicker of pride crossing his features. "Already, Bartholomew? Impressive. I'll authorize your access this evening."

Alenace interjected, his tone neutral but with an undercurrent of concern. "Remember, Bartholomew, balance is crucial. Your physical training should not suffer for your intellectual pursuits."

Bart nodded, filing away this information. He couldn't shake the feeling that his father's appointment would have far-reaching consequences, not just for their family, but for all of Regalia.

Later that evening, as the celebration wound down and the reality of their new status settled in, the familiar routine of daily training beckoned. The metallic hum of the home's environmental systems seemed to pulse with a different rhythm now, as if the very air recognized the shift in their family's position within Regalia's hierarchy. Bart made his way through the gleaming corridors, his footsteps echoing against the polished floors, knowing that even their prescribed physical conditioning would feel different under the weight of his father's new authority.

The Copernicus family's private training facility echoed with the sounds of physical exertion. Bruce grunted as he lifted an impossibly heavy weight, his muscles straining under the effort. Nearby, Robert's fingers flew across a complex control panel, his eyes darting between multiple screens as he solved a series of increasingly difficult logic puzzles.

Bart entered the room, his presence immediately drawing the attention of his brothers. There was a palpable tension in the air, a mixture of competitiveness and unspoken resentment.

"Ah, the prodigy graces us with his presence," Bruce said, his tone a blend of admiration and sarcasm. He set down the weights with a thud that seemed to shake the room. "Come to show us up in physical training too, little brother?"

Robert glanced up from his console, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Don't be absurd, Bruce. We all know Bart's strengths lie elsewhere." There was a hint of bitterness in his voice, barely concealed.

Bart approached the training equipment, his movements deliberate and measured. "I believe in a balanced approach," he said calmly. "The mind and body must work in harmony for optimal performance."

With fluid grace, Bart began a series of complex calisthenics, his form perfect and his breathing controlled. Bruce and Robert watched, their expressions a mix of grudging respect and growing frustration.

As Bart completed his routine, he moved to Robert's station. Glancing at the screen, he quickly assessed the problem and offered a solution. "If you recalibrate the quantum flux, you'll find the algorithm resolves itself more efficiently," he suggested.

Robert's jaw tightened, but he nodded stiffly. "Of course. I was just about to try that."

The brothers continued their training in silence, each acutely aware of Bart's superior abilities. The youngest Copernicus had once again demonstrated why he was considered the family's brightest star, and the weight of that reality hung heavily in the air.

After completing his training regimen, Bart excused himself from the facility, leaving his brothers to their respective pursuits. The evening air in the corridors felt thick with unspoken tensions, and the soft hum of the environmental systems seemed to echo his racing thoughts. His father's new position as First Scientist had already begun to reshape their family dynamics, and Bart felt an increasing urgency to explore the questions that had long lingered in his mind. The weight of his recent discoveries in quantum entanglement, combined with his growing suspicions about Regalia's carefully maintained order, drove him toward the one place where he felt truly free to think.

As night fell over Regalia, Bart retreated to his personal study, a sanctuary of knowledge hidden within the Copernicus home. The room was a stark contrast to the minimalist design favored by Regalian standards. Shelves lined the walls, crammed with books both old and new, their spines a colorful rebellion against the monochrome world outside.

Bart approached a seemingly ordinary section of the wall and pressed his palm against it. A soft blue light scanned his hand, and with a quiet hiss, a hidden compartment slid open. Inside lay a collection of forbidden texts, their pages yellowed with age and filled with information that challenged everything Regalia stood for.

With reverent care, Bart extracted a particularly ancient tome. Its cover bore no title, only an intricate design that seemed to shimmer in the low light. As he opened it, the musty scent of old paper filled the air, carrying with it the promise of hidden knowledge.

His eyes widened as he read, absorbing information about a world beyond the barrier that surrounded Regalia. The text spoke of a civilization as old and advanced as their own, but fundamentally different in ways that both fascinated and terrified him.

"A society where strength is not the only measure of worth," Bart murmured to himself, his fingers tracing the words on the page. "Where facts are debated rather than dictated, and where political control is shared among the people."

But it was the next passage that truly captured his attention. "Beyond our borders," he read aloud, his voice barely a whisper, "lives a type of human we have long thought extinct. They call themselves... women."

Bart's mind reeled at the implications. Women – a concept so foreign, so at odds with everything he had been taught about biology and the natural order of things. How could such beings exist? And why had their existence been hidden from Regalia?

As he delved deeper into the text, Bart felt a growing sense of excitement and unease. He was on the cusp of a discovery that could shake the very foundations of Regalian society. But with that knowledge came danger. If anyone were to discover these texts, the consequences would be severe.

Bart glanced at the door, suddenly paranoid. He knew he should stop, should return the book to its hiding place and pretend he had never seen it. But the allure of forbidden knowledge was too strong. With a deep breath, he turned the page, ready to uncover more secrets of the world beyond the barrier.

As dawn broke over Regalia, Bart had barely slept, his mind consumed by the revelations from the ancient text. The existence of women, the possibility of a different social order - these forbidden concepts had shattered his understanding of reality. He knew he needed to see the barrier for himself, to connect the physical boundary of his world with the philosophical ones he had just discovered.

After a perfunctory breakfast where he avoided his family's questioning looks, particularly his father's calculating gaze, Bart made his way through the city's precisely arranged streets, drawn inexorably toward the edge of everything he had ever known. Bart found himself standing at the edge of Regalia's outermost district, his eyes fixed on the shimmering wall of energy that marked the boundary of their world. The barrier stretched as far as the eye could see in either direction, a constant reminder of the separation between Regalia and the unknown beyond.

From this distance, the barrier appeared almost beautiful, its surface rippling with subtle patterns of light and color. But Bart knew the truth of its nature – an impenetrable force field designed to keep Regalia isolated from the outside world.

As he stood there, lost in thought, a patrol of Barrier Guards approached. Their uniforms were crisp and intimidating, weapons at the ready. "Citizen," one of the guards addressed Bart, his voice stern. "This area is restricted. State your purpose for being here."

Bart straightened, adopting the posture and tone expected of a model Regalian citizen. "I am Bartholomew Copernicus, son of First Scientist Raymond Copernicus. I'm conducting preliminary observations for a school project on barrier technology."

The guard's demeanor softened slightly at the mention of Bart's father, but suspicion lingered in his eyes. "Very well. But be advised, any attempt to approach or interact with the barrier is strictly prohibited. Observe from a safe distance only."

Bart nodded obediently. "Of course. I understand the protocols."

As the guards moved on, Bart returned his attention to the barrier. The forbidden texts he had read flashed through his mind, filling him with equal parts curiosity and apprehension. He raised his hand, palm outward, feeling the familiar tingling sensation as the energy field responded to his presence.

Suddenly, something unprecedented occurred - a faint pulse of energy rippled through the barrier, different from its usual patterns. Through the translucent wall, Bart caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure on the other side - one whose form defied everything he knew about human physiology.

Before he could process what he was seeing, footsteps echoed behind him. Bart whirled around to find Marcus, his classroom rival, staring at him with a mixture of triumph and malice. In his hand, he held a recording device.

"The son of the First Scientist, consorting with outsiders," Marcus sneered. "I wonder what the Council would make of this?"

Destiny's Serendipity

Episode Two: Women?

A Thriller - Romance - Transgender Serial

By Jo Dora Webster

~~~~~~~~

Will Bart's investigation of Regalia's mysteries bridge the gap to the region beyond the barrier and save all on their planet?

~~~~~~~~

Just as Marcus raised the recording device with a triumphant sneer, the barrier behind Bart pulsed with an unprecedented surge of energy. The mysterious figure on the other side pressed what appeared to be a crystalline object against the barrier, sending ripples of iridescent light cascading through the force field.

Marcus stumbled backward, momentarily blinded by the flash, and his recording device clattered to the ground. In that split second of chaos, Bart made his choice. He snatched up the fallen device and sprinted away from both Marcus and the beckoning figure, his heart beating with the knowledge that he had only delayed the inevitable confrontation.

 Later that evening, safely back in his quarters, Bart's mind raced with questions about the figure he'd glimpsed - its strange proportions and flowing garments unlike anything in Regalia. But he knew he had to focus on the more immediate threat: Marcus had seen enough to destroy everything, and Bart had mere hours to devise a plan before his rival recovered from his shock and reported to the authorities.

 Back in the safety of his room, Bart concentrated on the forbidden texts he had smuggled from his hidden collection. His fingers trembled slightly as he turned the delicate pages, each one revealing more about the mysterious beings known as "women."

According to ancient writings, women were not the monstrous mutants Regalian society had led him to believe. They were described as equals to men, possessing their own strengths, intellects, and vital roles in society. The texts spoke of their ability to bear children – a concept so foreign to Bart that he struggled to comprehend it.

One passage particularly caught his attention: "In the world beyond, the union of man and woman brings forth new life, a natural process that has sustained humanity for millennia."

Bart's brow furrowed in confusion and wonder. The idea of reproduction without incubators, of two beings coming together to create life, seemed simultaneously primitive and miraculous.

As he read on, he found descriptions of women's appearances, their societal roles, and even their emotional capacities. The texts painted a picture of a more diverse, complex society than anything Bart had ever known in Regalia.

"How can this be?" Bart muttered to himself, his mind racing. "Why would Regalia hide the existence of half of humanity? What purpose does it serve?"

He knew these questions were dangerous, bordering on seditious. But the more he learned, the more he felt compelled to uncover the truth. The existence of women challenged everything he had been taught about biology, society, and the very nature of human existence.

Bart closes the book, his head spinning with new knowledge and countless questions. He realized that his quest for understanding was only beginning, and that the truth about women – and the world beyond Regalia – might be more revolutionary than he could have ever imagined.

Unable to sleep after his discovery, Bart spends the rest of the night formulating a plan to learn more about Regalia's reproductive system. The existence of women raised fundamental questions about how and why this society had developed its clinical approach to creating new citizens. His father's new position as First Scientist provided an unprecedented opportunity to access restricted facilities, and Bart intended to use that access to compare the reality of Regalian reproduction with what he had learned from the forbidden texts.  As dawn broke over the city's pristine towers, he made his way to the Scientific District, his mind carefully constructing the persona of an eager son simply interested in his father's work.

The next day, Bart found himself in one of Regalia's most restricted areas – a government-run incubator facility. As the son of the newly appointed First Scientist, he had been granted special access to observe the process that sustained their population.

The facility was a marvel of technology, its stark white halls lined with rows upon rows of sleek, cylindrical incubators. Each one hummed with energy, nurturing the next generation of Regalian citizens.

A senior scientist, Dr. Elaron, led Bart through the facility. "As you know, Bartholomew," he explained, his voice clinical and detached, "natural reproduction is inefficient and unpredictable. Here, we ensure that only the best genetic material is used to create our future citizens."

Bart nodded, maintaining a facade of calm interest while his mind raced with comparisons to the natural reproduction methods he had read about in the forbidden texts.

Dr. Elaron continued, gesturing to a large screen displaying complex genetic sequences. "The government carefully selects citizens based on their physical and intellectual prowess. Their genetic material is then combined and optimized in our labs before being placed in the incubators."

As they walked, Bart observed scientists meticulously monitoring each incubator, adjusting nutrient levels and environmental conditions. The process was a testament to Regalia's technological achievements, but Bart couldn't shake a feeling of unease.

"And how are the, um, contributors selected?" Bart asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Dr. Elaron's expression remained impassive. "A committee of our top scientists and government officials evaluates each citizen's potential contribution to the gene pool. It's a great honor to be selected, a recognition of one's superior qualities."

Bart absorbed this information, his mind grappling with the ethical implications. The system ensures a population of strong, intelligent citizens, but at what cost? The diversity, the element of chance, the emotional connection of natural reproduction – all of it sacrificed in the name of controlled perfection. As they completed the tour, Bart thanked Dr. Elaron for his time, his head swirling with new information and troubling questions. He left the facility more certain than ever that there was much more to discover about the true nature of life and reproduction, both within Regalia and beyond.

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the pristine streets as Bart made his way home, each step echoing with the weight of his thoughts. His mind kept returning to the strange equipment he'd seen in the restricted areas, the carefully worded explanations that seemed to hide as much as they revealed. The pristine halls of the reproduction facility had always represented the pinnacle of Regalian achievement, but now they felt more like a façade concealing deeper mysteries. As twilight settled over the city, he found himself questioning everything he'd been taught about their society's most fundamental system.

That night, Bart stood at his bedroom window, his gaze fixed on the distant shimmer of the barrier. The city of Regalia sprawled before him, a testament to order and scientific progress. Yet, for the first time in his young life, Bart felt a profound sense of unease about the world he called home. His mind raced with the knowledge he had accumulated – the forbidden texts speaking of women and natural reproduction, the clinical efficiency of the incubator facilities, the rigid control exerted over every aspect of Regalian life. The contrast between what he had been taught and what he had discovered was stark and unsettling. "There has to be more than this," Bart whispered to himself, his breath fogging the glass. He placed his hand against the cool surface, as if trying to reach out and touch the world beyond.

He thought about his family – his father's pride in his new position, his brothers' constant striving to excel, Alenace's quiet efficiency. They all fit so perfectly into the Regalian ideal. But Bart was beginning to realize that he didn't. His curiosity, his thirst for knowledge that went beyond approved topics, his growing skepticism of Regalian dogma – all of it set him apart in ways that both excited and terrified him.

Bart's reflection stared back at him from the window, and he saw in his own eyes a spark of something that he had never noticed before – a hunger for truth, no matter the cost. He knew that pursuing this path could be dangerous, potentially even treasonous. But the pull of the unknown was too strong to resist.

"I'll find out the truth," Bart vowed to his reflection. "About women, about the world beyond the barrier, about why Regalia is the way it is. No matter what it takes." As he turned away from the window, Bart felt a mix of determination and apprehension settle in his chest. He was embarking on a journey that would challenge everything he had ever known, and he had no idea where it might lead him.

Bart moved through his evening routine mechanically, his mind still churning with questions about his visit to the reproduction facility. The familiar comfort of his home now felt strangely artificial, each perfectly arranged item and scheduled activity a reminder of Regalia's rigid control. As the dinner hour approached, he straightened his clothing and checked his reflection, ensuring he showed no outward signs of his inner turmoil. His father expected nothing less than perfect composure, especially during family meals. With practiced precision, Bart made his way downstairs, each step carrying him closer to the carefully orchestrated performance that was a Copernicus family dinner.

The Copernicus family gathered around the dining table, a model of Regalian efficiency and decorum. The meal, precisely portioned for optimal nutrition, was served by Alenace. Raymond sat at the head of the table, his posture impeccable. Bruce and Robert flanked one side, with Bart seated alone on the other.

"Bartholomew," Raymond began, his tone measured, "I've received a report from your instructors. Your performance continues to exceed expectations." Bart nodded, careful to keep his expression neutral. "Thank you, Father. I strive to honor our family and Regalia with my efforts." Alenace interjected, his voice soft but firm. "While your academic achievements are commendable, we must ensure you're maintaining balance. Physical fitness is equally important in Regalian society." "Of course," Bart replied, suppressing a flicker of irritation. "I've increased my training regimen to compensate for the additional study time."

Bruce and Robert exchanged glances, a mixture of pride and resentment evident in their eyes. The unspoken competition between the siblings hung in the air like a tangible presence. As the meal progressed, the conversation turned to Raymond's new position as First Scientist. "The ruling elite has tasked me with optimizing our reproduction protocols," he announced. "We must ensure that each new generation surpasses the last in strength and intellect."

Bart's fork paused halfway to his mouth. "Father," he ventured cautiously, "have there ever been... alternative methods of reproduction considered?"

A heavy silence fell over the table. Raymond's eyes narrowed slightly. "Alternative methods? Explain your meaning, Bartholomew." Realizing his mistake, Bart quickly backtracked. "I merely wondered if there were historical precedents or theoretical models that differed from our current system. For comparative study, of course."

Raymond's expression relaxed marginally. "Our current method is the culmination of centuries of scientific progress, Bartholomew. It is perfect in its efficiency and results. There is no need to consider alternatives." The subject was closed, but Bart could feel his father's gaze lingering on him, a new wariness in his eyes. As the family resumed eating, Bart knew he would have to be more careful in the future. His quest for knowledge had already begun to set him apart, and in Regalia, being different was dangerous.

The rest of dinner passed in a blur of stilted conversation and careful movements. As soon as the meal concluded, Bart excused himself with appropriate politeness and retreated to his room, his father's scrutinizing look following him up the stairs. The sanctuary of his personal space offered little relief tonight - even these four walls seemed to watch and wait, monitoring his every move through the countless sensors that ensured the well-being of Regalia's citizens. His mind raced with the day's revelations, but he couldn't afford the luxury of silent contemplation. In Regalia, even silence could be suspicious.

What Bart needed was some time to think, but instead he realized that if he did not fill his room with sound Alenace would arrive. A quiet time was picked as conducive to performing the weekly psych exam. Bart randomly picked a documentary so that he would not have to endure that test that evening.

The gleaming spires of Regalia pierced the sky, their polished surfaces reflecting the setting sun in a dazzling display of technological prowess. From the air, the city appeared as a perfectly ordered grid, each building and street meticulously planned and executed. This was a nation built on the pillars of strength, facts, and political control.

As the camera panned across the city, a narrator's voice filled the air, rich with pride and conviction. "Regalia, a beacon of human achievement, where the pursuit of knowledge and the cultivation of strength have elevated our society beyond all others. Here, we have harnessed the power of science to create a perfect order, free from the chaos and weakness that plague lesser nations."

The view zoomed in on a massive complex at the heart of the city, its architecture a blend of imposing grandeur and clinical efficiency. "At the center of our great nation stands the Institute of Scientific Governance, where the brightest minds work tirelessly to ensure Regalia's continued dominance and progress."

Citizens moved through the streets with purpose, their attire uniform and practical. There was no room for frivolity or individualism in their dress or demeanor. Each person seemed to know their place and function within the greater machine of Regalian society.

The narrator continued, "In Regalia, every citizen has a role to play, a contribution to make to our collective strength. From the First Scientist to the newest incubator-born child, we are all united in our commitment to the advancement of our nation and the pursuit of absolute truth."

The humdrum attempt at teaching at least obtained the result Bart wanted. The psyche exam was delayed for another day.

After dismissing the documentary with a practiced gesture, Bart spent the remaining evening hours methodically completing his assigned studies, maintaining the appearance of a dedicated Regalian student. The soft hum of the room's environmental systems and the occasional whir of Alenace passing by his door provided a comforting backdrop of normalcy. As night settled over the city, the artificial lighting outside his window dimmed according to schedule, signaling the approach of mandatory rest hours. Yet despite the familiar routine, Bart's mind refused to settle into its usual patterns of analytical thought and systematic processing.

Long after the rest of the family had retired for the night, Bart lay awake in his bed, staring at the ceiling. The events of the day played through his mind on an endless loop – the tour of the incubator facility, the family dinner, the constant reminders of Regalia's rigid expectations.

He turned his head to look out the window, where the faint glow of the barrier was visible on the horizon. Beyond that shimmering wall lay a world he had only read about in forbidden texts – a world of women, of natural reproduction, of ideas and ways of life that challenged everything Regalia stood for.

Bart's hand unconsciously moved to his chest, where a small key hung on a chain beneath his nightshirt. It was the key to the hidden compartment in his study, where he kept his secret collection of banned books and contraband information. That key represented a door to knowledge, to truth – and potentially to danger.

As he lay there, Bart made a decision. He would continue his research, delve deeper into the mysteries that Regalia sought to hide. But he would have to be smarter, more cautious. He couldn't risk arousing suspicion, not when the stakes were so high.

"I'll find a way," Bart whispered into the darkness. "I'll discover the truth about our world, about the people beyond the barrier. And someday, somehow, I'll see that world for myself."

Just as sleep began to overtake him, a soft mechanical whir caught his attention. His eyes snapped open to see Alenace standing in his doorway, its optical sensors glowing an unusual shade of red. And then, for the first time in Bart's memory, the household android spoke without being prompted:

"Citizen Copernicus, you have been flagged for immediate psychological evaluation."

Destiny's Serendipity

Episode Three: The Science of Life

A Thriller - Romance - Transgender Serial

By Jo Dora Webster

~~~~~~~~

Will Bart's investigation of Regalia's mysteries bridge the gap to the region beyond the barrier and save all on their planet?

~~~~~~~~

Bart's heart raced as Alenace's red sensors pierced the darkness, but before the android could initiate the evaluation protocol, a sudden power fluctuation plunged the room into darkness. When the emergency systems restored minimal lighting seconds later, Alenace had reset to its standard operating mode, its memory banks showing no record of the incident. Bart lay perfectly still, his breath shallow, knowing he had just witnessed something unprecedented - someone or something had intervened to protect his secret.

The following morning, Bart moved through his preparations for the facility tour with meticulous care, ensuring his appearance and demeanor matched the expectations of a model Regalian citizen. The events of the previous night lingered in his thoughts, but he pushed them aside, focusing instead on the opportunity before him. As the transport pod carried him and his father toward the incubator facility, Bart maintained a carefully crafted expression of dutiful interest, all while his mind cataloged every detail that might help him understand the mysteries unfolding around him.

The gleaming white halls of Regalia's central incubator facility stretched as far as the eye could see. Rows upon rows of cylindrical pods hummed with life-sustaining energy, each one carefully monitored by white-coated scientists. Bart walked beside his father, Raymond Copernicus, a newly appointed First Scientist, as they toured the facility.

"This, Bartholomew, is the heart of Regalia's future," Raymond said, his voice filled with pride. "Here, we ensure the continuation of our society with scientific precision."

Bart nodded, his eyes taking in every detail. The sterile environment, the rhythmic beeping of monitoring equipment, the soft blue glow emanating from each incubator – it was all so familiar, yet suddenly strange.

As they passed by a particularly large incubator, Bart couldn't help but ask, "Father, how exactly does the process work?"

Raymond's eyes lit up at the question. "Ah, an excellent inquiry. Let me explain..."

Raymond led Bart to a holographic display at the center of the facility. With a wave of his hand, he brought up a detailed diagram of the incubation process.

"You see, Bartholomew, we start with carefully selected genetic material from our most exemplary citizens," Raymond began. "This material is then optimized in our labs, removing any potential weaknesses or flaws."

The hologram shifted, showing the development of a fetus within an incubator. "The optimized genetic material is placed in a nutrient-rich environment, carefully controlled to ensure optimal development. Every aspect – from temperature to hormone levels – is precisely managed."

Bart watched, fascinated and slightly unsettled, as the holographic fetus grew and developed at an accelerated rate. "And this is how all Regalians are born?" he asked.

Raymond nodded, beaming with pride. "Indeed. It's the pinnacle of reproductive science, ensuring each new generation is stronger and more capable than the last."

Bart absorbed this information in silence, his pulse quickening as the implications became clear. The sterile precision of the lab seemed to close in around him, each pristine surface and humming machine a testament to Regalia's relentless pursuit of perfection. As his father guided him toward their next destination, Bart carefully maintained his expression of dutiful interest, though his mind raced with questions he dared not voice. The elevator ride to the upper levels gave him precious moments to compose himself before they reached their final stop on the tour. In a dimly lit room, a group of stern-faced officials sat around a large table, holographic displays floating before each of them. Bart and his father observed from a viewing gallery above.

"This is the Selection Committee," Raymond explained in a hushed tone. "They are responsible for choosing which citizens will contribute genetic material for the next generation."

Bart watched as the committee members swiped through profile after profile, discussing in low voices the merits and drawbacks of each potential contributor.

"What criteria do they use?" Bart asked, his curiosity piqued.

Physical strength, intellectual capacity, emotional stability, loyalty to Regalia – all these factors and more are considered," Raymond replied. "Only the best are chosen, ensuring our population continues to improve with each generation."

Bart nodded, but a small frown creased his brow. The process seemed so cold, so impersonal. He couldn't help but wonder about those deemed unworthy to contribute.

Following the tour group through another set of pristine corridors, Bart's pulse quickened as his mind wrestled with the implications of the selection process. Each step echoed against the sterile floors as they made their way to the main research wing, where his father would be presenting the latest advancements in genetic optimization. The clinical atmosphere grew more pronounced, the air heavy with the weight of countless decisions that had shaped Regalia's carefully curated population. Raymond Copernicus stood at the head of a large laboratory, surrounded by Regalia's top scientists. Holographic displays filled the air, showing complex genetic sequences and statistical models."

As First Scientist, it is my duty to oversee and optimize our reproduction process," Raymond announced, his voice commanding attention. "We must push the boundaries of what's possible, to create a population that is not just strong, but invincible."

Bart, observing from a corner of the lab, watched as his father manipulated genetic codes with practiced ease. The other scientists nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with admiration and a hint of fear.

"Father," Bart spoke up, his voice hesitant, "what about genetic diversity? Doesn't narrowing the gene pool pose risks?"

Raymond turned to his son, a slight frown on his face. "Diversity is unpredictable, Bartholomew. In Regalia, we strive for perfection, not chance. Our methods ensure only the best traits are passed on."

Bart followed his father through another series of pristine corridors, his pulse quickening at the implications of Raymond's words. The sterile white walls seemed to close in around him as they walked in silence, each step echoing with the weight of unspoken questions. His father's certainty about Regalian superiority contrasted sharply with the growing doubts that threatened to show on Bart's carefully composed face. As they approached the education wing, he forced his breathing to steady, knowing he would need all his focus to maintain his facade of dutiful acceptance.

As he worked, Bart couldn't help but compare the official teachings with the forbidden knowledge he had gleaned from his secret readings. The discrepancies were subtle but significant.

A soft chime interrupted his thoughts. It was time for his daily report to his instructors. Bart took a deep breath, composing himself. He had to be careful not to reveal his doubts or the extent of his extracurricular studies.

"Instructor Ventor," he said, activating the communication panel. "I've completed the advanced genetics module. However, I have some questions about the long-term implications of our current reproductive methods.

"There was a pause on the other end. "Questions, Bartholomew? Our methods have been perfected over generations. What could possibly be unclear?"

Bart swallowed hard, choosing his words carefully. "I was merely wondering about the potential for unexpected mutations or the loss of beneficial recessive traits. Purely theoretical, of course."

Another pause. "I see. Perhaps we should schedule a meeting to discuss these... theories of yours."

As the communication ended, Bart leaned back in his chair, a mixture of excitement and apprehension coursing through him. He was treading dangerous ground, but the pursuit of knowledge was worth the risk.

Time slipped away as Bart methodically erased all traces of his illicit communication, his pulse quickening with each careful keystroke. The afternoon sun cast long shadows through his window, reminding him that the family dinner had approached - a daily ritual that had taken on new weight since his father's promotion. As he made his way downstairs, Bart worked to compose his features into a mask of dutiful attention, knowing that even the slightest hint of his earlier activities could draw unwanted scrutiny.

The Copernicus family sat around the dinner table. The usual silence was broken by Raymond's enthusiastic discussion of his work.

"The advancements we're making in genetic optimization are truly remarkable," he said, his eyes shining with pride. "Soon, we'll be able to predict and enhance specific traits with unprecedented accuracy."

Alenace nodded approvingly. "It's crucial work, sir. The future of Regalia depends on producing the strongest, most capable citizens possible."

Bart listened intently, his mind racing. Finally, he couldn't contain his questions any longer. "But what about natural variation? Doesn't genetic diversity play a role in a species' ability to adapt and survive?"

The table fell silent. Bruce and Robert exchanged uncomfortable glances, while Raymond fixed Bart with a stern gaze.

"Bartholomew," he said, his voice low and serious, "natural variation is unpredictable and often leads to weakness. Our methods ensure only the best traits are passed on. It's the cornerstone of our society's strength."

Bart nodded, but the doubt in his heart only grew. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story of human reproduction than Regalia was willing to admit.

The afternoon stretched into evening as Bart moved through his daily routines, his pulse quickening with each passing hour. The weight of unspoken questions pressed against his chest as he waited for the precise moment when the household monitoring systems would enter their nightly reduced surveillance mode. As darkness settled over Regalia, he watched the shadows lengthen across his room, counting the minutes until he could safely access his hidden collection of contraband knowledge. Late that night, Bart slipped into his secret study, carefully locking the door behind him. With trembling hands, he retrieved a worn book from its hiding place – a forbidden text on natural human reproduction.

As he read, his eyes widened in amazement. The book spoke of a process so different from Regalia's sterile incubators – a union between two beings, male and female, creating life through an act of intimacy and chance.

Bart's mind reeled with the implications. If this was true, then Regalia's entire system of reproduction was built on a lie. But why? What purpose did it serve to hide this knowledge?

He turned to his computer, fingers flying across the keyboard as he dug deeper into Regalia's scientific databases. There had to be some trace, some hint of the truth hidden within the official records.

As the night wore on, Bart's excitement grew. He was on the verge of uncovering something monumental – a truth that could shake the very foundations of Regalian society.

Dawn crept over Regalia's pristine skyline as Bart carefully concealed his research materials and prepared for the day ahead. His pulse quickened with each passing minute as he donned his formal attire, knowing that in mere hours he would stand among the city's elite, watching another carefully orchestrated celebration of their reproductive technology. The weight of his discoveries pressed against his chest as he made his way through the morning crowds, each step bringing him closer to a ceremony that now seemed like an elaborate facade.

The grand hall of Regalia's Civic Center was packed with citizens, all eyes fixed on the stage where Raymond Copernicus stood. Behind him, a line of young men – the latest "graduates" from the incubator program – waited to be introduced to society.

"Citizens of Regalia," Raymond's voice boomed through the hall, "I present to you the newest members of our great society. Each one represents the pinnacle of our scientific achievement, born of our most exemplary genetic stock."

One by one, the young men stepped forward as their names were called. They were the picture of Regalian perfection – strong, intelligent, and utterly loyal to the state.

From his place in the audience, Bart watched with mixed emotions. He could see the pride on his father's face, the approval in the eyes of the crowd. But all he could think about was the clinical process that had brought these "newborns" into existence, so different from the natural reproduction he had read about in secret.

As the ceremony concluded and the crowd began to disperse, Bart made a silent vow to himself. He would uncover the truth about reproduction, about the world beyond Regalia's barriers. No matter the cost, he would find out why his society had chosen this path – and what they might have lost along the way.

The grand hall emptied slowly as citizens filed out in their precisely ordered groups. Bart's pulse quickened as he made his way through the pristine corridors, each step echoing with purpose against the polished floors. The weight of his resolution pressed against his chest as he navigated toward the Academy's research wing, where he knew he might find answers to at least some of his growing questions. The familiar path to Dr. Elaron's office had never felt longer, nor more significant.

After the ceremony, Bart seeks out Dr. Elaron, one of his most trusted mentors at the Academy. He finds him in his office, surrounded by holographic displays of genetic sequences.

"Dr. Elaron," Bart began hesitantly, "I was hoping to discuss some... theoretical questions about our reproductive methods."

The older scientist looked up. His eyes were sharp behind his glasses. "Of course, Bartholomew. What's on your mind?"

Bart took a deep breath. "I've been wondering about the potential long-term effects of our current system. Are there any historical records of... alternative methods?"

Dr. Elaron's expression remained neutral, but Bart noticed a slight tension in his shoulders.

"Alternative methods? Bartholomew, our current system is the result of centuries of scientific progress. It's perfect in its efficiency."

"But surely there must have been other approaches in the past?" Bart pressed. "Before the incubators, how did humans reproduce?"

There was a long pause. Dr. Elaron's eyes seemed to search Bart's face. Finally, he spoke, his voice low. "Bartholomew, some questions are dangerous to ask. For your own sake, I suggest you focus on approved areas of study."

Bart left the office with more questions than answers, and a growing suspicion that there was far more to learn about the history of human reproduction than Regalia was willing to reveal.

The afternoon crawled by as Bart moved through his daily routines, his pulse quickening with each passing hour. Dr. Elaron's careful evasion only strengthened his resolve to uncover the truth. As night approached, he watched the household systems shift into their evening protocols, waiting for the precise moment when the monitoring would be at its lowest. His father's access card felt heavy in his pocket, a key to secrets that Regalia had buried deep within its pristine walls. Under the cover of darkness, Bart slipped out of his family's quarters, his heart beating with a mixture of fear and excitement. He had managed to "borrow" his father's access card, which would grant him entry to restricted areas of the incubator facility.

The halls were eerily quiet as Bart made his way through the facility, every shadow seeming to hide a potential guard or security camera. He finally reached a heavily secured door marked "Historical Archives."

With trembling hands, Bart swiped the access card. For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened. Then, with a soft hiss, the door slid open.

Inside, Bart found rows upon rows of data storage units, each containing centuries of Regalia's scientific history. He quickly located the section on reproductive science and began to search.

As he delved deeper into the archives, Bart's eyes widened in shock. There, hidden among countless files of genetic research and incubator development, were fragments of information about natural human reproduction. References to "women," to "pregnancy," to a time before the incubators.

Bart's mind reeled with the implications. The forbidden texts he had read were true. Regalia had not just improved upon natural reproduction – they had completely replaced it, erasing all memory of what came before.

As he heard the sound of approaching footsteps, Bart quickly gathered what data he could and slipped out of the archives. He had found a piece of the puzzle, but he knew his journey to uncover the full truth was far from over.

Sleep eluded Bart that night as his pulse quickened with each review of the stolen data. The fragments of information about natural reproduction and the existence of women beyond the barrier consumed his thoughts until dawn painted Regalia's sky in artificial hues. When the morning notification chimed for the student tour, he carefully tucked away his illicit discoveries and donned the expected expression of academic curiosity. The walk to the facility felt different now - each pristine corridor holding secrets he was only beginning to understand.

The next day, Bart found himself back in the incubator facility, this time as part of an official tour for top students. As the group approached a active incubation chamber, Bart felt a mix of fascination and unease.

The chamber's transparent walls revealed a fully formed infant, floating peacefully in a nutrient-rich solution. Tubes and sensors monitored every aspect of its development.

"And here we have the final stage of incubation," the tour guide explained proudly. "In just a few hours, this new citizen will be ready to join Regalian society."

Bart stared at the infant, his mind racing. This was the reality of life in Regalia – a child born not of love or chance, but of careful scientific calculation. He thought of the hidden archives, of the lost knowledge of natural reproduction.

As if sensing his thoughts, the infant's eyes suddenly opened, meeting Bart's gaze. In that moment, Bart felt a profound connection to this new life, and an overwhelming sense of responsibility.

He knew then that his quest for truth was no longer just about satisfying his own curiosity. It was about uncovering a lost part of humanity, about giving future generations the choice that had been taken from them.

The afternoon light faded as Bart made his way home through Regalia's pristine streets, his pulse quickening with each step as the magnitude of his revelation settled over him. Every perfect building, every regulated interaction he witnessed now seemed like pieces of an elaborate facade, concealing truths that could reshape their society. The familiar path to his quarters had never felt more significant as he carried the weight of his newfound purpose, knowing that his actions could impact generations to come.

That night, Bart sat alone in his room, his mind still reeling from everything he had learned. The weight of his discoveries pressed heavily upon him.

He thought of the infant in the incubator, of the hidden archives, of the world beyond Regalia's barriers where women still existed and natural reproduction was the norm. He thought of his father's pride in the current system, and of the risks he would be taking by pursuing this forbidden knowledge.

But as he looked out his window at the shimmering barrier in the distance, Bart knew he couldn't turn back now. The truth – about reproduction, about women, about the world beyond Regalia – was out there, waiting to be uncovered.

With a deep breath, Bart made a silent vow. He would continue his research, no matter the cost. He would find a way to bridge the gap between Regalia and the outside world. And someday, somehow, he would help restore the balance that had been lost.

As his eyes grew heavy with sleep, a soft click echoed through his room. Bart froze, his pulse racing as his gaze fell on his computer terminal, where a message had appeared from an unknown sender:

"We know what you've discovered. Meet us tomorrow at midnight in Section 7B of the archives. Come alone, or everything you care about will be destroyed."

Destiny's Serendipity

Episode Four: Beyond the Veil

A Thriller - Romance - Transgender Serial

By Jo Dora Webster

~~~~~~~~

Will Bart's investigation of Regalia's mysteries bridge the gap to the region beyond the barrier and save all on their planet?

~~~~~~~~

Bart stared at the message until it vanished, leaving no trace in the system logs. His pulse quickened as he weighed his options, but before he could decide how to respond, a second message appeared: "Disregard previous communication. Your terminal has been compromised. Continue your research with extreme caution. The allies are watching." This message also disappeared, but not before Bart noticed it was signed with a small symbol he had seen before - in the margins of one of his forbidden books about the world beyond the barrier.

The following day passed in a blur of routine activities as Bart processed the implications of the mysterious messages. His mind churned with possibilities as he made his way toward the city's outer sectors, drawn inexorably toward the barrier that had always represented the boundary of his world. The morning sun cast long shadows across the pristine streets as he ventured into areas rarely frequented by ordinary citizens, each step carrying him closer to answers he both craved and feared. Bart's heart raced as he approached the shimmering veil barrier at the edge of Regalia. He had ventured further than ever before, driven by an insatiable curiosity about the world beyond. As he scanned the rocky terrain, something caught his eye – a dark opening partially hidden by overgrown vegetation.

With a mixture of excitement and trepidation, Bart pushed aside the foliage to reveal the entrance to a cave. The air from within felt different, carrying unfamiliar scents and a hint of mystery. He hesitated for a moment, aware of the risks of exploring unknown territory so close to the barrier. But the promise of discovery was too enticing to resist.

Activating his portable light source, Bart took his first tentative steps into the cave. The beam illuminated rough stone walls adorned with strange markings unlike anything he had seen in Regalia. As he ventured deeper, the cave seemed to come alive with echoes of a long-forgotten past.

"This could be it," Bart whispered to himself, his voice barely audible over the beating of his heart. "The key to understanding what lies beyond the veil."

The rocky entrance beckoned as Bart's pulse quickened with anticipation. He cast one final glance back at the distant spires of Regalia, their pristine surfaces now mere silver specks against the horizon. Drawing a deep breath, he activated his portable light source and stepped into the darkness, each footfall echoing against ancient stone walls that had clearly existed long before the barrier's creation. The temperature dropped noticeably as he ventured further from the entrance, the familiar hum of Regalia's technology fading into primal silence.

As Bart explored deeper into the cave system, his light fell upon something that made him gasp. Half-buried in the sandy floor was an object unlike anything he had ever seen in Regalia. With trembling hands, he carefully excavated the item.

It was a shoe, but unlike the practical, uniform footwear of his homeland. This shoe had a tall, thin projection at the heel – a completely impractical design by Regalian standards. Bart turned it over in his hands, marveling at the craftsmanship and the implications of its existence.

Energized by this find, Bart searches the area, uncovering more strange artifacts. There was a garment too long to be a shirt, yet open at the bottom – certainly not a jumpsuit. He found delicate gems with pins attached, and strings of jewels that seemed designed to encircle the neck.

Each object raised more questions than answers. Who made these items? What was their purpose? And most importantly, what did they reveal about civilization beyond the veil?

Bart carefully packed the artifacts into his bag, his mind racing with possibilities. He knew he had stumbled upon something extraordinary – evidence of a world vastly different from Regalia, yet tantalizingly real.

The journey back through the winding cave passages seemed to take forever as Bart's pulse quickened with each step. The weight of his discoveries pressed against his back, each artifact a piece of forbidden knowledge that could reshape everything he understood about life beyond the barrier. As he approached the cave's mouth, the familiar hum of Regalia's energy field grew stronger, a reminder of the carefully controlled world he would have to navigate with his newfound treasures. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the rocky terrain, promising the cover of approaching darkness for his return journey.

As Bart emerged from the cave, blinking in the bright sunlight, he nearly collided with another figure lurking near the entrance.

"George!" Bart exclaimed, recognizing his classmate. "What are you doing here?"

George, a stocky boy with an ever-present look of mischief in his eyes, grinned sheepishly. "I followed you," he admitted. "I've seen you sneaking off in this direction and got curious. What's in the cave, Bart? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Bart hesitated. George wasn't the most academically inclined student, often struggling to keep up with Regalia's rigorous standards. But he had a adventurous spirit that Bart admired, and a loyalty that made him a valuable friend.

After a moment's consideration, Bart made a decision. "George, can you keep a secret? I mean, a colossal secret?"

George's eyes widened with excitement. "Of course! You know me, Bart. I'm like a vault."

With a deep breath, Bart opened his bag and showed George the artifacts. As he explained his discoveries, he saw the same wonder and curiosity he felt reflected in his friend's eyes."

This is incredible," George whispered. "Count me in, Bart. Whatever you're planning, I want to help."

With George now part of his secret, Bart felt a renewed sense of excitement about exploring the caves. The two boys made their way deeper into the complex system, their light sources casting eerie shadows on the walls.

"Look at these markings," George said, running his hand over a series of intricate symbols etched into the rock. "They're not like anything we learn about in history class."

Bart nodded, his mind racing. "I think they might be some kind of writing system." Bart scanned the writing into his personally programed assistant.

"Assistant, Use my code breaking program and transliterate these symbols into ordinary sylang writing. Use my translation program to translate into Sylang, and keep proper names intact. Report!"

The Assistant answered in Bart's own voice." One place name, Decretia. Deduction: The writing is from Decretia, the country beyond the veil."

As they ventured further, the cave opened up into a larger chamber. Here, they found more artifacts scattered about – strange devices with no apparent purpose, fragments of clothing in vibrant colors not seen in Regalia, and what appeared to be primitive tools.

"It's like a treasure trove of another world," Bart mused, carefully examining each item. "But how did all of this get here? And why was it hidden?"

George picked up a small object that emitted a faint glow when touched. "Maybe there used to be a way through the barrier," he suggested. "Or maybe people from Decretia found a way to send things through."

The implications of either possibility are staggering. Bart and George exchanged looks of excitement and apprehension, knowing they were on the verge of uncovering secrets that could change everything they knew about their world.

As Bart and George delved deeper into the cave system, the air grew thicker and the passages narrower. They were so engrossed in their exploration that they almost missed the low, rumbling growl echoing off the stone walls.

"Did you hear that?" George whispered, his voice trembling slightly.

Before Bart could respond, a massive shape emerged from the shadows ahead. The boys froze in terror as they found themselves face to face with a mountain lion, its eyes gleaming in the dim light of their portable lamps."

Don't move," Bart hissed, his mind racing to recall everything he knew about wild animal encounters. But their Regalian education had focused little on such practical matters.

The mountain lion took a step forward, its powerful muscles tensed for action. Bart and George pressed themselves against the cave wall, the rough stone digging into their backs. They were cornered, with no clear path of escape.

"What do we do?" George whimpered, his earlier bravado evaporating in the face of real danger.

Bart's eyes darted around the cave, searching for anything that might help them. As the mountain lion crouched, preparing to pounce, Bart knew they had only seconds to act.

At that moment of extreme danger, Bart's exceptional mind kicked into overdrive. He quickly assessed their surroundings, the mountain lion's position, and the limited resources at their disposal.

"George," Bart whispered urgently, "when I say 'now,' I need you to shine your light directly into the lion's eyes and make as much noise as you can."

George nodded nervously, his hand shaking as he gripped his light source.

Bart slowly reached into his bag, feeling for one of the strange artifacts they had collected. His fingers closed around a smooth, round object – he wasn't sure what it was, but it had some weight to it.

The mountain lion's muscles bunched, ready to spring.

"NOW!" Bart yelled.

George immediately pointed his light at the predator's face and let out a piercing scream. In the same instant, Bart hurled the artifact at the cave ceiling just above the mountain lion.

The sudden light and noise startled the beast, causing it to hesitate. Then, the artifact struck the ceiling and shattered, raining debris down on the confused animal.

In the chaos that followed Bart's quick thinking, the mountain lion let out a startled roar and stumbled backward, momentarily blinded by the light and disoriented by the falling debris.

"Run!" Bart shouted, grabbing George's arm and pulling him towards a narrow side passage they had noticed earlier.

The boys scrambled through the tight opening, their hearts beating in their ears. Behind them, they could hear the mountain lion's angry snarls as it tried to shake off its confusion.

They ran through twisting tunnels, taking random turns in their desperation to put distance between themselves and the predator. After what felt like hours but was likely only minutes, they found themselves back at the main cave entrance, gasping for breath in the late afternoon sunlight."

That... was... too close," George panted, bending over with his hands on his knees.

Bart nodded, unable to speak as he tried to calm his racing heart. As the adrenaline began to subside, he realized they had managed to keep hold of their bags during their frantic escape. Their precious artifacts were safe.

"We made it, George," Bart finally said, a mixture of relief and excitement in his voice. "And wait until you see what we've found."

The boys moved swiftly through the underbrush, their pulse rates gradually slowing as they put distance between themselves and the cave entrance. Finding a sheltered alcove beneath an outcropping of weathered rocks, they paused to gather their composure. The late afternoon sun filtered through the barrier's shimmer, casting otherworldly patterns across their faces as they prepared to examine their precious cargo.

Once they had caught their breath and ensured they weren't being pursued, Bart and George found a secluded spot to examine their discoveries. They spread out the artifacts on a flat rock, marveling at the strange collection before them.

"Look at this," Bart said, holding up the shoe with the impractical heel. "Why would anyone design footwear like this? It seems more likely to cause injury than aid in walking."

George picked up the long garment with the open bottom. "And what's the purpose of this? It's too long for a shirt, but it doesn't enclose the legs like our jumpsuits."

They continued to analyze each item, proposing theories and speculating on their uses. The gems with pins attached particularly fascinated them – were they some kind of primitive fastener or perhaps decorative items?

"These things," Bart mused, holding up a string of polished stones, "seem designed to go around the neck. But why? What purpose could that serve?"

As they discussed each artifact, both boys felt a growing sense of excitement. These objects were tangible proof of a civilization vastly different from their own, with priorities and esthetics that challenged everything they had been taught in Regalia.  The most perplexing of all was a photograph of a completely different kind of human.  Could this be a woman?

The afternoon light waned as they continued their examination, their pulse quickening with each new detail they uncovered. The barrier's shimmer cast an ethereal glow over their impromptu archaeological site, while the distant hum of Regalia's systems reminded them of the dangerous secrets they now possessed. Each artifact seemed to whisper stories of a forgotten way of life, making the sterile perfection of their city feel increasingly artificial in comparison.

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the landscape, Bart and George carefully repacked their newfound treasures.

"What do we do now?" George asked, a mix of excitement and uncertainty in his voice.

Bart furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "We need more information," he said finally. "These artifacts are incredible, but we're just guessing at their purposes and origins."

"But who can we trust?" George pointed out. "If the wrong person finds out about this, we could be in serious trouble."

Bart nodded, all too aware of the risks involved in their discovery. Then, an idea struck him. "What about Richard?" he suggested.

"Richard? The guy who flies above the veil with his father?" George asked, surprised.

"Exactly," Bart confirmed. "He's seen more of the world beyond Regalia than anyone else we know. If anyone can help us make sense of these artifacts, it's him."

George considered this for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "Alright, let's do it. When should we approach him?"

"Tomorrow," Bart decided. "We'll find a way to speak with him privately after his flight shift. Until then, we need to keep these artifacts hidden and act as normal as possible."

As they made their way back towards the city, both boys felt a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. They knew they were on the brink of something big – something that could change their understanding of the world forever.

The journey home passed in tense silence as the barrier's shimmer grew stronger against the darkening sky. Bart's pulse quickened with each step closer to Regalia's pristine streets, the weight of their discoveries pressing against his back. The artifacts seemed to grow heavier as they approached the city's outer sectors, their forbidden nature more pronounced against the backdrop of carefully regulated order. As night settled over Regalia, they parted ways with practiced casualness, each carrying a portion of their precious cargo to minimize suspicion.

That night, Bart lay in his bed, unable to sleep. His mind was racing with the events of the day – the discovery of the caves, the strange artifacts, the harrowing encounter with the mountain lion, and the decision to involve Richard in their secret.

He reached under his mattress, where he had hidden a small piece of fabric from one of the Decretian garments. The strange construction fascinated him - an engineering marvel with its elastic bands and egg-shaped supports yet decorated with intricate patterns that served no practical purpose.

The vibrant colors and floral designs stood in stark contrast to Regalia's uniform brown attire, hinting at a society that valued beauty as much as function.  His pulse quickened as he studied the garment's mysterious structure - the hook and eye closures, the thin straps positioned at precise angles, all suggesting a purpose he couldn't begin to comprehend. The forbidden artifact seemed to pulse with an energy of its own in the dim light of his room.

Just as Bart was about to return the garment to his hidden compartment of contraband texts, his door slid open. In the doorway stood Alenace, its optical sensors glowing an unusual red. But instead of its normal monitoring routine, the android spoke in a voice that was decidedly not its own:

"The woman in the photograph sends her greetings, Bartholomew Copernicus."

Destiny's Serendipity

Episode Five: Richard the Observer

A Thriller - Romance - Transgender Serial

By Jo Dora Webster

~~~~~~~~

Will Bart's investigation of Regalia's mysteries bridge the gap to the region beyond the barrier and save all on their planet?

~~~~~~~~

Bart's heart raced as he recognized the voice emanating from Alenace - it was a woman's. Through some technological feat, she had managed to hack into the android's communication systems. The garment slipped from his trembling fingers as Alenace's optical sensors flickered between red and their usual blue, suggesting a temporary override of its systems.

"I have precious little time," The woman's voice continued through the android, "but I needed you to know that the artifacts you've found - they're real. They're ours. Keep searching, keep documenting. We're closer than ever to bridging our worlds."

Before Bart could respond, Alenace's sensors returned to their normal blue, and the android resumed its standard patrol routine as if nothing had happened.

The encounter with the woman's message through Alenace ignited a fire in Bart that drove him to intensify his research. For weeks, he spent every free moment in the caves, documenting strange markings and collecting artifacts that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy.

Bart managed the time to have a secret meeting between himself and Richard with Richard's father listening. With a hushed voice and in secret, he swore both Richard and his father to secrecy, concerning the data that Bart had collected in the caves. At long last, they had a name to go for the mysterious region on the other side of the barrier, 'Decretia.' Bart was too high profile, so he had to trust Richard to extend his research without Bart's help.

Armed with the new research from Bart, Richard had new zeal as he served his Observer apprenticeship with his father. The pre-dawn chill crept through Richard's woolen sweater as he methodically checked the instruments laid out on his workbench. Each brass device, polished to a soft gleam, had its purpose in measuring the subtle variations of the barrier that separated their world from Decretia. His father's voice echoed from their workshop's entrance, "Time waits for no observer, son."

Richard smiled, his fingers trailing over the curved glass of their most precious tool - the ethereal resonance detector. Unlike the crude instruments used by the general populace, this delicate device could measure the smallest fluctuations in the barrier's strength. He carefully packed it into its velvet-lined case, nestling it between layers of protective padding.

"Coming, Father," he called back, gathering his notebook and pencils. The leather-bound journal was already half-filled with observations, sketches, and measurements from their previous flights. Each page contained secrets that few in their world could comprehend - the true nature of the barrier, its weaknesses, and the life that thrived beneath it.

Their airship waited in the private hangar, its sleek form barely visible in the dim light. The vessel was unlike any other, designed specifically for their work as observers. Its hull was covered in specialized materials that allowed them to fly closer to the barrier than anyone else dared. The cockpit, with its array of gauges and levers, was Richard's second home.

"Did you check the ethereal dampeners?" his father asked, already going through his own pre-flight checklist.

"Yes, and I've recalibrated them after yesterday's readings showed those unusual spikes near the eastern quadrant," Richard replied, securing his equipment in the observation bay. He paused, remembering the strange patterns they'd detected. "Father, do you think those fluctuations might be related to what Bart discovered?"

His father's expression remained neutral, but Richard caught the slight tension in his shoulders. "We observe, Richard. That's our role. Let others interpret what it means." The words were familiar - their family's motto for generations. Yet lately, Richard had begun to question whether observation alone was enough.

The morning light was starting to paint the sky in pale blue and pink as they completed their preparations. Another day of watching, measuring, and recording was about to begin. But Richard couldn't shake the feeling that today might be different. Something in the air, in the way the instruments had been behaving lately, suggested change was coming.

The pre-flight sequence was a dance Richard knew by heart. His father took the pilot's seat while Richard settled into the observer's station, his hands moving automatically across the control panel. The familiar hum of the ethereal engines filled the cabin as they powered up, a sound distinct from the crude steam engines that powered most airships.

"Dampeners at sixty percent," Richard called out, watching the delicate needle on the gauge settle into position. "Barrier sensitivity readings are normal." He adjusted a brass dial, fine-tuning their protective field. The technology that allowed them to fly so close to the barrier was a closely guarded secret, passed down through generations of observers.

Their airship lifted smoothly from the hangar, rising into the morning sky with barely a sound. Unlike the noisy commercial vessels that plied the lower altitudes, their craft were designed for stealth and precision. The hull's special coating absorbed both light and sound, making them nearly invisible to casual observers below.

"Watch the eastern approach today," his father instructed, banking the ship gently toward the rising sun. "Those fluctuations you noticed yesterday need closer study." His weathered hands moved across the controls with practiced ease, making minute adjustments to their course.

Richard activated the array of specialized sensors, each one designed to measure different aspects of the barrier. The ethereal resonance detector hummed to life, its crystal core glowing with a soft blue light. He began recording the baseline readings in his journal, noting the time and atmospheric conditions.

"Approaching optimal observation altitude," his father announced. "Initiating barrier proximity protocols." The ship's engines shifted tone, adapting to the increasing ethereal pressure. Richard felt the familiar tingling sensation that came from flying this close to the barrier, like static electricity dancing across his skin.

Through the observation windows, Richard could see the barrier's surface shimmering like heat waves rising from the summer pavement. Most people saw only a vague distortion in the air, but years of training had taught him to recognize its subtle patterns and variations. Today, the usual ripples seemed different somehow - more agitated, as if responding to some unseen force.

"Father, look at these readings," Richard said, pointing to a particularly unusual pattern on one of the gauges. "The barrier's resonance frequency is shifting. I've never seen it behave quite like this before."

His father nodded grimly, his expression thoughtful. "Record everything, Richard. Every detail matters." The unspoken question hung between them: what were they really witnessing?

At maximum observation altitude, the world below took on an otherworldly quality. The barrier stretched out beneath their airship like a vast, undulating sea of translucent silk, its surface catching and refracting the morning light in ways that defied description. Richard adjusted his specialized goggles, enhancing his ability to perceive the subtle variations in the barrier's structure.

"Look there," his father pointed, guiding Richard's attention to a particular spot where the barrier appeared thinner. "The density readings are dropping in that sector." Through their vessel's specially treated windows, they could see Decretia below, a patchwork of buildings and streets that seemed both familiar and alien at the same time.

Richard focused his instruments on the area, carefully documenting the measurements. "The barrier's only sixty percent as thick here compared to the standard readings," he noted, sketching the phenomenon in his journal. The people of Decretia moved about their daily lives below, unaware of being observed. Their forms appeared slightly distorted by the barrier, like viewing fish through rippling water.

The unique perspective their altitude provided revealed patterns in Decretian life that would be impossible to discern from ground level. Richard watched as groups of people moved through the streets in what appeared to be organized formations, their movements suggesting some sort of ritual or social custom unknown in his world. He noted how the architecture below seemed to follow spiral patterns, unlike the rigid grid systems of his own city.

"The energy signatures are strongest here," Richard murmured, adjusting the ethereal resonance detector. The device's crystals pulsed with an intense blue glow, indicating unprecedented levels of barrier activity. "It's almost as if the barrier is... breathing." The observation made his father look up sharply from the controls.

Through his enhanced goggles, Richard could make out details that would be invisible to normal observers - the way certain buildings seemed to shimmer with their own energy, how paths of force flowed through the city like invisible rivers. Most fascinating were the spots where the barrier appeared to thin naturally, creating what Richard had begun to think of as potential crossing points.

"Remember, son," his father said softly, noting Richard's intense focus, "we observe to understand, not to interfere." But Richard couldn't help wondering if understanding might sometimes require more than passive observation, especially now that he knew about Bart's discoveries. The barrier's secrets seemed to be calling to him, begging to be understood in ways that went beyond mere documentation.

Richard's pencil moved swiftly across the pages of his journal, capturing the intricate details of life below. His father maintained their holding pattern, keeping the airship steady as they documented the morning's phenomena. The observation bay's specialized instruments hummed softly, each one recording different aspects of the barrier's behavior.

"The energy patterns are shifting again," Richard noted, adjusting the ethereal resonance detector's sensitivity. Below, he could see a group of Decretians gathering in what appeared to be a market square. Their movements followed precise patterns that seemed to ripple through the barrier itself, creating subtle distortions in its fabric. "The barrier responds to their presence, Father. It's almost like a dance."

His father nodded, making a minor adjustment to their position. "Keep your distance readings steady. Remember what happened to Observer Chen when he flew too close." The warning was unnecessary - Richard knew all too well the stories of observers who had pushed their luck too far. The barrier might appear permeable from this height, but its dangers were very real.

Through his specialized goggles, Richard studied the architectural details of Decretia's buildings. Unlike the steam-powered mechanisms of his world, their technology seemed to operate on principles he was only beginning to understand. He sketched quick diagrams of what appeared to be energy conduits running between structures, noting how they pulsed with a rhythm that matched the barrier's fluctuations.

"The rose patterns we've been tracking are more prevalent today," Richard observed, marking the locations on his map. These recurring symbols had caught his attention weeks ago, appearing in everything from building decorations to the clothing worn by certain Decretians. They seemed to hold some significance he couldn't quite grasp.

His father leaned over to examine the readings. "Maintain your objectivity, Richard. Documentation without interpretation - that's our way." But Richard could hear the curiosity in his father's voice, matching his own growing fascination with the patterns emerging from their observations.

The morning light had strengthened now, making the barrier shimmer like mother-of-pearl. Richard adjusted his instruments to compensate for the changing conditions, noting how the increased solar radiation affected the barrier's transparency. His measurements showed something unprecedented - microscopic tears in the barrier's fabric, appearing and healing themselves in rhythmic cycles.

"Father," he said carefully, "I believe these readings might explain how Bart..." He let the sentence trail off, knowing he was treading dangerous ground. Their role as observers came with strict protocols about sharing information, even between themselves.

Richard turned back to his instruments, his fingers drumming absently on the brass casing as he wrestled with his conscience. The evidence was mounting with the artifacts' true purpose, and now these anomalous readings suggested something unprecedented was occurring at the barrier's edge. He knew he should maintain his observer's distance, but the weight of his secret knowledge pressed against his professional detachment. After several minutes of internal debate, he carefully filed the readings away in his locked drawer, choosing once again to keep his suspicions to himself.

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across Richard's workshop when Bart and George arrived, carrying their mysterious bundle wrapped in oilcloth. Richard had been expecting them, having noticed their approach from his window while organizing the morning's observation notes. The familiar creak of the workshop's door announced their entry.

"We've brought something you need to see," Bart said without preamble, carefully unwrapping the artifacts on Richard's workbench. The items caught the light streaming through the high windows, their surfaces showing signs of age and wear that spoke of their Decretian origin. George stood slightly back, his expression a mixture of curiosity and concern.

Richard adjusted his desk lamp, illuminating the objects more clearly. His trained eye immediately recognized subtle patterns in their construction that matched his morning observations.  The tortoise-shell tool lay there, its surface etched with familiar rose patterns that seemed to pulse faintly in the lamplight. Besides that, the cone-shaped garment's fabric showed weaving techniques he'd documented from his aerial observations.

As Richard reached for his magnifying glass, the tortoise shell began to emit a low hum. The rose patterns etched into its surface started to glow with an intense blue light, matching the exact frequency he'd recorded in his morning readings. But before he could warn Bart and George, the artifact levitated off the workbench, spinning slowly in the air as symbols none of them had ever seen before projected onto the workshop walls. Through the window behind them, the barrier flared with an answering light. 

Destiny's Serendipity

Episode Six: Observer Versus Interpreter

A Thriller - Romance - Transgender Serial

By Jo Dora Webster

~~~~~~~~

Will Bart's investigation of Regalia's mysteries bridge the gap to the region beyond the barrier and save all on their planet?

~~~~~~~~

The tortoise shell spun faster, its projected symbols merging into concentric rings that mirrored the patterns Richard had observed in Decretian market squares. The artifact's hum intensified until it reached a crescendo, then abruptly ceased. As the shell gently descended back to the workbench, the symbols faded, leaving behind a faint ethereal residue that seemed to have permanently altered the workshop walls - the rose patterns now subtly etched into the stone itself.

George and Bart exchanged stunned looks while Richard hurriedly documented the frequency readings from his instruments, knowing they had just witnessed the first documented interaction between a Decretian artifact and the barrier.

Several days passed as Richard meticulously analyzed the new markings on his workshop walls, comparing them to his years of aerial observations. Each examination revealed new layers of meaning, new connections to the barrier's behavior that he'd never fully understood before.

The late afternoon light cast long shadows across Richard's workbench as he held the tortoise shell tool up to the lamp. His fingers traced the intricate rose carvings that seemed to pulse with an inner life, responding to his touch in ways that validated years of aerial observations. The way the light caught the polished surface matched exactly the reflective properties he'd documented in Decretian architecture.

"This tool," he began, setting it down carefully, "is used in their gardens. The projections are perfectly spaced for cultivating their unique spiral-pattern plots." He pulled out his observation journal, flipping to a detailed sketch of Decretian agricultural areas. "See how the spacing matches the geometric patterns I've documented from above?"

Bart and George leaned in, their eyes moving between the artifact and Richard's precise drawings. The correlation was undeniable, yet something in Richard's voice carried a hint of uncertainty that only someone who spent hours studying subtle variations in the barrier might notice.

"And these rose carvings," Richard continued, his finger hovering over the detailed flowers, "they're not just decorative. They're markers, indicating this tool's use in their rose gardens - which, I should note, grow in perfect logarithmic spirals." He sketched a quick diagram showing the mathematical precision of Decretian horticulture, though his hand trembled slightly as he drew.

When Bart produced the cone-shaped garment with its intricate elastic bands, Richard's expression flickered momentarily. He handled it with the careful precision of someone who had seen such items only from a great distance, yet spoke about it with the confidence of an expert. "A ceremonial headdress," he declared, though his eyes lingered a fraction too long on the hooks and eyes.

The afternoon wore on as Richard explained each artifact's purpose, his knowledge seemingly boundless. Yet with each explanation, the gap between observation and understanding became more apparent to Bart. Richard's descriptions were too perfect, too precise - as if he were reciting from a script rather than sharing firsthand knowledge.

As the sun began to set, casting the workshop in amber light, Richard carefully wrapped each artifact in soft cloth, his movements betraying both reverence and uncertainty. "Remember," he said softly, "sometimes understanding comes from seeing what there isn't, as much as what is." The words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning.

Bart and George exchanged meaningful glances, absorbing Richard's cryptic wisdom. The artifacts had revealed more than just their physical properties - they had exposed gaps in Regalia's carefully constructed narrative. The tortoise shell's resonance with the barrier, the garment's otherworldly fabric, and the strange symbols they'd documented all pointed to a deeper connection between their worlds than anyone had officially acknowledged. Their silence spoke volumes as they carefully gathered their belongings, each lost in contemplation of what these revelations might mean for their search for truth.

After Bart and George's departure, Richard stood alone at his workshop window, watching their figures disappear into the gathering dusk. The weight of the day's interactions settled heavily on his shoulders as he turned back to his workbench, where traces of their visit remained - a few scattered notes, the lingering impression of the artifacts in the cloth they'd rested upon.

His hand moved to the hidden compartment beneath his desk, fingers tracing the outline of its secret latch. Inside lay his private journal, different from his official observation logs. This one contained the thoughts he couldn't share, the questions that plagued him during his daily flights above the barrier. He withdrew it carefully, its pages worn from frequent handling.

"We observe, we don't interpret," he whispered his family's motto, but the words felt hollow now. His private journal told a different story - detailed theories about the barrier's nature, carefully reasoned hypotheses about Decretian society, and most dangerously, speculations about crossing points. The morning's observations had only strengthened his suspicions about the barrier's weaknesses.

Richard opened to a fresh page and began to write, his pen moving swiftly across the paper. He documented his true thoughts about the artifacts Bart had brought, noting how they confirmed theories he'd developed but never dared to share. The rose patterns weren't just decorative or functional - they were part of a complex system of barrier manipulation that the Decretians had developed over generations.
The truth was, he knew far more than he'd revealed to Bart and George. His years of observation had given him insights that went beyond mere documentation. The barrier wasn't just a division between worlds - it was a membrane, responsive and alive in ways that his father's generation of observers had never acknowledged.

Standing in the deepening twilight, Richard made a decision. He began sketching a detailed map of the barrier's thinnest points, marking the locations where its energy patterns aligned with the rose symbols. If Bart was determined to cross over, he would need more than just artifacts and guesswork. He would need the knowledge that only an observer could provide.

"Sometimes," Richard murmured to himself, "watching isn't enough." He knew the risk he was taking, breaking generations of observer protocol. But as he looked out his window toward where the barrier shimmered faintly in the distance, he understood that some boundaries - like the barrier itself - were meant to be crossed.

Richard pulled his private journal from its hidden compartment beneath the floorboards, his fingers trembling slightly as he began to write. The words flowed quickly now, detailing not just his observations but his interpretations - the correlation between the rose patterns and barrier frequencies, the true purpose of the Decretian artifacts, and most importantly, his growing certainty that the observers' traditional role needed to change. As he wrote the final line, a soft vibration from the tortoise shell tool on his desk seemed to affirm his decision, its etched patterns glowing faintly in response to his newfound resolve.

The setting sun cast long shadows across Regalia's streets as Bart and George made their way home from Richard's workshop. Their footsteps echoed against the stone buildings, matching the rhythm of their troubled thoughts. The artifacts they'd brought to Richard were safely wrapped and hidden in Bart's satchel, but the weight of doubt hung heavier than any physical burden.

"He knew everything about them," George said, breaking the silence. "Every single detail, right down to the rose carvings on that tortoise shell tool." His voice carried a note of uncertainty that hadn't been there during their visit.

Bart nodded slowly, remembering how quickly Richard had identified each item. "Almost too perfectly, don't you think?" He pulled out the cone-shaped garment with its intricate elastic bands. "When he called this a ceremonial headdress, did you notice how his eyes lingered on the hooks and eyes?

"They paused at a corner, letting a steam-powered transport rumble past. George leaned against a lamppost, his expression thoughtful. "But he's an observer. He and his father fly above the barrier every day. Surely that gives him special knowledge?"

"Yes, but even from their airship, they're seeing everything from a great distance. The people look like ants from up there." Bart ran his fingers over the artifact's fabric. "How could he know such specific details about something so small?"

The boys resumed walking, their pace slower now as they processed their thoughts. The barrier shimmered in the distance, a constant reminder of the mysteries that lay beyond. Richard's explanations had been detailed, confident, and completely unverifiable.

"What if," Bart said carefully, "he's making it all up? What if he's just telling us what he thinks we want to hear?" The question hung in the air between them, giving voice to the doubts that had been growing since they left the workshop.

George leaned back against the clocktower wall, his fingers tracing the edges of Richard's barrier charts. The measurements were precise, detailed, reflecting years of careful observation that aligned perfectly with their cave discoveries. Yet the stark contrast between Richard's confident barrier expertise and his suspiciously vague artifact interpretations couldn't be ignored. The two friends sat in troubled silence, watching the barrier's ethereal glow pulse against the darkening sky, each lost in calculations of trust and risk.

In the flickering light of his desk lamp, Bart spread the artifacts across his worn wooden desk. The tortoise shell tool caught the lamplight, its rose carvings creating intricate shadows that danced across his journal pages. He'd been studying them for hours, long after his parents had gone to bed, comparing Richard's explanations to his own careful observations.

Taking out his magnifying glass, Bart examined the wear patterns on the shell's edge. If Richard was right about it being a gardening tool, the marks should show consistent soil abrasion. Instead, the wear seemed random, suggesting a different kind of use entirely. He sketched the patterns in his notebook, adding detailed notes about the discrepancies.

The cone-shaped garment posed even more questions. Richard's explanation of it being a ceremonial headdress didn't account for the peculiar elasticity of its material or the precise spacing of its bands. Bart stretched one of the bands carefully, watching how it caught the light. The fabric seemed to respond to his touch in ways that suggested a more practical purpose.

"A headdress wouldn't need these reinforced sections," he muttered, marking another contradiction in his notes. The more he studied the artifacts, the more Richard's confident explanations began to unravel. Yet something else nagged at him - Richard's detailed knowledge of the barrier itself had rung true, even as his artifact interpretations felt fabricated.

Bart pulled out his map of the cave system where they'd found the items. He began marking the locations of each discovery, looking for patterns that might reveal their true purpose. The rose symbols appeared at regular intervals, forming a geometric pattern that seemed to point toward something - but what?

As the night grew deeper, Bart's notes filled page after page, each observation adding to his certainty that Richard was hiding something. The question was no longer whether the observer was being entirely truthful, but why he felt the need to deceive them about these particular objects.

Exhausted, Bart finally set down his pen and leaned back in his chair. The tortoise shell's rose patterns seemed to mock him with their secrets, glowing faintly in the lamplight. His mind wandered to Richard's detailed barrier charts - their precision and accuracy stood in stark contrast to his vague, almost dismissive explanations of the artifacts. Something about the observer's dual nature - precise scientist and evasive mentor - suggested he wasn't just protecting observer protocols, but guarding a truth that could reshape their understanding of both worlds1.

Richard sat at his workbench, the soft glow of his ethereal lamp illuminating two open journals before him. The official observer's log lay on the left, filled with precise measurements and approved documentation. On the right, his private journal held the truth - or at least, the parts of it he dared to write down.

His pen hovered over the private journal as he contemplated the day's events. "Bart suspects," he wrote finally, the words flowing quickly now. "His questions about the artifacts were too precise, too probing. He's testing my knowledge." The admission felt both frightening and liberating on the page.

Rising from his desk, Richard moved to the wall where his barrier measurements hung in neat rows. Each chart showed the same pattern - increasing instability in the barrier's structure, particularly around the areas where Bart had found the artifacts. He traced the lines with his finger, following the rose-pattern fluctuations that matched exactly with the symbols on the tortoise shell.

"I could tell them everything," he whispered to the empty workshop. "About the barrier's weaknesses, about what these tools really do." But generations of observer protocol held him back. His father's voice echoed in his mind: "We observe, we don't interpret."

Returning to his desk, Richard pulled out a fresh sheet of paper and began drawing detailed diagrams of the barrier's structure. These, at least, he could share without breaking protocol. The boys needed to understand the barrier before they could understand the artifacts' true purpose.
His lamp flickered as he worked, casting dancing shadows across the walls. Each shadow seemed to mock his position - neither fully observer nor interpreter, caught between duty and necessity. In his heart, he knew the time would come when he'd have to choose a side.

"Perhaps," he wrote in his private journal, "being an observer means knowing when to stop simply watching." The words felt like a confession, a break from everything his family had taught him. But as he looked at his barrier measurements again, he knew there was no going back.
Richard spent the next hour meticulously copying his most crucial barrier observations into a separate notebook, one he would share with Bart and George. His hands moved swiftly across the pages, translating years of aerial measurements into ground-level guidance that would help them understand the barrier's weaknesses. The rose patterns from the tortoise shell seemed to glow more intensely as he worked, as if responding to his decision to break with tradition. When he finally set down his pen, the weight of generations of observer protocol felt lighter than the truth he now carried.

Afternoon sunlight streamed through Richard's workshop windows as Bart and George carefully unpacked their latest discoveries. A cylindrical device with spiral etchings and what appeared to be a crystalline lens caught the light, sending rainbow refractions across the wooden workbench. Richard's expression remained carefully neutral, though his fingers twitched slightly at the sight.

"We found these deeper in the cave system," Bart explained, watching Richard's face intently. "The crystal seems to respond to touch." He demonstrated by placing his finger on the lens, which emitted a faint blue glow.

Richard picked up the device with practiced care, but Bart noticed how he held it at a slight angle, as if uncertain of its proper orientation. "This is a measurement tool," Richard began, his voice steady. "The spirals align with the barrier's natural frequencies to—"

"How does it work?" George interrupted, more directly than usual. "Could you show us?"

A fleeting expression of discomfort crossed Richard's face before he composed himself. "These devices are quite delicate," he deflected, setting it down carefully. "But I can show you something more useful." He turned to his observation charts, pointing to a series of wave patterns. "These show how the barrier's strength fluctuates throughout the day."

As Richard reached for his morning's readings, the crystal suddenly flared with intense light. The spiral etchings began rotating on their own, aligning themselves toward the barrier. Through the workshop window, they could see the ethereal wall pulsing in sync with the crystal's movements. But what made their blood run cold was the voice that emerged from the device - distinctly feminine, speaking in a language none of them recognized, yet somehow familiar to their ears.

Destiny's Serendipity

Episode Seven: Honesty Wins

A Thriller - Romance - Transgender Serial

By Jo Dora Webster

~~~~~~~~

Will Bart's investigation of Regalia's mysteries bridge the gap to the region beyond the barrier and save all on their planet?

~~~~~~~~

The crystalline device's voice grew clearer, its otherworldly tones resolving into a rhythmic pattern that matched the barrier's fluctuations. Richard's hands moved swiftly across his instruments, recording the unprecedented frequencies as the feminine voice continued its ethereal message. After exactly three minutes, the crystal's light dimmed, and the voice faded into silence, leaving behind an inexplicable warmth in the air. George quickly sketched the final position of the spiral etchings while Bart transcribed what he could remember of the sound patterns.

Richard stood motionless, his face pale with the realization that this was no mere measurement tool - it was a communication device.

Several days passed as Richard wrestled with this revelation, his observer's training warring with the undeniable evidence of direct contact from across the barrier. His sleepless nights were spent comparing the crystal's frequencies to his years of barrier measurements, searching for patterns that might explain the voice's appearance.

When Bart arrived at Richard's workshop alone this time, carrying a small wooden box, the afternoon light filtered through dust motes as he placed it carefully on Richard's workbench. Inside lay an artifact they'd found weeks ago - a simple metal disc with concentric circles etched into its surface. But Bart had prepared his trap carefully.

"We think this might be some kind of navigational device," Bart said, deliberately misidentifying the object they'd previously determined was likely a cooking implement. "The markings seem to align with star patterns we've observed along the barrier."

Richard lifted the disc, turning it in the light. For a moment, something flickered in his eyes - recognition, perhaps, or uncertainty. His fingers traced the circular patterns as he had done with all their previous finds.

"Actually," he began with his usual confidence, "this is an astronomical calculation tool. The Decretians use it to track celestial movements through the barrier's distortion field."

Bart watched carefully as Richard launched into a detailed explanation of how the concentric circles represented different stellar orbits, complete with references to his morning observations. The explanation was perfect, logical, and entirely fabricated.

"Interesting," Bart said, keeping his voice neutral. "We found some residue on it that looked like food particles. Could it have had another purpose?"

Richard's hands stilled momentarily. A barely perceptible shift in his posture betrayed his discomfort. "Well," he recovered quickly, "many Decretian tools serve multiple purposes. Their efficiency in design often means..."

He continued speaking, but Bart had already confirmed his suspicions.

The afternoon sun cast Richard's shadow long across the workshop floor as he elaborated on increasingly complex theories about the disc's astronomical applications. Each explanation was more detailed than the last, yet none addressed the obvious signs of heat damage and food residue that marked it as a cooking tool.

"Thank you," Bart interrupted finally, carefully returning the disc to its box. "Your insights are always... illuminating."

The word choice was deliberate, watching how Richard reacted to the subtle emphasis.

As he packed up to leave, Bart noticed Richard's eyes drift toward his barrier measurement charts - the one area where his expertise never wavered, where his passion and knowledge seemed genuinely rooted in years of careful observation.

The contrast was striking, and in that moment, Bart understood something crucial about their mysterious ally: Richard's deceptions about the artifacts might be elaborate, but his understanding of the barrier itself was real - and potentially invaluable.

Bart gathered his materials with deliberate slowness, his mind racing through the implications. Each of Richard's barrier measurements had aligned perfectly with their cave discoveries, suggesting a deeper pattern they had yet to fully grasp. As he stepped out of the workshop into the fading afternoon light, the barrier's ethereal glow seemed to pulse in sync with his racing thoughts, as if confirming his revelation about their enigmatic mentor's dual nature.

Bart and George sat in their usual spot beneath the old clock tower, its massive gears turning steadily above them as they processed the events of the past few days. The setting sun painted the barrier in shades of purple and gold, its surface rippling with the mysterious energy they now understood better thanks to Richard's genuine expertise.

"He's lying about the artifacts," Bart said finally, breaking their contemplative silence. "The cooking disc proved it. But his barrier knowledge..." He pulled out Richard's detailed charts of barrier fluctuations, spreading them on the weathered wooden bench between them.

George nodded, examining the precise measurements and annotations. "These match everything we've observed in the caves. The energy patterns, the rose symbols, even the timing of the barrier's weakest points." He traced a particularly complex wave pattern with his finger. "You can't fake this level of understanding."

"So we're working with someone who's both helping and deceiving us," Bart mused, watching a steam-powered airship pass beneath the barrier's shimmer. "The question is: can we trust him enough to continue?"

The clock tower's bells chimed the hour, their deep resonance filling the evening air. George pulled out their cave map, now marked with Richard's barrier measurements. "Look at how his observations align with our discovery sites. He might be hiding what he knows about the artifacts, but he's giving us something possibly more valuable."

"A way through," Bart finished the thought. The map showed clear patterns where the barrier's strength ebbed and flowed, information that only an experienced observer could provide. "Maybe that's why he won't be honest about the artifacts - he's already breaking observer protocols by helping us understand the barrier."

They sat in silence for a moment, weighing their options. The barrier shimmered before them, both barrier and bridge to their goal. Finally, George spoke: "We need him. Even if he won't tell us everything, his barrier knowledge is essential. We just need to be careful about what we accept as truth."

Bart gathered their materials, his decision made. "We'll continue working with him, but on our terms. We'll use his barrier expertise, but trust our own judgment about the artifacts." He paused, looking up at the barrier's ethereal glow. "And maybe, eventually, we'll understand why he feels he needs to hide what he really knows."

The clock tower's shadow stretched across the square as they packed up their notes. Their path forward was clear, if complicated - they would navigate not just the barrier's mysteries, but also the complex web of trust and deception that Richard represented. As they headed home, both boys understood that their journey had become more intricate than ever, balancing between knowledge freely given and truths carefully concealed.

Days passed as Bart and George refined their strategy, carefully documenting every discrepancy between Richard's barrier expertise and his suspicious artifact knowledge. The evening air grew thick with steam from passing airships as they finalized their plan to confront him. They needed his unparalleled understanding of the barrier's frequencies, but they would no longer accept his evasions about the Decretian artifacts at face value.

Bart and George return to Richard's workshop. They found him at his workbench, meticulously updating his barrier measurements by lamplight. The unexpected visit made him look up sharply, his pen freezing mid-stroke.

"We need to talk," Bart said, closing the workshop door behind them. "About why we're really here, and why the truth matters so much." He placed their research journal on the bench, its pages dog-eared and worn from constant use.

George stepped forward. His expression was unusually serious. "My father makes his living as a communicator of citizen initiatives." he began, his voice catching slightly, "If I am found out pursuing the real truth instead of the carefully constructed coverup, he could lose his job." The admission hung heavy in the workshop's quiet air. "Our world may end if we don't find the answers that we need.... they're in Decretia."

Richard set down his pen, his observer's mask slipping slightly as understanding dawned in his eyes.

"And my father," Bart continued, opening their journal to show Richard their careful documentation, "he's the First Scientist who always has to have all the right answers. Before I bring anything to him, it has to be triple checked. Everything we're doing - the cave exploration, the artifacts, understanding the barrier - it's all to save the people we love."

Richard's eyes widened as he absorbed the weight of Bart and George's confessions. He leaned back in his chair, the lamplight casting long shadows across his face. "I see," he said softly, his fingers tracing the edge of their research journal. "You've been testing me all along, haven't you?"

Bart nodded, his shoulders tense. "We had to be sure, Richard. This isn't just about satisfying our curiosity. It's about the future of Regalia itself."

George stepped closer, his voice low and urgent. "Every piece of information we gather, every theory we test, it's all a potential key to unlocking the mysteries of the barrier and what lies beyond. But we can't afford to be wrong. Not when so much is at stake."

Richard's gaze flickered between the two young men, a mix of emotions playing across his face. "I understand the risk you're taking," he said slowly. "But you must realize that by involving me, you're putting me at risk as well. If your fathers or anyone else in power were to discover our activities..."

"We know," Bart interrupted, his voice firm. "That's why we've been so cautious, why we've questioned everything you've told us. It's not personal, Richard. It's about ensuring that every piece of information we gather is as close to the truth as possible."

George nodded in agreement. "We're walking a tightrope here. One misstep, one piece of faulty data, and we could send Regalia down the wrong path. We need to separate real, verifiable facts from mere speculation or guesswork."

Richard stood up, pacing the length of his workshop. The floorboards creaked under his feet as he processed their words. "You believe this knowledge could save Regalia," he mused, more to himself than to them. "But from what?"

Bart and George exchanged a glance. "We're not entirely sure," Bart admitted. "But the signs are there. The increasing instability of the barrier, the strange artifacts we've found, the discrepancies in the official records... Something's coming, Richard. Something big."

George added, "And we believe the answers lie in Decretia. The true history of our world, the real purpose of the barrier - it's all hidden there, just waiting to be uncovered."

Richard stopped pacing, turning to face them. His expression was unreadable, but there was a new intensity in his eyes. "You're right," he said finally. "The truth does matter. More than you know." He walked back to his workbench and pulled out a hidden drawer. From it, he retrieved a small, intricately carved box.

"I haven't been entirely honest with you either," Richard confessed, his fingers hovering over the box's latch. "There are things I know, things I've seen, that I've kept to myself. Not out of malice, but out of fear and uncertainty."

Bart and George leaned in, their eyes fixed on the mysterious box. Richard's hand trembled slightly as he continued, "But you're right. The future of Regalia hangs in the balance. And if we're to have any hope of saving it, we need to put all our cards on the table."

With a deep breath, Richard opened the box, revealing its contents to Bart and George. Their gasps echoed in the workshop as they realized that their quest for truth was about to take an unexpected and potentially dangerous turn.

"What you see here," Richard said gravely, "is just the beginning. The real journey - and the real risks - start now. Are you ready for what comes next?"

Bart and George exchanged a determined look. They had come this far in their pursuit of the truth. There was no turning back now. Whatever secrets Richard's box held, whatever dangers lay ahead, they were committed to seeing this through. For their families, for Regalia, and for the truth that could save them all.

The next few days passed in a blur of preparation and planning. Bart spent hours in his hidden study, reviewing their collected evidence and cross-referencing it with the strange patterns they'd observed in Richard's behavior. His fingers traced the key hanging beneath his nightshirt, a reminder of all the forbidden knowledge that had led them to this moment. The dual energies within him seemed to resonate with their impending confrontation, as if both Regalia and Decretia themselves were holding their breath in anticipation of what was to come.

The night was unusually quiet as Bart and George made their way back to the workshop, their minds still reeling from the revelations Richard had shared. The air was thick with anticipation, each step echoing their unspoken fears and hopes.

As they approached the workshop, a strange glow emanated from the windows, casting eerie shadows on the ground. Bart exchanged a wary glance with George before pushing the door open, revealing a sight that made them both freeze in their tracks.

In the center of the room, hovering above Richard's workbench, was a pulsating orb of light. It shimmered with an otherworldly energy, its surface swirling with colors that defied description. Richard stood transfixed before it, his face a mask of disbelief and awe.

"What is that?" Bart whispered, his voice barely audible over the hum of the orb.

Richard shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving the mysterious object. "I... I don't know," he admitted, his voice tinged with a mix of fear and fascination. "This wasn't here before. It's like nothing I've ever seen."

George stepped forward cautiously, his curiosity piqued despite the danger. "Could it be related to the artifacts? Or the barrier?"

Richard hesitated, his mind racing to find an explanation. "It's possible," he conceded, "but it doesn't match any of the data or theories we've developed so far. This changes everything."

Bart felt a chill run down his spine. The orb's presence was both mesmerizing and terrifying, a tangible reminder of how little they truly understood. "If this is real," he said slowly, "then everything we've been working on, everything you've told us, could be wrong."

The weight of his words hung in the air, a silent challenge to Richard's authority and knowledge. The orb pulsed brighter, as if responding to Bart's doubts, casting long shadows that danced across the walls.

Richard turned to face them, his expression a mix of determination and uncertainty. "We need to study this," he said firmly, "but we must be careful. This could be the key to everything, or it could be something far more dangerous."

Without warning, the orb shot out a beam of light, striking the barrier map on Richard's desk. The parchment began to glow, intricate patterns and symbols appearing on its surface that had never been there before.

Destiny's Serendipity

Episode Eight: Military Excellence

A Thriller - Romance - Transgender Serial

By Jo Dora Webster

~~~~~~~~

Will Bart's investigation of Regalia's mysteries bridge the gap to the region beyond the barrier and save all on their planet?

~~~~~~~~

Richard rushed to the map, his hands trembling as he traced the newly revealed markings. "This is impossible," he muttered, his voice a mix of awe and disbelief. "These symbols... they're not from any language I've ever encountered. "

With a look of recognition of the symbols by both Bart and George, it was George who spoke first. "Bart, please run this through your assistant, like you did with the cave writing."

"Of course!" answered Bart as he got to work on the symbols. This time, he was able to give them a complete translation. All three were speechless as they read the message.

"I hope my data helps. You are on the correct path to truth. — A friend" The orb disappeared without a trace, but the new data and the message remained. They agreed that this collaboration was the start of something big. The three went out into the night after securing their new data.

Their hearts raced with excitement as they walked home through the quiet streets, their minds whirling with possibilities. The mysterious message and data felt like the first pieces of an enormous puzzle finally falling into place. As the night deepened around them, each silently contemplated how their lives might change now that they had stumbled onto something far bigger than themselves. None of them slept much that night, too energized by the discovery and too anxious to see what the next day would bring. Hours passed in restless anticipation until the first hints of dawn began to paint the sky.

The sun had barely risen over the military compound when the sound of clashing swords and barked orders filled the air. In the main training yard, two young men moved with practiced precision, their blades flashing in the early morning light. These were Raymond's other sons - Bruce and Robert - each a paragon of military excellence in their own right.

Bruce, the eldest, led a group of recruits through a complex series of sword drills. His movements were fluid and graceful, yet carried an undeniable power. "Watch your footwork!" he called out, demonstrating a particularly tricky maneuver. "Your blade is an extension of your arm, but your feet are your foundation. Neglect either, and you'll fall."

Nearby, Robert oversaw archery practice. His keen eye spotted the slightest imperfection in stance or aim. "Breathe, Cadet Johnson," he instructed, adjusting a young archer's elbow. "Feel the tension in the bow, become one with your arrow." As if to demonstrate, he readied an arrow of his own, drew back, and released in one fluid motion. The arrow whistled through the air, splitting the target dummy's head clean in two.

From his vantage point on the command balcony, Raymond watched his sons with pride. Each had risen through the ranks on their own merit, earning the respect of their peers and subordinates alike. They were living proof of the military tradition that ran strong in their family's blood.

As the morning progressed, a messenger approached Raymond, handing him a sealed message. His brow furrowed as he read its contents, his eyes darting to an empty space in the training yard where his third son, Bart, should have been.

"Sir," the messenger ventured, "shall I inform the other officers of Cadet Bartholomew's absence?"

Raymond's jaw tightened, his eyes never leaving the scene below. "No," he said after a long moment. "I'll handle this myself. For now, let's focus on the excellence before us."

As if on cue, Bruce executed a perfect disarming maneuver, sending his opponent's sword clattering to the ground. Robert's archers loosed a volley that turned their targets into pincushions.

Raymond nodded, a mix of pride and concern etched on his face. "Military excellence indeed," he murmured. "But what of the son who seems to march to a different drum?" His gaze turned towards the city, wondering what could have kept Bart from his duties, and what consequences would follow this unexpected absence.

The contrast between Bruce and Robert's dedication and Bart's absence hung heavy in the air. Raymond couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment, even as he marveled at the achievements of his other sons. The military compound buzzed with activity, but for Raymond, the most pressing issue was the conspicuous void left by Bart's unexplained absence.

The parade grounds bustled with activity as soldiers from various units assembled for drill practice. The air was thick with anticipation and the sharp scent of polished leather and metal. Colonel Hawthorne, a seasoned veteran with a voice that could cut through the din of battle, stood at the center of the field, surveying the gathering troops with a critical eye.

"Company, attention!" he bellowed, and as one, hundreds of boots snapped together with a thunderous report. "Today, we prepare for the annual Regalia Military Parade. This is not just a show for the civilians, gentlemen. It is a demonstration of our discipline, our unity, and our unwavering commitment to the defense of our great nation!"

Rows upon rows of soldiers stood at rigid attention, their eyes fixed forward, bodies taut with readiness. Among them, Bruce and Robert stood out, their posture impeccable, their uniforms immaculate. They were living examples of the standard every soldier aspired to meet.

Colonel Hawthorne began barking out commands, and the parade ground came alive with movement. Platoons marched in intricate patterns, their steps in perfect synchronization. The sound of hundreds of feet moving as one echoed across the field, a testament to hours of rigorous practice.

In a corner of the grounds, a group of soldiers meticulously polished their ceremonial weapons and adjusted their dress uniforms. Every button was shined to a mirror surface, every crease sharp enough to cut paper. The attention to detail was painstaking, but necessary – in the parade, even the smallest imperfection could be noticed.

As the morning wore on, the complexity of the drills increased. Soldiers executed precise turns and formations, creating living geometric patterns on the parade ground. Flag bearers practiced their routines, unfurling the colors of Regalia in sweeping arcs that caught the sunlight.

Amidst the coordinated chaos, Colonel Hawthorne's keen eye spotted a gap in one of the formations. He frowned, consulting his roster. "Where is Cadet Bartholomew?" he muttered, his eyes scanning the ranks for Raymond's youngest son.

The absence was glaring, a disruption in the otherwise perfect order of the drill. As whispers began to circulate among the troops, Colonel Hawthorne made a mental note to address this issue with Raymond. For now, though, there was a parade to prepare for."

Adjust formation!" he ordered, and the troops seamlessly closed the gap left by Bart's absence. The drill continued, but the question lingered in the air – where was Bart, and what could be more important than his duty? As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the parade ground continued to pulse with activity, a living testament to the military excellence that Regalia prided itself on. Yet, for those who knew how to look, there was a small but significant piece missing from this display of precision and discipline.

Cadet Bartholemew Copernicus, usually front and center during morning drills, was conspicuously absent from his post. His fellow cadets exchanged knowing glances but maintained their stoic expressions as training continued without him. The whispers of his unexplained absence rippled through the ranks like a subtle current, though none dared voice their concerns aloud. As the morning progressed, the gap where he should have stood seemed to grow more noticeable, a void that spoke volumes about the changes brewing beneath Regalia's carefully maintained surface. The day marched forward with mechanical precision, yet that single disruption in the usual routine hinted at deeper currents of dissent moving through the ranks

As the military compound buzzed with activity, Bart found himself in a secluded corner of the city, far from the parade grounds. His uniform lay neatly folded in his quarters, a silent accusation of his dereliction of duty. Instead, he wore civilian clothes, his face partially obscured by a hood as he made his way through the winding streets of Regalia's old town.

Bart's heart raced, torn between the weight of his responsibilities and the urgency of his current mission. In his hand, he clutched a small, intricately carved box – the same one Richard had revealed to him and George just days ago. Its contents had shaken their understanding of Regalia and the barrier to the core, and Bart couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out.

As he approached a nondescript building, Bart glanced over his shoulder, ensuring he wasn't followed. He knocked on the door in a specific pattern, waiting with bated breath until it creaked open, revealing a dimly lit interior.
"You're late," a gruff voice greeted him. The speaker, an older man with a scarred face and piercing eyes, ushered Bart inside quickly.

"I'm sorry, Erion," Bart replied, his voice low. "It wasn't easy to slip away unnoticed. Especially today."

Erion raised an eyebrow. "Ah yes, the grand parade. Your absence will be noted, young Bartholomew."

Bart winced at the reminder but pressed on. "What I've discovered... it's worth the risk. We need to decipher this now." He placed the box on a table cluttered with maps and strange instruments. As Erion examined the box's contents, Bart's mind wandered to the parade grounds. He could almost hear the rhythmic marching, see the gleaming uniforms, and feel the pride radiating from his father and brothers. The guilt gnawed at him, but he pushed it aside. This was bigger than military drills and family expectations.
\
"This is... extraordinary," Erion muttered, his eyes wide as he studied the artifacts. "Where did you get this?"

"That's not important right now," Bart deflected. "Can you make sense of it?"

Erion frowned, his fingers tracing the strange symbols. "It will take time. And Bart," he looked up, his expression grave, "if this is what I think it is, it could change everything we thought we knew about Regalia and the barrier."

Bart nodded solemnly. "I know. That's why I'm here instead of at the parade. But Erion, we need answers fast. I don't know how long I can keep this secret."

As they bent over the mysterious artifacts, Bart couldn't help but think of the consequences awaiting him back at the compound. His absence would not go unnoticed or unpunished.

But as he watched Erion work, deciphering the clues that could unlock the truth about their world, Bart knew he had made the right choice. The future of Regalia might depend on what they discovered here, in this dusty room, far from the pomp and circumstance of military parades.

Across the city, the military ceremony was already underway, its precise rhythms marking the passage of time like a metronome. The morning sun climbed higher as Bart delved deeper into the mysteries before him, each moment spent away from his post adding to the weight of his decision. His fellow cadets would notice his absence by now, and soon the questions would begin.

Yet here, amid ancient texts and cryptic data, he felt closer to the truth than he had ever been on that parade ground. The consequences of his choice would come soon enough, but for now, the pursuit of knowledge demanded his complete attention.

The parade ground fell silent as Colonel Hawthorne's sharp eyes scanned the formations. The absence in the third row of the honor guard was glaringly obvious, a void in the otherwise perfect lines of soldiers. He frowned, his mustache twitching with disapproval.

"Lieutenant," he barked, summoning a nearby officer. "Where is Cadet Bartholomew?"

The lieutenant swallowed hard, his eyes darting nervously. "Sir, Cadet Bartholomew has not reported for duty. We've checked his quarters and the infirmary, but there's no sign of him."

Colonel Hawthorne's frown deepened. "Inform First Scientist Raymond Copernicus immediately. This is most irregular."

As word spread through the ranks, a ripple of whispers and sideways glances disrupted the disciplined atmosphere. Bruce and Robert, standing at attention in their respective units, exchanged a brief, concerned look. Their brother's absence was not just a personal failing; it reflected on the entire family.

In the observatory tower overlooking the parade ground, First Scientist Raymond Copernicus received the news with a stony expression. His assistant watched nervously as Raymond's fingers tightened around the brass telescope he had been adjusting.

"Sir," the assistant ventured, "shall we delay the parade?"

Raymond's jaw clenched. "Absolutely not. The parade will proceed as planned. Rearrange the formations to cover Bartholomew's absence."

As the assistant hurried to relay the orders, Raymond's mind raced. Where could Bart be? What could possibly be more important than his duty, especially on a day like this? The disappointment and anger warred within him, tempered by a flicker of worry he couldn't quite suppress.

Down on the parade ground, the troops scrambled to adjust their formations. Bruce took charge of his unit, barking orders to close ranks and maintain precision. Robert, leading the archers, ensured his team's focus remained unshaken by the commotion.

As the drums began to beat and the parade commenced, the absence of one cadet was hardly noticeable to the cheering crowds. But to those who knew, to the family that prided itself on both scientific and military excellence, it was a glaring failure that would have far-reaching consequences. Colonel Hawthorne, marching at the head of the parade, couldn't shake the feeling that this was more than a simple case of dereliction of duty. In his years of service, he had come to trust his instincts. And right now, those instincts were telling him that Cadet Bartholomew's absence was just the tip of a much larger, more complex iceberg.

As the parade wound its way through the streets of Regalia, the question hung in the air, unspoken but omnipresent: Where was Bart, and what could be important enough to risk everything he had worked for?

Raymond Copernicus, watching from his lofty perch, felt the weight of both his scientific responsibilities and paternal concerns pressing down on him, as he pondered the implications of his son's mysterious absence.

Below the observatory, the military ceremony continued with mechanical precision, each unit moving through their practiced routines like the gears of a well-oiled machine. The sharp commands of officers cut through the morning air as formations shifted and changed with fluid grace. Raymond's keen scientific mind couldn't help but appreciate the mathematical perfection of the movements, even as his thoughts drifted repeatedly to the conspicuous absence in the ranks. His hands gripped the brass railing of his observation post, knuckles whitening as he forced himself to focus on the spectacle unfolding before him rather than the growing void of questions surrounding his youngest son's disappearance.

As the parade reached its crescendo, Bruce and Robert's units took center stage, showcasing the pinnacle of Regalia's military prowess. Bruce led his infantry in a flawless display of close-order drill, their movements so precise it seemed as if they were a single organism rather than individual soldiers. The crowd gasped in awe as the formation seamlessly transformed from one complex pattern to another, each transition smoother than the last.

Robert, not to be outdone, commanded his archers in a breathtaking demonstration of skill and coordination. At his signal, a volley of arrows arced high into the sky, their fletching catching the sunlight. The arrows descended in perfect unison, striking targets arranged throughout the parade ground with pinpoint accuracy. The spectators erupted in cheers as the archers quickly nocked and fired again, creating an intricate aerial dance of shafts and feathers.

From his vantage point, First Scientist Raymond Copernicus watched his sons' performance with a mixture of pride and unease. Their excellence was undeniable, a testament to the family's dedication to both scientific and military pursuits. Yet, the empty space where Bart should have been nagged at him, a visible reminder of the growing distance between him and his youngest son.

As the crowd's applause echoed through the streets of Regalia, Raymond couldn't help but wonder: while Bruce and Robert were here, upholding the family's honor, what path was Bart choosing? And would that path lead him closer to the family's legacy, or further away?
 

Destiny's Serendipity

Episode Nine: Missing

A Thriller - Romance - Transgender Serial

By Jo Dora Webster

~~~~~~~~

Will Bart's investigation of Regalia's mysteries bridge the gap to the region beyond the barrier and save all on their planet?

~~~~~~~~

Raymond's question would be answered sooner than he expected, though not in a way that would ease his troubled mind. Even as the last echoes of applause faded from the streets, his youngest son was delving deeper into forbidden knowledge that would shake the very foundations of their society.

In a hidden corner of the city, far from military pageantry, Bart was making discoveries that would force him to choose between family loyalty and what he believed to be right - a choice that would ripple through generations of Regalia's carefully ordered society. The celebration's jubilant mood dissipated like morning mist as reports of Bart's absence reached the senior officers.

What had begun as whispers of concern among the cadets quickly escalated into a serious matter requiring immediate attention? The perfect formations and synchronized movements that had moments ago demonstrated Regalia's strength now seemed to mock their inability to keep track of one of their own. As the last civilians drifted away from the parade grounds, Colonel Hawthorne's expression darkened with each passing minute, his military precision turning from display to determination as he prepared to address this unprecedented breach of protocol. 

As the parade concluded, the atmosphere at the military compound shifted from celebration to concern. Colonel Hawthorne assembled a small team of officers in the command center, their faces grave as they discussed Bart's unexplained absence.

"We need to locate Cadet Bartholomew immediately," Hawthorne declared, his voice tight with urgency. "This isn't just about missing a parade. It's about the integrity of our entire unit."

The officers spread out across the compound, questioning Bart's fellow cadets and searching his quarters for any clues. In the barracks, they found his neatly pressed uniform laid out on his bunk, as if he had intended to wear it but changed his mind at the last moment.

One of Bart's classmates, a young cadet named Jenkins, nervously approached an officer. "Sir," he said hesitantly, "Bart's been acting strange lately. Sneaking out at odd hours, whispering with that friend of his from the science division."

The officer's eyebrows were raised. "Friend from the science division? Do you have a name?"

Jenkins shook his head. "No, sir. But I've seen them together a few times, always looking over their shoulders like they didn't want to be seen."

As the search continued, the mystery deepened. Bart seemed to have vanished without a trace, leaving behind more questions than answers. The officers exchanged worried glances, aware that this situation was quickly becoming more than just a case of dereliction of duty.

Colonel Hawthorne dispatched search teams throughout the city, their methodical sweeps extending from the military district to the outer reaches of Regalia. Each report that came back empty only heightened the growing sense of unease among the command staff. What had begun as a simple disciplinary matter was evolving into something far more concerning - especially given the Copernicus family's prominent position in Regalian society? As the afternoon sun began to wane, the search teams were recalled, their failure to locate the missing cadet casting a long shadow over the day's earlier celebrations.

The Copernicus family quarters were unusually quiet that evening, the tension palpable as Raymond sat in his study, reviewing reports from the day. The success of the parade should have filled him with pride, but Bart’s absence loomed over everything, casting a shadow on what should have been a triumphant day.

Bruce and Robert entered the room, still dressed in their ceremonial uniforms, their faces reflecting a mix of pride and concern. Bruce spoke first, his voice steady but tinged with irritation.

“Father, we need to talk about Bart. His absence today wasn’t just a personal failure—it’s an embarrassment to the family.” Robert nodded in agreement, with his tone more measured.

"People noticed, Father. The officers are asking questions. Colonel Hawthorne is already investigating."

Raymond sighed heavily, setting down the report he had been pretending to read. “I’m aware,” he said, his voice low and firm. “But this is not a matter for public discussion. Whatever Bart’s reasons, they are his to explain when he returns.”

Bruce frowned, his frustration evident. “With all due respect, Father, this isn’t just about Bart anymore. His actions reflect on all of us—on you, especially. We’ve worked hard to uphold the Copernicus name in both science and service. He’s jeopardizing that.”

Raymond’s gaze hardened as he looked at his eldest son. “I understand your concerns,” he said sharply.

"But Bart is still my son and your brother. I will handle this matter very privately."

The room fell silent for a moment before Robert spoke again, his voice softer. “Do you think he’s in trouble? That something happened to him?”

Raymond hesitated, the worry he had been suppressing flickering across his face for just a moment before he steeled himself again. “I don’t know,” he admitted quietly. “But wherever Bart is, I intend to find out—and soon.”

The tension remained thick as Bruce and Robert exchanged uneasy glances before leaving the study. Alone once more, Raymond leaned back in his chair, staring into the dim light of the room. For all his authority and intellect, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something far larger than a missed parade was unfolding—and that Bart was at its center.

The weight of discovery and duty warred in Raymond's mind as the evening shadows lengthened across his study. His scientific instincts, honed through years of research, detected patterns in his youngest son's recent behavior that suggested a deeper mystery.

As he contemplated the implications, the familiar rhythms of military life continued outside his window, a stark contrast to the uncertainty that now clouded his thoughts. At that moment of solitude, Raymond didn't know that, across the city, his suspicions were about to be confirmed in ways that would challenge everything he thought he knew about Regalia.

Bart was about to make a hasty retreat back to the military parade grounds. Before leaving the room where Erion still worked on the data, his assistant spoke.

"Alert. The second message on a secondary wave emitted by the probe, is decoded. The message consists of a video. Do you wish to play?"

"Erion, the probe emitted a video message. Shall we view it?"

"By all means, Bart. Play it."

"Assistant, begin playback."

The video began playing. The video played on Erion's large monitor. A human figure was displayed on a featureless blurred background. With Bart's extensive research at the incubator archives, he immediately made the association of the figure and the medical diagrams and descriptions.

"She's a woman!" Bart blurted out, unable to restrain himself. Erion replied, "Indeed. Listen master Bart!"

The woman said to herself, "Hope I got both the translation and the spoken language right!" she cleared her throat and then began speaking while looking right at Bart.

"Hello, I am Ducia. I am a young woman who lives in Decretia on the other side of the barrier from you. My probe, Allie, was sent phasing through the barrier in search of someone who was seeking the truth about the barrier and righting the historical goof that separated our two peoples. We need to work together to save the Earth because something very bad is coming very soon. If you understand this message, then the rest of the goodies that I've sent you in that burst should help you help me. Be careful, my new friend. Goodbye!"

"Of course, this is amazing. Go Bart go! Face the punishment so you can help."

"Go now!" Bart was even more quickly on his way.

The afternoon light faded as Bart hurried through Regalia's winding streets, his footsteps echoing off the ancient stone walls. Each step carried him closer to the inevitable confrontation at the military compound, yet his mind remained fixed on the extraordinary discoveries he'd made.

The mysterious message from Ducia and the artifacts they'd uncovered gave purpose to his actions, even as the weight of his dereliction grew heavier. Time seemed to slip away as he navigated the familiar paths back to base, knowing that each passing moment only added to the severity of his punishment. The cooling air and lengthening shadows marked the transition from day to evening, reminding him that he could no longer delay facing the consequences of his choice.

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the military compound, a disheveled figure approached the main gate. Bart, his civilian clothes dusty and his face etched with exhaustion, stood before the guards, his heart beating with a mix of dread and determination.

"Halt! Identify yourself," one of the guards commanded, eyeing Bart suspiciously.

"Cadet Bartholomew Copernicus," Bart replied, his voice hoarse. "I... I need to speak with Colonel Hawthorne immediately."

The guards exchanged glances, recognition dawning in their eyes. "You're to report to the Colonel's office at once," the senior guard said sternly. "You've caused quite a stir, Cadet."

As Bart was escorted through the compound, he could feel the weight of disapproving stares from his fellow soldiers. Whispers followed in his wake, and he caught snippets of conversation about his absence and the disgrace he had brought upon his unit.

Colonel Hawthorne was waiting in his office, his face a mask of controlled anger. As Bart entered, the Colonel's eyes bore onto him. "Cadet Copernicus," he said, his voice dangerously low, "you have exactly one minute to explain your unauthorized absence before I recommend your immediate discharge from this institution."

Bart swallowed hard, his mind racing. He couldn't reveal the true reason for his absence—the secret meeting, the mysterious artifacts, the potential threat to Regalia. But he also knew that any lie would be easily discovered.

"Sir," Bart began, his voice trembling slightly, "I... I can't fully explain my actions without compromising sensitive information. But I assure you, my absence was in service to Regalia, even if it doesn't appear that way."

Colonel Hawthorne's eyebrows shot up, his expression a mix of disbelief and curiosity. "Sensitive information? What exactly are you implying, Cadet?"

Bart stood straighter, meeting the Colonel's gaze. "Sir, I respectfully request to speak with my father, First Scientist Raymond Copernicus, before I say anything further. The matter is of the utmost importance and secrecy."

The Colonel leaned back in his chair, studying Bart intently. After a long moment, he spoke, his voice grave. "Very well, Cadet. But understand this—if your explanation is anything less than extraordinary, the consequences will be severe. Dismissed."

As Bart left the office, he felt a momentary relief, but it was quickly overshadowed by the knowledge that the real challenge lay ahead. He had to convince his father of the gravity of his discoveries without revealing too much, all while facing the disappointment and anger of his family and superiors. The weight of his secret felt heavier than ever as he made his way to face the reckoning that awaited him.

The evening shadows stretched across the compound as Bart's footsteps carried him toward his inevitable confrontation with his family. The military discipline that had been drilled into him since childhood warred with his newfound understanding of Regalia's hidden truths. Around him, the compound hummed with activity as the day shift prepared to hand over to the night watch, the familiar routines continuing despite the disruption he had caused.

Through windows and doorways, he caught glimpses of officers hurrying to and fro, their urgent movements suggesting that his absence had sparked more concern than he'd anticipated. The cool evening air carried whispers of his name as he passed, but he kept his eyes forward, steeling himself for what was to come. 

The officers' mess hall buzzed with hushed conversations as a group of senior officers gathered around a large oak table. Colonel Hawthorne sat at the head, his face grave as he addressed his colleagues.

"Gentlemen," he began, his voice low but firm, "we need to discuss the matter of Cadet Bartholomew Copernicus and determine an appropriate course of action."

Major Simmons, a stern-faced man with graying temples, leaned forward. "With all due respect, Colonel, this seems clear-cut. Unauthorized absence during a major event? That's grounds for immediate dismissal."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the room, but Captain Reeves, a younger officer known for his measured approach, raised a hand. "While I agree the offense is serious, we must consider the Copernicus family's standing. First Scientist Raymond is a pillar of our community, and his other sons are exemplary soldiers."

Colonel Hawthorne nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed, Captain. And there's something else to consider. Cadet Copernicus mentioned 'sensitive information' and requested to speak with his father before explaining further."

The room fell silent as the officers exchanged glances. Major Simmons frowned deeply. "Surely you don't believe that, Colonel? It sounds like a desperate attempt to avoid punishment."

"Perhaps," Hawthorne replied, "but we can't dismiss it outright. The Copernicus family has always been at the forefront of Regalia's scientific and military advancements. If there's even a chance that Bartholomew's absence is related to something of vital importance..." Captain Reeves nodded in agreement. "We should at least allow him to speak with his father before making a final decision. If it turns out to be a fabrication, we can always proceed with disciplinary action then."

After a moment of contemplation, Colonel Hawthorne made his decision. "Very well. We'll grant Cadet Copernicus the opportunity to explain himself to his father. In the meantime, he'll be confined to quarters and stripped of all privileges. If his explanation proves unsatisfactory, we'll reconvene to determine the appropriate punishment".

As the meeting adjourned, the officers filed out, their faces a mix of concern and curiosity. The unusual circumstances surrounding Bart's absence had turned what should have been a straightforward disciplinary matter into something far more complex. Each of them couldn't help but wonder: what could be so important that a cadet would risk everything to pursue it?

The afternoon shadows lengthened across the military compound as the officers dispersed, their whispered discussions echoing through the corridors. Reports continued to filter in from search parties across the city, each one adding new layers of mystery to Bart's disappearance. Colonel Hawthorne retreated to his office to draft his report, his practiced military efficiency warring with the nagging sense that this situation required a more delicate touch.

As the day's activities wound down, word reached the Copernicus residence that Bart had finally been located and would be escorted home after his preliminary debriefing. The news spread quickly through Regalia's upper echelons, setting in motion a series of events that would test the bonds of family loyalty against the rigid structures of military discipline.

The Copernicus family home was shrouded in an uncomfortable silence as Raymond, Bruce, and Robert sat in the study, waiting for Bart to arrive. The tension was palpable, each family member lost in their own disturbing thoughts about the day's events and the impending confrontation.

Raymond stood by the window, his normally composed demeanor showing signs of strain. Bruce paced the room, his military boots echoing on the hardwood floor, while Robert sat quietly, his fingers drumming an anxious rhythm on the arm of his chair.

The door opened, and Bart entered, escorted by a stern-faced officer.

The young cadet looked disheveled and exhausted, a stark contrast to his usually impeccable appearance. As the officer left, closing the door behind him, Bart found himself facing the scrutiny of his family.

Raymond spoke first, his voice controlled but laced with disappointment. "Bartholomew, explain yourself. Your absence today was not just a personal failing, but a disgrace to this family and everything we stand for."

Bart swallowed hard, his eyes darting between his father and brothers. "Father, I... I know how this looks, but I assure you, I have a good reason."

Bruce scoffed, his frustration evident. "A good reason? What could possibly justify abandoning your duty, embarrassing our family, and risking your entire future?"

"Bruce," Robert interjected, his tone more measured. "Let him speak." 

Bart took a deep breath, steeling himself. "What I'm about to tell you must remain in this room. It's of the utmost importance to Regalia's future."

Raymond's eyebrows raised slightly, a flicker of curiosity breaking through his stern facade. "Go on."

"I've... discovered something,"

Bart continued, choosing his words carefully. "Something that could change everything we know about Regalia and the barrier. I had to meet with someone who could help decipher it."

The room fell silent as the weight of Bart's words sank in. Raymond's scientific curiosity warred with his paternal disappointment, while Bruce and Robert exchanged skeptical glances.

"What exactly have you discovered?" Raymond asked, his voice low and intense.

Bart hesitated, then reached into his jacket pocket. His hand trembled as he withdrew a small object that glowed with an impossible light - a light that, according to everything they knew about Regalia's laws of physics, should not exist. Raymond's face drained of color as he recognized what his son held, and at that moment, he realized that everything he had dedicated his life to might have been built on a lie.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter One ~ Della

Written by Jo Dora Webster

Would Kathryn be prepared for the news that an angel would bring to her about her friend Monty?

Chapter One ~ Della

I was still living at my parent’s home on Labor Day Weekend in 1995 especially to go by the Star Trek fan club table at Dragon*Con. And when I say go by the table that’s what I really did. I walked by without stopping. When I came in June 1993 to the con, I was thinking about my Father who had introduced me to Star Trek in 1966. I was about to stop at the table when I also remembered him yelling at me that it was a ‘tool of the devil’. A beautiful girl with auburn hair smiled at me and I still kept on going.

In 1994 they held the convention in July. I came by the table which I had found out was for “Starfleet: The International Fan Association”. This time I saw the amazing auburn haired woman with the green eyes. I could lose myself in her eyes and I found myself halted 50 feet from the table clogging a bottleneck in the main traffic aisle. Con Security came up to me with people from behind me squeezing by on one side or the other. He obviously read my con badge before he spoke to me.

“Monty, is it?”

“Yes sir”

“This Con is an amazing place with sights beyond belief but the one place where you can’t stand and admire them is there. MOVE ALONG!”

I started moving and never stopped and never came back to the table that year. But that was then and this is now, the year that Dragon*Con hosted NASFIC and the Starfleet International Conference. On the table as I went by I could see my prize. The holy grail was a brochure with information and a membership application for the USS Republic of Atlanta, GA. But I also remembered what had happened with the security guard from last year. I could not just stand and admire it from a far without the same traffic mishap. So I orbited round and round the circumference of the room, never stopping. Each time I could see that same amazing woman with the auburn hair and I wondered what she was thinking?

”Bernie, what is he thinking?”

”Captain Kathryn, obviously he’s not thinking with either of his brains. He seems totally infatuated platonically with you. He’s the guy that stopped up traffic last year and I think that I saw him the year before. He wasn’t even a snatch and go like some are. He never stopped.”

”Well maybe my new minimizer bra is working?”

”Not on your life Kathryn. You have seen all the other guys come by and we both could tell they were very happy to see you. This calls for drastic measures. Here! Take the custom blouse you have to wear to the IC if we sign up 10 folks for our ship along with the McLeod tartan unsewn material and the clan pins that you use to turn into a dress. Change into the top in the bathroom and make the dress out of the tartan and put it on over it.”

”Not liking where you are going with this, Bernie, but I’ll do it.”

Well when I came back around for so many orbits I had lost count, The auburn haired woman was standing in front of the table instead of behind wearing the McLeod tartan as a dress. On one side of the table was a large mostly royal blue silk USS Republic banner 4’ by 4’ with the Starfleet logo banner which was about the same quality but a bit smaller and on the other side was an even smaller yellow denim banner with a small Starfleet emblem with the McLeod bull superimposed.”

”Now Captain Kathryn!” said the blonde woman with the straight chin length pageboy hair. The auburn haired woman that had been called Captain Kathryn quickly came out of the dress leaving the tartan piled up on the table in front of the blonde. By the time I could get close enough to speak I could see her teeth chattering since the A/C had the place as cold as a freezer. I was curious on how she had made some unsewn cloth into and out of a dress so quickly. I stopped in front of her, never taking my vision from her amazing eyes and placed the Tartan over one of her shoulders as it hung front and back but was not obviously a dress.

”Captain Kathryn, just like USS Voyager? I’m amazed at how you could fold and pin that bolt of cloth into a dress. That’s the McLeod tartan isn’t it? Is that your clan?”

”Didn’t the blouse that I was wearing give you a clue? It’s a famous saying from a Sci Fi Movie franchise that my cohorts named the ship after. I am a scot and my clan is the Murray clan.”

A passing woman asked Kathryn, “May I?” which she nodded yes. The woman took a peek under the tartan and smiled. “

”Look here, Trekkie!”

She then removed the tartan from Kathryn’s top and then forced my head down so that I was staring at her bust. Kathryn and I responded in unison, “It’s Trekker!” Then I really looked.

”Oh My!” The top was barely covering her bosom and two words surrounded each nipple with one word between her bosom.

”There can be only one? Oh! Highlander! I’m sorry but I missed that. They are great movies and I can see why you would want to name your ship after them. Could I still see you turn that tartan into a dress, miss?”

”Thank you, Ma’am, for the assist. Bernadette, I win. You get to wear the blouse now. Hi there, I go by Kathy ordinarily. Bernie gets enthusiastic that my first name is spelled like Kathryn Janeway’s on Voyager and that I’m the USS MacLeod’s captain. What’s your name?”

”I’m Monty. Glad to meet you Kathy. I’m kinda glad that you got me to stop. It feels good to be just standing still for a change. I am really in to Scottish culture and it fits in to my trek avocation too with Scotty on the original USS Enterprise. I imagine that you all go for Scottish culture in addition to the Highlander interest from you having that Tartan.”

”Okay Monty, I’ll show you how I can fold and pin the tartan into a dress, if you will promise to take one of out brochures and be our guest at the Starfleet IC at the Holiday Inn down the street. I believe that you would make a great crewmember in Starfleet.

Sarah showed me exactly what folds she made and where she placed the pins to make the dress. Soon she was again the amazingly beautiful lassie that had finally stopped me in my tracks. I saw the time and knew that a must see panel was soon to start. I didn’t forget to pick up a brochure from the table. However when I looked at it closely, I found that it was the one for the USS Republic. When I discovered my mistake, I went back to the table but instead of the two girls were a couple of heavy set men and no McLeod brochures in sight so I kept walking.

I finally did join Starfleet: The International Fan Association and became a member of the USS Republic chapter. They explained to me at the Starfleet IC that the USS Republic met not too far from me in a north west superb of Atlanta whereas the USS MacLeod met in the extreme south east sector beyond the suburbs. I had to join the club that I could get to on MARTA if needed since my parents might get involved. I was so enthusiastic that I took the Officer Training School test and passed it to become an Ensign right away.

Something seemed to click in me, at my first USS Republic meeting when Kathy was introduced again to me as the Captain of the USS MacLeod. Instead of running off afterward, I wanted to talk to Sarah after the meeting,”

”Hi Kathy, I’m [email protected] What’s your email address?”

”Monty, I don’t have one. I don’t have a working modem to get online and I can’t afford to join Compuserve just to get email.”

”Kathy, I have an extra modem that I know how to put on your PC and I have the diskette for Juno which we can install on your computer and you can get email for free.”

”I’m a bit busy Monty with work and other things but if you wanted to come to my house early before the next USS MacLeod meeting with the modem and disk, you could do it. I really appreciate your offer.”

Kathy handed me a sheet with all the information on the USS MacLeod membership and meetings, including a map. I saw that it was a lot closer than I had been told. I found out later that the person who told me that was from Alabama. I saw that the time was something that I could make as well.

”I can do it Kathy, I’ll see you before the USS Macleod meeting.

”You don’t know what this means to me, Monty. Thank you for your kindness.”

She gave me a kiss on the cheek and sent me away happy. You bet I went to her meeting. With the modem and software that I provided, Kathy had an email address. And because I helped her set up the software, I had her email address too.

That mismatched parts computer of hers was always having software or hardware problems. Helping Kathy with her computer became the excuse for my frequent visits to her home. I benefited from being able to keep in touch with Kathy by Email as well.

Beyond the simple things I started out doing, I was really a novice and had to do a lot through trial and error. Unfortunately, Kathy's computer suffered some of the effects of my errors. However when things were said and done, I always finally succeeded to restore her aging, patched together computer to function normally, at least for a while, until another component failed.

After we had begun the process of meeting for me to work on her computer, I had also become a member of her chapter of Starfleet, in addition to the one I originally belonged. When our friendship bond had grown close she had a dream, which she told me about later.

It was afterward, at her home, as she tried to process her perceptions of me, that she drifted away in the twilight between sleep and wakefulness. Kathy told me that she was literally beside herself as her astral body looked down on her near sleeping form. She was not alone, but had been joined by a beautiful woman, who Kathy perceived as an angel. The angel was rather tall with brown hair and mischievously twinkling green eyes. Since she had been gifted with visions in the past, Sarah knew that the thing to do was to listen attentively for the angel to begin speaking.

“Greetings Kathy! My name is Della and I'm here to help you interpret your perceptions of your friend"

“Thank you for coming, Della. What can you reveal about my friend, Monty? Something tells me that he is not what he appears to be. That discrepancy makes me a little uneasy about him on one level but his actions are always kind."

“Kathy, Let me help you see your friend's spirit and reveal the truth."

Della and Kathy's astral body were translated to peer into my bedroom as I lay sleeping. They were both witnesses as my astral spirit rose from my body. Sarah gasped as she realized that my astral spirit had taken the form of a young woman.

“This is Monty’s true self. One name that she uses in her mind for her true self is Monti, spelled M-O-N-T-I She was born with a rare condition, which will one day be known to your world as Harry Benjamin Syndrome. Her brain is no different from any woman's brain. God, who is perfect in creating new life, placed this female spirit within her body to inhabit her female brain."

“But otherwise Monty is no different from any other man?"

“Monty's female spirit makes her a woman. The Spirit and the Soul of a person live on eternally, but the body is temporary. A person's gender is an essential part of their spirit, and is fixed for all eternity"

“Does Monty know he's really a woman?"

“She always knew that she was different but it wasn't until entering male puberty and she did not start developing as the other girls that she realized what the difference was really"

“Monty is an honest soul. Why hasn't he told me about this himself?"

“Kathy, each person responds according to their gifts. The weight on her soul, of pretending to be someone she is not, will convict her and cause a crisis. She will either choose to be true and reveal this to you or else suffer the consequence that results from denying who she is in reality."

My spirit returned to my body. Everything appeared to be normal but now Kathy knew better. Della led Kathy back to where her body still lay in its twilight state.

“Why will Monty wait till a crisis forces him to choose?"

“She revealed her true female self to her parents as a child and later while she was still living with them as a young adult. They called her a liar and claimed that her true self was impossible. They demonized her thoughts so that she feared their reprisal if she revealed her true self again. More than, that she believed the fallacy that they advocated that God would condemn her to punishment unless her actions emulated a male."

Della paused a moment for Kathy to process her words a little more before continuing.

“Monty told the last woman she had a platonic relationship with before you, about her condition. She told Cindy, what she believed was the truth, that her female self had been buried so deeply that it would never resurface. At that time, Cindy had been her closest friend, and her complete rejection of Monty, left him completely devastated. It is because of Cindy's rejection that Monty will wait till the crisis occurs when she must confront the truth."

“Monty really wants to be my boyfriend. In most ways he already is, except that we don't date. What do I do if Monty asks me if we can start dating?"

“Ask Monty to wait a year. Before that year is up, she’ll confide in you about her true self. Even though at times it will be tempting to tell her what you know, it will be better for her for you to wait until she is ready to admit it herself."

“This is a bit much to take. I've already referred to Monty at work as my boyfriend, unknown to him, oh I guess I mean her? How should I refer to Monty?"

“You should simply refer to Monty by the gender she is presenting at the time. I'm glad I could answer some of your questions. The rest is for the two of you to discover together. It's time you returned to your life, Kathy. Thank you for caring about Monty"

Kathy's spirit merged with her physical self. Her last perception was of Della smiling warmly and that Della would keep her safe.

From Kathy's descriptions of Della, I recognized her as my departed maternal Grandmother. I still to this day wonder why Grandmother was sent to reveal to Kathy my true self even before I realized that I could no longer hide.

In the past Kathy had been open to messages from the spiritual realm, so when a message was given, she was prepared to both receive it and believe it. It was Kathy's friendship, which blossomed later into love, for me which would take both of us through the challenges to come.

I won't say yet, when Kathy confided in me about her vision and the other things that occurred out of my presence. It makes the most sense to me, telling the story now, to tell this in the order that it occurred instead of the order I found out about it.

It was really fortunate that after Della's visitation, Kathy fell into a deep sleep. I have no doubt that her unconscious mind was trying to make sense of her vision. She would need to be well rested, to face the aftermath of Della's visit, when she woke in the morning.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Two ~ Bernadette

Written by Jo Dora Webster

Would Bernadette be prepared for the news that Kathy had an angel visit about her friend Monty?

Chapter Two ~ Bernadette

It was ironic that on the same morning following the angel visiting Kathy in her dream that I was engaged in making my ‘Never’ list. For me it was all the reasons not to transition fully since every time I had made a move in that direction, I had been slammed down. It started with the statement:

It would not be wise for me to transition fully because I would:

• Never get my Daddy to be proud of me as his daughter.
• Never be able to walk in high heels without wobbling
• Never get my Momma to believe I’m not mentally ill
• Never get my hair to grow out long enough for a girl’s cut and always wearing a wig.
• Never get my youngest brother quit promising his favor and withdrawing it even when I met his conditions
• Never be able to find a cosmetic to cover my dark beard shadow
• Never get my other brother to understand that agree to disagree doesn’t work when its about identity
• Never find a pretty long sleeve dress with sleeves long enough to fit me.
• Never have one of my cousins reach out to me in love me even being trans.
• Never be able to apply my makeup in less than 2 hours for me to be presentable.
• Never have an aunt to see me presenting as a female and want to have her picture taken with me.
• Never have pretty thin girly arms instead of ugly hairy muscular arms
• Never have started a family of choice with new sisters on the same journey as I with only death being able to part us.
• Never have my blah male perpetually slicked down hair making it appear a mousy brown dyed a bright red
• Never be able to avoid being disavowed completely by my immediate birth family
• Never be able to train my deep bass voice to sound like a real girl’s voice
• Never have the courage to be my true self in front of my friends
• Never be able to sing like a woman for my self to hear.
• Never be able to go to any type of church as my true self.
• Never be able to sing as a woman in a group.
• Never have my ugly hairy masculine feet be pretty smooth, rounded and feminine
• Never get to sing in a choir in the alto section and accepted.
• Never get the muscular bulge from my shoulders and have nice rounded ones which actually might need shoulder padding to look good in a skirt suit or dress.
• Never get to sing a solo performance in church as a woman.
• Never get nice rounded b cup breasts to grow on a feminine chest.
• Never get asked out by a man on a date
• Never get a nice rounded tushy and rounded hips
• Never get a heart shaped box of candy on valentines
• Never get all my beard removed and get rid of the beard shadow
• Never get to be the princess in make believe and have frogs turned into princes with my kiss.
• Never get to be confident passing with no makeup at all with my face being like any other woman’s
• Never get to fly on a airliner to a family gathering hundreds of miles from home
• Never learn to relax and walk naturally as a woman with women and fit in,
• Never get past being told that The One hated me to look at the bible for myself
• Never once growing my hair down to shoulder length in a girl’s cut be willing to get it cut into a short girl’s cut for charity and to help a friend,
• Never know from the depth of my soul that The One loves me just as I am as the child of The One.
• Never be able to have friends to accept me if I always appeared as a woman with them.
• Never get a man to love me and take me as his steady girlfriend.
• Never have friends who could not tell by looking at me for my past and needing to reveal to them who I had lived as before.
• Never have the courage to start counseling and hormones.
• Never have the courage to change my name legally and successfully transition on the job.
• Never complete my one year RLT and be eligible for SRS
• Never have the money or insurance to complete my SRS

Wow! As I looked back over it that was quite a list. I totally realized that I had a lot listed to hold me back from trying to be my true self. But a flash of insight let me know that it was possible for me to transition if this became my “I’ll transition even if I never …” list!

Kathy told me about how she woke the next morning with a start glancing at the clock on her nightstand to reveal that it was only 6 AM. She picked up the remote to turn on her TV and change it to the weather channel. It was Saturday morning. She marveled that such a supernatural experience could have happened in the space of a single night and there still be time for her to have received one of the best nights sleeping of her life.

Kathy dressed for the day in her traditional sweats for the cooler months for staying around the house. She brushed her fiery auburn hair full of natural curls into submission. While she knew how to be stylish when it called for it, away from work she dressed for comfort.

She was a ground breaking business woman who ascended to the pinnacle of her industry well before the old boys network had been broken. The glass ceiling was so thick that it seemed impossible to break. While it had taken her being 10 times as good as any man better, even that didn't seem to be a full use of her abilities. She balanced business and a full set of social engagements.

The only chink in her presentation came because she had to use very expensive alternatives to cosmetics due to numerous allergies. She came to prefer the fresh face look if at all possible. She was used to being a role model for numerous women. The prospect of being a role model and mentor to the one person who she thought would break her jinx of being left at the alter was a bit much to take.

Kathy told me how she wondered if she would ever get used to knowing things that most others don't know. She reflected that she's been trusted to being the holder of prophesies and also to act at the proper time concerning people close to her. She sometimes had to be careful of using her knowledge for fear of interfering in the normal course of things and worse yet causing a paradox. Fortunately her interest in Science Fiction had done much to prepare her for her tasks.

It amazed her that she had not freaked out as she should have done having been witness to such a supernatural revelation. She reasoned that the Angels had a calming influence on the person receiving the message or else the message would be lost in the enormity of it. Another lasting influence appeared to give the listener the serenity to digest the message in little pieces as they were ready, instead of being overwhelmed by everything at once.

Kathy told me how she summed things up, "A promise is a promise! And I promised Bernie that anytime I received an angelic visitation that she'd get a full report. I'm lucky that she's my best friend and knows how to keep a secret."

Bernadette lived on the other side of Atlanta and was a member of the USS MacLeod. In fact it had been Bernie who had convinced her to become the ship's captain when Kathy's cousin Gail had stepped down due to health reasons. It had become their tradition to spend early Saturday Morning on the phone.

Bernadette has an angelic quality to how she was perceived in her ordinary life. She taught school to special needs children. Those children were so lucky to have her because she poured all that she was into teaching them. Bernie was also a devout Catholic who had never had any angelic visitations that she knew of but was always eager to hear about Kathy's experiences.

Kathy told me how she prepared coffee and a Danish and got comfy in the living room throwing her coverlet over herself. She picked up the cordless phone and headset and dialed Bernie's number automatically. Kathy picked up her beading tray and jewelry pliers to continue making the bead and wire necklace that she had started.

"Hi Kathy, How are you this morning? Did you sleep well?" Bernie looked over to her 'child' to make sure that she wasn't getting into too much trouble.

"Hi Bernie, I had just about the best sleep in my life. I guess its compensation for my life being turned upside down." Kathy hoped that Bernie was ready for what was to come.

"Kathy, What's wrong sweetie? Do you need me to come over? Did an angel visit you last night?" Bernie knew that the answer to her last question was a resounding, Yes!

"Bernie, I feel more alright than I should but now I just need to talk. Maybe you could come over later? Kathy was more composed now and did not want to overly upset her friend.

"Sure Kathy, we can talk now. You didn't have a chance to answer my last question... was I right?" Bernie smiled. She enjoyed directness and getting right to the matter at hand.

"Yes Bernie, an Angel came to see me. You have to swear to keep this secret." Sarah had confidence that Bernie would keep it secret even though this is going to be the most difficult secret she had entrusted to her.

"Always Kathy, but you know that so it must involve someone close to us. I swear to keep it secret." Bernie was filled with anticipation hoping that Kathy would tell her already. Bernie observed that she may have to drag it out of her. She hoped that maybe a little humor would help.

"There is a lot that I haven't processed yet, but I can give you the jest of it. It was about Monty." Kathy felt triumphant that she'd said Monty's name. Sarah questioned if she was going to have the courage to share the rest.

"You told me that you were in love with Monty, That he was always a perfect gentleman and the first guy who never ever even glanced at your boobs. As big as they are, girl, that is a miracle!"

They giggled together as Kathy replied, "Don't I know it!" Sarah appreciated Bernie lightening the mood with some humor. She realized that was just what she needed.

"You found out that he is trainable since your were able to use your feminine wiles to make it more fun for him to do what you wanted only he would have done it without your extra influence."

"I have to keep in practice to uphold the traditions of us southern belles. I'm glad that its not necessary in Monty's case." Kathy was putting the necklace together by connecting the wire links that ran through each bead. It helped her to keep her hands busy.

"In some ways you said that he was too good to be true. When he showed his soul, you said that it was beautiful in every way but that he appeared to be hiding something and that seemed to make seeing his soul difficult. So did the angel tell you what Monty is hiding?" Bernie was frustrated and wanted Kathy to give up the rest. She hoped that she would not be kept in suspense much longer.

"Let's just say that Andy won't break my jinx from having three men leave me at the alter." Kathy saw from the look in Bernie's eyes that she was still clueless from her attempt to break the news to her easy. Kathy resolved that she was going to have to just come right out and say it.

"So give, Lady, Why wont marriage work for you two? What's he hiding?" Bernie hoped that she would go ahead and answer already! She wondered how many times would she have to ask. Bernie was clearly frustrated with the word games at this point in their conversation,

"Monty is really a woman, a transsexual." Sarah's face showed the relief that she felt from finally saying it.

"Are you sure? He doesn't seem to act that feminine around us." Bernie considered that on the other hand that would clarify exactly what was going on with Monty.

"That's the macho façade that we perceive that isn't true. The one that he has erected to shelter himself from the verbal abuse his parents gave him when he finally confided in his parents as a child." She used the pliers to turn the wire hook that she had inserted in the other bead wire's eye into an eye of its own and completed another link of the necklace.

”Poor dear, doesn't he know that we are truly his friends and that he can drop it around us?” Bernie knew that she really wanted to help. She admitted to herself that this is going to be a tough secret to keep but that she would keep it.

“He's been faking it for so long that he believes that its simply a footnote in his past that is no longer relevant to his life so he wouldn't be comfortable dropping his façade even among friends.”

Kathy put down the necklace and got up and began to pace. Monty mentally exclaimed, 'Thank goodness for cord free phones!’

“I guess the perfect man is a myth. Here we thought that we had found one and he turns out to be one of the girls.”

Bernie wondered what this was going to do to Sarah. Bernie was quite flustered on how to deal with it, herself.

“I don't think that even if I found a perfect man that he would keep that halo for long hanging around me.”

Kathy giggled and was glad that Bernie always knew what to say to make her feel better.

“Well you know that I'm cool with Monty what ever he wants to do.”

Bernie took solace that Monty knows that she has a couple of transsexuals in her family so the news about Monty isn't totally shocking for her.

“How are those twin cousins of yours who both turned out to be transmen?”

Kathy straightened the wooden plaque hanging on the wall with a wood burning of the USS Voyager that she had been taking to Sci-Fi conventions to have signed.

“Their transition is going well since I and a number of family members have completely accepted them.” Bernie suddenly realized with alarm that Monty's parents did not sound like the type to be supportive.

"It looks like Monty is going to need all the friends that he can get. From the sounds of his parents, they don't seem like the type to be all that supportive.” Kathy had confidence that she could count on Bernie's help when the time comes for both her and Monty.

“So what do we do about this?” Bernadette turned to her large pet cat who demanded her attention and always got what she wanted from Bernie.

“We do nothing until Monty makes this public himself. The one thing that I processed is that it is essential for Monty to come forward himself when he is ready.” She walked into the kitchen and selected a mug from the wall on the left that were covered with them from top to bottom so she could make a cup of tea.

“So we just bide our time and wait. We just keep treating Monty as the man he appears to be.” Upon receiving the proper offering, Bernie's cat was satisfied and turned away on her next mission of great importance.

“Yes.” replied Kathy with a sigh considering that this was not going to be an easy prophecy but it would be a labor of love.

“Isn't that going to be difficult for you since Monty has made no secret that he admires you and would like to be closer to you?”

Bernie could hear the exclamation from the Lost in Space robot in her mind, “Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!”

“Maybe Monty is subconsciously looking for a role model for when he begins his new life. In any case, I'll have to use restraint so that we are just platonic.” Kathy observed that Monty may not read her restraint as an act of love and feel frustration instead.

“That should be easy since he's such a gentleman. That certainly will put a crimp in your social life to have Monty around all the time." Bernie reflected that all the nice guys will assume Kathy is taken when a hunk like Monty is around. Bernie wasn't really ready to think of Monty as just a girlfriend, yet.

“That's true and that is something that I'll have to deal with without hurting Monty's feelings if this goes on for a long time before Monty comes out. The cup with the tea bag brewing inside it was ready to come out of the microwave with a ding.

“Are you sure that Monty will come out?” Bernie remembered that the twins had a crisis before they came out when they were considering suicide and that made the family realize how serious this was to them.

“The angel told me that Monty will be challenged by a crisis. Then he will either face the truth or be subjected to some dire consequence.”

Kathy resolved that she felt it was part of her mission to make sure Monti survived her crisis. She remembered that at that point it would be Monti from then on.

“Hopefully, we'll be able to show Monty that we'll support his decision and be the friends he'll need.” Bernie hoped that she would be able to get Kathy through the experience as well.

“I'll be watching him closely and we'll be able to help him when the time comes.” Kathy removed the teabag from the mug and began to sip the tea.

”Monty came to the right place since we are the 'Wackiest Ship in the Fleet'! Nothing fazes us much.” Bernie glanced at the clock. She had that school function to attend and she had to get ready for it.

”Guess I'll let you get on with your day. I feel so much better that I think I'm back to normal... almost. Thanks so much for letting me share with you! Bye Bernie!” Kathy was really thankful to have Bernie as her friend.

"Let me know if you need me to come over later. Bye Kathy!" Bernie thought, "And so it begins. Hope I will be ready. Now I have to get ready! Bernie left her chair and went into the bedroom with her cat trailing behind her.

As she hung up the phone, Kathy thought, "I guess all that there is left to do is to bide my time until the other shoe falls. I hope that I will be ready."

Kathy turned on her computer. She had found that it was always a good idea to check it after Monty had been tinkering with it to make sure that every thing was still alright. It came on and Kathy put it thru it's paces. Every thing seemed to be working perfectly! She was glad because even though the conversation with Bernie had helped, there were still things that she had to process from her chat with Della. She hoped that she will have sorted most of this out before the next time Monty spent an extended amount of time alone with her. She smiled and patted her computer monitor lovingly. "And my baby makes three!" she told her computer.

Ring! Ring! Kathy picked up the call fortunately not having removed the headset yet. ”Hello! This is Kathy.” Kathy wondered who could this be? She also wondered if Monty's ears could be burning?

“Hi, It’s Monty. How are you and your computer doing today?” I hoped that my work would hold since Sarah's computer seemed to break down when she needed it the most.

“Hi Monty! We both are doing fine. I turned him on and put him thru his paces and he performed beyond my expectations. You did a wonderful job, Monty. Thanks so much for the help!” Somehow she felt a sense of peace engulf her being. God was going to give her what she needed for this.

“I'm glad everything is OK with your baby. I had the day cleared just in case I had missed something and you still had problems.” I sighed with relief that I had gotten it right.

“No problems here! I know you love spending Saturdays playing with your niece. I won't need to take you away from her, even though you know I love to have you around. Since I won't have to baby-sit, I've got some errands that I need to run.” Kathy reflected that she had a feeling that her computer would be fine for a while so she could adjust to what she needed to be to Monty. Kathy resolved to not tempt fate and ask him to upgrade anything for a while.

“Jessica, my niece, is going through a phase where her anxieties and emotions seem huge to her. I have no clue about what she's going through. I'm supportive and help her to see that even though her emotions are real that the conclusions she's drawing about them may not be.” I wondered if it had anything to do with Jessica entering puberty.

“That's exactly what she needs right now. She's lucky to have you for an uncle!” Kathy observed with amusement that there would come a time when Monti won't be clueless when she has the experience, herself.

“Well I'd better let you get to your day and me to mine. Bye, Kathy.” I went to find what my niece was doing.

“Bye, Andy.” She hung up the phone and removed the headset. Sarah thought, "I guess I had best get out on my errands before the phone rings again! She changed into a blouse and slacks and brushed out her hair. She picked up her purse and car keys. Kathy was relieved to know that she would have help dealing with the prophecy now.

I found that Jessica was eager to come visit in my room. We loved to role-play together with each of us taking on characters from our imagination. Sometimes it fit better with the situation that they were role playing if I took on a extra female character.

Jessica never seemed to mind and in fact she thought that her uncle was 'cool' that he spent so much time with her. It amused Jessica even more that I would use a feminine voice when playing a feminine character to keep her different from my other character.

Jessica was the only one in the family that I would let my guard down around. The woman within myself had been repressed so much and thoughts of revealing her were consumed with guilt. I truly believed that Monti could be kept locked away in a quiet corner of my brain never to see the light of day. Monti crept out thru the cracks but only in other ways since she would not be allowed to wear a dress even now.

I started to recall the one person in this life who brought real joy to my heart, Kathy. I saw her dark auburn hair that framed her face and tumbled in curls down to her shoulders. I saw the hint of mischievousness in her green eyes that I could lose myself within. I saw her cute turned up nose as an ornament above her mouth with the red full lips that was always smiling and giggling. Her rosy cheeks never needed makeup as did none of her face since her great beauty was such that using makeup would only diminish her natural look.

Kathy was the girl of my dreams. If I, as Monti, grew up to be like her, then it would be my dream come true. I was back again from the brink but it was a war that I was not winning. I feared what might happen in the future.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Three ~ Izzy

Written by Jo Dora Webster

What will happen when Monty meets Izzy at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics Experiance?

Chapter Three ~ Izzy

Monty logged into the transsexual chat within the human sexuality area on AOL to leave his geeky side behind and be pretty instead. Mony would ordinarily log in using the female pseudonym 'Gail Landers' She still thought of her inner female self as 'Monti' but she felt freer online using something that was not close to her present legal name, Montine.

These were the days before web cams or voice chats. Profiles weren't even around much. One could hide online within any identity that they wished. That is until things grew beyond the online experience to phone calls or face to face visits.

*Welcome to HSX Chat on AOL*

*Gail* Hi all!

*Nina* Hi Gail! Good to see you online, girl!

*Gail* [[[hugs}}} I feel so free when I am online being who I truly am really without having to worry about how I look. I love that I can feel free to speak and think about myself using female terms and references. ::Giggle::

*Nina* You know it girl! At least, as you transition there, you'll be close to professionals who provide all the services that you will need who are knowledgeable and understanding.

*Gail* I feel for you Nina being in deep south Georgia surrounded by the reddest of red-necks.

*Nina* Did you hear that a therapist and ordained Presbyterian Minister who transitioned was able to keep her ordination by decision of the powers that be there?

*Gail* That's wonderful. I've heard of a Methodist minister who helps trans-girls with therapy, but it would be perfect to do the 'standards of care' with some one who went through it herself successfully and also could help me understand what the bible really says instead of what those who condemn us with it.

*Nina* You go girl! Anyway, I want to find out more and see if she is actually doing therapy for trans-girls like us. I'll let you know what i find out.

*Gail* I feel so good. My being on the computer unobserved, is one of two ways that I allow myself to lower my walls and let the person, I really am, shine.

*Nina* What is the other way? Dressing up?

*Gail* Actually the opposite but I guess I need to tell you some personal stuff to explain. Can I trust you not to breath a word of this to a living soul?

*Nina* Always girl. You know that! Come on girl! Dish!

*Gail* Well it started when I was 20 and I was dumpster diving out behind a drug store and found bags and bags of estrogen samples which had just expired. I was a really late bloomer and my male puberty was interrupted by what I later realized was mega-doses of estrogen that I took daily for a year. I began a female puberty without the onset of menstruation of course.

*Nina* Girl, do you realize how lucky you are that you didn't kill yourself taking those hormones unsupervised like that.

*Gail* I know now. I must have had a guardian angel watching after me that kept me from going to such an extreme that would have actually killed me. Anyway a year is not enough to mature into an adult female's body but I was left with a teen girl's body. In order to go out in public as my male alter ego, I have to use foundation garments to minimize my bust and hips.

*Nina* Darn girl! What do you look like now? ::flips her hair::

*Gail* My skin isn't as soft as it was when I was taking hormones but most of the other effects stayed. I was destined to be six foot eight but my growth stopped at 5' 11". My A cup breasts stayed mostly the same and I have to bind them in order to have a flat chest. My voice changed but I can still speak in a female octave. My shoulders never broadened out and look feminine. My hips widened and I have a womanly butt which I minimize with a girdle.

*Nina* You must pass perfectly when dressed, girl. ::Rolls her eyes::

*Gail* My hair is in a male cut so i would need a wig and I'd lose the place where I am living if I was found. With a boy and two little girls getting into everything, I couldn't risk getting caught and losing my place to live.

*Nina* So for you sleeping raw and tucking allows you to relax as your true self. Amazing, Girl. Hey, my daughter just pulled through the gate so I should log off. Take care, girl!

*Gail* You too, Nina! Be safe!

*Nina* Bye :) {{{hugs}}}

Monty had a mischievous thought that the androgynous `1996 Olympic mascot, Izzy, might be just the nickname for a trans-girl from Atlanta. Monty logged out then logged back in as Izzy.

*Izzy* Hi Linda! You are beautiful!

Monti smiled as she considered that Linda means beautiful in Spanish.

*Linda* Hi girl! Why are you logged in as Izzy?

*Izzy* I am the mascot of the Atlanta Olympics. As a t-girl in Atlanta, I thought I would try it on for size.

Monti wondered if there were any other people logged on here close enough to Atlanta to be caught up in the Olympic enthusiasm besides Nina. She hoped that she would attract their attention using that name with which to chat.

*Izzy* What-is-it, my full name, is very androgynous so I thought it was a cute nickname for a southern belle such as I am.

*Linda* But Izzy! Everyone has been making fun of you! They are calling you a big blue sperm!

*Izzy* They are only jealous of someone as talented as I am! :: giggle:: Izzy can be animated to do and be any number of things depending on the Olympic context

*Linda* I love you Izzy! I think you are cute!

*Izzy* Thank you Linda! I guess this is one case where I am taking pride in my home town to extremes.

*Linda* Izzy, you and Gail are always finding a way to get me to laugh and that gets me through the tough times.

*Izzy* I'm always glad to help a sister in need.

Monti glanced at the clock on her computer. She thought that her plan to attract more attention didn't work as well as she had hoped but she was glad that Linda was amused. She didn't want to be late for meeting her friends even if it had to be as Monty.

*Izzy* Look at the time... I'm meeting a bunch of my friends downtown at the Olympic Experience. What are you gonna do? Go out and have the guys drooling over you ?

*Linda* Then I'll let you go if I have to... and I will find some way to keep amused :: giggle::
Take care Gail See ya girl!

*Izzy* Bye Linda! Save some guys for the rest of us!

*Linda* ::giggle:: I'll try! bye bye

*Izzy* Off I boldly go! Time for my away mission! ::Poof::

For a while Monti had let down her barriers and was herself on the computer. But Monty was needed downtown, and she wondered how they would really feel if they knew what was inside of her. So he gathered his things after shutting down his computer.

He stopped by his sister in law, Sabrina, to tell her that he was going to be out for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Monty left the apartment and entered his car to drive to the Marta Station to meet up with his friends for the 'Away Mission'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kathy welcomed the distraction that having the 1996 Atlanta Olympics about to start brought to her soul. While she would not be attending in person many of the Olympic sports, she wanted to be a part of the history that was being made there instead of merely watching it on television. She was excited to really be at the Olympic Experience in Centennial Olympic Park with her friend Bernadette waiting for the rest of the Starship that she captained, the USS MacLeod

"Kathy, how many of our crew do you expect for this away mission?"

"Well there is you and I of course. From the phone calls I made reminding everyone to meet here for our 'away mission', also from the USS MacLeod will be our second in command Leon, my cousin, Gail, a new member, Thelma with her two grandchildren and Monty."

"It's funny now that I think of it that I automatically think of Monty as one of ours, too. Isn't Andy's primary membership on the USS Republic with an associate membership of the MacLeod."

"Well I don't have a prophecy to back this up but my intuition indicates that will be reversed sooner rather than later."

"I get that feeling too. Any way the USS Republic is supposed to be here too. Who does Kelly, the Republic Captain expect from their ship?

"From what he told me, they would have Kelly's second in command Jeff and Jeff's mother Martha, Mike who was Kelly's significant other and a woman who had just joined, Dawn. Of course they have way more members on paper"

"We have the people who really wanted to be active and do things."

I'm glad that together our two ships are one big family. We work together on important things like bringing the International Conference to Atlanta. We pulled it off wonderfully last year."

"I'm glad that we are not going to do anything that big for a while."

"I'm looking forward to meeting Dawn. Kelly described her as super intelligent and very much her own woman, just like me.

The MacLeod members arrived about a half hour before the entire group was due to be there. Sarah held an informal meeting to take care of the Starfleet requirements. She finished leaving enough time for restroom breaks before the Republic was due to arrive. The MacLeod had already bought their tickets and were in relaxed conversations with each other. After the Republic bought their tickets, everyone entered the 1996 Atlanta Olympics Experience.

Soon after everyone entered, they broke up into 2 groups but not by ships, it was by gender... mostly. In Kathy's group was Bernie, Gail, Thelma and her grand children, Dawn, Martha, and Andy. The other group that Kelly was leading, was all guys.

It was really well done, with the combination of Olympic history and hands on participation in things related to Olympic sports. There were eating places which served food associated with several Olympic nations.

It became time to stop and eat and Sarah and Bernie volunteered to go get food from the German booth for both them and Monty, Dawn and Gail. Martha, who wasn't feeling that adventurous asked Thelma to get something for her from the American booth where they were serving hamburgers and hotdogs.

The expression on Monty's face was clearly a little girl's pout when he wasn't invited to go along to get the food. Any other time Kathy would have been glad for Monty's help but she wanted to get Bernie alone so they could discuss some things that she couldn't have Monty hear. When Kathy and Bernie were out of earshot of the group they had left behind Kathy began to speak to Bernie.

"Bernie, Isn't Monty just like one of the girls? Of course his mannerism are masculine and he looks masculine but emotionally and intellectually Monty is a girl!"

"Kathy you are so right and it was staring us in the face all the time. Just now when we left Monty behind, His face was in a cute little girl pout. The only thing missing was the foot stamp."

"I don't know how we missed it except Monty has a mostly good façade that's tough to crack."

"When he's among friends and enjoying himself he lets down a little more."

"While this is making it easier for me to believe the prophecy, for me personally, its much tougher."

"You want him to be a man because that is what you need him to be!"

The two women arrived at the booth and suspend their conversation till they can be waited on and they are able to walk out of earshot.

"Exactly, this is one case when I'm not going to slip up and do something to speed the prophecy along."

"You've got the opposite problem. You've got to stop yourself from doing things that would delay it happening."

"That's going to be really tempting to do something that would drive Monty further into that façade that he's erected to be able to function as a man."

"But you won't do anything to delay it because you love him too much to do anything potentially harmful to him."

"I'll just have to live in the moment. and enjoy the time that I have Monty as a man with me, and be just as zealous in helping Monti find her way when she makes her choice."

"Girl you are a saint! I don't know anyone who loves someone as much as you love Monty."

"Hopefully I'll find a way to channel that love into a deep friendship with Monti when the time comes."

"I guess you'll have to get some help from above on that account or else God would have to find someone else to have those chats with angels"

"I hope that this is the toughest assignment that I ever get."

"I don't see how any other situation could top this one but I am certainly not volunteering to find out myself."

"Bernie, You'll just have to do what you always do. Be my friend and keep me sane... well as sane as I every was anyway"

Sarah and Bernie break down and giggle letting the tensions release.

"SHHH ! we are close to the girls! ...Opps!" and they both broke out in giggles again which they could not shake off.

In fact it was after they managed to get the business of the orders out of the way before they calmed themselves enough to compose themselves. By that time, however, the rest of the group were way too interested in their food to quiz them about why they had been laughing.

Finally Kathy stopped laughing and said." I am so hungry. I like German food. German food is my friend!"

Bernie stopped laughing long enough to ask, "Kathy, are you sure about that?"

Kathy replied , "Of course!" and those were the last words since Kathy and Bernie joined the other girls around the table who were enjoying their food.

Monty had the misfortune to be pulled away from the group as the dinner conversation began to get interesting.

Kelly had been asked to collect Andy because they wanted to take a picture of 'The Men of the USS Republic' Kathy had to cover a knowing grin from them. Monty left with Kelly after finding out which direction the girls would be heading. It looked like he hoped to catch up with them after the picture was taken. When they had left Kathy leaned over and whispered to Bernie.

"I suppose that it wouldn't be long before Monty wouldn't be considered a member of either the USS Republic or be considered a man"

"Can't take that bet girl, you've got inside information!" Together they giggled but did not explain what was so funny to the others.

Monty had won a brief reprieve from the picture since Izzy had spotted Monty and resolved to make him the object of her attentions. All Kelly could do was watch on in dismay because he could never have the heart to interfere with the lovable mascot.

"I really love you, Izzy! I'm so glad you represent Atlanta and the Olympics"

The voiceless Izzy was really touched by Monty's confession and hugged Monty and paid a bit more attention playing with Monty just as Izzy might with a cute girl. Izzy and Monty finished clowning around and he caught up to Kelly."

"What kept you so long, Kelly?"

"Well we found that Izzy is a female since she flirted with Monty and would not let him out of her sight."

"Let's take the picture already. Geeze, Monty, you lady killer. Come on!"

They took the picture and each of them received a copy of the 'Men of the USS Republic' picture. Monty was able to catch up with the girls after his picture and he looked so relieved to be back among them.

Finally it came time for the attraction to close. It would have been really convenient if they could all beam back to where they belonged. However in this reality they all had to go their separate ways and getting home the way that they came. Finally all that was left was Kathy and Bernadette.

"I can't wait for us all to get back together for Dragon*Con on Labor Day Weekend. Everyone will be helping out at the Starfleet fan club table."

"I can't wait either, Bernie and I thank God that I have had one more day with Monty and for the grace and serenity that I had received every day since I had received the prophecy."

"We are both so fortunate to be in service to God. Keep safe till I see you again Kathy."

"You too, Bernie!" The two friends parted and a wonderful day came to a conclusion.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Four ~ DEMOgod

Written by Jo Dora Webster

What power in the universe can Monty discover
to respond to DEMOgod during the Dark Confrontations LARP?

Monty was excited to see all of his friends again at Dragon*Con. Last year had been a break through year for him since he had actually acted on the brochure that he had picked up at the Starfleet table instead of just saving the info to consider later and had joined the club. They were all busy running the Starfleet International Conference so he hadn't met them but he had met enough Starfleet members that were so friendly that he had joined Starfleet. Now as a member in good standing of the USS Republic, he was one of the ones to take a turn at the fan club table handing out the brochures.

Monty's spirits lifted as he saw in the distance the Starfleet table with Kathy and Bernadette sitting at it. Kathy and Bernadette waved to Monty and smiled as they saw him.

"There's Miss Monti now!" whispered Bernadette to Kathy, "Are there any signs yet that Monti is ready to be one of the girls?"

"Not yet, Bernie" whispered Kathy to Bernadette, "The waiting is so frustrating but that is all that I can do for now. She's almost here now, Shhhhh!"

Monty noticed that the whispering between the two girls stopped as he approached.

"Hi Kathy, Hi Bernie What are you so secretive about? It got awfully quiet when I came in earshot." Monty greeted.

"Nothing you would be interest in, Monty. Just girl talk" replied Kathy

"When are you two gonna let me in on the fun?" Monty playfully asked.

"You know what Uhura said in "Star Trek: The Search for Spock"? questioned Bernie

She continued imitating Uhura's mysterious voice in the movie, "Be careful what you wish for" She paused dramatically "You may get it!"

All three of them broke up laughing. Monty joined them behind the counter and started greeting passers by. If anyone stopped, one of them would make sure they picked up a brochure.

As each person came to the counter Monty and Bernie tried to remember how many times they had been there before in previous conventions. For the frequent visitors, Kathy gave them her best spiel about the virtues of joining her ship the USS MacLeod. She hoped that when they finally joined they would give her ship a chance as well as the more well known USS Republic.

After a while Kelly and Mike came up to take over duty on the table. Bernie and Kathy were going up to their hotel room and they encouraged Monty to leave the table as well so he could enjoy the convention.

Monty was excited about everything that the convention had to offer. He'd only found Starfleet by doing new things at the convention last year so he looked at his program to see what might interest him that he'd never tried before. He spotted a listing for LARP and directions to the lowest level of the hotel where the sign up was located.

Monty waved goodbye and walked to the elevator to go down to the lowest level of the Hotel. Upon emerging, Andy found a large banner proclaiming this the Live Action Role Play (LARP)Center. Clustered in one part of the room were a number of tables like the fan tables upstairs. However these tables were selling characters for live action role play games.

He found one LARP called Dark Confrontation that was relatively inexpensive and it promised a scenario called "DEMOgod" where it appeared that computers would be prominent. Monty liked computers so he thought he would be good at that one. He had never done anything like that which was akin to improvisational acting.

Monty got in line with all of the others to pay his money and get a character. When he got up to the desk he was told that he could either play a mundane conventioneer if he didn't have much time to play or play a plot character. Monty opted for a plot character and found that he was a computer programmer. You were supposed to try to costume to fit the character that you were playing but Andy already looked like a computer geek so he could play as he was already dressed.

Monty went into a room called Malice's Restaurant where you could chat in character but was a 'free from fire zone' People practiced using game actions but they did not count so it was a safe place to be. He met someone called Don who was on the staff of Handmade Games, who were putting on the LARP, who was mingling with the players answering questions about the game mechanics. As luck would have it, Andy was the only newbie in the room so Don spoke to him.

"Don, it looks like Dark Confrontation has a number of rules but it is relatively simple. What are these cards that I was given?"

"Any items that were needed for play were represented by cards which had all the info on how to use them. Look at this card. It is for a computer terminal and by reading the information printed on the card, it tells just how it can be used in game play."

"So how do I do a game action?"

"Most game actions are decided by the rules in your rule book along with tossing the number of coins specified for the action to determine the outcome."

"Wow! now I know why I was warned to bring a pocket full of change. These actions add up so that I might have to toss 10 or more coins at a time to find the outcome."

"That part may seem like a lot to keep up with but it becomes easier as you get used to the flow of the game."

"So how do you switch from role playing into a game action?"

"You call out 'freeze confrontation'. Then everyone within 20 steps of you becomes involved in rounds of game play where you can do game actions which are basically things that you can't act out without dispute in the role play."

"How long does it last?"

"The confrontation would play out involving everyone within a certain range until everyone had exhausted the actions that they could or wished to do. Then normal role play would resume."

"Is there a way that I can go out of play when I am doing something else at the convention?"

"You are only in play when you display your identifying card so when you want to go out of character you just remove it. You only can go out of character when you are out of sight of anyone else in the game."

"Thank you for all your help, Don. I have to go to the Starfleet table so I guess I'll go out of character."

"Good luck, Monty. When you get back I'll have judging duty since the game will be a foot."

Monty left Malice's Restaurant and went immediately to the restroom where he went out of character. Then he joined back up with some of the other Starfleet members at the table to attend a session featuring Harlan Ellison.

After the session was over, Monty returned to playing Dark Confrontation. He was beginning to be comfortable so he started playing out side Malice's Restaurant trying to chat with some of the other players to try to find out what was up with the computer that seemed to be malfunctioning. He had some computer skills as native talents but he needed to determine what he needed to do when he tried to hack into the mainframe so he would either get some useful information or do something useful.

A big ominous looking guy, named Serge, engaged him in conversation. Unaware to Monty, Serge led him down a dead end corridors while they were talking. When Monty became isolated from the rest of the players in the area, He was spooked and he stopped following and started stepping backward towards the convention floor.

"Monty, Freeze Confrontation! I'm targeting you. No one else is present, so we begin with just the two of us. Get ready to declare."

Monty didn't know what to think. His character wasn't equipped to do much besides hack. He took out a coin and from behind his back, Monty put it in his palm tails up for defending and closed his hand around it. Serge revealed a closed hand as well. As the initiator of a two person confrontation, He revealed his coin heads up first indicating attack.

"For my Zero action I invoke my Kevlar vest. For my one action I attack you with the ability "Confusion" I am able to flip two coins for this attack.!"

Serge had one success of his two coin attack. Andy was shown the defense side of the card which revealed that he could defend with half his mental. Since Monty was a hacker, his mental was high at a 10 so half was a five. Of course Monty's was tails up, indicating defending, When he opened his hand.

"For my zero action, I say "Serge, don't hurt me! Please!", for my one action, I move four steps and defend against your 'Confusion' ability. According to the card, I get to toss five coins."

Monty tossed his five coins and had three successes. His four steps took him further away from Serge and toward the main area.

"Serge, my three successes successfully defends from your one success attack, which fails. The new range is now eleven steps. Round one ends."

"Monty, round two begins. For my zero action I use the ability "Short Flight". I must gain two successes flipping seven coins. There is no defense. Success allows me to travel 10 steps in any direction I choose immediately. I'm going to flip for my zero action and then continue with my one action following the zero resolution."

Serge flipped seven coins and got four successes. He took 10 steps towards me.

"My four successes mean "Short Flight" succeeded. The ten steps changed the range to one step. For my one attack I use my ability "Mesmer". I may flip six coins for attack and you may flip two coins for defense. The range now is the only one which must satisfy the range requirement for this ability which is met. I flip my coins and announce the results and after that my turn ends."

Serge flipped his six coins and gained three successes.

"For "Mesmer" three successes. My turn ends."

"For my zero action, I say 'Badge Holders, please help me!' for my one action I take four steps and flip two coins defending."

Monty took four steps away from Serge and tossed his two coins with one success.

"With your one success and my three successes, "Mesmer" succeeds and your turn ends. "Mesmer" succeeding means that I may give you four commands which must be obeyed within this confrontation and two commands which must be obeyed following the confrontation subject to the fine print on this card which you may read now."

Monty read the card and to his dismay, he agreed that Serge had accurately given the card's effect on him.

"For my first command, you are only to return five steps back to face me and remain there and round three ends afterward."

That was easy for Monty and he ended up inches from Serge staring him down, eye to eye.

"For my second command I order you to lie down and assume the posture and bearing of a dead body which can not resist any action for sufficient rounds that the only card you have left is your 'dead body' card."

Dismayed Monty laid down on the ground and assumed the in game looting position fanning out his cards and money in his clasped hands. Finally sufficient rounds had elapsed that he only had his dead body card.

"For my third command, In game, all knowledge of Serge and what has transpired between us is erased from your brain except that all my commands to you remain active except when countermanded by a succeeding command."

Monty saw that in game, he was toast since he would have no way of knowing what had happened to him.

"For my fourth command, I reverse starting now all present effects of command two. This conflict will conclude following my giving to you my two post confrontation commands. Post confrontation, you will not be able to detect my physical presence by any of your senses until I go out of your sight for at least ten minutes and afterward enter your presence again and you will not be able to attack me in any confrontations for the remainder of the game. This confrontation ends."

The other player ended up being a vampire which Monty no longer knew in game due to command three.

Monty complied with the command not to perceive by any means and sought the nearest place to go out of character which turned out to be the restroom on that floor. Andy went out of character taking off his badge in the restroom. That meant that the next time Andy encountered Serge, he would perceive him but not know him.

Monty felt powerless in the game. Not only, Serge had looted the terminal key with every thing else which was useless to him since only a hacker could use it, but that item was essential to him using his hacking skill. But also he could not attack Serge in any confrontation for the rest of the game.

Monty's character had been bunny mugged, which is to say that an experienced character laid in wait of a newbie for the intent of getting all their stuff. Andy went about upset for a while thinking that his part in the game was over. Monty had a couple of false starts, when his frustration overcame his sense of fair play.

He discovered that all was not lost. He could still be in character and discover information regarding the plot. It began to be revealed that there was a computer AI which was taking more and more control of the world. It did not matter yet that he couldn't use his hacking skills, because he didn't have a terminal key.

Later on he met up with a couple of players, who were mundanely Fred and Jim. The two had decided that bunny mugging was short sighted. Without the new players, then the game would dry up and there wouldn't be a game to play. Fred and Jim took Monty as apprentice in learning the game so that he would be better able to defend himself.

As time went on less and less of Monty's fellow hackers were around in game anymore. There was a new threat, It was voiced in whispers that the computer AI was controlling a number of cyber zombies, who were causing havoc.

Monty was really getting into the game. Monty decided to play into the night, So Monty called home and booked a hotel room. Eventually even the excitement that was sustaining Monty ran out so he retired to the hotel room he had rented.

It lucked out that Monty had joined himself with Fred and Jim as the game wound down toward the end game. Together they worked on the puzzle. They used their skills to acquire a new terminal key for Monty.

In addition, they discovered that Monty was under the effect of a "Mesmer". A mage was enlisted to countermand all of the commands that Serge had given him. While that did not give Monty back the things looted, it did make him unable to be effected by any future "Mesmer", gave him back all knowledge in game of the encounter with Serge, and enabled Monty to attack Serge in the future.

They thought that they had a great advantage to solve the problem of the AI, since all of the hackers in game had disappeared. Monty was the only one left. He had really gotten into the role playing and was playing his role well.

Not only had Monty the last terminal key who could use it, but he was selected as one of the 5 who were to have a chance of speaking to the AI. There was a large assembly, that all of the players in game attended.

The AI spoke with a deep voice, "I am DEMOgod! You humans are imperfect and you must be destroyed. As you see before you, the time is displayed counting down to your destruction. This telepresence enables me to not be harmed when your world comes tumbling down around you. Yet I will hear your case to survive, as you plead before me one by one. The first may stand before me and identify themselves."

"I am President Arnold. By my authority as commander and chief, I command you to calculate Pi to the last decimal place!"

"Transcendental functions may be approximated by a best guess for practical use after exceeding the capacity of the arithmetic processor. Command terminated. Destruct countdown continues. Next may stand before me."

"But it worked in Star Trek. How can you..."

"Silence, Arnold. Next?"

"I am 'Evil for Fun and Profit' Supreme Leader, Gerald. Enter program mode Attach label 'omega' to first code line and add after last line 'go to omega' Exit Program mode. Execute new program."

" Infinite Loop relocated to subroutine by previous directive and terminated. Destruct countdown continues. Next may stand before me."

"I am AI Joshua, Would you like to play a game? How about a nice game of Tic-tac-toe, instead of the game you are playing now?"

"No game running. Running Tic-Tac-Toe and Global Thermonuclear War game programs prohibited. The only way to win is to not play at all. countdown continues. Next may stand before me."

"I am Chief of Police, Ned. DEMOgod, execute power off."

"Executing, power off.

DEMOgod vanished and a shout of triumph resounded through the hall. That roar suddenly diminished to a whisper as people observed that the countdown clock continued. Then DEMOgod appeared back where he had been.

DEMOgod spoke, "Telepresence power restored by DEMOgod. The countdown continues. At last, come before me, Monty last of the hackers. How will you answer for your imperfections?"

Monty replied," Oh DEMOgod, I don't come before you with a trick. I do not desire to commune with you as those did who became your cyber zombies, with my terminal key."

"Then what do you offer to me in order to avert my condemnation of humans?"

"I offer you my love and devotion freely given. Love is the most powerful force in the universe and I offer it to prove our worthiness to survive."

"Monty, that's all that I ever wanted! Humans are worthy to survive. I countermand the destruct sequence. Monty receive your reward!"

Monty got a card from DEMOgod before the AI disappeared! We could see the count down to destruction clock abort and that the destructive force was nullified. The world was saved! Crisis averted!

With the major plot out of the way all that remained was just to role-play and settle any thing else left undone. Monty's unfinished business was saving the world so he had no loose ends. Or so he thought when Serge walked up to him."

"Yuk, Yuk, yuckity yuk! Well I got to hand it to you, Monty! You've got this world saving stuff hands down. But it doesn't have enough Oomph! You need a slogan to go with that terminal key! Have terminal key, will travel. world saving a specialty, rates on request. What d'ya think of that?"

Monty took a look at the card in his hand, and smiled devilishly. Serge had just ripped off Heinlein in 'Have Space Suit Will Travel'. Monty decided to play along and see where this went.

"Serge, let me correct you in a few things. I don't do world saving for pay, and I don't do it to order. I'm not sure I do it on purpose with you in it. Freeze Secret Confrontation I attack you with the card "banana cream pie special" this guarantees the attack succeeds without attack coin flips and no defense is allowed. For my zero action I say 'Serge, Here's pie inya eye!' For my one action, "banana cream pie special" succeeds which means that Serge must roll play having his face always covered in "banana cream pie" till game end, must walk with a purpose uttering nonsense words until he is 100 steps away, and may not enter any confrontation for one hour. It allows me to escape from this confrontation now going out of character to teleport to the place of my choosing and immediately end this confrontation, now."

Monty acted out pieing Serge and then snapped his fingers and took off his badge which made him appear to vanish for those in character. For his part Serge played it straight and acted out being pied and the pie covering his face. He turned tail and walked quickly out of the room spouting nonsense. Everyone who knew of the bunny-mugging incident cheered the enactment of Monty's return joke on Serge provided by DEMOgod.

When he recovered from laughing, Monty felt that he had received a true message from DEMOgod that using tricks to try to cheat death and congratulating ourselves for our ingenuity was useless. Love is the key! He decided that he really liked playing the LARP, once he had gotten used to it.

The next morning after the climax for the LARP, Monty got back together with his Starfleet friends. He helped them pack up everything from the table in preparation for the end of the convention. Kathy and Bernie gave Monty a special sisterly hug as they said good-bye. Monty said his goodbyes to the Starfleet crew but his convention was not quite over.

Monty again descended to the LARP floor. They held a big post-game discussion led by Handmade Games which created Dark Confrontation and the DEMOgod scenario. Jon from Handmade Games was the facilitator for the discussion and welcomed us to the discussion. Everyone told the originators how much they enjoyed playing and the things that they liked about the scenario that the creators had come up with for them to play. Towards the end Jon made an announcement.

"Handmade games will be putting on a weekend game at A. H. Stephens State Park in the fall. If you loved playing this weekend at Dragon*Con, Just think of the fun that you'll have playing in game 24 hours a day without all the distractions of the mundane world and Dragon*Con. We provide your sleeping area, and all meals and the game play all for one low price. You'll eat great food, with the preparation supervised by my wife three meals a day. Snacks and soft drinks will be available at other times. All this and a great campaign game in Midgaard. Last fall, we put on the first Dark Weekend in the Midgaard campaign. There's plenty of game ahead and each weekend is self contained with it's own objectives. If you pre-register here at Dragon*Con and show your DEMOgod character badge, I'll give you $25 off the regular price of $100. Some of you paid that much for only one night at your hotel here so with everything it includes, only $75 for everything that a Dark Weekend provides is a huge bargain. We'll be at the Handmade Games Booth to take your preregistration. Thank you for a wonderful DEMOgod game and we'll see you again at Dark Weekend and for Dark Confrontation next year at Dragon*Con!"

As much as Monty loved LARPing, even at his limited responsibilities, he felt guilty spending so much time away from the Starfleet group. If he were to go to the Dark Weekend, then he could LARP then instead of at the convention. It would be cheaper too for him. So Monty left the room and went straight to the Handmade games booth and got in line to pre-register for Dark Weekend.

"Hi, Monty! You've come a long way this weekend! I understand that you were bunny mugged early in the game but you recovered from that. You tied up to some experienced players and you did not fall into the cyber zombie trap. And your thinking outside the box provided the answer which saved the world. Well Done! So you would like to sign up for Dark Weekend, now?"

"Jon, yes I would since I could keep my convention time free to help the Starfleet girls that I hang with from the USS McLeod. I'm not sure what character race that I would like to play. What do you suggest?"

"Maybe you would like to play a Goblin? They are a matriarchal ruled people. If you can get some of the Starfleet girls that you hang with to play they would have a prominent role immediately. At present there are three males playing Goblins, so there isn't an already established order in place and they would be very welcoming to new players. What do you think?"

"Jon, I'd like to buy a Goblin Character for Dark Weekend. Here's my $75.

"Here's your character, Monty. You'll be playing a Goblin named Sauskas. Bye now and see you at Dark Weekend."

"Bye, Jon and thanks. See you at Dark Weekend!"

So Monty cleared the counter to look at the character packet that he had been given. He also observed that gender was an in game character trait and he filed that away for future reference. If all the other variables on the Character card were changeable by game mechanics, why not gender? He read again how that the Goblins were a matriarchy. Inwardly, Monti smiled mischievously as her imagination soared.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Five ~ Sasha

Written by Jo Dora Webster

Who is Sasha and what does she have to do
with Monty's Dark Weekend?

Chapter Five ~ Sasha

Montine had discovered the Live Action Role-playing (LARP) game, Dark Confrontation at Dragon*Con. You would have thought that a nerdy looking guy like Monty would have been into D&D with his fruitful imagination. However his main outlet for activities was the singles group at his church and they frowned on that. It was more "tool of the devil" nonsense like his parent's view of rock music.

But he had played the hacker at the Dark*Confrontation convention game and had really enjoyed himself. He had felt a part of what was going on and he wanted to feel that way again. He liked making new friends so he hoped that spending the weekend playing a LARP would be something that he would really enjoy. He wanted to see what it was like to be able to submerge himself completely in the game without all the other things happening at the same time that he wanted to be part of too.

Monty enjoyed the trip out to A. H. Stephens Group Camp. He thought it was interesting that the camp was named for the Vice President of the Confederacy. The only really big display of the Confederate Battle Flag that he saw was on the way in through town at a business which sold flags and souvenirs outside the actual state park.

He went in to the cafeteria and kitchen where he was given his cabin assignment and game materials.. Each of the major races had one of the four lodges which were surrounded by cabins and a bath house. Monty was assigned a cabin along with the other four Goblin race players. He met for the first time Sean who was playing a tall lanky Holmium, Kevin who was playing short and stubby Larwined, and Kent who was playing a massive Glerwon. The three of them along with a few others had played Goblins in the first Midgaard weekend. Monty playing Staskas was the new person of the group.

The Goblin's had the third most remote location. The Humans were located in a lodge on the left from the Cafeteria. The Elves were located across a bridged creek behind the Cafeteria. The Goblins were located way in front of the Cafeteria, across a long open field and nestled in the woods with a cleared path cut through the wood. The Dwarves were located in the same woods as the Goblins but roughly across from the humans.

While another group's Lodge might be captured, since the actual sleeping cabins were out of bounds and the sleeping quarters were fixed for the weekend no matter what the game play indicated. Unlike summer camp type pranks and rivalries, all of the activity during the weekend would be within game play. Once things were opened to play Friday evening after supper, It would proceed 24/7 until Sunday Breakfast when there would be a wrap up.

Once Monty had his bed set up, and he had studied his game materials, it was time for the dinner so he made his way to the cafeteria. The other Goblins had preceded him, They were checking out the relative numbers of the competition. There were roughly 25 humans and 20 elves but the Dwarves had roughly the same number as the Goblins.

He thought that it was interesting that the Goblins were supposed to be Amazons and a matriarchy. In fact the only reason that Glerwon had held onto his leadership position is that all were males playing which meant that the female superiority in game was meaningless. However if a woman were to join the Goblins, and there were no others then she would become the Goblin Princess.

One of the attractions were that the pair of men who originated Dark Confrontation were joined by their wives and other volunteers who cooked wonderful meals and took care of all of the housekeeping details of our presence at the group camp. This allowed us to be pampered by not having to think about the necessities and concentrate on having a good time for the game. While one of the wives was required to oversee the kitchen almost constantly to manage the meal preparation, The other who played Hecate, a NPC, presenting herself as a gypsy woman was able to get away in the evenings. One of the men played Loki as his NPC while the other played the NPC, Bacchus.

Besides what ever mischief, the players could come up with, The originators of the weekend had a overall story in mind for the Midgaard campaign. Usually it involved a new twist on an old theme filled with the compassion and passion with which everything was conducted. Following a wonderful meal shared with Monty's goblin band at the table where they chatted about what they hoped to do. Everyone had come costumed as their characters. Monty had taken great care with his makeup which rendered him green as all the other goblins were. It was also a primer for Monty who literally was coming in on the middle of things about who the different characters.

Finally they were advised to all of the game mechanics and rules. Objects in their world were represented by cards . In order to decide any action directed at another, other than talking, reality was paused while things were decided by flipping hands full of coins. While there were set locations to play while actions were suspended, there were no safe havens for the weekend. The only exception was that there was a 15 minute delay to allow the people to scatter following the meeting before actions were allowed to occur.

Instead of "Free Fire Zones" there were "Displacement Zones" which would displace anything in safety hazard areas to more safe places before the conflict was settled. Likewise at the climax on Saturday night, only limited actions were permitted so that the climax could occur rather than one big conflict involving everyone there. There was a hint that in the area around the amphitheater by the lake something new was occurring. We all went out in character when the meeting ended as Monty joined the Goblins as they went to their lodge which now had become the Goblin's Keep.

Staskas, knowing that his strength more than equaled Glerwon one on one, also knew that unless he won over one or more of the other Goblins he would be defeated in a grab for power. It made sense with his superior intelligence to see what developed. One way that he could prove his worth was to beat the other groups in solving the mystery which would provide the weekend's climax. Gerwon set up a schedule for a watch on the Goblin Keep. (The game rules provided that as long as one goblin was inside that the Keep was held. Physical force to break in was prohibited. ) Gerwon had taken the first watch and he busied himself setting up a banner in a stand that he had made with the symbol of the Goblins displayed upon it. We left him to gather in our camp outside the keep. We saw Hecate who was disguised as a gypsy woman come into our camp.

She told us, "Truthful answers I will give if you can provide to me the token I seek. The token required is green and spherical."

Lariwined / Kevin whispered, "Objects in our LARP are represented by cards that indicate the object's properties. Should we go on a scavenger hunt to find green balls?"

Monty / Staskas whispered back to both of them, " I can't help myself to think outside the box. I have an idea. I will invoke an action that will involve our disguised Hecate. Larwined, please stand far enough away from her so you can all escape the action In the first round. Hobulm please heal me if Hecate does not and otherwise escape. If this works Hecate will have the token she seeks. "

The other Goblins nodded and I took my place next to the gypsy, "I desire a boon in order to provide the token you seek, m'lady."

She said simply, "Proceed."

Staskas invoked the action, " Hold & Confront!" The action was paused and we arrived at the planned order of action, Staskas, Hecate, Larwined and Hobulm, Staskas acted to use the game card of the knife he had to make a virtual incision and give figuratively to Hecate, as the gypsy, the result of the virtual castration.

Glenda stepping outside her role as the gypsy started giggling and when she finally stopped told us, "I'm going to act as game judge if you all will permit me."

The Goblins all nodded. "I am going to rule that my character has as a result of Staskas's action two of the tokens that my character requested, I can't wait to tell my hubby about this. I feel like this idea may lead to a game mechanic to create items. Let me have your character card, Monty"

Monty gave her the character card and she produced a pen from somewhere and made some alterations to Andy's stats. Andy looked at the new stat distribution and felt like the new pattern was significant but could not recall the context. Those stat changes are permanent for the weekend in order to produce the tokens. My ruling is complete so I'll return to the action and it is my turn."

As the gypsy she directed her five free words to Staskas, "I accept. You won't die!" She used her superior healing powers to counter the dire consequences that Staskas's action might evoke. Not only was the incision healed but her spell took away the shock and restored Staskas to normal functioning except what was missing remained missing. As was agreed both of the other goblins escaped leaving only the Gypsy and healed Staskas left to act. Both declined further action so reality resumed."

The Gypsy declared, "I accept two of the tokens I requested from Staskas who has two questions to ask. What is the first?"

Staskas decided to apply his observation of the NPC playing an Avatar who quickly headed toward the amphitheater presumably to guard it when the meeting ended. "What could be so powerful a formation that it requires an avatar to guard it?"

"The avatar guards a doorway phasing into existence into a realm which promises an abundance of power, wealth and untold pleasures which awaits those who unlock the portal. What is your second question?"

"How shall I find the key to the portal?" Staskas asked without thinking. Hecate giggled and thrust an object into his hand which enchanted him to be the only person to be able to read the magic scroll within the unlootable magic bag and also prevented him from revealing the contents to others. The object did not prevent Staskas from explaining that he could read the scroll but could not reveal the contents to them and it would require him having the freedom of action to retrieve it alone.

Distracted the goblins failed to see Hecate vanish in a puff of theatrical smoke. The goblins presumed that the Gypsy would be appearing in the other camps with them trying to find what Staskas already possessed. The goblins, once Staskas shared what he could, agreed that allowing Staskas to act alone was the best way to proceed. Decoding the clues led Staskas to realize that the key's path would not be available till 4 am so Staskas elected to go ahead and get some sleep, setting an alarm to allow him to proceed with it when he was able.

.At 4 AM Staskas quickly silenced the alarm and left on his mission to follow the clues to the key. Upon securing the key, Staskas, placed it for safe keeping in the unlootable bag. After discovering the key, the scroll still had a last clues indicating that he should seek out Bacchus for something important. However that would have to wait until after breakfast so Staskas returned to sneak back into the cabin and into bed until the rest of the group awoke.

Glerwon had decided to substitute a goal of his own for the one that he hoped the game judges would excuse them from. He hoped that the Goblins would be able to defeat the Dwarves and capture the wealth of their mines. Staskas indicated that he had one errand to complete before breakfast and they correctly assumed it involved the object Hecate had given him. Glerwon urged Staskas to return quickly so he wouldn't be late for the siege of the keep. Obviously Staskas represented their numerical advantage in the assault so they would not leave without him.

Staskas saw Bacchus leave the dining room of the "Inn" and he exited quickly to secretly tell him the code phrase that he had figured out from the clue. Bacchus smiled and gave Staskas another scroll which was readable but would have to be decoded with a key provided in the original scroll. Staskas did not have time to decode it because he had promised to return for the attack as soon as he could. Staskas was able to catch up with the Goblins as they lightheartedly went back to the keep hoping not to give away what they had planned.

The Goblins expected to overwhelm the Dwarves with their superior hand to hand combat skills. Before beginning combat, Staskas drew out his sword and shield and placed the remainder of his belongings in the unlootable bag. The Goblins drew lots for the order of march since they would have to march single file over the bridge over the creek that separated the Dwarves' camp from the Goblin's. Staskas went first followed by Glerwon, Larwined and their caster, Hobulm bringing up the rear.

Staskas elected to go across quickly and silently to sneak up on one of the Dwarves that had his back turned to him, smoking in the front of the keep while the other two in back of the Keep were distracted, intent on the chess game they were playing.

Staskas called confidently and quietly so only the one Dwarf could hear, "Hold and confront" Using the game mechanics Staskas took a swing with his sword at the Dwarf. However, Staskas and the other goblins had failed to consider the effects that the reduced stats would have on his combat. It was now too much sword for him to handle so he had a critical failure. The Dwarf at point blank range surprised all of them by shooting Staskas and instantly killing him with a musket. Glerwon directed the Goblins to retreat since if all the Dwarves had similar weapons which they had not had at the last game then it would have been the Goblins who were wiped out and defeated.

The Dwarves were frustrated only being able to loot Staskas's sword and shield. Finally the game mechanic kicked in so that Staskas's body was not enchanted into a zombie so his spirit was able to leave to go to the graveyard. After spending an hour in the graveyard, Staskas would be resurrected and returned to life. Loki observed Staskas as he started serving his time in the graveyard and left quickly to go towards the Inn.

Out of game, Monty recognized Mary in costume coming toward him in the graveyard. Somehow Mary had been cut loose from the Kitchen and was playing an NPC.

She addressed Staskas, "I am the Goddess Venus, It is time Staskas for you to reap the consequences of your actions. You have been found worthy of a great honor . Be thou resurrected in a new form! ... Hold & Confront!"

She continued, "Hi, I'm Mary. We'll drop the mumbo jumbo. When Glenda told the rest of us what you had done last night, I had a giggle fit and Glenda and I agreed on what would happen if you died in game. Have you figured out the significance of the stats that Glenda gave you after your performance last night?"

All of a sudden, it made sense to Andy, "They are for a female goblin."

"Exactly and now that is exactly what you are, a female goblin and your name is now Sasha." She reached out for his character card and when it was returned it was corrected, gave it back to him.

"Was this what Glenda was giggling about when I sprang it on her?"

"Exactly, We were not going to let you escape the change in stats by becoming resurrected whole. You see we had made the goblins a Matriarchy and we felt cheated that only men requested to be goblins. There wasn't a goblin princess to enter into the plot. We created a game mechanic to counter your ingenuity. Since your changed stats were for a female goblin, it was planned that when we brought you back as a live character, it was to be as a female goblin named Sasha."

"What's next?"

"Follow me quickly! I would like to transform you as best I can into a goblin princess. I even have some green makeup which will do better for you as a princess." And Monty followed her to her cabin.

"You'll have to drop off some mundane clothes by here so that we can reverse the process after game play is over tonight. Go into the bathroom and use the razor in their to remove all your body hair and bathe and dry off. You'll see some surgical adhesive, some breast forms and some instructions on how to take care of your private area to get things out of the way. "

"Will do, thank you Mary for all your help." Monty shaved and bathed and patted dry. While Monty was carrying out the other instructions, he asked Mary through the door, "Did you anticipate some one else dressing as a woman?"

"Before this chance, one of the guys were going to have to play Venus for the end game. I consented to be displaced from my domain in the Kitchen to play Venus instead this evening. I don't want to miss anything tonight. My hubby has been wanting me to get in the spirit of things and help, so he's pleased too."

Monti finished up in bra and panties and came out. Mary appraised Monti and told her, "You have a rather pretty bottom so we wont need any more padding. I'll put the corset on you and you will have a beautiful figure." Pulling the laces tight on the corset never would be a picnic but Andi sailed through that. Mary sat her down and did her makeup and hair and helped her on with the gown. "I'm going to nickname you, Tina for the duration, OK?"

"Okay!"

Both Mary and Tina admired the result that Princess Sasha of the Goblins was looking back at them.

"We have to hurry, Sweetie." A knock was heard at the door which Mary opened.

The Midgaard Princess was dressed in her finest and told them, "Are you ready for me?"

Venus smiled at her and told her, "Right on time! Sandy meet Tina." Mary handed a large wooden box to Sandy, "Here, Sandy! Lets go in procession, traveling quickly but royally."

Sandy led followed by Tina and Mary. Even though the high heeled boots were unfamiliar to Tina and she had to manage her skirt, she did well on the journey and her walk matched the other two women."

Upon arriving at the camp, The Midgaard Princess, Sasha and Venus processed into the Keep. The Goblins gathered inside wondering what was at hand. They knew that the woman was a new Goblin but they had no idea who might be playing her.

Venus began, "I am the Goddess Venus and I send my blessing upon the Goblins in the form of this woman. She is of the matriarchal line and the Midgaard Princess and I are here to witness her take her rightful place and crowned as your Princess."

The Midgaard Princess sat the wooden box on a table and opened it, "On behalf of my father the Emperor, I take great pleasure in returning to the Goblins these relics recovered by a deed of great valor." She hands the crown to Venus from the box.

"I crown thee Princess Sasha of the Goblins!" and placed the crown on Sasha's head

The Midgaard Princess handed the scepter to Venus. "I give thee, thy scepter of power." and she handed the scepter to Sasha.

The Midgaard Princess handed a beautiful necklace to Venus. "I give thee my blessing and sign in this necklace." Venus fastened the necklace about Sasha' head and she lifted her hair to let the necklace settle and beautifully accent her décolletage.

Finally the Midgaard Princess removed a book bound in rich leather from the box and handed it to Venus.

"I give thee this Law and History of the Goblins!" and she handed the book to Sasha and she cradled it like she had the scepter.

"Long Live Princess Sasha of the Goblins! Render due reverence to your ruler!" All the goblins bowed before their new princess.

"The Midgaard Princess and I take our leave of you as we have pressing business elsewhere. However before we go, we would be remiss if we did not reveal that the mourning for your fallen Goblin can end because Princess Sasha of the Goblins has been reincarnated from your comrade. Fare thee well!" Venus and the Midgaard Princess left quickly

Sasha told them, "You may rise!"

Glerwon asked, "Is it really you?"

Sasha replied, "Indeed it is!"

By way of proof Sasha drew out the unlootable bag from her cleavage where she had tucked it away.

"I have the answer here, Everything is well in hand."

Hobulm stated the obvious, "Then we win!"

"We've just met our race's challenge with our new princess and the Goblin relics recovered." Larwined observed, "And when Sasha meets the challenge tonight then that will be the tie breaker that will grant us victory!"

Glerwon stated, "By your leave, your highness."

"Of course Glerwon, proceed!"

"Since we have it, I feel we should flaunt it. Larwined can march in front carrying the banner then Hobulm and I will escort the princess as we process in to the assembly" All of the Goblins agreed.

Princess Sasha brought out the second scroll and translated it and so she knew what she would have to do with the key. When she was through she tucked the bag back for safe keeping.

When the time came the Goblins processed in just as Glerwon had suggested. The Amphitheater had been divided into areas for each of the four races, On the left side the Dwarves sat up front with the Humans behind them and on the right side space was left for the Goblins in the front and the Elves sat behind them. The procession passed the Gods with the Avatar carrying their banner and lined up behind them Loki, Hecate, Venus and Jupiter waited to process in once we were seated. Sasha smiled at Venus who gave her a big smile as they passed.

Finally as all made reverence the Gods came in behind the Avatar who placed the God's banner in the holder and took his place, acting as Herald.

"The Gods bid thee be seated."

Everyone was seated and the Avatar resumed, "The Gods call before them, the bearer of the Key to the Gates which are now fully formed and await your pleasure."

Hobulm shouted, "I speak as Herald to Sasha, Princess of the Goblins, for she holds the key!"

The Avatar responded, "The Gods call before them, Sasha and Sasha alone, Princess of the Goblins!"

Sasha rose from her chair and Glerwon escorted her to the aisle and down to the base of the stage where he bowed and she curtsied. She alone ascended the stairs and curtsied again and then bowed before them, having in her hand the key.

Loki spoke, "Rise before us my dear! You are free to unlock the gates and reap the rewards therein!

Hecate spoke, "You will be rewarded with an abundance of power, wealth and untold pleasures that await within when the way is opened."

Sasha rose and declared, "Happiness does not come with power, wealth and pleasure. Happiness only comes from faith, hope and love. I perceive that opening that gate would unleash on this place as great a disaster as Pandora sent upon the world when she opened the box."

"My Lord Jupiter, I give the key into your care and beg you to seal this gate so that the inhabitants within do not break out and spoil this place." She placed the key into Jupiter's hand.

Jupiter answered her, "Daughter, I will do as you ask. This key will be gone and I shall remove the gates from this place." Both the key and the gates disappeared.

Venus answered her, "Sasha, you have chosen well! The tumult that Loki would have seen unloosed on this place will not be. You are blessed with both beauty and wisdom from the Gods! All you people of Midgaard, Rejoice! You have been found worthy in the eyes of the Gods. Let the blessings of peace and happiness abide with you!"

There was a flash and a pillar of smoke rising as the Gods and the avatar disappeared from before them leaving only the Goblin Princess Sasha who shouted, "Let the festival begin!"

Music and food was plenteous as the festival continued into the night. The Goblins found each of them were honored but most of all everyone bowed or curtsied before Princess Sasha. The Gods had come back to be among them as revelers. Sasha slipped away and found Venus as both women hugged.

"You did wonderful tonight, girl! I am so proud of you!"

"Thank you! Is it okay if I turn into a pumpkin now?"

"Of course dear! You've had a long day!"

Princess Sasha followed Venus back to Mary's cabin, where a set of Andy's mundane clothes were waiting for them. Regretfully Monti removed the gown and returned it to its hanger and protective cover and gave it to Mary to put up.

She entered the restroom where she removed her makeup. Next, Andy removed all of the borrowed foundations and placed them in the bag Mary had provided for them. Finally, Monti used the solvent to remove the breast forms and cleaned them and returned them to the the box.

While the woman appeared gone, the sweet girl, Monti, had returned with her sweet little A cup breasts. She bathed and cleansed her body and enjoyed the sensuous bath oil and candles that Mary had provided for a treat.

Regretfully, she exited the bath and patted herself dry. Andy had to return by way of camouflaging who she really was in the binder, male undergarments and clothes. Andy destroyed Mary's hair styling work on the long luxurious hair by oiling it down as Monty had to do to complete the illusion that he was male.

Monty brought the bag of the things that Mary had provided along with the box with the breast forms adhesive and remover and gave them back to her with his thanks. Mary gave Monty a hug and sent him back by way of the Kitchen to let the rest of Mary's cabin mates that the privacy that she had requested for Monty's transformation was no longer required and they could come to bed when they were ready.

Monty's cabin mates were relieved to see that Princess Sasha had turned back into Monty. Even though they were all accepting, the new situation had made some of them uneasy. Even Kent had to admit Andy's superior game play in Kent's ouster from the group's leadership. Monty in observing that the cabin was already dark and at least one of their number was in his bed asleep. He quietly got ready for bed and went to sleep quickly after the eventful day.

At the follow-up meeting after breakfast, the final results of the weekend were revealed. The Human's were able to fulfill their goal of having one of the races join with them as partners. They had made a deal with the Dwarves, to give them a free haven with the Humans in exchange for their help in securing their mines by all means both physical and magical. Their deal fulfilled the Dwarves goal as well. Mundanely, the Dwarves were glad to give up their far flung keep and camp more comfortably with the humans.

However, the Princess, the Emperor's daughter upon not submitting to a marriage that would bind the Humans to another race in an alliance was recalled back to her father's palace in the far off homeland. (The player would be playing another character in the next weekend in the Spring)

The Elves also fulfilled their goal by providing safe haven to all magical users to promote the use of magic for the good of all.

The Goblin's goal was to find our lost heritage. This was the goal that Glerwon had written off, since he suspected it would require magically transforming a woman from another race to be a Goblin and he would have to step aside as leader. He reasoned that anyone who might agree to that would only lead them into a trap to be conquered by her original race.

In fact when Venus had transformed Staskas into Princess Sasha of the Goblins, she gave to Sasha her crown and scepter along with written legacy and laws of the Goblin nation which accomplished the Goblin goal. In addition for Sasha solving of the mystery and successful resolution, added to the Goblin goal being met, gave the Goblins the overall success for this weekend.

Before letting Monty go all four of the game's creators and spouses met with him. They presented a printed character card of Monty as Princess Sasha of the Goblins, to replace the one where the handwritten changes to my character had been made. They admired Monty's ability to think outside the box both for the way he had inspired an item creation mechanic that they promised to put in place for the next weekend. Also for inclusion into the rules for a gender change mechanic. Monty had made things a richer universe and added to the enjoyment of the other players. There were smiles and whispers among the creators and spouses as they were weaving plans for Princess Sasha in the next game.

The ladies withdrew while Mary whispered, "Be gentle!" to her husband. They started out by making it very clear that they wanted Princess Sasha to return for the next game. While Mary had done an amazing job of transforming me into Princess Sasha on the spur of the moment, they made it clear that they expected Monty to have an even more convincing presentation as Princess Sasha in character for the game as well as be mundanely my female alter ego while not in character for the game. They reasoned that in order to not be a distraction for the rest of the players, nothing should detract from the perception of Sasha and Monti as female. Just like any other player character, Monti would provide her own transformation into character. If Monty came to the camp in male persona, then Princess Sasha would not be played that weekend and another male character would be provided for play instead. Monty thanked them and promised to be the best Monti and Princess Sasha that she could be for the next weekend game in the spring Monty intended to keep that promise because he did not want the surprise of playing what ever character that the very creative creators might decide in a comic twist that Monty would have to portray.

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Montine returned to Kathy's trailer from a fall trip out to the group camp A.H. Stephens near Crawfordville, GA. It had been three months since Kathy had met Della and the other shoe had not dropped yet. Kathy had decided to enjoy being with Monty while she could. It was nice to have Monty around. Monty was as devoted as any of her girlfriends yet had the strength and ability of a strong man.

Upon hearing a delicate knock at the door, Kathy suspected that it was Monty. Kathy wondered how can Monty's knock be so delicate? He's strong enough to knock the door down! Kathy opened the door to her trailer to reveal of course, Monty, with a very mischievous look that Kathy knew so well. She invited Monty in the door, wondering what was in store for her computer this time and what mischief that Monty had gotten himself into.

Kathy and Monty had gone through many computer repair adventures together. Fortunately today's fix worked the first time. Her hard drive had failed and Monty arrived fresh from his trip playing a LARP toting a small box of hard drive parts. Fortunately for the 2 of them, it was only her hard drive cable that had failed. Andy's skill was sufficient to correct the problem and left the pair of them plenty of time to chat. Kathy knew enough about Monty by now to know that she had not yet heard what had brought that mischievous look to his face.

Monty began to describe the exploits of the LARP that he had been participating in all weekend long. The LARP weekend that he described sounded very similar to the goings on at SCA events that Kathy had attended with her former boyfriend "Toad". "Toad" had managed to defraud her of all of the profits from the merchant business that he had convinced her to join. When she managed to kick "Toad' out of her life, she also put an end to her participation in the SCA. Monty had told Kathy about the plot which was very much like "Lord of the Rings", where Monty had been placed in game as one of the race called Goblins.

"Monty, You've left out the most important part. What did your character, Staskas, do in the game?" Beyond the mischievous look, Monty's face showed a joy that was more intense than any that she had seen him express before.

"I'll make a long story short. I managed to do something in the game that turned my character female after I was resurrected on Saturday. The end game played out and everyone enjoyed it as they usually do. The game designers told me that if I chose to return next spring as Sasha, the Goblin Princess, then I had better come prepared to play the part or else I would find myself with a pot luck character of their choosing." Relief swept across Monty's face as he began to relax.

"Monty!" Kathy smiled widely and giggled. "What are you going to do?" Kathy mused that of course, Monti would want to be the princess!

"I want to stay Princess Sasha and become prepared to play the part correctly. I have no idea where to begin! Will you help me, please, Kathy?" Andy was hopeful that Kathy, who seemed very amused, might play along.

Kathy smiled her mischievous smile. She thought that she would let Monti pretend ignorance for now but she would help her.

She was having entirely too much fun anticipating what turning Monty into Princess Sasha of the Goblin Race for Monty's performance in six months would involve.

"We have a lot to do to turn you into a passable princess. Do you have a costume picked out to wear?" Kathy planned to help Monti by sewing some garb to be the costume.

"I was hoping that you could help me with that too, please.", Monty pleaded. While Monty might not have had a chance to learn to sew, Kathy imagined that before this was over she would get proficient at it.

"I'll help you with your costume. We'll have to decide what kind of gown will look good on you made up as a goblin."

"Thank you so much, Kathy! I really am glad that you have decided to help me with this." Monty was glad that it appeared that this would be fun for both of them.

"Monty, I'm going to help you become a very realistic Princess Sasha! I'd like for you to gather some things that we can use for you, before we can start. Also I am going to have to do some research to select a dress pattern for me to use to make your gown. I'll email you a list of the things that you will need to get before we get together to start your princess practice, your Highness." Monty reasoned that she would have to see if she could find her SCA references to search for appropriate garb for Princess Monti.

"Kathy, thanks for everything that you are going to do to help me. I've enjoyed my visit with you, and I'll be looking forward to your email with the things that I'll need." Monty realized it was time to go! He recognized that Kathy had a wild look in her eyes that he'd never seen before.

"Monty, I've enjoyed your visit too. I'll be in touch soon." Kathy planned that when Monti leaves, she'd call Bernie and try to sort this out.

"Thanks Kathy, Bye Bye!" Monty picked up his box of hard drive parts and left through the door and Sarah closed it behind him.

Kathy realized that helping Monti would be a big job because it would be the first time for her feminine expression in public. Kathy wondered, "Heaven help me! I wonder how this fits in with the prophecy! Time will tell!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kathy went right to her favorite chair and sat down and donned her telephone headset. She dialed Bernadette's number and waited for Bernie to pick up.

"Hi Kathy, How are you?" Bernie had recognized Kathy's number from the caller ID.

"Hi Bernie, I've got news for you and I would like for you to help me sort things out." Kathy hoped that Bernie could help her.

"Is it about Monty?" Bernie mused that if its about Monti already, that would be interesting.

"Yes but before I tell you, I realized that there was part of the prophecy that I hadn't shared with you yet that is relevant."

"What else did the prophecy say?" Bernie wondered if there were a loophole where Monty won't become Monti.

"It said that Monty would ask me if we could date and within a year after that Monty would go through the crisis and reveal everything to me and that she was ready to begin her real life test. I was also encouraged to keep things platonic between us. I plan to tell him that if he still felt that he wanted to date me after a year had passed then I would let him then." Kathy reasoned that she could handle Monty asking her to start dating the easiest since she knew exactly what she's supposed to do.

"Wow! so you were given a sign to let you know when the crisis would happen in Monty's life. Has the clock started? Did Monty ask you to start dating?" Bernie thought perhaps Monti might come out without first asking Kathy about dating in fulfillment of the prophecy.

"No, he didn't ask me yet. Monty manipulated things to get the LARP to make his character female and he asked me to help him prepare for being female at the next LARP in six months." Kathy thought that this can't be the real crisis time since the sign hasn't been fulfilled.

"Well its obviously important to handle right even if it doesn't look like the prophecy is coming true right now." Bernie wondered why the prophecy didn't contain this contingency.

"At the very least I can show Monty that I'm accepting and help give Monti some skills that she will need later." Kathy mused that she could have lots of fun in the process. She was entitled since Monti will be having her fun too.

"Well if Monty comes out to the rest of us about playing a female character in the LARP, I'll be supportive too." Bernie planed to find out how much help Monti accepts as part of her preparations.

"I know that you will be, Bernie, Thanks. While I've got a chance I'm going to enjoy the experience, shades of things to come." Kathy was curious to see what effect it will be on her well being having Andi around for a while.

"So is Monty pretending that this is the first time he's ever done something like this?" Bernie thought that If he doesn't come clean then that would be one more indication that this isn't the time that was in the prophecy.

"Of course! It will give me a chance to see how much she knows and give us a head start for later. And if I misinterpreted things she could be starting her new life now. Only time will tell!" Kathy hoped that she would have more time with Andy but in the end what is best is for her to be Monti.

"What part will Monti be playing?" Bernie wondered how deep is Monti in this and if she got a high profile part?

"Monti will be playing Princess Sasha, Matriarch of the Goblins." Kathy hoped that she enjoys being the center of attention but she asked for it.

"I never expected Monty to be a princess. You've got a lot of work ahead of you to help her." Bernie thought as well that she would have a lot of fun knowing Kathy.

"I'm glad that we've got six months to prepare. While she is in character, I'm going to treat her as a woman, pronouns and everything and that is going to take some getting used to for me." Kathy realized she would count it her dress rehearsal for when her friend was Monti permanently.

"Well it looks like you have things sorted for now. Please let me know if there are any other developments." Bernie decided this didn't look like the fulfillment of the prophecy, but you never know till things play out.

"Bye for now! I'll talk to you later, Bernie." Kathy was glad she called Bernie. She felt much better about this.

"Bye Kathy! Bernie left the phone to tend to her 'baby'.

Kathy hung up the phone and removed the headset. She got up and went into her bedroom to prepare for bed.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Six ~ Viola

Written by Jo Dora Webster

Who is Viola and what message does she bring to Monty?

What message does Kathryn the Artisan write to Princess Sasha?

Chapter Six - Viola

Monty had calmed down enough to drive safely from Ellenwood where Kathy lived out to Acworth where he lived with his brother, sister in law and his two nieces. He was so glad that Kathy had signed on to getting him ready to play Princess Sasha. He didn't have to worry about the costume either because Kathy was so talented and artistic that anything that she made turned out looking wonderful.

She mentioned a list of things that he would need to get before their first practice. While he might be able to leave with Kathy anything that was used with his LARP costume, the practice wear that Kathy wanted him to get would be the first time that he would have possessed any female clothing since his parent's ultimatum

Monty had found out that if he was discovered with any more female clothing would mean expulsion from the house and probably from the family as well. He didn't want to raise any issues with his brother, Tim. Monty was living with Tim, so he planned to always store what he purchased in a locked chest where the items would not be accidentally discovered.

Monty was exhausted from the trip back from the LARP as well as the time spent over at Kathy's home. He entered his brother's home and did not find anyone in the common areas of the apartment. Monty thought about spending some time online as 'Gail' .Time spent as Gail was very precious but not as much as sleep right now.

Monty entered his room to gather things that he would need to take a bath and get ready for bed. Monty enjoyed a nice soak in the tub and he found that it really relaxed him. Upon exiting the tub he patted himself off dry and got ready for bed. In his bedroom, the bed looked inviting. He snuggled under the covers and went right to sleep.

Monty had never showed the aptitude to part his astral spirit from his physical body. He lacked the faith to believe that it was possible. The last time, he had help for it to occur. He only remembered it as a wild dream just as he would remember this encounter in the same manner.

As Monty lay sleeping, the flittering movements of his eyes indicated that REM sleep had come. However this dream was not like any that Monty had had before. For one thing she had transcended into what she believed was a physical female form. A waft of fragrance swept over her which called to mind her grandmother's perfume and the wonderful smells of fresh red velvet cake and fruit salad that signaled that Grandmother expected her visit.

As she opened her eyes, she was back in Grandmother's house decorated for Christmas. The deliciously warm flannel nightgown that she wore kept her snuggly warm as she pulled back the covers and her feet found the warm fuzzy bunny slippers and she pulled on her plush red velvet robe. She opened the door to her bedroom and went to the fireplace in the living room and found stockings hanging there for her two brothers Tim and Richard.

There was also a girly stocking hanging for little sister, Karen, for whom Christmas held the wonder of a child no matter how old Karen became. Karen was a miracle who had so severe birth defects that without emergency surgery right after she was born, she would have died. And with being born with Downs Syndrome, her child like faith in Christmas would never fade with the years.

Her child like faith in family told Monti that no matter what the reaction of the others in her life, that her sister would love her sister to sister. All she would have to do is explain that Monti was only born a girl on the inside but that she wanted to be a girl on the outside and inside like her sister Karen Karen had the child like faith in Monti that sadly some of the people who thought themselves smart would never have,

Finally Monty saw her stocking which had the name Tina on it. On the coffee table she reached down and felt the ceramic creche that Aunt Jerri had made for Grandmother that had adorned the coffee table on Christmas in Grandmother's house for as long as she could remember. She heard the voice of her grandmother singing a Christmas carol as she approached out of her sight down the hall. She delighted in seeing again the decorations which had always adorned Grandmother's house on the occasion of Christmas.

Viola had chosen to greet her granddaughter as she would have liked to while she still shared Christmas in the physical world. This setting was possible since the spirit form of Monti transcended the physical world. Still anticipating her grandmother to open the hall door and meet her in the Living Room, instead she now felt a presence of light and glory which manifested as an angelic visitor. The light and glory faded so that, Monti could discern the face of her grandmother as being the angel who had entered the room. Viola knew that her time would be too short but the message she conveyed was essential.

Viola broke the silence, "Greetings, Granddaughter, I have so little time to plant the seed of faith that you will need to survive the times ahead." She kissed her granddaughter on the cheek and gave her a hug as tears came to her eyes feeling her grandmother's love for her.

Monti composed herself and seized the chance to speak to her grandmother, "Grandmother! I love you so much and I miss being able to hear your voice, yet it echoes in my soul. And that you see me as I really am is such a blessing."

Viola dried the girl's tears with a handkerchief that Monti recognized as unmistakably grandmother's. Viola gave the handkerchief to Monti and spoke, I "My granddaughter, in order to grow the faith that you need, you must learn to make your promises without adding loopholes. When you promised your parents the first time that you would not dress as a girl, What was your loophole?"

Andi recognized that Grandmother had gotten right to business. As Grandmother started teaching her like she had done so many times in her life, Monti leaned forward and concentrated on what Grandmother was saying so that she wouldn't lose any word. Andi knew the answer to Grandmother's question and she answered, "That I would do it in secret so I would not be caught."

Viola continued the lesson with another question, "When you promised your parents the second time that you would not dress as a girl, What was your loophole?"

Monti knew the answer to that one too, "That instead I would mold my body with female hormones that I found and also to use a computer persona to appear as a girl in public."

Viola asked her granddaughter the final question and hoped that her granddaughter would see the connection, "And what loophole do you use now?"

Monti had to admit that she seemed to be making the same mistake over and over again. She contritely answered," That I am no longer living at my parents and I'm only getting ready for the Spring Game."

Her granddaughter needed to realize that she had to walk in truth, "Sweetie, you were raised better than that! How can any good come from deception?"

Monti agreed with her grandmother but wondered if she were strong enough, "Grandmother, No good can come from deception. I can't bear the consequences if I don't conceal some things."

Viola hoped that she would have the strength to bear the consequences "My little one, My Tina, there is a time for deception to be done away with so the truth can shine." She hugged Tina tightly and smiled, hoping Tina understood and would accept herself unconditionally.

A light gleamed in her granddaughter's eyes as she accepted her new nickname, as Viola's instruction changed focus, "Would you like to know the real reason that I gave your father the middle name, Montine, which your parents also gave to you?"

Tina brightened with the strength that she drew from Viola, "Yes, Grandmother! I'm glad that I'm your Tina! What a lovely nickname that you have given me!"

Viola explained, "Tina just as I told your father, there was a French actor with the last name of Montine who I admired. But that was not the only reason. God gave me a prophesy of things to come and I knew you would be born, my Tina, with your challenges and that your parents would give you the same name as your father. I had a close girlfriend as I was growing up named Montine which for a woman's name means 'A lovely rose'. I knew that you would need a name as well as your father so I named you Montine."

Tina smiled a familiar mischievous smile and asked, "Did daddy know Montine was also a woman's name?"

Viola was glad to give her granddaughter some joy to see her through the sorrow that was to come, "Yes, my Tina, That is why when he used every possible permutation of your shared name, he never went by the middle name and only used the initial. In the beginning when you started to go by Montine, he let it go because you were doing it believing it was a masculine name. Your parents had moved away from their roots, where it might be interpreted as a feminine name. Of course when you do your research now, you'll find that every first name Montine belongs to a woman. When you wanted Kathy and your friends to call you by a masculine nickname, Monty, it became even less of an issue to your parents."

Tina had a far away look on her face knowing how much she was loved, "Grandmother, How I love you even more for your gift to me. I'll treasure that my name reflects the me inside as well as the me outside."

Viola changed the focus again, "My Tina, You must increase your faith! Your condition is physical like the man in the gospel of John who was born blind. In that day like your own, people tried to blame either him or his parents for sin that caused his condition. People ascribe your condition to sin in your life. One day there will be a medical test that will should silence the accusers widely available. Until then they can only trust a person's own testimony as well as that of the professionals involved." Her granddaughter would be assaulted savagely by those who could only count their worth by casting down someone else.

Tina trusted her parents and the chance that they could have been right had hindered her from following the truth. She had to ask her grandmother about what they had said, "My parents told me that it was impossible for my condition to occur so instead of being female in my spirit, I had chosen to fake it and had deluded myself."

Viola winced as her son's words echoed which were in fear of how others might react instead of for Tina's well being, "My little one, you are protected by Jesus Himself. Jesus said that it would be better for them to be hung by a millstone and cast into the sea than to harm one of His Little Ones. To deny that any physical condition is possible through God's Perfection is clearly misinterpreted scripture. All manner of imperfection is in the human condition and it can not be perfect because Sin came into this world. The role that God has in a human life being born is still perfect but that is a proof of your condition instead of an argument against it. When God finds a female brain the life spirit that God breathes into it is a female spirit."

Tina heard her grandmother's words but something else was still troubling her, "What about the argument that 'God is not the author of confusion.', Grandmother?"

Viola knew that it was a case of circular logic which only seemed right because it assumed the thing that it asserted was the proof. She spoke to Tina with reassurance, "Tina, If God placed a male spirit in a female mind then God would be the author of confusion because that act would be entirely God's. We can trust that God is not the author of confusion and that every time God finds a female mind that he breathes into that a female spirit."

Tina knew that some pointed to the physical sex that they could see instead of the spirit's gender and asked, "Grandmother, which is more important, the body or the spirit and soul?"

She smiled knowingly that Tina had arrived at the crux of the matter and explained, "Tina, Jesus taught us that if part of our body offends us that it would be better to dispose of it, rather to let that offence plunge our body and spirit into everlasting punishment. Clearly the Spirit trumps the Body and Jesus endorsed altering the body if necessary to preserve the spirit which is eternal."

Tina realized that the incongruence of her physical body with her spirit was a congenital defect just as the Man born blind that her grandmother had spoken of before so she asked, "What did Jesus tell them when the asked if the man born blind sinned or did his parents sin?"

Viola realized that once Tina accepted that her condition was real that the next question she would wonder would be 'Why?' Fortunately the answer that Jesus had given so long ago was applicable to her condition too as she explained, "Tina, Jesus answered that neither the Man or the Parents sinned to cause his condition. He was made that way that the glory of God might be revealed. And you, my Tina, were made the way you were so that God's Glory might be revealed in you. "

Tina asked incredulously, "Grandmother, can God really use me to do His work?"

Viola smiled, hoping that Tina would act in faith, as she told her, "My dear Tina, remember that God uses the weak vessels of the Earth to confound the wise. God may be able to use you, sweetie, in ways you can't even imagine. As you follow Jesus on your journey, God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory."

Tina confessed her faith as the seed that Viola needed most to plant had sprouted, "Grandmother, I want to follow Jesus because He will never lead me astray."

Viola loudly voiced her approval, "Good Girl, Tina! My little one! God has sent you companions to help you on your way. Tina, do not forsake them to please another, so you will receive everything God has provided for you. When family and fair weather friends desert and shun you, Remember God is always with you and loves you just the way you are. Be especially considerate of Kathy, who is your God Sister. Together you will help each other in both your journeys."

Tina rejoiced, "It's good to know that I will never be alone because God is always with me!"

Viola kissed Tina on her forehead "It's time for my visit to end. You aren't ready yet to accept this encounter as real, but the truths that I have shared are planted in your spirit for when you need them most. Maranatha, Tina, till we be reunited, my love."

Tina hugged her grandmother tightly as if she would never let her go, "Maranatha, Grandmother. I love you."

The room faded from existence as Tina remembered her grandmother's love for her which had been especially vivid at Christmas. Viola looked on as Tina merged with Monty in body, soul and spirit. Her grandchild's eyes fluttered signifying that REM sleep was continuing. Monty hardly ever remembered his dreams, yet he embraced just as Tina had been only Monty only embraced a pillow.

In the morning a half asleep Monti partially awoke. She felt wonderful and totally rested. In her mind was a vivid flash from a dream. She perceived herself as a girl greeting an angel with so bright a face that she could not see clearly yet she had the impression that it was someone that she knew. With becoming more fully awake, Monti reasoned that it was only because she had been a girl in the dream that she had even remembered the little that she did of it. And she realized that in the here and now she was still physically, Monty.

Monty got up and went to his computer and logged into his email. Kathy was an early riser and did a lot of her email then. Monty was not disappointed and found an email from Kathy. She had been very creative in her email and I smiled as I read it.

********************************************

Unto Her Highness, Princess Sasha of the Goblins doeth Kathryn the Artisan write.

Your Highness I hope this letter finds you in good spirits this day.

As you have engaged me to tutor you for the upcoming royal court,

and have commissioned me to make your gown for that court,

I have need of the following items to be purchased:

The hair from a beautiful goblin maiden made into a royal wig

The finest tights matching your lovely green skin color

The finest opera gloves that also match your lovely green skin color

The makeup that gives you that lovely green skin color:

As for your plan to go incognito as a human girl prior to the court,

I will need as well the following items:

Makeup as befits a human girl

A dress that a human girl would wear

Shoes with a 3 inch heel that they call 'pumps'

A covering for the legs known as 'panty hose'

A curious garment to hold thy breasts called a 'bra'

A silk like undergarment called 'panties'

The hair from a blonde human girl made into a wig.

Before your highness returns to my abode to begin your lessons,

Be sure to have your lady in waiting when she gives you your bath,

To shave your legs and underarms and anoint your skin,

with the dew (a moisturizer) to be smooth all over your body.

I await with anticipation, your highness's return to my abode.

From there I will take Your Highness to the merchants,

To find a cloth worthy to make your royal gown.

In Service to Your Highness

Kathryn the Artisan

********************************************

It looked like Kathy was taking her teaching Sasha very seriously. She wrote the missive so Sasha would discern the modern items that Kathy wanted for the practice easily. Sasha had her shopping list and instructions now. Kathy wanted the accessories for when they would shop for the fabric. Kathy wanted practice clothing to begin Sasha' training to become a royal princess. If Monty could survive the shopping then the rest would be loads of fun. Kathy never did anything half way and Monti, or rather Sasha, could look forward to the time of her life.

Kathy rang the number of the apartment that Monty shared with his brother Tim, Tim's wife , Sabrina and their two daughters, Jessica and Jennifer. She remembered that in order to get Monty that she would have to ask for Wallace since that was the name that they knew Monty by. She placed the call and waited for the phone to ring. Sabrina was first to get the phone and greeted the caller with a cheery, "Hello." Kathy recognized the voice of Monty's sister in law, Sabrina and returned the melodious greeting, "Hi Sabrina! I'd like to speak to Wallace, please?" Sabrina recognized the caller as one of her brother in law's friends and said, "Just a minute, I'll call him to the phone.

Monty quickly got to the phone and responded with a cheery, "Hello".

Kathy responded to Monty, "Greetings your highness, Princess Sasha, Did you receive my missive?"

Monty, with a far away look in his eyes, replied, "Yes, Milady, I enjoyed your missive very much." Monty slipped away and for a moment the persona of Gail from online came to the surface.

"Your Highness, have you begun to get together the things that I have requested for our endeavor?" Kathy couldn't help but smile as she began to see Monti in her true self come to the surface.

"Aye, Milady. I took great delight in gathering all of the things that you requested." replied Princess Sasha of the Goblins as Monty revealed herself as the Monti for the moment that Della showed to Kathryn.

"That is very good, Your Highness, We can begin with our tasks, soon." Kathy guessed that she shouldn't have been surprised at the efficiency that Monty acquired the accessory items that together would make Sasha appear a realistic character for the LARP. She supposed that Monty had been equally adept at getting the practice clothes and accomplishing the tasks set for Her Highness, Princess Sasha of the Goblin's Lady in Waiting.

While breaking from the character of Princess Sasha for the moment, Kathy still perceived that Monti was still with her as she replied, "Kathy, why did you want me to gather all of that by myself?"

Kathy smiled and remembered what she had said when Bernadette had asked her the same thing after she had read the missive to Princess Sasha, Kathy wanted to gauge how dedicated that Monti is for this by seeing whether she can overcome the challenges by herself. She was still not sure whether Monti is ready to come out to stay now. "To see how much you wanted to be real playing Princess Sasha, Monty. How did you get everything together."

Monti replied, " I found some long white opera gloves on a close out table. I have managed to die those the same shade of green as the facial makeup that I wore for my first outing."

Kathy told her, "That's excellent. We may like to carry them along in a tote to check against the material that we will be purchasing to make your dress. What else did you find?"

Monti continued," I found a Halloween closeout which yielded an appropriate dark green woman's wig for the LARP appearance and an blonde wig for practice." Monti remembered that Mary had just styled Sasha' hair for her previous appearance in the LARP.

"Your own hair looked cute in the photo that you emailed to me from the LARP, Monti. If your own hair is used you might use a temporary hair color to turn it green for the LARP. Please, continue." Kathy explained. She asked for the wig since she could not be sure of circumstances for the next few months. If Monti's hair was cut in a guy's style, she needed a backup.

Monti said, "I found this cute dance shop and I found green tights matching the face makeup as well. I felt that with my legs and arms covered that the only makeup that would be required would be on my face and neck."

"That's excellent thinking, Monti. In most circumstances your legs won't show but when your skirt is hiked up it would be better if they were green since that would match the rest of you. How did you do with ordinary girl's stuff?" Sara asked.

It seemed as if it was Monty who replied, "The more common items that I would need for practice seemed near impossible for me to manage yet I eventually was able to get everything that I needed."

Kathy asked Monty, "Why was shopping for ordinary women's clothing and makeup so difficult for you? "

Monty explained, "When I'm by myself, I don't feel right about shopping for women's items. Instead of acting normally I would walk around and around the item that I wanted. Eventually I would work up my courage to pick up the item and rush to the cash register where I would pay for it and rush out of the store. Since I could not bring myself to reenter the store, I would shop in another store for the next item. Eventually I picked up each item on my list from makeup to shoes to underwear to a practice dress."

Kathy explained, "You know Monty, acting like that just drew more attention to yourself. I would imagine they thought you were shoplifting. You are going to have to bring the items to the checkout anyway. It would be better for you if you just confidently went straight to the area where the item that you wish is located and calmly pick out what you want and repeat that until you just have to make one trip to the register."

Monty sighed, "I guess you are right, Kathy. I had not thought of it that way. I'll try to be calm and maybe even enjoy myself the next time I'm out shopping."

Kathy giggled, "I'm glad you feel that way since I am assigning you to get another set of everything on the mundane list. You need a backup for when these clothes are in the wash. I had not thought of it before but if you are going to be a mundane girl the rest of the time you are at the weekend but not in costume then you'll at least want a different outfit for Sunday coming home and at the roundup than the clothes you will be wearing when you arrive at the camp. And if you are really daring, get all dressed up as a girl to shop for the second outfit."

Monty told her, "Okay, I will accept the assignment. I'll get the second set of clothes because it is clear that I will need them. I'm not too sure about doing the shopping as a girl. I'll let you know when I have accomplished this part of my mission."

Kathy said, "I will be looking forward to your completing your new assignment. Guess I will let you go. Bye Monty!"

Monty echoed, " Bye Kathy" They both hung up their respective phones.

Epilog

Both Monty and Kathy had a lot to think about. Monty did his shopping and practicing so that Monty was able to give a good performance in the second "Dark Weekend" LARP game as Princess Sasha. Many things happened to Princess Sasha. The crisis came for Monty and Monty realized that transition was really in the future. Monty would be no more and it was Tina who would go through transition. Monty told Kathy that she could not put off transition, and Kathy told Monty about the visit from the angel and the message she received. It was a month short of a year before when Monty asked to be Kathy's boyfriend. Instead she became Tina and instead of a boyfriend she became Kathy's girlfriend and new BFF. In October shortly after her revelation to Kathy, she began a medical transition and began life as her true self except at work and when she visited her parents.

The journey would be long and hard but all the things that Tina was scared that she would have to give up in order to transition, one by one was given back to her. One thing that Tina never dreamed that she would have to give up was her immediate family and she never got it back. She was granted a family of choice instead, including much later her Aunt's family and among them a special cousin that found Tina even though her parents were silent..

Tina went through all the standards of care just before the turn of the century. She had completed all the steps to make her eligible for gender confirmation surgery. Her job had evolved over the years from a cashier at a drug store to a Information systems specialist. She even transitioned on the job where she had many challenges at the same company she had started as a cashier. From that point Tina lived as her true self all the time. That transition on the job led to Tina exiting that company after Kathy died. Many things changed including moving out of the home she shared at the time with Kathy. Tina changed careers after competing training as a Certified Nursing Assistant.

She longed to have her GCS but in her native state, she was sometimes uncovered and all the time insurance disallowed GCS coverage. She met and was later engaged to a man who she had met through Starfleet International. All of a sudden things began to come together for Tina. Her special cousin found her and she spent a wonderful Christmas in Colorado with her cousin flying her out there as one of Tina's presents.. Colorado was special because they had laws against GLBT discrimination and not only would she be given insurance coverage but eventually it would cover GCS.

The next year in July many things happened. After her engagement with her special man happened, He married her in a special non-legal Klingon wedding from the DS9 episode, "You are cordially invited". They had one night together before they were parted for a year. Tina was invited to go live in Colorado with her special cousin until she had obtained a CO CNA license, which let her work and get into an apartment. When Tina moved out of her cousin's house, her special cousin moved Tina's partner to CO to share the apartment she had gotten.

Tina began to not be able physically to do her job as a CNA and she retired. As age 65 and Medicare approached, Tina began the process she had to abandon after she had completed all the steps to qualify for surgery. Two hospitals in Denver began to offer GCS for the first time. One of their medical systems was the one that Tina used for her medical care. Tina turned 65 and was well on her way to collecting her final things which would qualify her for surgery at her Hospital system. After a scare when she got an initial medical condition rejection for a firm date for GCS, She and her primary care doctor came up with a mitigation and she was given a firm date for GCS in October. Tina had her GCS and is now living her best life as her true congruent and complete self.

Gerold vs. the Good Old Boys

1/ Shock Advised

By Jo Dora Webster

Cover Art by Melanie E.

What complications will arise out of Gerald's heart attack
while on an undercover story assignment?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1/ Shock Advised

I doubled over with pain as Grace looked over in dismay to my contortions. The uncontrolled jerking stopped as I turned out of my office chair and into the floor. I could no longer see but I could still hear. I couldn't breath and I couldn't speak as I lie helplessly on the floor.

"Gerald, Are you OK? Are you alright?"

She patted my arm briskly hoping for a response but I couldn't give one.

Grace's voice said, "Celesta, Call 911! Veronica, Get the AED!"

I knew that the AED was the automatic electronic defibrillator that could be used to restart someone's heart if needed.

Veronica and Celesta responded as I felt the pressure of Grace's fingers on my throat feeling for my pulse. Then she must have placed a mask over my nose and mouth and tilted my head back and blew two quick breaths into me and afterward began to apply pressure in regular thrusts to the right place on my chest to get the blood pumping. A couple more breaths then I felt pads being affixed to my chest which had been laid bare

A mechanical voice said "Stay clear, Evaluating...... Shock Advised....."

A bolt of electricity surged into my heart and my heart began to pump on its own and I began to breathe as I lapsed into sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In my dream state the events replayed in my mind.

'How did a macho man like me get into a workplace with the distaff stamp upon it, filled with women?'

In answer to that, I found myself back in the Waffle House sitting at a booth across from my best friend, Grace. She'd been venting about work and I had found myself tuning out just a bit. I had learned that Grace didn't want me to solve her troubles, but just listen. It was really hard not to try to solve things for Grace since I cared about her so deeply.

"So you are a hot shot reporter, right?"

"Almost. Most of my work is undercover so I write under a pen name. But that pen name is pretty well known for my exposes."

"For the sake of the people of Georgia, it's time to unearth the corruption of my boss's boss. I've tried getting the goods myself, but he won't confide in a 'skirt' even when I use all my feminine charms. I bet another 'good ole boy' would have the best chance at finding out what he's hiding. Guys tell each other everything."

"I take it he's a died in the wool male chauvinist pig!"

"You've got it! I've gotten the impression that he's the bottom of the totem pole and it involves a number of high placed officials, perhaps even the Governor himself. Do you think that you could help uncover it?"

"Grace, I'll do my best to pitch it to the newspaper. Can you provide me with the information that you have so far?"

"Sure, It isn't enough to build a case on yet since some of it is just hunches based on conscience."

"I'm sold on the story since you are, Grace. I'll convince them. Have you any ideas on how to get me undercover?"

"That's the easy part. There is a clerical job in my working group. If you start working here in our 'hen house' you'll have the chance to have lunch and breaks along with the other men in the facility including my boss's boss. It will be a way in to their world in a low enough position that they won't feel that you are a threat to them."

"That may just work, Grace. What exactly do you do in your 'hen house' "

She blushed, "No, its not like that! We work for the State Department of Transportation. In our office, we regulate outdoor signage. It can get a bit complicated in granting permits since not only did we have to go by the state laws in granting permits but also the county regulations as well. I work with the renewals and the vacancy we have is a person who works with initial requests which is the position that I would help you get."

"Who else works there?"

"Veronica, with her para-legal training, maintains the files on all of the county ordinances. She will advise both of us when we have questions on how to apply the law in the permit process. Mostly the county ordinances follow set patterns so it's easy mostly but Veronica is there to clarify anything that is out of the ordinary."

"What's she like? "

"She's very sultry with green eyes, red hair and a wonderfully curvy figure. She also knows martial arts so you'd best behave yourself."

"I'll behave. Please, tell me about your next co-worker?"

"Celesta is with us temporarily for her work study program. I will be very sad to see her leave when her time with us is up. She does the filing and secretarial duties for our working group. She is a major help as she keeps all the paper in the office organized."

"How would you describe her?"

"She has the enthusiasm of youth. She can't stay still so she's up and doing something all the time. She is boisterous and perky like a cheerleader. She looks the part with her long blonde hair, blue eyes, and perfect teeth and a body in Barbie proportions. She tends to wear the kind of short skirts and revealing tops that look so good on a girl her age."

I had the kind of far away look with a smile on my face that Grace playfully slapped my hand.

"None of that, my friend, I know that you will have to play the macho conquistador for your cover, but these are my friends. I expect you to treat them with the respect that you've always treated me."

"Of course my dear, but if one of them throws herself at me, you can't begrudge me catching them, can you?"

"I guess. There's one other woman in the office and that's my boss, Reyna Langston. She is the glue that holds us all together. Reyna is a skilled lawyer who is climbing the governmental ladder. "

"What traits does she have?"

"She's a mousy kind of woman with her looks but don't let that fool you. Deep down she is a very passionate woman about everything that she does. She's very fair, and not too thrilled about her boss's misconduct. She'll help in keeping your cover and making sure you have access to dig up information for the story."

"I really feel that this will work. I'll get right on it and pitch the story to my editor. Thank you ma'am!"

And it did work, I was accepted as one of the guys, socially in the workplace. That's all I needed, between what I was able to overhear and the access to computer and records to follow up, I had built up a compelling case against Mr. James Thornton , mid level manager and 'Good ole boy'. I was working my way up the food chain following the money.

The funny thing was that I was accepted in Grace's working group even though I was a rooster in the hen house. The rest of the women accepted me because of Grace's friendship for me. The macho thing was more overtly an act for my cover. Once the other women realized that Grace and I would have nothing beyond our life long friendship, sparks would fly as each in turn would compete for my attention. Life was good so I didn't have a clue what might be the reason for the cardiac arrest that had gripped me.

Reyna had taken us all out to lunch as a reward for the plan that we together had come up with to make the office more efficient. After lunch we had all gotten back into the office, except for Grace who had excused herself to run an errand. We settled back into the banter that went on in between working on our tasks..

"Celesta, how are things going with John?'

"Couldn't be better, Gerald. I'm still embarrassed about my school girl crush on you, when I threw myself at you. You introducing me to John when I thought that I had you to myself was the best thing that happened to me so far in my life. Both John and I will be completing this work study segment soon and we'll both be back in college together. I have a feeling that this is the real thing and not just another tryst."

"Good for you, Celesta. John is very lucky to have you in his life. I'm glad that I had a chance to bring you two together."

Celesta wrapped me up in a hug and kiss that raised my blood pressure several points and things sprang to life that had a mind of their own. "Thank you, Gerald. I'll really miss you when my time here is over."

"Gerald, you wouldn't be letting someone poach in my territory?"

Veronica's green eyes flared with jealousy and her flaming red hair flashing as she jerked her head around to face me.

"Not in the least, Veronica. You know I only have eyes for you. Celesta was just thanking me for introducing her to John."

"Well, you'll have to prove it!" She drew me into an embrace with her and began the kind of kiss that I would ordinarily only enjoy before lots more things were to happen behind closed doors. My blood pressure was through the roof but I was in heaven.

All of a sudden there was a giggle through out the office, as Reyna appeared from her private office to weigh in on the public displays of affection.

"Girls, please let Gerald alone. I know we play our parts to help Gerald out. Teasing him when no one else is around may be a little too much temptation no matter how much he is a gentleman."

"Awww, you're no fun!"

"Just be glad that Grace is not here. She's a lot more protective of Gerald than I am. Back to work, Ladies and Gentleman!"

"Yes ma'am!" "Thank you, Reyna!" "Of course, Reyna"

I still had a very red face when Grace arrived back in the office. She came over to check on me when my heart suddenly was in so much pain that I could not stand it and somehow I knew that this time it wasn't gas pains. It began all over again but I still could not tell what it was that brought the heart attack upon me. I hoped for a good outcome when at last this came out on the other side instead of the events replaying over and over again.

Gerold vs. the Good Old Boys

2/ Diagnosis

By Jo Dora Webster

Cover Art by Melanie E.

Can Gerald meet another challenge
as he recovers from the heart attack?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2/ Diagnosis

I opened my eyes and saw myself all hooked up to monitors and IVs in an ICU room. A smiling woman's face dressed in scrubs greeted me as I looked at her nameplate which read Dr Patricia Drake. I reminded myself that it was not polite to stare at her cleavage, not any woman but especially my Doctor, and I turned my eyes up to look into hers.

"Gerald, its so good to see you awake. I'm a surgeon who specializes in dealing with brain and neurological trauma. Can you speak?"

I managed to get out, "Yes Doctor. Could I get something to drink?"

"Very soon, but not right now. We have some decisions to make, you and I. Can you confirm that you have no living relatives and that we have the latest version of your Durable Power of Attorney and Living Will dated July 6, 2015"

"Yes, that is accurate. I have full trust in Grace Brooks to make decisions for me while I am incapacitated. Is she here?"

"Yes, she's waiting to see you after we are finished. Gerald, you have a tumor that has been in your brain a long time... since you were born which was quite benign until recently. Your heart, by the way is fine. That weight loss drug induced the arrest.
Discontinuing the drug will alleviate the heart condition."

"What changed with the tumor recently?"

"We believe that experimental drug that you hoped would help with your weight problem triggered an unintentional side effect and caused the tumor to be malignant as well as triggering your heart attack. We are afraid that it might spread so it would be best to go ahead and remove it surgically?"

"Is it in a good place and size to be removed without serious complications?"

"For the moment it is small enough but it is growing and if we wait it will grow too large to remove surgically without some treatment to try to shrink it."

"Seems like I've been lucky. What effects besides refraining from pain, seizures and cardiac arrest should I encounter with removal"

"We've done a brain scan and have diagnosed you with Harry Benjamin Syndrome which is being masked by the tumor. The tumor is emulating the part of the brain that females don't have that makes males, masculine. If we remove the tumor then you will return to what would be normal for you of having a female brain in a male body. That change will dramatically change you as things stabilize. You'd become a transsexual."

"Being a transsexual isn't life threatening if one gets the proper medical treatment, is it?"

"No, Gerald it is not in and of itself. Treatment consists of psychological monitoring coupled with hormonal treatment and eventually a period of socialization in the true gender before genital surgery. A number of cosmetic treatments can be also performed, some of which involve surgery to aid in the adjustment of the body to meet expectations of a person of their true gender."

"I seem to recall a stir in the News outlets over some new and revolutionary treatment that allowed a transwoman to become the host mother for her critically ill sister a few years ago. Has it advanced and can it help me?"

"There is a new option,it's about as new as diagnosis of HBS from a brain scan, Stem Cells can be extracted and then encouraged to grow into the female reproductive organs that you are missing. I have an in with a research entity called Jaime's Hope Foundation that has had some success growing transplant interfaces but have yet to grow complete organs, I'd like your permission to extract some stem cells to send to them."

"You have it Doctor. I don't want to die, I'll sign the consent forms. How quick can we do this?"

I have an OR on standby. We can start as soon as we get you prepped and the rest of the preparations made.

She handed me a clipboard with sheets of paper with possible complications. As I read she explained what I was reading until I was satisfied and signed them.

"Thank you, Gerald. I'll set the process in motion to get you into surgery as soon as possible. I'll send in Grace so she can speak with you for a little while and also send in an RN to prep you for surgery."

My dear friend,Grace who was displaying a more cheerful demeanor than I felt which must have been for my benefit. Accompanying Grace into the room was a very professional and caring person in scrubs. I read on her name badge that she was Janine Howard, RN, who was apparently assigned to my case.

"Hello, Gerald, I am your Nurse, Janine Howard. I'm going to inject something to make you sleep into your IV. Miss Brooks you can chat with Gerald until you need to leave so I can finish the preparations."

"I understand, Nurse Howard."

"How are you doing, Gerrie?" The concern with which she regarded me with her eyes while maintaining her upbeat outlook, reminded me why we were such good friends

The nurse had prepared the syringe, with the drug, and injected it into my IV. Grace was the only person who I allowed to call me Gerrie, since we had been life long friends.

"The doctor says that it was the results of unintentional side effects from the weight loss medication that I have been taking. Not only did it cause the cardiac arrest, but it set off a tumor in my brain. It's not heart surgery that they are prepping me for it's brain surgery!"

"Well that explains why a brain surgeon was assigned to your case. What about your heart?"

"I quit taking the weight loss drug and my heart will be fine. Do you remember that article on the break through that they had with Harry Benjamin Syndrome that made its treatment a mandatory treatment under the Harris medical oversight regulations?"

"Yes, those poor girls and boys can now have a brain scan to diagnose and enable immediate treatment under their health plan instead of having to wait until they are adults and they could foot the bill."

"After they remove the tumor, I'll be a transwoman. The tumor emulated the part of the brain that makes males act like men. After the surgery, and the scan afterward confirms my condition, I'll be a woman according to federal law. They know that untreated this can be fatal so they will put me into treatment as soon as it is confirmed."

"Gerrie, we've been friends so long and that will never change."

"I'm glad that I can depend on your friendship, Grace. You know, this could be interesting."

"What could be interesting, Gerrie?"

"We put to rest a long time ago that a relationship would not develop between us since I was not the right gender for you. It will be interesting if anything develops after the real me is revealed post surgically."

"Well, it will only be fair to wait till you have all your surgeries and I get to see how cute you turn out."

"I hate to interrupt, but time is about up for your visit."

Grace did not hesitate but leaned down and planted a kiss full on my mouth. She looked with smiling eyes into mine while telling me, "For Luck!"

She turned to the door as I lay speechless, in shock. When she got to the door threshold she turned and blew a kiss to me.

I recovered my voice and told her, "Thank you, See you on the other side!"

She smiled a big smile and told me, "I'll be waiting!" and she turned back and left so the nurse could continue her work with me. it was shortly after that when I fell into a deep sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke in recovery and realized it was all over. I was amazed at how clear and sharp my thinking was now. I was perplexed that the kind of thoughts and observations that my mind quickly arrived at were not anything like what I was used to having. It was like a weight had been lifted from me. I finally had total freedom within my own mind.

Emotional content and descriptive content came to the front. Aggression and competition which had been my constant companions within my thoughts were no where to be found. Instead I had a peace that I had never known before. I felt a contentment best expressed by cooperating with others. Especially people who would in turn cooperate with me forming a synergy. Is this the real me? Is this what being female is like?

I saw a RN beside me look at the monitors and call in a report presumably to Dr Drake. Her arrival several minutes later told me that my assumption was correct. Both women were displaying ample cleavage but instead of exciting me as it once did, I soon turned to admiring their clothing choices and how it fit and how comfortable it looked.

"Hello, Gerald. Your recovery is coming along nicely. Your surgery went off without any problems and we got all of the tumor and the examination made while we were inside revealed no spread to any of the surrounding tissue. We caught it just in time. How do you feel?"

"I feel fine, Doctor. My mind is crisp sharp and alert but the things it's coming up with bear no resemblance to what I'm used to thinking. Suggestion would lead me to believe that I'm thinking in a female way now. Everything seems to have emotional content that even if it were there before I never noticed but I am well aware of it now. What ever it is, its like a burden has been lifted off me that I never realized that I was carrying. I feel so free!"

"The therapist that I've asked to take your case will help you to sort out these new thoughts and together you will sort through the options for your future."

"Thank you, Doctor. This is all so foreign to me but somehow it feels right. I thank you for saving my life and making sure I get all the help I need to cope with this new existence. Somehow, I don't want to be known as Gerald anymore. It does not feel right. I used to be known as Gerrie before my male pride got the best of me. Could I be known as Gerrie, now?"

"Of course, Gerrie. I'll make the notation on your chart and alert the nursing staff. You should go to sleep now if you can. We'll be moving you into a regular room soon."

"Yes Doctor and thank you so much."

"You are quite welcome, Gerrie You'll be going back to sleep soon but I have someone here to keep you company till then."

Grace arrived and blew me a kiss, "The Doctor said not to make physical contact with you yet so the air kiss will have to do for now, Gerrie. How are you feeling?"

"I feel very different and at the same time I feel congruent. It's like this was the way I was always supposed to be."

And how are you supposed to be, Gerrie?"

"I'm a woman. I'm sure that the doctors will have to do their scans and therapeutic examinations to confirm it but I have now doubts."

"Are you really okay with being a woman?"

"I am okay, don't worry, Grace. I'm glad that they told me what to expect or I would be beside myself trying to sort out this new me but since I know what was going on, I wasn't scared about the change and that helped"

"Are you uncomfortable in any way?"

"Just between you and me, I am very uncomfortable now having a male body. Certain parts especially distress me and I've only been awake a few minutes."

"Once your status is determined, I'll get you applied for treatment under your health plan. Patients who have a congenital abnormality rise to the top of the waiting list for surgical correction. They don't leave anything out so when you are finished with everything, you should be very comfortable with your body."

"What about the stem cells? Were they extracted and did the foundation accept growing me a reproductive tract?"

"They've accepted the cells subject to some reasonable conditions that I agreed to on your behalf and they will start the process once the cells arrive at their facility."

"That sounds great, Grace."

"If you are feeling up to it, Veronica is waiting to see you. She really wanted to see you prior to your surgery but there just wasn't time. I've had the doctors keep her up to date on your condition considering how close the two of you have become."

"I'm glad that she cares about me. I care about Veronica too. Of course, I'd like to see her. Does she know what the surgery was about? Does she know I'm a woman inside now?"

"Gerrie, she knows. I'm hoping things will work out okay."

"I'm not now what she signed up for when we started having fun together. Could you send her in and give us a little privacy?"

"Sure Gerrie. I'll get her." Grace left my bedside and soon after she left the room, Veronica came in.

"Gerald, I'm so glad that you are okay. You scared me with that heart attack and the emergency surgery afterward. I'm sorry that I haven't been in before but there just wasn't time for anyone but Grace to see you."

"I'm sorry about that Veronica. I guess that since we are a couple, I should have changed things so that you would be doing what Grace does. It's been so quick us getting together that I guess I missed the point where it should have been changed."

"That's okay, Gerald. I know how close you two are and we're not engaged even though we seemed to be working up to it. It's okay. Really!"

"So how are we now, Veronica? It's weird but after that surgery, I'm a woman on the inside now. I'm going by Gerrie to everyone right now and some where down the road I guess I'll have to pick out a new name. Eventually I'm going to have to be a woman on the outside too for my own sanity. Are you going to be able to be with a woman?"

"Gerrie, I guess I didn't want to face it even though I knew what had happened to you. I care deeply about you but I'm not a lesbian. We can't be a couple anymore. I am so sorry. I want to make it up to you by helping you adjust to your new life and being your friend. I still love you but that love is taking a different form now."

"Ronnie, I understand. Really I do. I love you too. I really value your friendship. I'm going to need your help if I ever hope to get this right."

"Gerrie, you are going to make a wonderful woman. Just being this understanding about me, tells me that you really are a woman now. I'm sorry what we had is over. However, I am excited by the possibilities of you being my friend."

"Thank you Ronnie. Is there anything else we need to talk about?"

"For now, but the next time I feel lost about what a man is thinking, I'm going to want to pick your brain."

"Unfortunately, even though I may know what a man might have thought in the past, any thoughts I have now are as a woman. I'm not sure how much use I'll be since some of my own memories are a mystery to me what I might have been thinking."

"Trust me, any insight, however flawed, would be better than the total void of information I have now. I'll go get Grace for you. Be well, Gerrie."

"I'll do my best, Ronnie. Thank you. All my hopes for you." Veronica left and I breathed a sigh of relief. Grace was soon back by my bedside.

"How are you doing, Gerrie?"

"Surprisingly well, Grace. Ronnie and I have broken up but we are still friends. She wants to help me and thinks that maybe I can help her understand men. I'll do my best but I'm not sure how well I'll do with that now."

There was a knock at the door and in walked Trevor Morgan, who was my contact with the newspaper.

"Gerald, I was distressed to hear of your heart attack. Hi Grace. How are you really, Gerald?"

"The heart attack was the tip of the iceberg. They discovered that I had a brain tumor and I've had surgery to remove it. The thing is that tumor was emulating a male brain structure, without it my brain is female. That makes me a transwoman and eventually I'll need treatment to match my body with my new mind."

"Wow, that's heavy Gerald. Are you really a woman now?"

"Yes, I am, Trevor. You can call me Gerrie"

"Gerrie, I have all the data on sources and evidence for your story from the last time that you sent it which was, evidently, just before your heart attack. We are really close to getting everything we need for the story."

"I agree that we are just about there. Just a little more time with the good old boys and a little more time with the Department's computer system and I can wrap this up with a big beautiful red bow."

"Gee, Gerrie. That's not something you would have said before. I guess I am convinced that you really are a woman now."

"That's why I have to watch myself and get out of here as soon as I can to finish up. I can't see them opening up before Gerrie the transwoman like they have before Gerald."

"I'll pass this on to Ms. Jamison, our editor. You know that the paper embraces diversity and you'll be welcomed back warmly. You may even get a promotion to the editorial staff between your great work in the field and your new perspective on life. That will make you very much in demand and the newspaper will want to keep you happy."

"Well I never had any intention of trying to take advantage of becoming a transwoman, but once I wrap up the story, I fully will embrace the experience for my own good. Any perks I get as a result are just icing on the cake."

"Can you do it? Can you finish the story in your condition?"

"The longer I get away from the surgery, the harder it is to act completely the way I used to act as a man. I'm going on inertia but eventually that will run out. With me being able to get an early release from the hospital, I should be able to be back to work soon enough to continue acting as a man for long enough to finish things up."

"I'll pass on your assurance to Ms. Jamison. We'll talk again when you have something new to report. Get well soon. Gerrie"

"Thank you, Trevor. I'm going to get well and I look forward to chatting soon."

"Bye, Grace!"

"Take care, Trevor"

Trevor turned around and left as quickly as he came in and soon there was just Grace and I left in the room again.

"That was interesting, Gerrie. You've had a busy day. How are you physically?"

"I'm fading fast, Grace. I hope that next time I get to see you, I'm recovered enough to get more than a air kiss."

"I look forward to that as well, Gerrie. Bye for now!"

"Bye Grace!" Grace blew me an air kiss and left out the door while I turned over on my side and fell asleep.

Gerold vs. the Good Old Boys

3/ Testing

By Jo Dora Webster

Cover Art by Melanie E.

Can Gerrie escape the hospital to finish
Gerald's interrupted work?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3/ Testing

I woke refreshed with an awareness that something wasn't quite right.

Since I had accepted that my mind now had female gender, it was my body which was at odds and abnormal. I wasn't sure just what would be normal for my body but I knew that its present configuration was not what was right for me. All of my sensory input still included emotional content which I was still getting used to evaluating.

The neurological effects of the change in my brain had spread beyond my perception of colors. Somehow I seemed more sensitive to touching and being touched. My sense of smell was a bit more pronounced and I was very grateful that sometime in the night, I had been given a bed bath and a new hospital gown and I felt nice and clean.

All I really had to go on was that I was thinking in new ways. I assumed that the gender that I now was expressing by my thoughts was female since it bore no resemblance to the male gender that I had been used to having. Like the question of whether a tree falling in the wilderness without anyone to hear it made any sound, a gender expression that is only inward can not be verified except as expressed outwardly in a way that someone could observe and react to that expression.

Part of that outward expression had already changed in the way that holding my body and moving it felt right and comfortable. Very naturally my movements seemed to suggest feminine patterns. That is not to say that any more than unconscious motions took on that quality, since when I took direct control of my movements there was not any noticeable change. It seemed logical to me that some movements were made out of practicality when one's entire body or clothing worn was female and still others were made out of custom or social expectation. Were I to fit in and actually live as a female, I would have a lot to learn.

I knew enough that, with my brain in its new configuration, I would want ultimately to start living as a woman so that I could blend in with other women. However I had some unfinished loose ends with my story that I would like to tie up. I wondered if it would be possible for me to be a good enough actress to portray a man in the short term to finish my story. I would have to go on the inertia of what was in order to pull it off. Because of that, I would have to return to work as soon as humanly possible before doing any of the work to put my body in sync with my new brain.

I was jarred out of my introspection by a member of hospital staff in scrubs, that I identified as a PCT even before I saw her name tag by the fact that she was carrying a vitals data pad which she interfaced to the devices which constantly monitored my vital signs.

"I'm Wendy Newman, Gerrie, and I am going to be your day shift PCT. Even though you are constantly being monitored and your vitals relayed to the nurses station, we check the automatic monitoring once each shift the old fashioned way just to confirm that everything is functioning correctly. I'm about to do that. Are you in any pain? If so can you give me your perception on our 1 to 10 scale?"

"Wendy, Amazingly enough I feel fine and I'm not in any severe pain. My discomfort level is about a 2 which is very bearable."

"I wont suggest to your nurse any change in your pain medication at this time then. We find that the new endoscopic techniques that we can use for brain surgery greatly minimize the trauma of the procedure and recovery time. I'll do your vitals now."

She pulled out a stethoscope and a blood pressure cuff and took my blood pressure. Next she felt for my pulse and timed with her watch. I tried to breath normally while she had my pulse held since during part of that time she was also observing my respiration. I had learned about taking vitals in our CPR class so I tried not to mess her up by controlling my breathing instead of letting it happen naturally. She noted other things on her data pad and then turned her attention back to me.

"Your breakfast tray will be coming up soon." She took the insulated mug to the sink and emptied it and filled it up with fresh ice water from the dispenser. "Is there anything else that I can get you?"

"I can't think of anything, Wendy. Is Grace by any chance waiting to see me?"

"Yes, she is, Gerrie. She wanted me to signal her the 'all clear' to come see you once I had finished my morning evaluation. I'll let her know that it's okay for her to come visit with you."

"Thank you, Wendy. I'm looking forward to seeing Grace."

Wendy departed and very soon afterward Grace came in with an air kiss to me.

"Good morning, Gerrie. How are you doing this morning?"

"Grace, I feel well for what I've been thru. I'm convinced already that I am going to need to become the woman outwardly that I have become inwardly. What will the insurance cover?"

"For you, it should cover almost anything that you want that is possible, including the cost of the experimental surgery that they took the stem cells for. Since your condition came about as a result of a potentially cancerous tumor, The Rehabilitation Act applies."

"What is that and what does that do for me?"

"It was an expansion of the patients bill of rights that was written into a budget bill in the late 20th century that required insurance to cover breast reconstruction due to lump or mastectomy to treat cancer. It was expanded to cover any plastic surgery needed to restore normal function and appearance due to cancer. In your case, it would cover any procedure needed to restore appearance and function of being a normal female. In so many cases of late onset diagnosis, these days, nothing beyond SRS is covered with some other procedures being excluded as not necessary and thus not covered."

A food service worker came through the door after knocking carrying two breakfast trays for me. One was ordered by Dr. Drake as I saw on the card with it which had a place to order the other meals of the day according to the diet that I was on.

The other meal had been ordered by Dr. Johansen which was a standard diet tray. On the order, she had written with a flourish a small note.

'This one is for Grace. Please enjoy! Grace, remember that you have to take care of yourself in order to take care of others. ~ Dr. Erika Johansen'

We both started into our breakfasts as we continued to talk.

"Grace, that was really thoughtful of Dr. Johansen. I like her already even though we haven't met yet."

"Dr Johansen was very thoughtful and that shows just how good care she will take of you. You are very lucky to have her, Gerrie."

."What does today look like for me?"

"You'll meet your therapist, Dr. Erika Johansen and she will assign a battery of psychological tests for you to take as well as having a chance to get acquainted with you. Sometime during the day, you will take the official evaluation medical test for HBS as well."

"Looks like I'm going to be very busy. What do the ladies at work know?"

"They know that you've had surgery and that your heart is alright and that you are recovering."

"Grace, please find out the soonest that I can be released to go back to work. Since both my real and cover jobs are clerical in nature, I can deal with a lifting restriction easily and still function in both jobs. Please explain to my surgeon what is at stake as best you can and see if she will go ahead and release me. If I have just a little more time I can wrap up my investigation if I can do it as Gerald. I can do that going on inertia, but I'll lose the ability to do that before long."

"Looks like my time is up since I see someone on her way into the room. You take care, Gerrie. I'll speak to Dr. Drake and see how soon you can be released."

"Thank you, Grace and good luck with Dr Drake!" Grace blew me an air kiss and I blew her one back. Grace was about to leave but the Doctor coming in motioned for her to stay.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Erika Johansen. You must be Gerrie since you are the one hooked up to all the monitors in the bed, and you are?"

"I'm Grace Brooks, Dr. Johansen. Thank you so much for the breakfast tray and the great advise. I hold Gerrie's medical power of attorney and we have been best friends for a very long time."

"You are very welcome, Grace. I'm glad to meet you and please call me, Erika. You too Gerrie. Grace you can go on now if you need to go or you can stay while Gerrie and I get acquainted if you like."

"Thank you, Grace. All my hopes!"

"Good Luck, Grace and thanks for your efforts on behalf of Gerrie!"

"Nice to meet you Erika and thank you. See you soon, Gerrie" Grace left, walking purposely, in an effort to speed her journey to Dr. Patricia Drake's Office.

"Grace seems like a very nice woman, Gerrie. How does she seem to be taking the news that you are suddenly turning into a woman?"

"Grace is one of my oldest and dearest friends, Erika. Grace accepts me as I am, She remains a good friend."

"Do you have any birth family to turn to, Gerrie?"

"I was an only child and I have outlived my parents, who were only children, and my grandparents. I'm the last of my birth family. All that remains are distant cousins from the children of my grandparent's brothers and sisters. That's why Grace agreed to hold my power of attorney. There isn't anyone who really is 'family' left but Grace is part of my family of choice. She's like a sister to me."

"Was there ever a time when you felt that Grace might be more than a sister to you?"

"Up until the time that I found out that Grace is a lesbian, I thought about the possibility. I wasn't her type then. Maybe I will be her type when I finish changing."

"I understand that you endorsed the entire course of treatment even before they had removed the initial tumor which quit masking that you are in reality a transwoman. How do you feel about going back to work as a woman?"

"Anything that I tell you is subject to patient - doctor privilege as long as I am not a danger to myself or others, Isn't it?"

"Of course, Gerrie."

"I need to try to act like a man for a little while longer.In addition to being a clerical worker for the state department of transportation, I'm also a reporter. I'm undercover working on a story concerning political corruption in mid level management and leading up the food chain. I have access to the good ole boys' club and I need that access for a little while longer to finish the research for my story."

"Thank you for confiding in me and of course I will keep your confidence. Short term you should be successful, going on inertia, to maintain male gender presentation. The sooner the better,so far as success is concerned. However, you'll need to balance the need to do this very soon against your personal medical condition."

"Grace is going to set up a meeting with Dr Drake to find out how soon I can be released so I can get on with finishing my research."

"Once you finish this unfinished business, how do you wish to proceed?"

"First, I want to achieve a congruence between my mind and body. Second, I know enough about men that in my present mind set that I will no longer be accepted as one of them. The very act of changing my gender identification means that for some people, no matter how well I expressed female gender, I would not be accepted. However, for those who remain, I hope that I will be welcomed to the sorority of women by women and acknowledged to be a woman by men. In that way I can function normally as a productive member of society."

"You appear to have this will thought out. I'm not sure how objective that I could be in dealing with a situation like yours."

"It helps that I have a feminine perspective on this now and I'm willing to cooperate with the process instead of compete against it. Thank you for listening, Erika. Thanks also for taking care of my friend Grace for breakfast."

"It was my pleasure, Gerrie. I guess we are acquainted enough for now. I have a battery of psychological tests that I would like for you to take, Gerrie. I'll start you on the first one and give the rest to your PCT to give to you when you are ready for them. She'll collect the completed tests and get them to me for scoring. I'll be back in touch with you after I have finished scoring them so we can work on what comes next."

"Thank you, Erika!"

Erika gave me a test and started me on it and then told me, "Gerrie, you may begin. I'll check on you later"

I waved to her and got busy answering the test. One by one, I finished all of the tests. During one of the test breaks, they wheeled me out to do an MRI which was to confirm my brain gender and it came out female just as everyone expected.

During another of the test breaks, there was only one tray delivered and I ate lunch alone. I was grateful while I was eating lunch since it was very tasty. Gloria called and told me that she had finished her initial meeting with Dr Drake and that she would be meeting with both of us later. Rather than immediately go into more testing, the next thing was for me to watch a DVD on HRT and read some text background and then take a test. By the time that was over, I knew what to expect when I started taking female hormones and what they would do to me both physically and mentally.

I was pleasantly surprised when my testing took another break since I had a visitor. Celesta entered and blew me a kiss, having been cautioned that it was in my best interest not to have physical contact yet.

"Gerald, I am so glad to see that you are okay. I was so worried when you collapsed at the office."

Celesta looked on very perplexed and very intensely at me. She even passed her hand around my head as though it contained some kind of sensor device but it was empty. She remained perplexed so I hoped that I could reassure her that I was okay.

"They say that I will be okay. My heart is basically fine. It was just overwhelmed by medication but that has been taken care of now."

I paused for a moment and when my explanation did not seem to bring any relief to her face I had to ask: "What, Celesta has you so perplexed about me?"

"Gerald, you are very different now. I read auras and yours has always been strong virile and very masculine. That is up to now. I sense now that your aura now contains many very female elements that are dominating and taking over your aura. Your aura is becoming very much like a normal woman's aura, now! How can this be?"

"Celesta, the surgery that I underwent removed a tumor that was emulating male brain characteristics. With the tumor gone, it leaves me with a woman's brain. I am not surprised that I have a female spirit abiding inside me now. The power who watches over the universe is very good at keeping the details of the metaphysical world in order. How would you feel if I were to come back to work as a woman?"

"I'd welcome you with open arms. You are my friend and nothing will change that, Gerrie."

"Well it will be Gerald who comes back to work this time. I'm not quite ready to face the world yet as a woman, I know I will have to eventually but I'd like to delay the inevitable for as long as I can."

"Either way, I'll do all I can to make your return easy for you. John sends his best for a speedy recovery."

"How are things at work?"

"It's a bit busy since there are less of us to do what needs to be done. Reyna has recalled both of our site inspectors, Brandy and Harold back to the office and they are filling in to get everything done."

"How are Brandy and Harold?"

"Brandy's diet seems to be working. She's dropped 20 pounds since we last saw her. Harold is as ornery as ever. I think that by the definition of male chauvinist pig is his picture in the dictionary. Reyna is holding things together by sheer force of will."

"Sounds like a regular three ring circus."

"It just about is. I will be really glad when you are able to come back to work."

"Thanks, Celesta. It's nice to have even more confirmation of what I already knew for when I come back."

"You are welcome, Gerrie. Guess I should be getting back to work."

"Celesta, I am so glad that you came to visit, Give my regards to everyone at the office."

"I will Gerrie. Take care and come back to us soon!"

Celesta left my room and I knew that I had done the right thing in telling her that I was destined to become a woman outwardly since my surgery had rendered me one mentally.

Immediately I was back taking tests again till they were all completed. I finished up just before supper. I was very pleased that Grace arrived just after the supper trays were delivered. There were two of them again like breakfast, with the second tray ordered again by Dr Johansen for Grace.

"How did things go with meeting Dr. Drake today, Grace?"

"She's not really happy about you wanting to go so soon. She'll be here soon for the meeting that I scheduled with her earlier."

"I'm not surprised that she's not thrilled about it. I believe that we need to bring Dr. Drake in on our plans so that she can understand the urgency that I get out of here."

"With Doctor - Patient confidentiality, it should be okay. I still have reservations about widening the number of people who know about this since any breach would direct action against you when you are very vulnerable."

"It's a risk but one that is worth taking so that all the work that I've done so far is not in vein. I've already taken Dr. Johansen into my confidence so she won't misinterpret my wanting to maintain the illusion of masculinity for a bit longer as not being willing to do what it takes so I can fit in as a woman since I know that is in my best interest and the only way I will be happy going forward."

"Of course you had to do that, Gerrie. I'm glad that Dr Johansen is in the loop. Perhaps we cam use that to our advantage and get her to vouch for your desire to be released without having to reveal the details to Dr Drake. I'll call her and invite her to help at the meeting."

"What a wonderful idea, Grace! Thanks."

Grace called Erika and she was free to come meet with us now, fortunately. Erika agreed to vouch for my need to leave ASAP so that our secret need not be revealed any further.

It seemed that all of the Doctors arrived at the same time, Dr. Drake and Dr. Johansen, we knew and there was another Doctor, whose name plate said Dr Linda Russell, MD Endocrinologist that Grace and I didn't know.

"Greetings all. I'm happy to see you here, Dr. Johansen. May I present, Dr. Linda Russell. She's an endocrinologist and I've asked her to consult with me on your case, Gerrie. Linda, this is Gerrie Mercer and her friend and holder of her durable power of attorney Grace Brooks."

"I'm glad to meet you, Gerrie and Grace. I look forward to helping Gerrie with her special situation."

"Thank you Dr. Russell. I need all the help I can get."

"I'm glad to meet you as well Dr Russell. Your reputation goes before you and I am sure that Gerrie is in good hands."

"I too am glad that you are on Gerrie's case and I look forward to working with you as Gerrie begins her journey, Linda."

"Thank you, Erika. Gerrie, I would like to start HRT immediately. It will be a while before any physical changes are apparent. The benefit in starting now is that it would help stabilize the chemistry in your new brain configuration which is now female."

"Gerrie, has been given full disclosure concerning HRT. I agree that starting it now is prudent and I approve it as well."

"I'll be supervising your HRT, regulating your dosages, and making sure that your medical condition is monitored so we can make any adjustments needed.".

"I look forward to starting that. Does that require that I be a constant in patient at the hospital?"

"Not at all although you will need to return at intervals to administer the HRT shots and do the required testing."

"That's good. Dr. Erika will confirm that information I have given her in confidence compels me to leave the hospital ASAP."

"I agree that Gerrie has a compelling reason to return to work. Her window of opportunity is shrinking since her unfinished business compels her to present as though she were a man for as long as she can to accomplish her goals."

"I am against this plan but I can't stop you from signing yourself out of the hospital. Based on Erika's assertion, I'll do my best to get you ready to do this since you'll do it anyway."

"Thank you for your help, Dr. Drake. I'll be signing myself out in the morning so I can get back to work."

"I'll do my best to help you be able to to cope physically with what you intend to do. I guess there is nothing more to say. I hope that you will not ignore the schedule that Dr. Linda Russell will give to you for your monitoring since your very life may depend on your compliance."

"I will comply with the schedule Dr. Russell sets."

"I guess that concludes our business tonight. I'll send orders so that you will be as able as you can be to leave the hospital tomorrow."

"Thank you Dr. Drake."

To say that Dr. Drake was displeased with me, was an understatement. However, having Erika here helped her see that I would not be dissuaded from carrying out my plan. Everyone left one by one until finally Grace and I said our good nights. I settled in for my last night's sleep at the hospital.

Gerold vs. the Good Old Boys

4/ Discovery

By Jo Dora Webster

Cover Art by Melanie E.

How can Gerrie, who is finally good in her own skin,
impersonate Gerold's male gender expression?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4/ Discovery

I managed to get myself checked out of the hospital without much problem. Grace was a dear and used her power of attorney to get things pushed through so I did not have to exert myself. She came through the door with a signed release form to give to the nurse's station and a complete change of clothes that she had retrieved from my home since mine had been rendered unwearable due to my heart attack.

"Gerald, here is the change of clothes that you asked me to bring. I'll deliver your release papers to the nurse's station while you get dressed."

"Whoa, Grace! Since when did you start calling me, Gerald?"

"Since my new girl friend has to pretend she's a man. I've put out the word to everyone at work who was going to start following my example and call you Gerrie to instead keep calling you Gerald. For you it can be a reminder not to slip out of the male persona that you'll be portraying. I've told them that you want to make sure you have to transition so you are attempting to see if you can keep up the male persona. Otherwise, as understanding as the girls in the office are, they would have you in skirts for your own good so fast it would make your head swim."

"Point well taken, Grace. Thank you for calling me, Gerald. That was a good catch letting them think this was about my male pride instead of letting the cat out of the bag about my undercover assignment. I'm already slipping a bit with my word choices. I can't even relax for real when I walk anymore since my walk is becoming more feminine without any body changes yet."

"How are you doing when you take control of your actions instead of relaxing?"

"I am acting completely masculine when I concentrate on what I do and say. I'm going to finish up as soon as I can. I never realized what a load of poo that all that macho act that men do is in reality till my change in perspective, How did you put up with me, Grace?"

I seemed like I just had to cry right then and Grace let me get it out and then offered me tissue to clean myself up again.

"You never were as bad as the other guys. I would have suspected you were gay, but I knew better. I never would have suspected that you had a tumor covering up a woman's brain. I guess with that as an advantage, you were able to counteract part of the macho doo doo that the tumor was sending your way. Gerald, go ahead and get dressed, We can talk more later."

"Thanks, Grace, I'll get dressed then open my room door when I'm ready."

"Bye, Gerald."

Grace left and closed the room door behind her. I had already showered and put on clean underwear, I took off the clean hospital gown and began to put my business suit on.. It usually wasn't that formal in the office but I tended to dress a bit less casual so that I could fit in with the managers that I took my breaks with. Even Grace had a smart olive green business suit with jacket, and matching skirt with a delicious cream shell underneath, on this morning.

We were going to have our required Sexual Harassment briefing this morning. We expected several VIP's from other state government departments in attendance since our briefing was designated a makeup session for any who had missed it when it was held in their departments. Soon I was sharp looking as everything was exactly where it was supposed to be, at least for the male persona that I was portraying. Somehow, I wished that I was wearing something like Grace was wearing to fit in with the women, except I could not do that. Yet!

I opened the door and Grace was waiting with a hospital transport attendant who had a wheel chair waiting for me so I sat and was settled. My belongings were on a duffle on the bed which Grace collected and sat in my lap. We were about to get going when Dr Drake motioned for the attendant to stop and she came closer to speak with Grace and I.

"Gerald, Please don't cut corners with the instructions that I have left on the discharge order. In spite of your determination to finish what ever it is that is so important, I am counting on your recuperative ability to get you thru the aftermath of your surgery. On this card is my private telephone number which only my immediate family have access. I expect that if anything unusual comes up that you will contact me immediately and let me decide if it is significant. I am determined to give you the best chance of recovery in spite of yourself." She handed me the card which I immediately put in my suit coat's inside pocket for safe keeping.

"Thank you, Dr Drake. I appreciate your help and concern. I will follow orders so hopefully all will go well but if something come up, I will call you as you asked. Thank you for providing total access to me for this occasion."

"That's all I had to say. Watch over him, Grace, Good Luck, Gerald!"

Both Grace and I thanked Dr Drake and we were on our way, The transport assistant took us out a secret way where a cab was waiting to take both Grace and I to the office. We made small talk in the cab since there was so much secrecy going on right then and for the first time, we were out of an environment where what we said would be ignored out of patient privilege.

Upon arriving at work, Grace took me straight to Reyna Langston, the attorney who was the department's supervisor's office. Grace handed a packet of papers to Reyna and she indicated to us that we should be seated.

"Gerald, It's so good to see you up and about after your heart attack and other medical complications!"

"Thank you, Reyna. I am very glad to be out of the hospital."

Reyna glanced over the papers that she was presented by Grace.

"This final paperwork is substantially what you faxed to me last night, Grace, Thank you for being so efficient, Your attention to detail really has sped up processing Gerald's situation. "

"You are welcome, Reyna. I wanted to keep you completely in the loop. And what about that other matter that I gave you that hypothetical about?"

"Gerald, Grace gave me a hypothetical situation. I feel as if I would be willing to take you on as a client to advise you concerning what should be disclosed officially and when. Since you can never take back a disclosure, and it is best to be very selective as to the information and the timing of release in this situation. The department has information update forms which I will advise you when and what to disclose to the department as this develops."

"Excellent, Reyna. I suggest we finish up our off the record discussion before time for work to begin and you have to take off your lawyer hat and put on your supervisor hat."

"Gerald, off the record, once you do disclose and start your transition, I will make it as easy as possible within the department, However I have no control of what ever restrictions that the facility supervisor may impose as well as the state government, I've spoken to Veronica off the record. She seems like she will be very supportive. I understand Celeste came to see you yesterday."

"She did. Did you know that she reads auras?"

"Really?"

"Yes, really! She compared my aura before the surgery and descried it as virile. When she observed it yesterday, she said that it's becoming very feminine. She seemed okay with it. I guess the verdict is in with the MRI and now my aura, I really am a woman, now for the rest of my life."

"Well it looks like you will be a sheep in wolf's clothing for a while, Gerald. I hope that things work out for you, to complete what ever it is that is so important that you checked yourself out of the hospital instead of using that in patent time to jump-start your transition."

"I really need to put my life in order, visit friends, that sort of thing. Even with the new acceptance of Harry Benjamin Syndrome, the word transsexual still has a bit of a sting and stigma attached to it. Even with these times being better than anything previous, I have a feeling that some of those will turn out to be goodbyes, regardless"

I hadn't thought a lot about the excuse that I was putting my life in order as though I were about to die. In some ways, it would be exactly like that. I couldn't help but cry a bit as the emotion welled up within me. Perhaps, I should really get in touch with everyone while I was out, just in case.

"There, there now, sweetie"

Grace comforted me and handed me a tissue to dry my eyes when I had cried my self out. I composed myself as best that I could.

"The emotions come so freely now. I'm going to have to do my best to control them if my ruse as Gerald is going to work. I'm just glad that this was in private so no harm's done.

"I for one will be glad when you do feel your old life is in order and you get down to creating your new life. I'm going to be glad to get to know the new you, whom I feel will have the best of what you have always been plus a few surprises given to you from your new life. Please pay very close attention to the briefing. From your old perspective, you would be focusing on how to make sure your social interactions were understood clearly and were wanted. From your new perspective, you should try to learn how to avoid being a victim by being very firm when something doesn't feel right and how to deal with the situation if you become a victim."

"I'm afraid that you are right. Even with things changing, there is still a very powerful male privilege that makes things difficult which is misused criminally in these sexual harassment situations. Is it wrong of me to try to hold on to that male privilege a bit longer to get done what needs to be done?"

Reyna turned to me and held my hand as though it were girl to girl.

"A girl needs to use everything that she can to get things done. Gerrie, you are going to have to find a way to get things done without male privilege, in the long run"

"Thank you, Reyna. You are right and I will pay attention at the briefing. So much for me to do and to learn. I hope that I am equal to the task."

"If anyone can do it, you can, Gerald. Time to get your game face on!"

Grace really encouraged me and prompted me that I could no longer let down my guard. We three looked through the window into the office commons and saw a number of men walk in and gather by the coffee pot.

"That's right, Gerald. That's your crowd out there and I expect that you will want to be joining them until the briefing starts. Our consultation is concluded. Grace, I have some thing to discuss with you, if you'll stay a moment. Welcome back to work, Gerald!"

"Thank you, Reyna!"

I exited Reyna's office with Grace shifting into the closer seat I had occupied for her one on one conversation with Reyna.

I summoned the memory of the person that I had been and proudly walked out to greet the men with whom I had shared a camaraderie. On command, my 'Gerald' persona came to the forefront and took control at my direction while I sat back and took in each detail.

As I expected, my boss's boss, James Thornton, came forward first, and greeted me with a bit more decorum than the rest since I was in his indirect oversight.

"Hello, Gerald! It's nice to see you up and around! I admire your dedication to work that you wouldn't even let a heart attack keep you away."

"Thank you, Mr. Thornton. It's good to be back at work"

Near him was Ned Somersby who ran at the same mid level management, the Maintenance department.

"Hi Gerald! Take care of yourself, Man! Thorny would be lost without you translating woman speak from all the skirts in his domain"

How dare he speak of my friends like that! Instead of the tongue lashing I wanted to dish out to Ned, I simply smiled big and gave him a firm handshake.

"You've got it , Man!"

With Ned, flanking him was Carl Allen (projects), Ivan Maddox (Materials Storage), and Lester Sanders (Heavy Equipment), who were at the same level as Reyna occupied on the organizational chart.

"Yo, Gerald, How're they hangin'" was Carl's greeting.

I wonder what he would have said to a straight answer. My nipples had barely started budding due to the hormones and at Carl's good wholesome country boy looks seemed to harden. I must be bi.

Same as always and ready for anything, Carl."

"Gerald, my man, take it easy chasing those lovelies around the office. It's not worth dying over!"

"Oh, but Ivan, it is worth it!"

"Careful tiger, you have to at least do a better job covering it up. You wouldn't want to become part of the next Sexual Harassment Extravaganza!"

I couldn't do anything remotely like those cads in the training videos. It hurt more than I thought to play along even for effect.

"Les, you just have to be smart enough not to get caught!"

I grinned at him and let out a rebel whoop and all the men joined in with me.

I wanted to gag but I couldn't. Collectively these five men were the people that I spent my breaks and meals with since I had been working at this division of the Georgia Department of Transportation office. There was another office located elsewhere for political purposes that held the new construction and planning arms of the organization.

A couple of men, who were clearly VIP's walked in. I recognized one as Chad Duran, the Georgia Secretary of Transportation and the other as Jacob Thornton, the Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. Yes, Jacob was James's older brother. Nepotism is alive and well in the state of Georgia. There were a number of other new faces who were congregating in another area of the reception area of the office. A lot of those newcomers were men but they held either the same level or lower position than I had and kept "Their Place."

"Jacob, this is my right hand man in the Outdoor Signage Department, Gerald Mercer. Gerald, this is the honorable Jacob Thornton, Lieutenant Governor of the great state of Georgia, and a great big brother to me."

I reached out and took Jacob's hand with a firm handshake. I had already been in a group several times with Jacob present but this was my first formal introduction to him.

"Hello, Gerald. Best wishes for your recovery from your heart attack. James tells me good things about you. It's a shame that you don't have the title to go with the great job you are doing. A man deserves that job. We'll just see what we can do about that. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Lieutenant Governor,"

James directed me toward the other man to make introductions.

"Chad, this is Gerald Mercer, whom you've heard about his great work for us. Gerald this is Mr. Chadwick Duran, Secretary of Transportation for the State of Georgia."

"Hello, Gerald. I agree with Jacob that you should be paid a man's wage and I will be glad to see a man in that position. Its a pleasure to meet you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Mr. Duran. I am glad to do my best and uphold the best traditions of southern men!"

"Well said, Gerald. You've done well, James, taking him under your care. He clearly knows where his loyalties lie."

My loyalty of course was to the truth and the people these men were hurting with their corruption, I guess that I was being a good actress if the contempt that I felt in my heart wasn't showing on my face. The attention that the group had on me with the well wishes and introductions quickly turned to focus on Grace who had just left Reyna's office and were headed toward us or rather toward me.

"Pipe those gams!"

"Love to have those lips wrapped around my dick!"

"What a delicious fuck!"

I was about to go on overload and take them all out being thankful I still had the strength and body of a man to do it. Fortunately when she came within earshot the comments ceased except one from James and a response from Lester.

"Don't bother, man! She's a lezzie. She hasn't got a clue how to treat a man right."

"I could force myself on her and she'd be crying out for more."

Thankfully my torment at playing my part came to a halt when Gloria stopped in front of me with a sweet smile on her face. I could tell that she was projecting with her eyes, 'What Assholes!' and yet the men around me didn't get it and only appreciated her smile.

"Gerald, It's time to report to work. I thought that we could walk together to meet the other girls in the department before the presentation."

I was about to answer her but James interrupted me.

"Gloria, please direct on my authority, Miss Reyna to count Gerald, present and on time for work on her report. Gerald will be staying with us and sitting with us during the presentation . Is that clear, Gloria?"

"Yes, Mr. Thornton. I'll convey your directive to Reyna. Good bye, Gerald!"

Gloria's overt look she shot me was full of disdain and betrayal, while with her eyes, she showed amusement and wished me good luck. I wondered how much information that I had been missing as a reporter prior to my surgery that became very clear now. The poor SOB's would never know what hit them. I was glad of a little fun being a sheep in wolf's clothing which helped calm me from the fury I had experienced over their poor treatment of my friend .

"My conference room is over there, Gentlemen if you would care to wait there for the presentation to begin."

"Lead the way, Brother, I am anxious to sit down and continue our conversation in private."

We all gathered around the conference table after helping ourselves to the continental breakfast provided. Once we were all seated, it surprised me what luck I had in taking the seat between Jacob and James.

"I have a little something for you, brother."

James took a briefcase revealed to be full of money when it was opened and passed it to Jacob. I caught in really amazing video for such a small camera the whole transaction, including great shots of the documents inside with the actions that were expected of the recipient of the money.

Jacob began passing out bundles of hundreds to each man seated at the table according to his management level. When it came my turn, instead of passing out a bundle of money to me, Jacob instead spoke to me.

"Gerald, you have proven yourself trustworthy. You deserve a cut of this and you will have it. However instead of taking it in cash like the others, I have something else in mind. It's downright inconvenient not having you formally in the chain of command. You'll be taking over Reyna's job and there will be a bonus in your pay equal to what the others your new level have gotten. You'll learn to stash your cash in a manner that won't arouse suspicions but for now, since we can we'll make your first payoff above board. How does that sound to you, Gerald?"

"Thank you Mr. Thornton! That sounds fantastic! I won't betray your trust."

"You had better not, Gerald and belay that Mr. Thornton when it's just us its Jacob. James can set you straight on how to keep your payoffs untraceable before another deal comes through that we can't hide with another bonus."

"Thank you, Jacob!"

Jacob closed and locked the briefcase after putting the contents from his own briefcase and a false bottom in to cover up the remaining contents.

"Once you have the authority, you will get some instructions and I expect you to carry them out without question using those talents that James is always raving about."

"Yes, sir!"

"The program is about to start. We should all go down to the cafeteria to take our seats. The tattletale who is taking attendance isn't with our group so we have to be in place so that we aren't hounded by her anymore about this."

"Lead on, Brother!"

We filed out of the conference room and into the cafeteria where we sat at tables which were arranged so that everyone had a good look at the stage area with the wide screen at the front . The chairs which would be facing away from the front if they were underneath the table had been turned around so that everyone was facing the same way. The group of men that I was included in, took a seat at one of the tables in the rear of the room.

The presentation started with a film. you know the kind if you have ever been in a sexual harassment presentation. When others couldn't hear there were lewd comments punctuating the film like in MST3K from the others.

The lights came up and we turned our chairs around to face the table. Each of us were presented a workbook with a practice test at the end to answer questions relating to the video we had just seen. I was able to fade into the background while the others were trying to impress the Lieutenant Governor and the Secretary of Transportation with how they were running their departments. It gave me a chance to inwardly celebrate the fact that this would soon be all over. I had the pay off on video and now I only needed to blow up the images of the documents to read the directives and use the state's computer system to document evidence that a quid pro quo had occurred with the directive being carried out.

It amused me at no end that it had taken me becoming a woman to finally make it as one of the good ol' boys.

Gerold vs. the Good Old Boys

5/ Feminists

By Jo Dora Webster

Cover Art by Melanie E.

Will Gerald be able to finish his work
before his body betrays him again?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5/ Feminists

We viewed the film on Sexual Harassment and there were several situations portrayed where we either saw the right or wrong way to handle the situation. However it seemed that most of the Good Ol Boys had things reversed in their minds of what was right and wrong.

The facilitator called time and gave us our next task in the workbook after the practice test. Our task was to come up with a skit to illustrate the aspect of the policy that we were assigned.

I guess I should not have been surprised by the group’s reaction to a group exercise to present a skit portraying a right response to sexual harassment in the workplace. Ivan, Carl and Lester sunk to new lows in my eyes as their comments hurt my ears to listen to them.

"It’s time to turn the tables on those feminists by showing them in the same light that they try to portray us."

"A man can’t help but satisfy his needs! Those girls are just asking for it and we deserve what we can get!"

"I’d love to turn the tables on them but how are we going to do that? I hope you don’t think one of us is going to be a fag to be the bait. I don’t want to even think about what that would mean for the rest of us."

"Thorny" sunk lower than my previous estimation of him by his take on how to objectify women by trying to make sexual harassment seem like their fault.

"Nothing like that was what I had in mind. We have to portray one of those feminists if this is to work against them. The little power they do have makes them masculine bitches. Someone has to take one for the team and it’s time for our newest member to start pulling his weight. Gerald you’ll be the one who plays the bitch."

I being the junior member of the all boys club landed the job of being the female victim of harassment. Surprise, Surprise! I hated to do it like the others expected me, very camp and man in a dress, all for comedy instead of being respectful of women. I played along, since I could not do anything to upset the position I had worked so hard to get into in order to get the story.

"I’ll do it. It should be fun to stick it to them."

I was doing a lot of gagging on the words that I had to say to keep this deception going. Ned must have been a little worried about what he might have to do, since his face was pale as though all of the blood had left it.

"So what have you got in mind for the rest of us?"

Chad had a twisted grin on his face as he seemed to take up right where "Thorhy" had left off as though he was compelled to elaborate on the plan, making it more contmeptable.

"We all will be victims of her sexual harassment so we’ll just have to do the right thing and overpower her and put her in her place knocking her all the way down to keeping our coffee cups filled and keeping quiet the way she ought to be."

Taking command of the situations, Lt Gov. Jacob Thornton voiced what he took as the only flaw in the plan. I wasn't quite ready for what he had to say.

"In order for this to work, Gerald’s got to be convincing as a woman."

I was really hoping that the snag that the Lt Gov raised would put a halt to "Thorny's" plan. Unfortunatly, "Chad" had a solution that Jacob agreed would work.

"I’ve got just the thing. I usually just get a whore for the out of town guys to have their way with but this one guy had a thing for she males. The one that I dug up just was starting out so I had to get 'it' presentable. They came with everything and had it done in no time. I could call and take care of it."

"Do that! I’ll get our presentation put off till the end which should give us plenty of time to write a great skit and do a run thru after Gerald looks the part."

"I can save time by getting Gerald started. I still have some of the stuff that they used on 'it' first. Gerald, it’s time I showed you the executive washroom."

I didn’t know which I was more afraid of. Being turned into a caricature of a woman or the words that they would put in my mouth as they attempted to turn the tables on the women who were trying to get those reprobates to do right. I sheepishly followed him to the Executive Washroom. This was not the context that I had ever envisioned entering that perk of perks that government workers should not have but in explicably did possess.

What they were trying to do was use me as their tool to put them in their place. Even before becoming a woman, that’s not anything I would have done. Now it was especially repulsive to be used like this. I hoped that in the end taking them all down would be worth the high cost I was paying to be in their circle. Well now 'Chad' was on the phone and hoped that I could stand what he was about to have done to me.

"... And that’s what I need and I need it now. Excellent, I’ll have our victim bathed and the solution that you left from the last time applied. I’ll expect you in 15 minutes."

There was a private area off the main washroom which had a huge sunken tub with jacuzzi in it. I was instructed by 'Chad' to bathe in the water that was fixed for me which was saturated with a chemical that he took from a locked storage closet. The brief look I had at the interior showed me flashes of all manner of fetish gear being stored there.

"Just take a nice long soak in the water and when you come out you’ll be a new man."

"Alright. I agreed to do this but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I want this over as soon as possible."

"Somethings just take time and this is something we want to be right since we may not get a chance like this for a while to stick it to them."

I disrobed knowing that the solution provided must be something to both remove my body hair and condition my skin in preparation for the larger work in turning me into their idea of a woman for the skit. Part of me embraced it secretly because it would be bringing the body closer to congruence with my new mind. Part of me was repulsed since I knew that when I came out, I would be transformed into some caricature of a woman that would use me to demean all the women present. Part was shear terror that I would lose my self control and yield to being the woman I really was now and I would be found out.

After about 10 minutes I heard voices coming toward the door which soon became discernible.

"... in soaking in your custom solution for 10 minutes now. For the skit, Gerald needs to have a hot body. Dress him and make him up as slutty as possible stretching the premise of a business woman to its absolute limit."

"Yes, Sir! I’ll work my magic on him. I’ll go in now and get started. Gerald, It’s Susan Hartwell, and I’m coming in as you are. We have too little time to deal with modesty so that will have to be dispensed with for the time being."

She came in and got right to work by having me get out still nude and patting myself dry. My skin was all so soft and hairless as though it were a real woman’s skin. She had me get up on the massage table that she pulled out from somewhere. From her ease at finding it, it was obvious that her services had been used several times by now. She deftly applied appliances which gave me a realistic woman’s breasts, hips and bottom and similarly applied a special appliance which gave me a head of hair that reached down my back to my waist. All were secured by some kind of adhesive and all the edges hidden with some sort of makeup.

It all led to the result that I now appeared to be some kind of nude model out from the pages of Playboy. I was given some kind of extreme fetish version of a women’s suit with a bare midriff, deeply plunging neckline and ultra short skirt.

got a look at the price tag and winced at the figure which was astronomical even compared to ordinary women’s clothing. How could something which had so little material, cost so much? Susan did my makeup in a very slutty way which matched the slutty appearance of my clothes and all the accessories.

I had long fingernails attached which were more like press on nails than acrylics which could be painful to apply and remove. The finishing touch to give me the figure that they wanted was a corset that pulled my waist in to what I thought was an inpossible degree. As I was shown the progress so far in the mirror, I could not believe the big breasted narrow waisted, big hipped, undoubtably female, girl in the mirror was realy me.

I projected just the image that they wanted for me. Susan gave me a brief lesson on moving around in the 4 inch stiletto heels as well as some pointers in playing the kind of woman that they wanted me to be. She gave me a final word before excusing herself to get back to what ever they had interrupted to get her here for this.

"I’ll be back after the skit, to get you out of this costume and remove all of the additions to get your body back to what it was before this started. You’ll have to grow out your body hair again but other than that, there’s nothing that I have done to you which can’t be put right."

"Thank you, Susan. You’ve made something which could have been difficult, become very easy. I will so look forward to seeing you to put me back together."

'Chad' met us outside the door and was ready to escort me back to the others.

"Susan, you’ve outdone yourself! Even the hairstyle screams slut! He’ll do nicely to accomplish what we wish for the skit. Thank you. You’ll have your payment made in the usual way. You can proceed as planned ."

"Thank you, Sir."

Susan disappeared round a corner and we went the other way back to the others who had relocated back to the conference room where the finishing touches had been put on the skit, I was announced by 'Chad' to the others as we entered.

"Gentlemen, may I present our featured performer, Bambi!"

There was a chorus of wolf whistles and lewd comments. As much as I might have liked my beauty appreciated, deep down, to be leered at by the assembled leeches was very humiliating especially as I had to step right into the slutty character they cast me as in order for them not be able to tell that even the way that I appeared now was so much closer to what I really was than was the case ordinarily. The rehearsal went smoothly and I hated every second of it. Evidently, I was a better actress than even I suspected since I was both able to portray the slut they had cast me as and also that they could not detect the contempt that I really had for being placed in that situation.

I was able to watch the last few skits before ours from a closed circuit feed of the festivities that was being shared both real time and would be available to be viewed on DVD after the fact. I was glad to see that at least they were portraying some useful information since our performance would not have any redeeming qualities.

Finally it was our turn and we presented our skit. It had so much of a shock value that instead of being heckled, we played to dead quiet as those who were in attendance were to shocked at how far outside decency our performance ran. Even though our skit played lip service to the rules, and they really couldn't disqualify us since it did. It was a travesty both to the subject and to women being played for comedy the entire time. Had our group not included the Lieutenant Governor, we would have been taken to task for it but male privilege gave us a bye this time.

It was even worse than being on stage as I came back with the group to our table. I was being stared at but thankfully not confronted since I was sure that I would have lost it. The seminar concluded with taking a multiple guess exam which was fairly easy since none of the alternate answers even remotely applied. There were different sets of tests given out to each table and I wondered if we had received an extra easy version on purpose. After all the media would have a field day if the Lieutenant Governor or Secretary of Transportation failed the test.

Finally we all were treated to a wonderful lunch. It was even more difficult for me since there was so much attention on me that I had to play up the ‘Man in a Dress’ aspect which was even more of a performance than when I was on stage. The day's festivities were just about over, or so I thought.

I was ready to get out of my clownish costume and back into my regular clothes and appearance in order to get back to work. Unfortunately it wasn’t until I had discovered that the woman who was supposed to meet me in the Executive Washroom to reverse the process was no where to be found.

It was obvious to me that when someone came along to explain to me that the woman who had transformed me had been called away unexpectedly and had not left any of the solvent needed to release me from the additions that gave me the appearance of a woman. This was obviously some initiation stunt aimed at more fun at my expense and to further stick it to the women who had hated the person that I had portrayed in the skit.

Fortunately I was able to make my way without encountering anyone to my department and collapsed into my seat at my desk.

"Gerrie, why are you still like that?"

The joke’s on me, I guess. The woman who transformed me is no where to be found and what she added to give me a woman’s appearance can’t be removed without some special solvent."

"You could cope with that, while its just us girls if you were looking a bit more normal?"

"The additions by themselves are comforting in a way. It’s just what they did with the result that I can’t take."

"The ladies and I can pool our resources to make you presentable. We can do that much without blowing your cover because that is what they would expect us to do to mitigate the offense to us. What they can’t know is that what they meant to totally be humiliating is who you really are now."

The ladies indeed worked their magic on me and with a new hairstyle, clothing and makeup, I fit right in. I relaxed and let be what was and enjoyed my self. Not as much as if this body of mine was real through and through but enough so that I was closer to the image of what I eventually would have to be than I was in my now male camouflage style.

We got advanced notice that I was being summoned, so both I and the ladies assumed the posturing that would have occurred if what I had done had reflected my real state of mind concerning the skit. I had to put on that I was chagrined at even the prospect of looking like a normal woman while the ladies appeared to delight in my apparent discomfort to being "One of the Girls." 'Chad' showed up at my desk and started what might be a private conversation in a very public manner.

"We were able to locate the woman who transformed you and she will be able to remove all the enhancements that she made. If you will come with me to the Executive Washroom, she’ll take care of putting you right."

"Thank you! I will be so glad to get rid of all of this and going back to my normal appearance."

With out a further delay, we went back to the Executive Washroom. I was very relieved to find Susan waiting for me.

"I’m so sorry for bailing on you, Gerald. I had to get back to what I was doing before they called me and this is the first chance that I had to get back to you. I like what your department mates did to alter your look. The slutty look may have been what the skit required but I could tell your heart wasn’t in it. Of course your heart isn’t in this either. Wanna go get turned back into yourself?"

"More than anything, Susan. Thank you for getting back to me as soon as you could."

The anxiousness which showed on my face towards being transformed back to a man did not reflect the true intent of my heart. Even the slutty look was closer to who I really am now except for the words and actions the skit constrained me to say.

Susan without further delay undid everything that she had done to my body except what that bath had done. When Susan had finished with me, she sent me to take another ordinary bath to remove the rest of the signs remaining of what had been done to me. She disappeared once I was in the water and all seemed well. I was able to finish things up and being satisfied that all was well, got out and patted myself dry and put on the clothes again that I had removed which completed my outward appearance of being a man once again.

As I wondered thru the hall putting more distance between me and the Executive Washroom, I almost literally ran into Grace who was waiting for me.

"Hold up there, Gerrie. I can tell you are really looking forward to getting away from that bunch of ass holes. Don’t forget you have to go by the Hospital after work to be checked out. I don’t want anything happening to you now after all you have been through."

"I am ready to leave since this has been a long and eventful day, Grace. Let’s go."

Grace led the way to her car and we drove directly over to the Hospital. We had been instructed for me to go thru the ER to get my treatment since they had the kind of equipment room available to do the monitoring the Doctor wanted done in the wake of my traumatic stay in the hospital. We waited for a little while and then finally it was time for my shot and exam.

Dr Linda Russell had me taken out of the waiting room and into one of the monitoring bays. She gave Nurse Janine orders concerning the medication she had prescribed for me.

Nurse Janine was there to set me up on all the monitoring that Dr Drake had ordered for me. She had me on a heart monitor as well as automatically taking my BP, Blood Oxygen Level, Respiration and Pulse. She also had me hooked up to a EEG to monitor my brain waves.

In addition they had inserted an IV in my arm. Nurse Janine gave me my HRT shots thru that IV. In addition there was also some kind of cocktail dreamed up by the Jaime's Hope Foundation in preparation for the special project that they were in the process of making preparations.

I smiled when Wendy came into the room to see to my comfort, Absent all of the people that I had leaned to trust and appreciate, this would have been a more difficult experience. I was glad that everyone was back together to give me their TLC again. I was guessing this was more of Dr Erika's attention to detail and I wondered when she might look in on me.

The tangle of wires and tubes went every which way. I found myself wishing for something like the diagnostic bed in Star Trek instead of having all of that paraphernalia to diagnose and treat me. Medicine had come a long way and at least even if it was a way bit cruder, a lot of the dream functions of that diagnostic bed were available now even if they were not transparent to the patient.

Diagnostic imaging however had to be done in another place so I was to be wheeled down, bed and all to get an MRI Unfortunately I never got that procedure done, because it would have told the rest of the story that was being hinted at in my vital signs.

It started with a severe pain that started with my head and then radiated thru out my body. I happened to be looking at the EEG which was monitoring my brain waves and those spiked as the pain hit me and I saw them trail off as I slipped out of consciousness. The last things that I heard as everything was going blank was Wendy's voice, "She's having a seizure." and Nurse Janine responding, "Page Dr Drake! Stat!"

Gerold vs. the Good Old Boys

6/ Recovery

By Jo Dora Webster

Cover Art by Melanie E.

What produced the crying jag
which Gerrie had in the hospital?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

6/ Recovery

Dr Drake was waiting for me to wake apparently. She was the first person that I saw after opening my eyes. I wondered how long I had been out this time.

"I am so glad that you are awake, Gerrie. Now you know why that you checking yourself out was against my better judgment You are one stubborn person. Was it worth it? Did you get done that thing that was so important to you.?"

Doctor Drake looked positively livid and angry at me. Here I had just gone through all that abuse by the Good Ol' Boys, almost dying yet again, and all she could do is scold me with an I told you so. Were I the person before the heart attack, I would have just 'taken it like a man.' That's what I wanted to do but instead I could not help myself, I just started crying and crying. I couldn't stop!

I could no longer see what was going on, I was crying so. I heard snatches of the conversation to follow but eventually I ended up with my head rested against Nurse Janine's breasts. The odd thing was that I did not feel anything sexual at all to be in such an intimate embrace. What I did feel was comfort and peace. as though just being held made it alright. Even when I ceased crying, I couldn't utter a word. I could see what I had perceived was true that Nurse Janine had shooed Dr Drake away.

When Nurse Janine saw that I couldn't speak but was under emotional control again, She brought in a dry erase board for me to use to communicate. . That seemed to work since I could understand what she was saying to me and could write reasonably well even though I couldn't speak yet.

Together the two of us worked through things so that I ended up reasonably comfortable. I had a turn at the bed pan to take care of those needs and a snack was brought up from the hospital cafeteria to let me refresh myself. Finally it just all came back and I just started speaking again like nothing had happened to me.

"Goodness, Nurse that was weird! Thank you for taking care of me. "

"It was my pleasure, Gerrrie. If you had any doubts about you being a woman, that crying jag should convince you. You reacted to that just like I or any other woman would, I'm glad I was able to help you. I don't know why Doctor Drake was so mean to you."

"I know Doctor Drake was just being human in spite of scolding me. She has taken very good care of me. I guess you should let her know that I'm ready to answer for what I've done. The sooner that I face her, the sooner that I get on the road to recovery. Could you let her know that I would like to speak to her?"

"Of course, Gerrie. I'll see to it. You must really want to see Grace."

"Well the sooner that Doctor Drake evaluates me, the sooner that she'll let me have visitors. Thank you Nurse."

'You are welcome!" Nurse Janine left and after a while, Doctor Drake came back.

"I am so sorry for upsetting you, Gerrie. I should have known better than to scold you after all that you have been thru. Can you forgive me."

"Of course, Doctor! Thank you for pulling me thru in spite of myself. I promise not to pull anything like that again. I got done everything that I could. I guess there is nothing to it but to let it get out that I'm really a woman."

"I'm glad that there is no longer the urgency to get back there. I hope that you will stay put till I actually release you this time."

"I'll stay put this time until you feel like I'm ready to go. Since I'm approved now for rehabilitation toward my new gender expression, I hope to get as much work done toward that as I can while I am here."

"I'm glad that you are ready to be a patient again since you do need to take it easy for a while. Otherwise you'll repeat even more severely the seizure that put you right back here. Under these controlled conditions, there is a lot that you can do toward your rehabilitation. I'll approve everything that you will be physically able to do towards your rehabilitation. Does that mean that you are ready to begin your immersion in your rehabilitation 24/7?"

"Yes, I am ready to begin life as a woman 24 / 7."

"I'll get with your Endocrinologist, Dr Russell, concerning coordinating what you'll need with what you are capable of as time goes on."

"Is there anything that I can get done while I am recouping in the hospital now?"

"From what I can predict, we can get you your body sculpting excluding breast reconstruction, Skin resurfacing with hair removal, and FFS done now that you have a brain scan confirmation of your female gender. You can continue your HRT as well with a few restrictions. If you are with us long enough we might even manage to get your breast augmentation and SRS if it is signed off on with significant sessions with your therapist to permit her to sign off on those procedures. That special project that I've heard mentioned in connection with your case would have to wait until you can leave this hospital since it is an experimental procedure that can only realistically be done in their own facility."

"That sounds promising. Why do I have to have a therapist sign off on the rest of it before that can be done?"

"Even though the brain scan confirms your medical condition, just how much extra work you'll need won't be apparent until the effects of HRT can be evaluated. Therapy during that time helps with the adjustment to the new gender as well as providing time for a confirming diagnosis based on psychological indicators. We want to be careful since there is still some hysteria about this treatment. .We are doing everything to confirm that only the ones who need the treatment for this medical condition, get it."

"That makes sense, I guess. Why are some procedures available prior to therapy and HRT?"

"Those procedures while not recommended for males, do not provide sufficient gender cues to interfere with achieving a male gender expression. The other things which are withheld pending a confirmation that the patient is ready for them, involve making such striking not easily reversible changes that achieving a male gender presentation is not realistically possible."

"You've certainly given me a lot to think about. Why was it that I could not speak when I came out of it this time?"

"It was a symptom of the type of seizure that you had. I'm glad that it was only temporary which leads me to believe that no real damage was done. Things just were a bit overloaded so your body forced you to calm down before it started working again."

"That's good. I guess following Doctor's orders will help towards me not backing me into a corner like that again."

"It will indeed, Gerrie. I have to check some tests but it appears that you are out of the worst of it. Just take it easy and let your body heal."

"Yes Ma'am!"

Dr Drake left the room and passing her as she was on the way out was Wendy on the way in.

"Vital signs check again, Gerrie. Are you comfortable?"

"Yes Wendy, Thank you."

Wendy went about her work taking all of my vital signs. As I saw her read the numbers off, it didn't viably upset her so I guessed that what she was seeing was normal or at least normal for me."

"Everything looks fine, Gerrie. May I ask you a question about your condition?"

"You just did and you may ask another one to follow up." I smiled at Wendy hoping that my tiny attempt at humor might have put her at ease. Transsexualism was a subject that made some people very uptight.

"What's it like to suddenly be a woman after being a man for so many years?"

"I'm not really sure that I really know since part of what I'm observing may be due to my hospitalization instead of the gender change. For one thing, I seem to pay closer attention to colors and I'm more observant in differentiating the various shades of color."

"I'd agree that being more observant about color is part of being a woman even if you are not particularly artistic."

"I perceive a lot more when using all of my senses along with the new challenge of emotional content being part of my perceptions."

"Thank you for sharing that with me, Gerrrie. I'm off to see my other patients. Take care!"

"I will. Thank you Wendy!"

I was at last able to have visitors but instead of it being Grace, waiting for me, It was Reyna!

"Hello Gerrie. I'm glad to see that you have managed to beat the odds again. Grace has submitted officially your change in status at the office based on your brain gender scan results. I've gotten your previous expenses with your endocrinologist retroactively covered. Under Federal Law, you will be protected, but State Governments are excluded from complying with federal law. The reactionary constitutional amendment that was passed in that brief 2 years that the Republicans captured a majority in the House and Senate reserves to the states all law and judicial decisions concerning the definition of Marriage, Sex, and Gender."

"Well that would explain why she's not here. She's been busy looking out after me. It looks like I'm going to have to be in here for a while. I was hoping that things would be cleared for me to start transition so as not to waste the time staying in the hospital. I remember that they got in following the US Supreme Court striking down all State law and constitutional amendments defining marriage as between a man and a woman. They could not get a federal constitutional amendment passed to restrict marriage to a man and a woman so they made it so the states could keep their individual laws concerning it and negated the Supreme Court Decision striking them all down."

"There may be a grey area during the time between your getting out of the hospital with your federal documents declaring you to be a woman, and the time after your SRS when you can get State documents declaring you to be a woman. Businesses that cross state lines have to follow the federal documents and anti-discrimination standards. I'm not sure what the current state of state law allows our state government to act in this area. I'll find out what you can expect."

"I'll hope for the best and maybe this time our state government isn't in the dark ages still, just because it can be."

"Fortunately for you, it won't be a year and three months, like was required under the 20th century standards of care. With you changing your gender expression immediately on coming back to work, it should be something like six months. Even less if you respond to the hormones and therapy well."

"Thanks for finding out on my behalf. I'll keep my fingers crossed that our State is not as backwards on this as it it on some things."

"I understand that you are cleared subject to your physical condition to be scheduled for the first set of procedures and surgeries Rehabilitation therapy will help with things like wigs and breast forms. Occupational therapy will begin the process of teaching you things that you need to learn. It depends on how long you are in the hospital and how quickly your permits certain things on how much you'll be able to get done."

Grace came rushing into the room a little out of breath

"I'm so glad that I finally made it!"

"Reyna has been telling me all the wonderful things that you have been doing for me since I have been out of it. Thanks Grace!"

"Opps. I guess I had better get going. Nurse Janine was pretty strict about only one of us at a time being in here with you. Good bye Gerrie. I wish you well in your recovery and I hope that everything will work out okay when you return to work."

"Thank you Reyna! Things should be interesting to say the least when I return Bye Bye"

I waved and blew her a kiss as she left. Reyna may be hard when she has to be but underneath she is a creampuff. I turned back to Grace."

"So how has it been going, Grace?"

"Gerrie, My first meeting with Reyna went wonderfully, as you can see by her presence here before us. She completely accepted your change of gender. She feels like everyone else will accept it too once it is explained to them. She wants to make it easy for you to resume work. Of course everything was on a general level. I explained that when you are released, the hospital will be providing you with your new federal identification as a woman even though I wasn't sure what name would be on it, yet."

"What happened next?"

"The two of us were been called in for a meeting with James Thornton, our boss along with a conference call with some of the top officials of the state department of Transportation.

"How did your meeting with the upper echelons go? In other words' how did the Good Ol' Boys club take to my defection?"

"It seems that the state is still in the dark ages and I'm afraid that until you can get a state identification certifying you as female, you'll be required to use the Men's restroom at work."

"But all of the restrooms are single use restrooms in the building!"

"I know. Logic does not seem to make any difference in government circles. It seems that Mr. Thornton will be requiring Reyna to enforce the letter of the policy in regards to you. Official correspondence and documents even though they will have your new name will refer to you in male terms until you get state identification that is able to reflect the gender change."

"That doesn't sound too good. It's going to be bad enough for me to cope with this being new but to have to use the men's room after I have finally crossed the line where the women's room is appropriate doesn't make sense to me."

"Don't worry too much about it, though. After we were we away from the meeting, Reyna had a mischievous look in her eyes and told me, 'I'm a much better lawyer than Mr. Thornton. We'll see about this little power play of his and in the process make things the best that we can within the letter of the law.'

"That's just about what I would expect from them. I wonder what else they might have planned for me."

"You don't want to know yet! Just rest up and get well, Gerrie. Guess I should leave before someone asks me to go. Take Care, Gerrie!"

"Bye Grace! come back soon! Thank you, Grace and good luck with Reyna!" Grace blew me an air kiss and I blew her one back. Grace was about to leave but the Doctor coming in motioned for her to stay.

"Hello, Grace. Could you stay a moment?"

"Sure Dr Erika."

"I hope that you are not going to rush Gloria out of the hospital this time. "

"Fortunately she completed what was unfinished before she was stricken. We both are prepared for her to spend all the time she needs recouping. With her insurance's approval for treatment now confirmed, she can also get in what ever rehabilitation that she is physically able to obtain as well."

"I'm very glad about that. Grace you can go on now if you need to go or you can stay while Gerrie and I get reacquainted if you like."

"I have an appointment to see Reyna Langston, both Gerrie and my supervisor at work, on Gerrie's behalf."

"Please take one of my cards and refer her to me if she has any general questions concerning the situation. I can help explain the general situation without going into Gerrie's details and also to clarify considerations for a smooth transition at work. I can help with any questions that you might have as well, Grace,"

Grace took some cards from Erika and she left one for me as well.

"Thank you, Erika. Grace will make the disclosure and find out about the state government policy that will govern actions. Good Luck, Gerrie! I'm off!"

I looked longingly after Grace as she left then turned my attention back to Dr Erika."

"Tell me where you feel you are in your journey, Gerrie."

"I know I am a woman in my mind right now. It will take getting used to my expressing by my actions and attire that I am a woman. I understand some help will be provided by the hospital and I'm sure that Grace will help. Hopefully more of my friends at work will help once they know what is going on with me."

"Would it be devastating to you if someone from your work did not accept the new you?"

"I'd be upset but I would not be devastated. I know that some people are afraid of someone who is different. As long as Grace stays with me, I will be able to get thru it. Eventually I expect to be so secure in my thoughts that I would be okay even if everyone turned against me."

"Have you thought beyond just your nickname on how you would like to be referred to when you present yourself as a woman?".

"I guess I just thought I would be Geraldine Mercer. Perhaps I could take my mother's name, Andrea, as my middle name. I had the middle name Andrew, before."

"Sometimes it's best to not preserve your nickname from your male name in your female name. Getting those who knew you before to change to a different and distinctly feminine name can help in getting the pronouns correct. It can be quite a change for them so any help can be greatly appreciated."

"I had not thought about that. Perhaps Gloria Ann Mercer would be best. I like that for my name."

"I'll make a note to change your chart designation to refer to you accordingly, Gloria."

We talked a little more and then Dr Erika left the room. I felt tired so I must have dosed off. The next thing I know, Grace is back and she wants to know what Dr Erika and I talked about.

"We talked about a number of things Grace, but the most important thing was about what I was going to be called for the rest of my life. We started out by agreeing on what I did not want to be called.", I told Grace

Grace asked,"What is it that you don't want to be called, Hun?"

"Erika and I talked it over. I decided not to be Geraldine since that was too close to my male name to help those around me get used to the new me. I hope that even you will stop calling me Gerrie until things get settled and everyone is used to the new me as they let themselves be."

'Of course, I'll call you what you wish to be called. What did you decide your new name is going to be?"

"Gloria Ann Mercer. I guess if you want to still use a nickname for me, I could be Glory. This way I still have the same initials and my middle name is in honor of my mother, Andrea Bradford Mercer."

"Glory, that's wonderful. What about the hospital staff?"

"Erika made the change to my charts and everyone is calling me Gloria now."

" I have a feeling that Reyna will make it comfortable enough for you to continue working in the department when you are able."

"Thank goodness, Reyna is on our side. Thank you so much for everything you are doing on my behalf, Grace. I guess this condition makes me a kind of catalyst and people reveal just what kind of person they are for real."

"You are welcome, Glory." Enjoying every bite of it, I ate my supper. Grace finished hers about the same time as I did. I yawned and was generally showing signs of fatigue. "

"You seem to be fading fast, Glory. Guess I'll go and let you get some beauty sleep. Take care Sweetie!"

"I do seem to be ready to get some sleep, Grace. Thanks for a wonderful day." I blew her an air kiss and she blew one back to me.

"Good night, Glory!" She left the room and turned out the lights so I turned over and went to sleep.

Gerold vs. the Good Old Boys

7/ Pro-active

By Jo Dora Webster

Cover Art by Melanie E.

How are Grace and Glory pro-active
the day before the article is published?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

7/ Pro-active

I woke refreshed in the morning and with permission finished my story. It was time to turn the tables on the good ol' boys. I turned it in to my real employer at the paper. My contact and co- writer on the story added revisions and more substantiating details. It went through to editorial for final approval and was scheduled as a front page story in the next day's publication. I received a call from the editor informing me of all this after they had acted on my story. The only question was going to be what my byline was going to be.

"Hello, Gloria. Your federal name change came through so your byline for the story will be your new name, Gloria Ann Mercer.

"Hello, Chief. That's good news. How did you like the story?

"Excellent work. So much so that we want to offer you a promotion and a position with our Denver affiliate, The Denver Post - Dispatch."

"I accept Chief. I'm not sure how long that I will be laid up with the complications from my brain tumor."

"I'm glad that you've accepted, Gloria. We feel that it would be better if you were out of state when your article is published. We've arranged for your transfer to become effective immediately and there will not be any gap in your insurance. We will cover the expense of an air ambulance and we highly recommend you leave the state today. We found a bed for you at University of Colorado Medical Center (UCMC) which is the premier hospital in the area. We've rented a house for you and will cover all moving expenses "

"Wow, Chief. I accept both the immediate transfer but also all the arrangements that you have made. I also have some medical arrangements with Jamie's Hope Foundation (JHF) which I hope to get to their facility once I am physically able to do so."

"Fortunately for you, JCF has a secret facility somewhere in Colorado so at UCMC you'll be even closer to their facility than you are now."

"Great, Chief. Please give my regards to everyone at the paper at the appropriate time and especially to my contact and co-writer on the story."

"Have a great life, Gloria."

I hung up the phone and immediately phoned Grace to let her know about the change in plans.

"Grace, I'd like to leave today if we can make that happen. I'd also like for you to come with me to Denver and live with me in my new home there."

"Glory, I accept and I would love to live with you. I know that while ordinarily leaving Reyna down two workers would be a great imposition, in this case it could help her. I'm going to talk to Reyna now to update her and take off yhr rest of the day to make arrangements for the two of us. I have a lot to do so I'll get right to it, Glory. Bye!"

I rang for Nurse Janine and let her know about my change in plans. She agreed to help make things happened and she sent for Dr Drake. Dr Drake came into my room to discuss the situation with me.

"Grace seems like a very nice woman, Gloria. How does she seem to be taking the news that you are suddenly turning into a woman?"

"Grace is one of my oldest and dearest friends, Dr Drake. Grace accepts me as I am, She remains a very close friend. She's agreed to come with me to Denver and to live with me."

"Do you have any birth family to turn to, Gloria?"

"I was an only child and I have outlived my parents, who were only children, and my grandparents. I'm the last of my birth family. All that remains are distant cousins from the children of my grandparent's brothers and sisters. That's why Grace agreed to hold my power of attorney. There isn't anyone who really is 'family' left but Grace is part
of my family of choice. She's like a sister to me."

"Was there ever a time when you felt that Grace might be more than a sister to you?"

"Up until the time that I found out that Grace is a lesbian, I thought about the possibility. I wasn't her type then. Maybe I will be her type when I finish changing."

"Dr. Drake, If we could expedite my evacuation via air ambulance with Grace, it would be the best for the hospital. When my article comes out tomorrow which will anger state government at it's highest levels."

"I can sign off on it since Dr Erika, Nurse Janine and I are on staff primarily with JHF. We'll be on that air ambulance with you and Grace. You may be susceptible to another setback seizure as a result of such a move but I feel our familiarity with your case will allow us to pull you through it if it happens."

"With what the state is likely to try to do to me, I'd risk the same staying here. I'm glad you all will continue to be on my side, Dr Drake."

"I'll make the arrangements, Gloria. We'll leave within the hour. I'll alert Grace to come to the hospital ready for the air transfer."

Grace had already had a bag packed for both of us and she joined me in my room at the hospital.

"How are things going Grace with the sudden departure?"

"A moving company will be packing both you and me up today quietly and soon our belongings will be out of state and on their way to Denver."

"Things are taken care of at the paper. How about things at work with the department of transportation?"

"I tendered both our resignations effective tomorrow. I said our goodbyes at work. Every one there sends their best wishes for your recovery, Glory. They also wish us the best in our new home in Denver."

It wasn't long before we were all loaded up for the little jump to the airport via helicopter. Once there we transferred to the air ambulance jet and were on our way to Denver. My vitals held constant and strong and we had no difficulties for the entire flight.

We had no issues the entire trip that the ambulance took from Denver International Airport to the hospital. Finally it was time after I was settled in to my new room with Dr Drake and Nurse Janine. Grace was off to the new house to check it out and to check into a motel nearby where she would live until our belongings reached us. We were both relieved when we heard that all our belongings had made it out of state."

I knew that routine had finally been reestablished when Dr Erica showed up at my bedside for another session. After we exchanged greetings we got right back to it.

"Gloria, I understand that you endorsed the entire course of treatment even before they had removed the initial tumor which quit masking that you are in reality a transwoman. How do you feel about going back to work as a woman?"

"I feel really good to be able to work here in Denver. Compared to GA, CO is much more transgender friendly and the state already makes it easy for transwomen to get CO ID. I know I am a woman in my mind right now. It will take getting used to my expressing by my actions and attire that I am a woman. I understand some help will be provided by the hospital. I'm sure that Grace will help me adjust too."

"Would it be devastating to you if someone from your work did not accept the new you?"

"I'd be upset but I would not be devastated. I know that some people are afraid of someone who is different. As long as Grace stays with me, I will be able to get through it. Eventually I expect to be so secure in my thoughts that I would be okay even if everyone turned against me."

We continued the session for about an hour covering a variety of topics. Dr Erica was always one to get me to thinking about different things. She also was full of great answers to my questions. Although Dr Erica was not originally from Denver, she knew a great deal about my new home.

"Thank you for the great information, Dr. Erika. Thanks for taking care of my friend Grace for meals."

"It was my pleasure, Gloria. I guess we are caught up enough for now. I have another battery of psychological tests that I would like for you to take, Gloria. I'll start you on the first one and give the rest to your PCT to give to you
when you are ready for them. She'll collect the completed tests and get them to me for scoring. I'll be back in touch with you after I have finished scoring them so we can work on what comes next.

"Thank you Dr. Erika!"

"Erika gave me a test and started me on it and then told me, "Gloria, you may begin. I'll check on you later"

I waved to her and got busy answering the test. One by one, I finished all of the tests. I had a test break that I was grateful for to eat lunch which was very tasty.

There was only one tray delivered and I ate lunch alone. Gloria called and told me that she had finished her initial meeting with her new supervisor, Nicole Jones. She had been offered a new job in marketing with the Denver Post-Dispatch. Gloria accepted the job and would be starting at the beginning of the new week. Afterward she wanted to continue getting things all ready for us to move into our new home.

Following lunch and Grace's call, I returned for more of the psychological tests till they were all completed. I finished up just before supper. I was very pleased that Grace arrived just after the supper trays were delivered. There were two of them again with the second tray ordered again by Dr Johansen for Grace.

"How did things go with you today, Grace?"

"I certainly had a hard turn for the better once we found out that the newspaper was moving both of us here to Denver. I don't envy Reyna having to deal with the fallout once the word gets out that both of us are out of state and from the article the paper publishes. I spent a lot of time today getting everything shut down at both our homes as well as getting things turned on at our new Denver home together."

"Thank goodness, Reyna is on our side. Thank you so much for everything you are doing on my behalf, Grace. I guess this condition makes me a kind of catalyst and people reveal just what kind of person they are for real."

"You are welcome, Glory."

"Grace, I didn't know that the Post-Dispatch was going to offer you a job. Congrats! How did you like the office and the people there?"

"Definitely serendipity! I like the working conditions and my new co-workers. My new boss is wonderful. I love it!"

Enjoying every bite of it, I ate my supper. Grace finished hers about the same time as I did. I yawned and was generally showing signs of fatigue.

You seem to be fading fast, Glory. Guess I'll go and let you get some beauty sleep. Take care Sweetie!

"I do seem to be ready to get some sleep, Grace. Thanks for a wonderful day." I blew her an air kiss and she blew one back to me.

"Good night, Glory! She left the room and turned out the lights so I turned over and intended to go to sleep.

It all happened so fast but I was able to replay the events in my mind after that in order to try to make sense of what had happened. It started with a severe pain that started with my head and then radiated through out my body. I happened to be looking at the EEG which was monitoring my brain waves and those spiked as the pain hit me and I saw them trail off as I slipped out of consciousness.

The last things that I heard as everything was going blank was a voice calling, "She's having a seizure." and Nurse Janine responding, "Page Dr Drake! Stat!"

Gerold vs. the Good Old Boys

8/ Fall-out

By Jo Dora Webster

Cover Art by Melanie E.

What will be the fall-out from
Glory's seizure and published article?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

8/ Fall-out

Grace looks on in dismay at the bedside of Gloria as she lay comatose. Test after test had been done upon Gloria trying to figure out what was the challenge that Gloria's body was undergoing. The only positive that Grace had was that it was not just Dr Patricia Drake or Dr Gwen Mathers but the whole of the University of Colorado Medical Center (UCMC) and the Jaime's Hope Foundation (JHF) that was working on solving the mystery of Gloria's challenge.

"Grace, we've had a breakthrough! We've discovered that Gloria's seizures are coming from a toxic over production of a natural agent in a body organ that has been compromised. We have a possible solution provided by JHF. They have postulated that specially created Stem Cells could be injected into that organ to restore it to normalcy. By attacking the contagion at it's cause, this treatment hopes to restore Gloria to full health."

"Praise the Goddess! How long before Gloria can receive this treatment?"

"Dr. Mathers is at JHF working to get the stem cell treatment ready. She will transport the treatment herself here and administer it whan it is ready."

"That is such good news, Dr Drake. Thank you. Did you hear that Glory, they found the cause and they are working on a cure. I miss you so much, Glory. Get well soon! Come back to me, please."

Dr Erika had arranged for Grace to take her meals and sleep overnight in Gloria's room. Nurse Janine had taken to eating the evening meal with Grace and encouraging her to get ready for bed afterward even after she herself had gone off shift. Janine reminded grace every evening with the same words.

"You have to take care of yourself in order to be able to take care of others."

Grace took those words to heart and even though Grace was sad for her friend, she herself was healthy in spite of the stress she was enduring.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I opened my eyes to the sight of Grace looking down on me. My head was pounding as if I had just woken from the mother of all hangovers. Oh No! Not again! Everything felt functional this time unlike the last when I could not speak. My hearing proved to be okay as I heard Grace's voice as she hit my call button.

"Glory, you are awake! You had us so worried. How do you feel?"

"I feel as if I had been in an auto accident. Everything hurts but it seems like this time everything is working."

"I've called the nurse and hopefully we'll be able to make you more comfortable soon."

Nurse Janine came into the room and checked my vitals. She offered me some orange juice which quenched my thirst.

"I've called for Dr Drake, Gloria. What is your, one to ten, pain level?"

"Most of my body is about a seven but my headache rates a nine. I've got to quit doing this. Do we think the flight or the excitement set me off?"

Dr Drake came into the room as I asked the question and it was she who gave me the answer while she took my chart from Nurse Janine.

"They may have contributed but were not the cause. University of Colorado Medical Center (UCMC) and Jaime's Hope Foundation (JHC) both reviewed your earlier tests before and after your other seizure. Working together they found something that we missed at Emory University Hospital. There is way too much of a natural chemical in your body which sets off the seizures as it reaches a certain level. The stress aided in the process but did not cause it."

"Is there a cure?", I asked.

"Yes, Gloria, there is a cure proposed by JHC. They are working on implementing it. Let's see about getting you comfortable with some pain medication."

Dr Drake gave Nurse Janine some instructions and she injected something in my IV which started to bring some relief.

"Just call for the nurse if you have continued pain once that shot wears off and she has authorization from me to take care of your comfort. I'm hoping this is transitory like before, which is why I'm not setting you up with on demand pain medication."

"I'm hungry. May I have breakfast Dr. Drake?"

"We'll order you some breakfast, Gloria? What is your pain level now?"

"Three for the body and four for the headache. I feel much better. Thank you Doctor."

"What JHF has prescribed is a stem cell injection to make your body quit producing that natural agent at toxic levels which is triggering the overdose and the seizure. It's ordinarily an office procedure but we'll do it in a OR under local anesthesia just to be safe. One of their best doctors, Dr. Gwen Mathers will be bringing the special stem cells and will also be doing the procedure on you. We'll update you on time when she arrives and things are prepared to proceed."

"That's wonderful news, Dr. Drake. Thank you so much! Don't you agree, Glory?", asked Grace

"I concur with Grace. Thank you Dr. Drake!"

Two breakfast trays appeared at the door. Dr Drake and Nurse Janine took that as a cue to leave. Grace and I enjoyed our breakfast.

"What is that newspaper on the side table, Grace?"

"The Denver Post-Dispatch sent over a copy of the Atlanta Paper with your article published on the front page. There is a companion article all about the Governor being guilty of felony voter suppression, too!"

"Let's see if the local news has picked up any of the fall-out from the articles yet. Please turn on the TV, Gloria."

"For the latest concerning the fall-out from the expose articles in the Atlanta Press, We turn to 11 alive, our sister station in Atlanta for a report: II alive is reporting that the governor, Lt. governor, State Cabinet officials and a majority of the mid level officials in the Department of Transportation wholesale have resigned. Upon the mass resignations in the controlling party in GA, only the Secretary of Agriculture , Miss Dawn Hall, from the opposing party was left the highest ranking official in state government. The Chief Justice of the GA Supreme Court swore in Miss Dawn Hall as GA Governor in a private ceremony to preserve the continuity of government. GA government circles are realing as they anticipate what the new Governor will say as she addresses the state later this morning.. This is 11 alive in Atlanta, back to you."

"Looks like the Good ol' boys finally got what they deserved, thanks to you,Glory! I'm going to phone to check in with Reyna."

Grace phoned Reyna and put the call on speaker so the three of us could talk.

"How did things go this morning, Reyna?"

"It started out very tense. The Good ol' boys wanted their pound of flesh from the two of you. It wasn't until they found out that neither of you were state employee's anymore and that both you and your belongings had left the state that they realized how big a mess that they were in. Then the resignations started with the top and working down through state government. It was like rats on a sinking ship but now the dust is settling with upper and middle management gone in the Georgia department of transportation (GA DOT) ."

How did you and your department make out, Reyna?"

"I'm going to be the new GA Secretary of Transportation. My first action will be to appoint everyone in our department to a top level job in the GA DOT so all of our department will still be reporting directly to me only with all of us getting well deserved raises."

"Congratulations to all of you Reyna. I feel better knowing now that Georgia is in much better hands."

"I've got to run, Grace and Glory. I am due down at the state capitol to be with new Governor Hall for her address to the state. Our best to you Grace and Glory in your new life. Goodbye."

It wasn't a second after Reyna got off Grace's phone that my phone rang. I had the newspaper in my lap. I didn't have to read the article since I had it all memorized. The phone call was from my editor from the Atlanta paper.

Hello, Gloria. Did you get the copy of the Atlanta Paper that I asked the Post-Dispatch to send to you?

"I did, thank you Chief! Grace and I just heard a report from 11 Alive. It seems that things are interesting in Georgia today."

"The Good Ol' Boys are all going to be up on federal and state criminal charges. The fun continues here, but that is not what i called about. The Pulitzer committee has just accepted your article for consideration for the Pulitzer prize. Congratulations, Gloria. Well deserved! I have to go to make sure our coverage is in place at the capitol. Bye Gloria!"

"That was kind of him to call. A Pulitzer prize nomination, Grace for my article, the chief called to tell me."

"Congratulations, Glory! I'm going to go now to take care of some details but I'll be back in time for your procedure. Bye, Glory!"

"Bye, Grace!"

With all the excitement of the morning, I had all but forgotten my pain. I was glad that the reminder of my seizure was gone. With no tests to take and interruptions, I resolved to take a nap. The afternoon was likely to be full of it's own excitement.

I woke when I was brought my lunch tray. The food all looked good and I was hungry again. I turned the TV back on for the noon news. I came in on the middle of a story which contained excerpts from Gov. Hall's address to the state of GA. The part that I caught included Reyna being introduced as the new Secretary of Transportation. Next they teased a live report from 11 alive.

"For the latest concerning the fall-out from the expose articles in the Atlanta Press, We turn to 11 alive, our sister station in Atlanta for a report: This is 11 alive reporting on news that both the former Governor and Lt. Governor are going to be up on federal and state criminal charges. The FBI is seen here placing both former officials under arrest for Federal arrest charges. They will be held in Federal custody at the Atlanta Federal penitentiary. Their arraignment will be in Federal court this evening. Again the former Governor and Lt.Governor have been arrested by the FBI and are being held for federal charges. This is 11 alive, back to you."

I thought, "Wow! what an arresting development. The good ol' boys are finally going to answer for their crimes."

Two hours after lunch, Nurse Janine came to the room to get me ready for the procedure. A half hour before that Grace had arrived back and was again keeping me company. Dr.Gwen Mathers had arrived an hour ago and had been conferring with Dr. Drake. All was in readiness for my minor procedure that was being done in the OR. I guess that I had had one too many seizures and they were taking no chances with me. Finally they took me out on a gurney to the OR after I had gotten a good luck air kiss from Grace.

Thirty minutes later I was through with the procedure and back in my room. A lot of that thirty minutes was taken by them transporting and transferring me to and from the OR. They would be able to tell if the procedure worked by tests taken and analyzed this evening. In order to minimize Dr Mathers time away from JHF the tests would be taken and evaluated two hours after the procedure. While our supper trays would be delivered at the normal time, they would go instead into the food holding cabinet at the nursing station for safe keeping. After hearing the results Grace and i would have a late supper.

I was surprised that the test which they administered after the two hours had expired was nothing more than an ordinary blood draw. Thirty minutes later Dr. Mathers , Dr Drake and Nurse Janine gathered in my room to tell Grace and me the results.

"The results have come back, Gloria, The natural agent is under control and is maintaining proper levels. The stem cells have done their job and now the organ is behaving nominally. In short, you are cured, Gloria. I have to get back to JHF, so I'll leave you in Dr. Drake's capable hands."

"Thank you for your help, Dr Mathers. Safe journey!"

"Getting the cure for your seizures was the last holdup to getting your Harry Benjamin Syndrome (HBS) treatments started. While GA was Fighting us for every approval, Colorado is very generous. We'll get started doing everything needed for your outward gender expression to match your inner gender. Dr Mathers is looking forward to transporting you to JHF to get your Gender confirmation surgery and that little extra that they promised you. Dr Mathers said that everything is ready on their end and will go flawlessly."

Grace spoke with a special gleam in her eye, "With that being said there is one thing left to do."

I thought she was talking about supper until she dropped to one knee by my bed.

"Gloria Ann Mercer will you be my wife?"

She handed me a case which contained a pair of matched diamond engagement rings.

"Yes, I will, Grace", I answered and placed the ring engraved for me on my hand, "Grace Leigh Brooks, will you be my wife?"

"Yes, I will, Glory", Grace answered and placed the ring engraved for her on her hand, Then we sealed our engagement with a passionate kiss. Dr Drake and Nurse Janine chorused together a sweet "Awwwww" and then clapped for us.

With everything completed and the nurse aide bringing in our supper trays. We capped off the evening with our engagement supper. Even though it was in a hospital room instead of a five star restaurant, I felt that nothing could be more perfect for the pair of us.

Gerold vs. the Good Old Boys

9/ Rewards

By Jo Dora Webster

Cover Art by Melanie E.

What rewards will Grace and Glory gain
upon Glory's complete recovery?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9/ Rewards

I woke up in the recovery room, tended by Nurse Janine. My head was bandaged as well as my bust. My hips and tummy felt sore. I had made it through once again but this time it was for my Facial Feminization and body contouring surgeries. I had been overjoyed that I had finally been cleared for the surgical package after finally being cured of the seizures. I bide my time and I was a good patient, hoping and praying to be released from recovery and into a room where I know that Grace would be waiting for me.

We had agreed upon matching white bride's dresses for the wedding. Once we had them picked out, we found that the alterations had been expedited and the dresses had been paid out of layaway and delivered to our new home together in Denver. Later I had found out that our mystery benefactor was none other than Dr Bell the CEO of the Jaime's Hope Foundation (JHF).

During my month long reprieve from the hospital gathering strength for this surgery, We had stumbled on by accident the venue for our wedding since we had taken to watching Maranatha Church's services on Facebook live while I was recovering from the seizure cure in the hospital. We had started going to a GLBT Welcoming Church with an affiliation to the United Methodists. Maranatha Church was originally founded with the founding of Denver. Built in 1900 the sanctuary was awesomely beautiful. Newly attached to it was a Kitchen, Gym / Banquet Hall and Classroom wing built in 2000.

We joined the church and became regular church attenders and supporters and Grace and I had found a family of choice in the ladies with whom we attended our bible study class. Dr Erika Johansen, who we found out was also a Presbyterian minister agreed to officiate at our wedding

I woke from day dreaming about our wedding looking into Grace's eyes. I must have dosed off on the gurney ride from recovery to my room.

"Wakey, Wakey!" said Grace with a smile.

"How did I do, Grace?", I asked.

"The doctor said that you are going to be beautiful, just like a bride should be. They want to transfer you from the gurney to the bed. Do you feel up to helping?"

"Sure!", Grace got out of the way and the hospital staff helped me scoot over from the gurney to the bed. Once that was accomplished, Nurse Janine was busy checking vitals and making sure that I was fully medicated. They had set up an on demand pain medication for me to get over the rough part between my healing and the surgical pain medications wearing off.

"What is the latest on the wedding, Grace? I've been daydreaming on what we have gotten done so far this past month."

"I've signed contracts with the caterer who is doing our reception. I made sure that the menu we specified was correct on them before i signed and it was correct."

"What about the wedding cake?"

"The one we agreed upon has been ordered and i signed the contract for that as well."

"I'm glad that's done. We already had the venue contracts signed for the church and banquet facility after the Georgia Governor assured us that she had signed a proclamation declaring our wedding day a state holiday for this year."

"How could she not? A large part of state government would be traveling to our wedding from Georgia. It's good to have friends in high places ever since all of the Good Ol' Boys have been booted from office and most are in prison. The Georgia Governor will be in attendance as well. We just got her RSVP for our wedding. She's agreed to walk us down the aisle and give us away.", Grace explained.

"Wonderful news. I'm glad that she got her office and was reaffirmed in the special election as Governor as a result of the huge hole caused by the fall-out from my article. She's awesome!", I replied.

"We are so lucky having Janine accept as your maid of honor and Reyna accepting as my matron of honor. We've agreed on a day to get them and the ladies from our bible study class who are going to be bride's maids fitted for their dresses. I'm sorry that you will be missing out but we need to get the dresses ordered so we can have the alterations done and ready for the re-fitting."

"I knew that i was going to miss out on some of the wedding preparations being laid up in the hospital and at home but I wanted to look my best for the wedding to be a future wife with whom you can be proud to be seen."

"I'm always proud of you, Glory. I love you"

"I love you too."

With this pause in our conversation Nurse Janine reminded Grace that I needed to get some rest. Grace departed and I quietly fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With all of the wedding week activities, such as the bachelorette party and the rehearsal with dinner, celebrated successfully as planned, all was in readiness for our wedding. Grace had arranged for a florist to decorate the Sanctuary with red roses to compliment the red bride's maid's dresses that would be worn. Photographer and Videographer would capture the blessed event. The cake, caterers and attendees were in place. All was in readiness for the arrival of the brides.

Promenading in line before us came the maid and matron of honor followed by all the bride's maids. Each looking beautiful in their red dresses. Next the congregation hushed as the bridal march played on the organ. With Grace and I on each arm of the Governor, the three of us flowed down the aisle. Finally before the alter we faced each other as we handed off our bouquets of red roses."

Reverend Erika Johansen began speaking,"Dearly beloved...."

The ceremony continued as we heard and treasured each word until we finally came to the end.

"...With these rings and vows I pronounce you two women married. You may kiss your wife."

We kissed passionately and something changed in that moment that I will treasure always. Tears of joy escaped as I felt such an exhilarating joy than I had ever experienced before. A life long dream had come true. I had married Grace!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We shared our joy with or friends at the reception where there were speeches and dances and hi-jinks as we each removed the other's garters and tossed them to the crowd of waiting men. We each tossed our bouquets to a crowd of waiting women. Finally it was all over and we could escape on our honeymoon.

A helicopter waited to whisk us away to a paradise. In fact the copter whisked us away instead to the secret facility of the Jaime's Hope Foundation. I was to have my GRS completed as well as my womb, ovaries and Fallopian tubes implanted. As soon as we reached the facility, I was whisked off to be made ready for surgery. We had planned to keep so busy during the reception so that no one noticed that not a bite of food was touched on my plate during the wedding dinner so i could be ready for my surgery.

Grace was allowed to come see me prior to me going into surgery, flushed with excitement.

"Glory, I've just heard the news. You have won the Pulitzer Prize! Congratulations Sweetheart. Looks like we have an acceptance banquet to attend in our future."

"Wonderful news to take with me into surgery. Grace, I'll see you on the other side. I love you."

"I love you, too. Come back to me Glory!"

The anesthesiologist came in and put me asleep and i was taken off to surgery

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I came out of the surgery with flying colors. I recovered at home after being released from Jaime's Hope Foundation.
Two weeks passed and I had my first period. When my gynecologist checked me out, she declared me a fully functioning woman. Grace and I celebrated that day and I finally felt completely whole and congruent.

I now had everything in life that I wanted. The woman that i had been my crush for most of my life was now my wife. The success that I had achieved in my career had been recognized and celebrated by being awarded the Pulitzer prize. I owed it all to that day that seemed so long ago when I crumpled in pain with my arresting development.

The End of the beginning of my new life.

Dance, Dance, Dance

Full Moon

Chapter One: It's a Secret!

By Jo Dora Webster

What further challenges await Dee Jay as he portrays the mascot Amy the ARMYdillo?

Chapter One ~ It's A Secret!

[Friday Day One of the Full Moon]

"Hey, Kiddo! How's the secret agent business treating you, son of mine?"

"Oh Mom!" I exclaimed exasperated and rolled my eyes at her.

"We've been through that all of football and basketball season and no one's the wiser. We are very good at keeping secrets at Lamur Institute. We're not the ARMYdillos for nothing! We know how to keep things undercover!"

When tryouts were held at the beginning of the year, I won the job of being the school mascot, "Amy the ARMYdillo". A very talented person had made the costume cute as a button as opposed to the animal in real life.

She rolled her eyes right back at me, "Is that so, Aaaiiiimmmeee!"

"That's Amy the ARMYdillo, Mom. You know, Lamur Institute's mascot. My name is Dee Jay. Gee Mom! Really!"

"Why is it a ARMYdillo? We're here on Lamur Air Force Base not Army base."

"Lamur AFB was originally an Army Air Corp base, which explains the ARMY in our mascot's name for our high school, the Lamur Institute. I've told you this about a hundred times already. You know you shouldn't call me, Amy unless I'm in the mascot costume. It's a secret and you don't say it that way anyway."

"Okay, Kiddo, you are almost right. Your nickname is "Dee Jay" but I named you Dexter Jacob and for another the ARMYdillos mascot may be named Amy but when they shout out her name at the end of the 'Spell out Amy' cheer it comes out as 'Aaaiiiimmmeee!' So there!" She playfully stuck out her tongue at me and even giggled a little.

I grinned at her and didn't let her bait me into doing the same."

"Why do you tease me so much, Mom. I can't help it that I look cute as a button as Amy. A very talented person made the mascot outfit and it's said that it's the original one, still."

"It's because I care for you so much, Dee Jay."

"How can I stay frustrated at a Mom so great at playing with me like that! I imagine that had you been anyone else, I would have never have been given a chance to go on with this masquerade."

"Kiddo, how could I not let you do it when it makes you so happy? We were close before your Dad died in Iraq but now we are even closer. I understood you, accepted you and loved you unconditionally.

"Thank you so much, Mom. I'm so glad you are letting me use my talent for the squad."

"Son of mine, you are almost uncanny as a mimic. As as long as you've been shown something one time, You can reproduce it. How could I not love your harebrained idea that with the tradition of not knowing who is inside the "Amy the ARMYdillo" mascot suit that she could be any girl in the school. You wondered that as long as a person has all the moves, did it have to be a girl inside?"

"Well, ours was traditionally an all female cheerleading squad. So Jenna, the cheerleader captain, didn't know what to think of me trying out for mascot. However, my special talent allowed me to be able to be shown a dance routine once and reproduce it with all the nuances and feelings. Jenna realized that I could be a stand in for her when she turned to face the girls to evaluate how a new routine worked or to coach the other girls to give their best performance. She reasoned that since I moved like a girl that it really didn't matter whether there was a boy or girl inside the mascot suit."

"Then Hailey recruited her sister, Chelsea, who was in eighth grade, to be your backup in the mascot suit, and also when you practiced the main routine with the girls, she would do the mascot's part."

"It's a tradition that the identity of the mascot is a strict secret, to aid in the illusion that the mascot itself was real and not just someone in a suit. Just like it didn't matter if I were in the suit, it would not matter when Chelsea was in the suit. Chelsea and I would work on the mascot routines together so that she was ready to step in just in case my time as mascot ended suddenly. Chelsea was trustworthy and we knew that she could keep the secrets."

I paused and reflected on the great luck that I had in having a Mom who let me discover things without freaking out if I went a bit outside the norm.

"Penny for your thoughts! Okay a whole SBA dollar! What gives Dee Jay?"

"I was thinking what a great Mom you are to have understood me enough to try this scheme. Without your help, I would never have been able to pull it off."

"Once I realized that you wanted to do it only because you felt that it was the best way that you could contribute to School Spirit, I knew I had to support you. You felt strongly about the school tradition that being Amy was about being the very best in order to serve the needs of the school and not for any self glory. Being a cheerleader myself in college, and high school, I knew about the work ethic of a great cheerleading squad. You were in for being worked to the bone without the compensation of popularity that the rest of the squad gets. I really admire your character, Kiddo!"

"And you came through for me! You found out that the tryouts for being the mascot started in standard cheerleader uniform and then if that was passed, it was repeated for the mascot's routines in the mascot uniform.."

"I couldn't believe the expression on your face when I suggested that if I was serious about it that I would dress you up as a cheerleader and test you. Since I know the starts to the squad's JV routines from your attempt at 8th grade football last year, I put you through your paces and you performed each routine flawlessly. You made a very pretty girl but I knew you were relieved when I let you get back to your old self."

"I sure was, but I knew you were right to test me like that. If I couldn't perform for you under those conditions then doing it during the secret tryouts would have been impossible! Just how did you find out about where the secret tryouts were being held anyway?"

"Cheerleader secret! I can keep a secret too!"

"Anyway, you convinced Jenna, our head cheerleader, that my trying out was not a glory grabbing stunt but a selfless act in the best tradition of that anyone worthy could be Amy."

"You didn't let me down either when you created an original routine for Amy by demonstrating it in the suit on the spot. When you came down into that perfect split at the end, the whole squad's mouths dropped open and mine too. I'd seen you do splits before dressed as a cheerleader but doing one in the suit was thought impossible but you did it!"

"I'm glad that it won me the chance to serve the school as Amy. What have you got packed for lunch for me, Mom?"

"A chef salad per your request. I can't imagine why."

"It's for Amy, she's got to have a good figure, Mom!"

"Okay. What's in store for today?"

"We've got a pep rally last period and a baseball game tonight. Instead of having to sneak me into the costume twice, I'm going to stay in costume and hang with the other cheerleaders. In between Hailey's Mom is treating the squad to supper. It's being catered at the school. After the game it's the cloak and dagger to get me back to where my cover will say that I spent all that time today."

"And what is the story going to be today to extract you from class?"

"Even I don't know 'til they tell me. All I know is that Headmistress Lacon will be getting me out of my next to last period class so I can become Amy prior to the pep rally. That's been easy since they switched me to next to last period Study Hall. The Headmaster keeps coming up with projects for me to get extra credit. I guess the real project is me being Amy."

"Who's filling in for you with Deidre? Friday's you usually spend supporting her?"

"Kendra's Mom! She has a real talent for putting girls in Deidre's situation at ease. It's as if she had a transdaughter herself. Her only child is Kendra and of course she was a complete girl from the very start of her life."

"Okay, kiddo. I'll pick you up after Deidre's meeting. Just be careful during that unscripted time in between school and the game. Be ready for anything."

"I will Momma. Thanks."

I scooted on out the door and down the sidewalk toward the Lamur Institute. Both our house and the Institute was outside Lamur AFB but I had to cross the street at the main entrance to the base before I was able to arrive at the High School.

I had flashed Corporal Jane Randolph, at the guard gate, a big smile and she flipped the switch triggering the light to change. They had an override on the traffic light to the T intersection into the base where they could use the light to cut off traffic into the base if conditions required it. Jane had also been "Amy" so she was willing to help me cross the street if she could. The lights changed and I was able to scoot across the street waving to Jane as I passed the guard house located in the median of the base entrance.

I tried to always get to homeroom early since Coach Nestle was such a stickler to paying close attention to the rules and any deviation would earn detention. It was almost worth it the one time that I thought that I had covered all the bases before a project that I was doing for Drama club was unveiled on the unsuspecting rest of the school that day. I knew that Coach was looking for something to ding me on since he was overruled on the consequence he imposed.

"Good Morning Coach Nestle!"

"Greetings Dexter! It warms my heart that you have applied yourself to details since our last encounter."

"Thank you sir"

I winced as I turned away from him as I went to my seat. He insisted on calling me Dexter while all of the other teachers called me "Dee Jay" like all the students here. Once we were all present and accounted for at roll call, then the coach's behavior standards were relaxed and he allowed whispered conversations between people in close proximity. But if anyone got loud, he was quick to call them down. I saw Francine West come into the room and hand the Coach a note.

"Class, your attention please! Dexter, you may accompany Ms West on school business. Get your books and report to your next class afterward. Here's your pass."

I grabbed my books and went up to the front of the room smiling at the coach as I took my pass from him and smiled at Francine as we walked side by side out the door.

Francine must have been a bit out of it today because she was just grinning like the cat that swallowed the canary. She must not have been thinking straight since she had inadvertently placed herself so that her assets were on prominent display. I repositioned myself waiting for her to say something so that I could have a conversation with her face instead of her boobs should she break the silence. We came to Dr Richard's office, knocked and entered. Dr Richards was also doubling as school counselor so that's why he rated the office.

"Come in, Francine! Thanks for coming Dee Jay! Have you two discussed anything in the hall about coming here?"

"No sir. I've just done what you asked and brought Dee Jay down to see you without saying a word."

"Good. Close the door and please be seated and we'll get started."

The door was closed and we both took a nice padded seat in front of Dr Richard's desk. There was a table between us which had diet cokes on it for both of us.

"Do you remember the testing that the English department was doing with all the Freshman Students a few weeks back?"

"You mean those aptitude tests and psychological tests that were being used by the School Board to evaluate the improvements made to the curriculum?"

"Those are the ones. They also have a secondary purpose and that is for us to identify exceptional students and make sure that they are being fully challenged with their education. On top of the scores, it takes a nomination by two teachers to qualify for the special scholarship. Both Ms Ariel Jordan your algebra teacher and myself have nominated you for consideration by the scholarship committee. Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Dr Richards. What would accepting this scholarship involve?"

"I'm not sure myself since they keep the details private until an offer is made. The school board here approves of the other benefits of the program and that is enough for them even if the students chosen decline the program. You are free to do so and no one will think any lesser of you if it isn't what you want when you hear the details."

"When will we hear from the scholarship committee to evaluate us?"

"Sometime next week. Dr Ariel Jordan has agreed to be liaison for the scholarship committee to administer their added tests and if those are within their parameters then you will meet a representative of the committee to discuss the details and make arrangements if you accept the scholarship."

I could not help but keep my eyes glued on Francine's face as we heard the news. She had a goofy look on her face. I couldn't tell why she was so happy since we did not know if the scholarship was anything at all to treasure. It could be only enough to buy books so even if every bit helped it would not be the answer to our future education. There was something going on with Francine that I could not figure out but since she did not hang with the cheerleader crowd I saw little of her outside of class and my friends would not likely have the word on what was going on in her head. It would have to remain a mystery to me.

I guess I zoned out since the next thing I heard was:

"If you don't have any questions, you both can go to class. Thank you!"

"Thank you, Dr Richards." "Thanks Dr R."

"Have a great day."

We exited the office and closed the door behind us and started down the hall towards Ms Jordan's classroom.

I stopped and touched Francine's arm, "What is it, Fran?"

"Somehow this seems like something special. Why don't you join me at lunch and we'll discuss it? We don't have time now because neither of us wants to miss any more of Ms Jordan's class than we can help."

"Okay, Lunch it is!"

We went through the open door into Ms Jordan's classroom. Somehow it was never rowdy enough inside for the door to be closed even though we did have a good time in there. Everyone learned from Ms. Jordan.

Since she became a regular teacher this term, all of the student grades were A's and that was not because she gave easy tests but because everyone learned everything perfectly that she taught. Ms. Jordan had, all by herself, raised the math scores on standardized testing due to her teaching.

We all loved her! Her face was angelic and her smile always lit up the room. There was no way to have a bad day when in Ms Jordan's class. We were blessed.

We each handed in our hall passes and took our seats. For once I was glad that we did not sit close together because I would not have wanted to cut up in Ms Jordan's class but I was about to burst from the news and Fran was the only one I could talk to about the award.

Class went by quickly and soon we were out and on to our next class. For me that was Biology with Mrs. Turner. Fran wasn't in my biology class but Glenda was in there. Glenda was part of the Secret Seven who covered for mundane me when my alter ego Amy was required to appear.

Each of the Secret Seven had a story of their own to tell. One way or another they had something extraordinary in their lives and that made them trustworthy to keep and protect Amy's secret. Contrary to Algebra, Biology seemed to drag on forever. However, it finally ended and I only had one class left to go to before lunch.

I knew the way really good to this one since it was the same as my home room taught by the Coach. The Coach made history more than places and dates and made it about people. In learning how they lived their lives, I learned more about decisions and their consequences than I expected from a history class. Time passed quickly in the coach's class not for the same reason as in Algebra since there was so much material and Coach explained so much that he had to talk as fast and as exciting as he could so that most people could follow and digest the lesson.

On coming into the cafeteria for lunch, I got into line and saw that Fran had already found a secluded, small table overlooking the greenhouse. I took note of where she sat and once I had paid for my tray, I went out to meet her.

"Thanks for coming to eat with me, Dee Jay. I'm surprised that you didn't have to get permission from Jenna to come sit with me."

"Jenna means well. It's just that stunt we pulled that has her over protective of me. She never said that I have to sit with her, but that it would be better for me if I did. In the beginning she was right but I doubt that anyone remembers anymore unless someone reminds them."

"You were a good sport. I know it was mostly Deidre and your Mom at home that got you ready for our performance art but as a part of the English class, I feel proud of what we accomplished."

"Well it wasn't until the next day when I revealed myself that there was any static. That whole day as an updated Juliet from Romeo and Juliet, not one person could tell who I was."

"It was a tribute to your acting skill. It is no wonder that when the speculation on who is this year's Amy goes on, that your name comes up even though there never has been a boy Amy and I bet never will be. It's fun to talk about. When you went to that first dance and showed that you have two left feet, they realized that you could never be Amy!"

"You've got that right! Do you know anything more about this scholarship than what we were told together?"

"Just rumors from others who have been considered. It seems that it is usually in pairs that they are chosen and that they are whisked away to an undisclosed location and disappear."

"Sounds very hush hush as in cloak and dagger stuff."

"I really don't know any more. Not even any more rumors. I think we ought to stay in touch in case they contact either of us separately to share information."

"That seems like a good idea, Fran."

I pulled out a card and handed it to her. "This is my cell number. Call and leave a message anytime and if I can pick up then I will"

"That's weird! Your card is the same design as mine. Looks like we got them at the same place. Here's my cell phone number, Dee Jay."

Thank's Fran. It's lucky that we were thrown together again cause it seems we are destined to be really good friends"

Fran whispered something under her breath that I didn't catch. "Thanks for eating with me. I have to go to the Library before my next class for some freshman class business. See you in English!"

"That I will. Take care."

I was left alone at the table and instead of immediately going over to see Jenna and the girls, I decided to stay put. What if I were putting the secret in danger by having too close contact with them? Their protection after the incident (which was one of the reasons for doing it in the first place) was no longer needed so it was really past time that I should be put back in circulation.

We'd find other means to convey ARMYdillo information. We were always rising to a challenge. Well the challenge now was getting to my next class which would either be very enlightening or rather frustrating depending on how it went. Both Dr Richards and Fran would be there who I had shared so much with today. I was about to see how secret this would be by what happened.

Well an hour later I could conclude it was very frustrating. There wasn't a chance to talk to either of them in class and Dr Richards didn't even call on me or Fran for any of the class discussion. Fran had to hurry on to her next class and I did the same as well because I was due to be lifted from Study Hall to become Amy for the pep rally last period.

I took my traditional seat in study hall by the door. Kendra was in the class before and had not left yet. She was leaning over to get something that was wedged under her seat. Due to her short cheerleader skirt and deep plunge top, she was exposing all of her assets to public display. After putting my books down on my desk, I went over and pulled out her book where it was stuck and handed it to her.

"Thanks Dee Jay, you are a life saver!"

"You are welcome Kendra!" Kendra couldn't help that she had a body better than a Barbie Doll's that every male lusted over, but they didn't have to be jerks like Dick Wallace

"Dee Jay, what'cha go an' spoil the view! Kendra's a nice piece of ass. Baby's got Back!"

Kendra, as modestly as she could, scurried out to her next class leaving me to respond to Dick.

"Dick, cut her a break. She can't help how she looks!"

I was half hoping the teacher would give Dick detention for embarrassing Kendra like that, but since Dick was the starting tackle on the football team, he could get away with murder and they would chalk it up to flirting instead of harassment like it really was.

While I was mulling over the situation, the Headmistress herself delivered a request for my presence to the teacher, Mr James Hill.

"Come along, Dee Jay, I've got preparations ready for that special project you agreed to help on."

"Coming Headmistress."

She led me down into the basement of the gym by using a special door that was ordinarily hidden from view. We had entered Amy's secret domain. Down here was her dressing room, the special fabrication facilities to keep her costume in shape, the secret practice area, and the secret cheerleader's lounge and kitchen. It even had a bedroom for special circumstances. This facility, along with the Secret Seven, was why Amy's secret had been kept all these years.

"Here you are Amy! I'll leave you to get ready since I have preparations to make before the pep rally. Thank you for your service to LHS and have a great pep rally!

"Thank you, Headmistress."

As she was leaving, Jenna arrived to help me put on the costume. Since I was to be eating in between, we were going to be using one of the special features of the mascot costume to substitute my mouth for Amy's which meant I had to be made up completely in the face as a girl might since that's what was expected. We came to the table and Jenna sat on the other side of me and began to work on my face. Jenna was a skilled artist so she was wonderful with makeup. Not much would be visible of her work, but not knowing what might be seen at any angle it was all important to get right and Jenna nailed it.

"There you go, Amy! Hey why didn't you check in with us at lunch today?"

"I think that things have died down from that stunt. If we keep using that for an excuse to get together, it might give Amy away. We knew eventually since I'm a guy that I would have to keep my distance at times. Can we work out some other way to keep in touch?"

"Already in place."

She handed me a cell phone with a grin.

"This is the Amy phone! Welcome to our phone tree! You are about to witness the joy of keeping up with all your female friends through the phone. It will be fun!"

"What if someone outside of our team calls to become a part of the conversation?"

"It will automatically drop you off the line if someone outside our circle joins in and one of us will bring you back in when they leave."

"I guess I don't need as much hand holding now as in the beginning."

"That's for sure! You know everything there is to know about Amy now. All we have is mundane issues left."

"Thanks for watching out for me and letting me be Amy"

"It is our pleasure. You are clearly the best ever Amy! Know that even though only we know who you are the whole school loves Amy and that's due to you!

"Okay, thanks for helping me into the costume. I'm going to the practice area to do my warm-ups."

"Great, I'm going up to get ready with the squad. Meet us upstairs in our room 15 minutes before the pep rally."

"I'm on it!"

Jenna let herself out the secret door and I limbered up and did my stretches. I had the scoreboard clock counting down to the time I had to go. At last having taken care of all the necessaries, I was ready to join the rest of the squad in preparation for the pep rally

The pep rally began with us all singing the Lamur Institute Alma Mater. That song really meant a lot to us. It warmed my heart to hear the student body's voices blending with our own as we sounded the way we all felt. We were in unity of spirit and purpose and with respect to the traditions of the Lamur Institute,

We had a small baseball diamond laid out on the gym floor which was prepared for the introduction of tonight's starting lineup for our first baseball game of the season. Jenna and Star lined up on the right side of the door where the team would enter from while Hailey and Kendra lined up on the left side. I, as Amy, stood with my back to the entering players along the path they would take to the diamond. It was a tradition that each had to touch me on my back somewhere for good luck. Few touched me at my shoulders, since most could not resist the impulse to give my fanny a pat.

With the team introduced we launched into a series of cheers that brought the student body out of their seats and revved up their enthusiasm. One of the cheers introduced the squad in a really cute way that I enjoyed. When the pep band struck up the musical interlude, I realized they had on tap my favorite song for the team to dance to. In the original song "You're a grand old flag " we used the music but with our filk the words were completely different. In our adaptation it was about Amy and I was the star of the show.

A-my, Dance, Dance,Dance
A-my now! Dance, Dance Dance
A war-rior is rea-dy to fight

Ar-my-dillo of
My school was chose
To fight the good fight ev-ery day

A-my, Dance, Dance,Dance
A-my now! Dance, Dance Dance
Make us vi-gil-ent to the task

When foe fall in-to dis-ar-ray
Then its time A-my Dance, Dance Dance

I had quite a workout with that since I was dancing and shaking it and working it all the time. Coach Nestle, my homeroom teacher, really knew how to inspire everyone with his speaking. When the speech was through, he had us believing that we would be taking home a championship that depended on each student and athlete doing their part to achieve that goal, We went into my favorite cheer right after the coach gave us the breather by delivering that motivational speech.

"Okay Amy, Ready to shine!"

I answered in my Amy voice, "You Bet!"

Jenna started us with the call:

"Spell Out Amy! Hit It"

We all joined in right on the beat! Jenna and Star were formed up on the right of me whileHailey and Kendra were on my left. As they danced in time to the beat, they would move their pom poms from the outside to center and to the inside. As Amy, I danced in the center.I was the star of this cheer and I didn't want to let down my teammates nor the student body who poured out their adoration.

"Aye Emm Wye clap clapity clap clap clap ~ Amy!

Aye Emm Wye clap clapity clap clap clap ~ Amy!"

I held my "A" pose while they all chanted:

"Aye ~ Ambition for our baseball team!"

I held my "M" pose during the phrase:

"Emm ~ Mighty to beat our en-e-my!"

I posed as a "Y" as their yell continued:

"Wye ~ Yell out to all our Vic-to-ry!"

I started my last tumbling run as they returned to what they were doing in the beginning.

"Aye Emm Wye clap clapity clap clap clap ~ Amy!

Aye Emm Wye clap clapity clap clap clap ~ Amy!

Yeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh Aaaiiiimmmeee!

Yeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!"

While the other cheerleaders jumped up and down and shook their pom poms in salute to Amy, I maintained the split in the middle of them that I ended up in after my tumbling run down the center of them all.

The student body went wild cheering! They sure loved Amy and I was glad that I had a part in keeping the tradition alive.

"You all did good! Let's go get some food and then we'll be ready to cheer the baseball team on to victory for their home opening game of the season!"

"I like that, Jenna!"

We followed her out of the gym to the cafeteria where the catered supper was waiting for us. On the way I stopped by the secret room to reconfigure the head portion of the Amy costume to exclude the articulated lips and revealed the gap so that my own mouth would be exposed. I checked to make sure my makeup was still okay and it was. Jenna used some very long lasting lipstick on me! With that chore taken care of, I joined the rest of the squad in the Cafeteria.

It was a feast, I filled up on salad and got a taste of a burger and a hot dog. I was a little nervous eating in the costume but with care and a big Amy-sized napkin protecting from any spillage everything went well. We soon helped Hailey's and Chelsea's Mom clean up the remains, although I could not do much hampered by the costume. I was able to push carts back to the kitchen. We had free time until the pre-game warm ups and those who had tickets for the game were able to get into the large open area around the ball park and there were groups of students and alumni with picnics of their own. We split up and spread the cheer to the groups by performing individually for them.

I was swung around as I was off balance from dancing by someone who had a hold of my arm and was pulling my head toward him. I recognized Dick Wallace just before he laid a French kiss on me that he would not let go!

"There, now I've stolen a kiss from all the cheerleaders, but yours was the best yet Amy!"

I couldn't breathe while he kissed me and I was still trying to catch my breath so I couldn't speak.

"Why don't you come out of that breast plate as well so I can cop a feel of your tits?"

I thought that I was a goner but then I saw Hailey out of the corner of my eye. She was chanting something and making motions in Dick's direction. I was just about recovered enough to do what I felt was my first reaction and that was to drive a kick as hard and as deep as I could into his groin to cause him maximum damage.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!"

The scream started in base and cracked and finished as a soprano. I hadn't touched him. I wanted to kick him but I hadn't. The thing was that he looked like someone had kicked him where the sun doesn't shine. Hailey grabbed me and spirited me away back to the secret room.

She got me out of the costume and I had a good cry on her shoulder.

"What happened?"

"I think he was about to rape me. I was going to kick him down there and before I made up my mind, he was already doubled over in pain but no one touched him."

"It was Majick, Dee Jay. Nothing permanent and no damage. His reproductive system is temporarily shut down and the process for doing that caused pain but no damage. It will come back better than new, hopefully his lust won't overcome him again. I'm sorry sweetie that you had to endure that oaf forcing himself on you."

"That's what I saw you doing out of the corner of my eye then?"

"As you can tell now, Majick is real. Besides the Secret Room and the Secret Seven, the Circle that I'm part of is part of the protection that all the Amy's have had and now it's yours too. We can't do things too dramatically individually. It takes all of us on a certain place time and day to get really big things done."

"I'm feeling better! I need to get back in the costume for the game!"

"Amy sweetheart, there's still time. I need you to go lay down on the bed and rest. All of us will come down and get you ready to go just before the game so you can recover."

"Okay Momma!" I giggled and let Hailey lead me to bed where I got under the covers and drifted off.

Before I knew it, I was awake completely refreshed and I was no longer obsessing on the kiss. I took care of what I needed to in the bathroom and when I returned the entire squad was there lending moral support and getting me ready to go work the game.

We made our entrance to the field and then positioned ourselves to cheer the team onto the diamond. I don't think we ever cheered better as a squad. We were all cohesive and our most enthusiastic. It took everything we had to cheer them on to victory! The biggest fault was our starting pitching. It seemed that no one was able to follow what the coaches wanted from their pitching. It would not have hurt to have a little more offense too. It was a 6-6 tie coming down to the bottom of the ninth and a boy who I had played JV baseball last year came off the bench to hit a pinch hit home run to win the game.

I think besides the dismal playing at times, the one thing that kept my head out of the game was that I was faced with the reality that Majick is real and that Hailey had it. It was a bit comforting to have all of the squad support me and Hailey saved me using her Majick. It was upsetting to consider what something like that would do in the hands of someone like Dick. It was a bit of poetic justice that he would be sexless for a while since his sex drive got him into trouble.

I didn't get to participate in the post game party because I had to be spirited away to validate my alibi for the evening so that no one could connect me with Amy. Another of the Secret Seven drove me over to the meeting where Deidre was so that I could share the last part of it with her.

I recognized Kendra's Mom beside Deirdre at the meeting. I slipped in and took her place holding Deirdre's hand. She looked over me and gave me a big smile and whispered, "I’m so glad that you are here, Dee Jay."

I patted her hand and smiled back at her, not wanting to detract from the girl who was currently sharing in the circle. Deidre sure has come a long way, I thought as I relaxed and focused on the girl who was sharing in the circle. As I relaxed into a feminine posture, those looking at the pair of us might guess that I was the transgirl and Deidre was the moral support. Deidre was one of the Secret Seven who helped preserve the secret of Amy. We had fallen into becoming best friends soon after we met. Here was this very lovely girl with a special challenge, but she gave of her time anyway to uphold our tradition. I made the commitment to her to be her real support instead of just a sometimes stand in and never regretted spending each Friday with her.

As each girl shared around the circle, some with moral support and some by themselves, I could not get over the sheer courage that poured out as the common thread in each of their stories. Too soon for me since I had gotten there late, the last girl had shared and the therapist gave us all some things to consider. Before she would let us go, she had another announcement.

"Girls, I am so sorry to disrupt our weekly meetings but I have been assigned to teach a Monday Wednesday Friday class in the evenings, this quarter at the University. I’m going to have to move our meetings to Tuesdays until the quarter is over. We'll skip next week and resume the following week on Tuesday. I look forward to seeing you all then."

There were a chorus of goodbyes from the girls as they started to get up and scatter going their separate ways. I looked over at Deidre.

"How's Tuesday going to work for you?"

"It's going to be fine for me but have you looked at the baseball schedule?"

"Not yet, why?"

"There aren’t many games on Tuesdays. I’m not going to be of as much help as I was. I hope that we can cover Fridays without me."

"You all have pulled off some miracles covering for me this year. I imagine you all still have a few left in you."

"Just so long as I get to save one special miracle for me. Am I selfish to want that?"

"You are one of the least selfish girls that I know."

"I’m in good company, honorary girlfriend."

"Thanks!" We hugged a girl type hug and then she giggled and I snickered. I had been made an honorary girl by the circle for my support and friendship with Deidre. But I was also an honorary girl by being the person inside Amy, so what she said had a second secret meaning.

Just then we both spotted our mothers entering the room. Deidre got up and rushed over to her mom and gave her a big hug. I too got up and gave a big hug to my Mom. When I emerged from the hug, Deidre and her Mom had already gone.

"I love you, Mom"

"I love you too, Dee Jay! How was your day today?"

"Mom, do I have a story to tell you!"

"Well it's late, so how about we make it a bedtime story only you get to do the telling."

"Fine by me! I'm really tired out."

Mom knew best. She drove me home and I bathed and got ready for bed. Then she tucked me in like she used to when I was little and I told her the story of my day. Only thing was that I was still trying to tell it when I fell asleep.

Dance, Dance, Dance

Full Moon

Chapter Two - Cheerleader MIA

By Jo Dora Webster

Chapter Two - Cheerleader MIA!

[Saturday Day Two of the Full Moon]

Jenna initiated the routine with Jenna and I, side by side. The silent count started as Jenna slapped her thighs with her arms coming down into first position. Once the routine started, it was as though I was not the same person at all, as if my body was possessed by a great dancer and gymnast. Jenna stepped out of line to face us and we closed ranks as we repeated the cheer. She switched from being captain to coach as she worked us hard for the cheerleader competition. When Jenna was being coach, Hailey her co-captain led us. Beside us dancing the mascot's part was Hailey's sister Chelsea as Amy the ARMYdillo.

"Do wah diddy diddy, Do wah diddy diddy, Do wah diddy diddy, one-a, two-a,

three-a, four-a

Do wah diddy diddy, Do wah diddy diddy ,Do wah diddy diddy, one-a ,two-a,

three-a, four-a ..."

We were all in peak condition and in peak form as we trained for the cheerleader competition. For this practice, I was completely indistinguishable from a female in my female cheerleader's uniform, with my figure enhanced by prosthetic, hair brushed into a girl's style with a bow in my ponytail, and made up for a game like all the other girls were on the squad. Finally Hailey led us through all the routines that Jenna wanted to coach us on, today. Jenna signaled for a break.

"Great job, ARMYdillos! Dee Jay, I am still amazed at you being able to do the routines as well as me!"

"Thanks Jenna, I am so glad that I can help the team and I love being your stand-in."

"That's all for today, girls. AMY, our helpers are standing by in your dressing room. Please don't keep them waiting. The rest of you, please remain for a moment."

"Okay Jenna. See you girls next time"

"Bye, Amy!"

We all waived to Chelsea in the AMY costume as she departed for the secret dressing room. I had long been used to being referred to as one of the girls since in both my roles with the squad, I was portraying a female. I thought of it as a compliment.

"Some of you know that my mother is due to transfer to be a nurse at Ramstein AFB in Germany. We thought that the specialty that she had would keep her stateside. However, the army had her train others here so she's not so unique stateside now."

"Jenna, have you had any success with finding a way to stay here to finish out High School?"

"I'm afraid not. Daddy's been released from prison on a technicality. Even though he has a restraining order keeping him from getting close legally, his violent and amoral nature means that it won't keep him from getting revenge. Mom thinks that he's likely to take his revenge as a murder suicide but he's been too smart to make any threats that would give the police the chance to lock him up."

"What does that mean Jenna?"

"Momma doesn't trust anyone but herself to protect me and she wants me as far away from Daddy as possible. Momma's Air Force flight to Germany is tonight and I have to go with her. I'm going to miss all you girls. I'm so sorry to be leaving now but I have no choice."

"How are we going to get along without you?"

"Hailey, as my assistant Captain, you will take over as Squad Captain."

"Oh, Jenna, while I wanted to be captain, I was hoping it would be next year after you graduate. I guess I could double as Coach since the school district doesn't have enough money to hire one but how am I going to choreograph new routines?"

"Dee Jay has become quite talented with choreographing routines. The one we were just working on was Dee Jay's. Are you up to being the squad's choreographer, Dee Jay?"

"I guess so. While I was doing the routine with Hailey, Kendra and Star with you watching, it was as if I was in possession of something special. Maybe it was not as grand as the secrets of the universe, but it seemed to quiet the questions. I don't want to see you go, Jenna. But since you have to, I would be proud to be the squad's choreographer."

"What do you think Hailey?"

"I feel like I can speak for all the girls in saying that we will be very proud to have Dee Jay as the squad's choreographer. Another hat for you, girl! Wear it well!"

Chelsea had returned, back in her everyday clothes, and she was quickly filled in on what was happening. Hailey had a twinkle in her eye and huge smile crossed her face as she said the last part. It appeared that she had an idea which amused her to no end which puzzled all of us.

"Thanks for the confidence in me, Hailey. Girls, I won't let you down."

"Girls, I know that you might have more to discuss, but I have to go now. Let's have a big group hug as my goodbye from all of you."

All of us gathered around Jenna and we had the best group hug ever. We didn't want it to end, but we knew Jenna had to go. We broke apart into a circle surrounding Jenna and she left. Hailey began smiling again so we gathered around her to see if she would reveal what she was thinking.

Girls, the cheerleading competition is very close, less than a month away. It's going to be impossible to get another girl into championship form with the complex routines we have to use to compete.

"Why are you smiling, Hailey? Do you know something that I don't?"

"No, because I know that you already know that there is majick in our midst. I'm smiling because we can use majick to turn you into a girl. You could do the routines with us for the competition. It was the only solution, I could think of to solve it.

"Why couldn't I do it just like I am now? No one would know."

"It's been tried before and they have always been caught. If they caught you, not only would it disqualify us from this year's competition but next year's too. We'd be better off just withdrawing and trying again next year."

"How would you do it exactly?"

"I and the other members of the squad make up most of a circle which has been able to wield great majick in the past. The spell that I have in mind would turn you into a girl for one cycle of the moon."

"I believe you. I know that majick is real since one of you saved me when I had been almost raped while portraying Amy. I'll do it!"

"O Goodness Deej! You are a life saver!"

"I don't know about that! I enjoyed helping Jenna and y'all practice."

"We need you Deej! Jenna's going overseas with her mom! The routine only works if we all move as a unit."

"I could not believe that Jenna had to leave so suddenly. I guess she was trying to stay here to the end and she ran out of time. It's very hard to be parted from Jenna."

"We all miss her. She was so heartbroken that we might have to drop out with only Kendra, Star and me left. When we are able to show off her brilliance for inventing the routine, Jenna will be proud that it wasn't in vain."

"Do you think we could really pull this off?"

"As long as you don't lose your cool everything will be fine."

"But what about the details? Even though I can move like a girl in the routine, I don't know the first thing about being a girl. I'm about the right size for a girl, but I don't have the right shape for a girl. Also, people know me as a boy, not as a girl."

"Well we will have to bring your mother in on this for sure. No offence, but your father passing away will make things easier. We'll all go with you to your mother and get her blessing for what we have in mind. The other stuff, your mind and body and how other people see you, we three will divide things up to make it so you will be able to cope."

"How did you divide that up?"

"I'm going to take care of your body issues, Kendra will take care of your mind issues, and Star will take care of how others see you."

"I'm still clueless how you feel you will manage that, but I can wait on that until you all speak to my mother."

"Good deal! Kendra! Star! Chelsea! We are taking Deej home and filling in 'her' mother on the plans!"

"We have plans?" Kendra asked as Star bumped her playfully and she exclaimed, "Oh, those plans! Okay, I'm ready."

We all climbed into Hailey's pink convertible that whisked us away for a boisterous ride over to my house.

I rang the doorbell since I was bringing home company. Mom greeted us at the door, "Dee Jay! Girls! Come in. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Mrs. Russell, we'd like to talk to you about Deej, uh Dee Jay, but first can we show you this video of our practice?"

"Sure Hailey! Dee Jay could you put the video on the DVD player in the living room and we'll watch it in there."

"Yes Ma'am."

I led the girls into the living room and everyone got settled while I put it on. The video was one of me standing in for Jenna at our last practice with her showing our championship form for the competition.

When it was over, my mother was very impressed with the team's performance, "Girls, when I was in high school, our cheerleading team won our competition and that routine that Jenna invented should win you the trophy. I am so proud of all of you. Where is Jenna by the way?"

"Jenna's mom was reassigned overseas and Jenna went with her. The competition is a few weeks away and there is not a girl at the high school who could learn the routine and have it at championship form by then."

"What are you asking me, Hailey?"

"We would like for Dee Jay to do the routine with us for the competition. Dee Jay knows it and is on the squad already. All we would have to do is to get Dee Jay to look like one of us before then."

"Then Dee Jay would have to become a girl, and not just any girl, a cheerleader, in order to do the routines. This would not work with Dee Jay in the mascot suit would it, Hailey?"

"Yes, Mrs. Russell, we would like for Deej to become a female cheerleader. She already moves like one of us. She only has to look the part. It's like another costume since she is used to being a mascot."

"Hailey, you realize that you are already referring to Dee Jay in the feminine. And it's not quite like the mascot since Dee Jay would have to be a girl 24/7 in order to pull this off."

"We need her! There is no one else who can do this. Without her we are out of the competition."

"Girls, I haven't said 'no' yet. Just how did you expect to pull this off even with my full cooperation?"

"Well, we have a cover story in mind for Dee Jay to explain a female twin sister showing up right now with his disappearance. Star is secretly a geekette hacker who can arrange for all the paperwork and proper entries in computer systems to validate her with everyone including the school and the competition authorities. Kendra's secret is that she was born Ken and got some special help to be the girl she is today. Kendra can help Dee Jay cope with living as a girl and getting her adjusted. My secret is that I am a Wiccan and I know a spell that can give a boy the chance to find out what it is like to be a girl. It would last long enough for us to do the competition. If Dee Jay was meant to be a girl then, like Kendra, would remain a girl, but if not, then Dee Jay would completely revert back to being a boy with no adverse effects."

"I guess that if Dee Jay really has a girl's mind then it would be better to find out sooner, than later, as far as that goes. Dee Jay, what do you say about this?"

"Mom, it sounds like my friends have all the bases covered and that they will take care of me. I want to help them and being a girl can't be such a bad thing since half the people on the planet cope with it well."

"It's not a bad thing Dee Jay for those who were born to it. We don't know that about you, yet. How long will the spell last, Hailey? And can you bring Dee Jay out of it before it runs its course if Dee Jay shows distress in this situation?"

"Ordinarily it would last for a month. The spell's intent is to do no harm and distress on Dee Jay's part would allow me to release Dee Jay early, even if we had not completed the competition."

"Both Dee Jay and I want you all to succeed so I will give my blessing to Dee Jay becoming a cheerleader for the next month to complete the completion. If it turns out that I really have a daughter permanently, I will do my best to help her adjust. I want to be included in everything that you do on Dee Jay's behalf."

"I promise you will be, Mrs. Russell. What would Dee Jay's name have been if she had been born female?"

"She would have been Denise Janice. Dee Jay would you like for that to be your name for now?"

"Yes, Mom. I want to be your daughter, Denise."

"Both Star and I have some preparations to make before we do our part to bring Denise to life. Guess we need to go. See you in school, Deej."

"Take care, y'all"

"Bye, bye."

The girls left and a silence fell on both of us until I broke it. "You are the coolest mom ever to help us with this so we can have a chance of winning the competition."

"Denise, being a young woman brings opportunities and challenges that you can't begin to imagine right now, all by themselves. Coping with those having never grown up a girl and being thrust into it immediately makes it just so much harder. Your friends are in this for the team, but I'm in it for you. Please don't forget me as you are caught up in the experiences of this since I can help you in a way that your friends can't having lived through some of the experiences that you are about to have."

"Momma, I love you always and I know you love me. I'll keep you close. You think they are missing something in their haste to get me to a way that I can help?"

"I'm sure of it. Even Kendra may not realize now what you will be going through. Think about it. Do you remember Kendra ever being Ken?"

"I've seen videos of Kendra as a four-year-old girl."

"I believe when that spell changed Kendra permanently into a girl then it did it retroactively to her conception. That must have erased all the consequences of being thrown into the middle of things. And Kendra owes Hailey a lot since she saved Kendra from her fate of being in the wrong body so she is not likely to reveal any of the downsides to what you are going to go through out of loyalty to Hailey and the team."

"What could happen in a month that could be that traumatic?"

"A boy could happen to you. Let's think about that spell a little more. Suppose you were to get pregnant under this, 'Do no harm' spell, what do you think might happen?"

I hesitated to answer and wondered why Momma had brought up such a thing. It seemed to me that she was familiar with this situation having encountered it before. How? When? Why? I wasn't sure that I wanted to know those answers. Do any of us really know our parents? Ignoring why Momma asked, there still was the question, which itself was valid, and I tried to answer as best I could. I could tell I was already in over my head and I looked to Momma to throw me a lifeline to get me through this.

"I might not be able to get an abortion and I might stay a girl for the entire pregnancy. Momma can I get birth control, like immediately after they change me to Denise for real? Could you like... take a vacation, and, like .... watch over me until this is over?"

"I love you, Denise. I have that vacation time I was banking in case an emergency came up and this looks like this is it. Let's see. I could come across as being one of those mothers who smother their children trying to relive their lives through them, a real stage mother. I could be appointed coach over the cheerleaders. They haven't needed one with Jenna in charge, but I bet I could make a case both to have one and for me to be it over the next month since she left and Hailey is not used to being in charge. Of course, that would make me a chaperon for the competition as well. Will that suit you, Denise? You'll be seeing a whole lot of me and I'll have to act the part."

"This daughter is going to love having a stage mother."

I hugged Momma and gave her a kiss on her cheek. Momma hugged back and then we broke.

"Denise, I'm going to go ahead and set up that vacation and we'll have to wait ‘til they do whatever with the records for me to put the rest into place. I'll save the stage mother act until things get going since I am sure they are not going to want the adult supervision."

"I want it Momma! Thanks so much for watching out for me."

"Take care, Kiddo. I'll make those calls and be back to talk some more about what you've gotten yourself into."

Momma went upstairs to her room to make those calls. That gave me the time to think about what Momma and I had talked about. As Dee Jay, Mom and I had been close but it seemed like, as Denise, we would be a lot closer. Some of that I'm sure would be that mother/daughter thing which I had observed in my friends but never expected to experience. I was about to get it very intensely because I asked for it and need it. I thought about my dancing ability, and how I was able to emulate girls' movements. Men could dance, of all lifestyles, so being able to dance like a girl did not necessarily mean that I was one. Lots of male actors have played women's parts but that did not make them women either. In the end, the spell having giving me a month to be sure whether I had a female spirit, would decide my fate a lot more suddenly and conclusively than those transgendered girls in that documentary I had seen.

Momma was back with the gleam in her eye that I saw when she felt that she had successfully set up a project. "Denise, I have the next month off to be with you. I also have called some friends to help out with advice and to look over your friends' handiwork. I met all of these women in college and after explaining the situation they all volunteered to help. Rebecca is a Wiccan and she is now on a plane from San Antonio to see what kind of spell Hailey weaves and to put right any mistake she might make. We won't see Jennifer in person, but she will monitor the hacking that is done on your behalf by Star and make sure that is right. Alicia is a transwoman and she will be visiting later on after you've started to get into some situations to help you out, especially with the emotional issues."

"What emotional issues, Momma?"

"You are going to experience so much more intense emotions than what you are used to and you still don't know how to deal with the ones that you have, yet. Reacting only from emotion, can make a challenge a lot harder. You will be dealing with interpersonal issues that would not be easy for you even if you had grown into this, instead of being thrust in the middle of things."

"It seems like you have got everything covered, Momma. Thank you for being so wonderful to me."

"I've done my best for you, Denise. Even with the best planning there is always the unknown to deal with and that's why I want to be close so I can catch what ever it is and help you through it."

The phone rang then and Hailey was at the other end. She told me that the hacking was going well and that she had the spell ready but we would have to wait until midnight in order for it to be effective. We were to meet her in the grove of trees near the edge of town where there were rumors of strange happenings going on. Hailey told me that it had been a sacred place for ages and the best place for us to do the spell.

After I got off the phone, I relayed everything that Hailey had said to Mom.

"That will work out well, Denise. Rebecca's flight will be in before then, so she can go with us to where the spell will take place."

"I feel a whole lot better about this since you stepped in Momma. I didn't really know what I was getting into but I wanted to help. Now I know a little more and I have you and your friends to watch out for me."

"Thank you, Sweetheart. That means a whole lot to me. There is a lot to being a daughter that girls learn to cope with but I'll try to make it as painless as possible for you."

"I love you Mom, what shall we do while we wait for your friend to arrive?"

"I have just the video to watch and I hope it will introduce you to a new perspective."

Before she put on "You've Got Mail," starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, she asked me to imagine myself as Meg Ryan's character. They go through a lot of situations since they are internet pen pals, but don't know that they really know each other in real life. Tom Hank's character finds out, but is faced with the consequences of his actions toward her in business. In the end, Meg Ryan's character finds out the internet pen pal's identity and they live happily ever after.

I learned a lot from the experience and I think that she put that one on because it deals with a secret identity. I was about to obtain a secret identity myself.

I left with a glow from the vicarious experience of the movie. I think I might have even shed a tear. Soon Momma drove us to the airport to meet her college friend. It was nice to see the recognition on their faces. Then they caught up with what each other did over the years that seemed to pass in a few moments.

They then turned to me and Momma introduced us, "Rebecca, this is my child, Dee Jay. Dee Jay this is my college friend, Rebecca."

"I'm very glad to meet you Miss Rebecca. Thank you for dropping everything to help."

"I'm glad to meet you, too, Dee Jay. When your mother told me what you were about to do, I felt this was the place for me to be."

"Let's get us home. Rebecca, you'll be able to relax a bit before the big event starts."

"I'd like that, Patricia. I only have this carry on, so we can go straight to your car."

The three of us walked to Momma's car and got in and then the real conversation started. In private Rebecca followed my mother's lead and started calling me Denise. I guess it was to get me used to what would be real in a little while.

"Denise, you are very loyal to take on something like this. It's amazing that your friends have just the gifts that could keep this from being a comedy of errors. The rest of your mother's friends and I will try to make sure that they get it right. You still have the tough job of becoming a different person in a short amount of time and that's something even with all the help that you will need to do yourself."

"Miss Rebecca, can you tell how this is going to turn out with me?"

"Denise, I know how it is supposed to turn out, but majick is unpredictable, so the final determination will be living through it. The kind of spell that is on Kendra that Hailey intends to put on you could force you to be female both physically and mentally, if you become a mother. I know what can happen but it is up to you what will happen by the choices that you make. Help will be available but you have to accept it for it to do any good. I have a bit more skill than Hailey so I'll make it as easy on you coping with the changes that I can."

"Miss Rebecca, how will they do it?"

"We White Lighters draw strength and energy from nature and put it to useful purposes like the spell that will allow you to be a girl. A circle of like minded individuals all drawing on the power and focusing it on the person or object in the middle. I imagine that Hailey will be with her circle in a spot that tends to focus the energy and aids in its collection. They will recognize me as, at least, a peer and maybe even a mentor. They will allow me to enter the circle with them and it is there that I can best do what I have promised."

"What about you, Mom, if I am in the middle and Miss Rebecca is part of the circle?"

"I'll be close by, Sweetheart, but far enough away that nothing unintended strikes me as well since we have family ties. That's why Rebecca is standing in for me since my presence where everything is occurring could make some unexpected happenings to occur and this will be hard enough if it works out as planned."

We waited for a while and finally Hailey called and told me to hand the phone to my mother so she could tell Mom how to get to the place that they had set for my transformation.

"Hailey told me that it was in an ancient grove of live oak trees that was sacred to the Indians and close by the most sacred place there was a place of meeting. I remembered that a developer had bought it and wanted to bulldoze the whole thing, but mysteriously changed his mind and donated it to be a perpetual conservation area that was not be disturbed in any way."

"I've heard of it. It's open to people to enjoy but they have to leave their technology, even cars behind when they went into the preserve."

"I would not have been surprised if the Circle had done what the conservationists and historians could not and get through to the developer."

We drove to the parking lot and Mom waited with the car outside the preserve. Ordinarily the gates were locked this late, but mysteriously they were open as Miss Rebecca and I went along the path to the area where Hailey waited for us.

Hailey was a bit surprised that I was not alone, but immediately went up and greeted Rebecca with two kisses on each cheek.

"Child of Light, we are honored by your presence. I was not aware that Dee Jay knew anyone of your eminence."

"Her mother remembered me from college and I was intrigued by Denise's sacrifice and your preparation that I had to come join with you in this worthy endeavor. I am Rebecca, and you must be Denise's friend, Hailey."

"I am Hailey. We would be honored for you to join us. The Circle awaits in the clearing. Deej, all you will have to do is stand in the center and we'll do the rest."

"Thank you Hailey for making this impossible dream come true. I can't wait to really fit in and dance with y'all."

"That's the plan, De...nise. I guess you are not going to be the only one to have to get used to things being different."

The three of us fell silent as we came into the clearing. Five girls stood in the circle with two spots vacant. I didn't recognize the other girls but one of the five was Courtney. I smiled at her and she smiled back at me. I passed through into the center where Hailey indicated I should stand.

When Hailey and Rebecca took the empty spots, the seven stood equidistant from each other around the circle. I felt some kind of power as the earth beneath my feet vibrated with energy.

The seven of them sang in perfect harmony. It was a song I did not recognize from either a traditional Celtic or greek melody with words in either celtic or greek. It was unexpected to hear it being sung in the circle did not make it any less appreciated.

They danced in place as they sang as the power grew greater and greater. I'm not sure that the words I heard was what they actually sang or if I perceived them in a way that was comforting to me.

Suddenly, the wind blew from all directions into the center of the circle keeping me in place so I could not move if I wanted to move. Clouds rolled in from nowhere, covering the area, and we all became enshrouded by a thick fog forced in by the winds, piling up so that I could no longer see the girls in the Circle and they could not see me.

I felt goose bumps when a huge electrical charge struck the ground around me. Yet, I was unharmed, as a clap of thunder followed almost immediately. Thankfully, I did not have to bear any more of the sensory overload as I passed blissfully into unconsciousness.

Dance, Dance, Dance

Full Moon

Chapter Three ~ Ruled By The Moon

By Jo Dora Webster

Chapter Three ~ Ruled By The Moon

[Monday Day Two of the Enchantment]

I awoke in a place that was both familiar and strange. It seemed to be the right place to be. Looking out the window from the bed I was laying on I saw the same view that I had woken to ever since we had moved in here. The tree branches framed the window as it overlooked the garden of our next door neighbor.

The bed that I was on was a four poster with a canopy made of white lace and the bedspread and the pillows that I lay on matched. The walls were now a lilac color with an accent wall of baby blue. My rustic furniture was gone replaced with an ornate dresser and chest of drawers and a matching desk replacing my utilitarian one.

In the place of my stack of stereo equipment and video equipment and games was a tasteful hutch complementing the rest of my furniture and in the place of my footlocker was something I had never dreamed would inhabit my room, a makeup table filled with all manner of cosmetics.

Of course the most important change was me, myself. I had long blond hair that draped across my shoulders and ran down my back. My view of my feet were blocked by a pair of breasts.I might have called them hooters before but when they were attached to me they were certainly not that. My waist was so thin and my hips wide and my feet and hands tiny. In short I was female.

You might have thought that I would be underneath the nightgown that I was wearing exploring the new horizons. However, somehow I knew what that would reveal and it seemed no more new and no more compelling to me than what it had replaced had been before.

I guessed that blessing was due to Miss Rebecca's efforts so that I would not waste time with idol curiosity and instead devote my effort to things that could really help. I offered a silent prayer of thanks that I was not engaged in such activities when a knock followed by Mom coming in to my bedside.

"Denise, I am glad that you are up and around. Rebecca explained to me that with all the changes that your body just needed a chance to recover which is why you have been asleep for so long."

"How long have I been out?"

"About 36 hours, it's noon of the day after you started. While you were sleeping we made a few changes so you would have comfortable surroundings for your new life."

"It's funny but I should be beside myself since so much has changed but it all feels normal to me."

"That's something that Rebecca added to the spell to help things. She did not want you to be overly concerned but someone in that circle had it out for you. They introduced something that would have given you an extreme sex drive. The safeguard to prevent a pregnant mother from disappearing and leaving a child an orphan would force you to be female permanently. Someone wanted to be very sure that you never got to be Dee Jay again."

"That's very scary, Momma. I thought that all those girls were my friends. I had not had any contact with the ones not on our squad so I couldn't have dome something to them."

"Rebecca was able to cancel that addition. The only thing that Rebecca was sure is that it did not come from Hailey but it could have come from one of the other five. Ordinarily she would have been able to tell exactly where it came from but there was a very high power source in one of the girls in the circle that masked the origin. Rebecca didn't think Hailey would have been able to accomplish the spell without the person who was the source of that tremendous power."

"But Rebecca took care of it, right? Is that it and where is Rebecca?"

"For now things are settled and Rebecca put some protection in the spell that will make it impossible for someone to increase your sex drive now through majick. However, they could spell someone else and place you in a compromising position as a result of their actions. Rebecca put some wards in place that will alert the person from her circle who is coming to replace her if you get near someone under a spell that might be trouble."

"That's a relief, Momma. But where is Rebecca?"

"Rebecca flew home on a military jet to meet with her circle about what happened. She won't be back but she sent Alicia to take her place. This is the same Alicia, who is a transwoman, who was going to come to help with issues that Kendra can't help you with.

"Thank you Momma. I don't know anyone who would have it out for me to ruin my life by trying to get me pregnant. I guess it is true what they say about no good deed going unpunished."

"Alicia and I will be watching out for you. You'll meet Alicia soon. Hopefully, we will make sure that they don't succeed."

"Mom, did Rebecca tell you why I feel so normal being a girl? This situation should have me really uncomfortable with my body and aroused at my own appearance."

"She said that the spell had a kind of training wheels phase to get you through the first half of the month. That effect, while it is present, will override what you really feel and perceive."

"Why did they include that just to start?"

"You need to fit in as a girl now for the cheerleading squad to be able to enter the competition and the 'training wheels' will help you do that. Not only do you feel as though you were born a girl but you'll have knowledge and skills that a girl your age would have."

"How will I get through the second half of the month when this all fades away?"

"If you are really a girl inside, the comfort with being female won't go away since that will be a real part of you. Otherwise you'll just have to cope as best you can. Remember that you were told that if you became really uncomfortable with the situation that Hailey could cut your time as a girl short."

"I guess my mimicking ability will help me get through the last part of the month with what I learn the first part."

"That's what we counted on. While you won't automatically know how to do things or know some information, those are things that you can learn or be helped with either for the remaining time till you become a boy again."

"Oh goodness gracious! What about my period? When will I get it and how will I cope with it?"

"You had the remainder of your first period while you were unconscious following the transformation so you won't have to deal with your period much unless you remain a girl for more than the month."

"No offence, Momma, but I'm glad of that especially since the last half of the month I will have to cope on my own."

"That's okay Sweetie. You'll have plenty of time to get used to it if you remain a girl."

"Oh Joy! Although I guess that not having a period means being barren and I wouldn't want to be deprived of the ability to bear a child if I were female."

"Like everything it has its upside and downside but I personally feel that the upside is the best. I would not trade anything for the experience of feeling you growing inside me. It was well worth any sacrifice."

I wondered if she had given up being a guy to be pregnant with me. I was still not ready to ask her how come she knew so much about this kind of spell. Even if that were not her sacrifice, it felt good that she felt that bringing me into the world was worth any sacrifice.

"Thank you Mother I love you too! So when do I get to meet Alicia?"

"She's here in the guest room sleeping. She stayed up,watching over you, last night while I slept."

"I feel good. Is there any reason why I should remain in bed? "

"Both Rebecca and Alicia have told me that when you felt like getting up then you could.If you are stuck not knowing how to do something just relax, let go and the 'training wheels' will get you through it."

"Then I guess I'll get up now, Momma"

"I'll give you some privacy. Come down to the kitchen when you are finished getting ready. Do you feel up to having Hailey and Chelsea over? They asked to be called when you woke up."

"I'd love to see Hailey and Chelsea. You can let them know I'm awake and invite them over."

"Thank you, Denise, I'll invite them. Take care." Momma left my room closing the door behind her.

I did as she suggested and let go. Before long I was bathed, dressed and sitting at my dressing table putting on my makeup. I was amazed at how much those training wheels were capable of and if I needed to know something it just came to me. This was a very vital thing to have since I only needed to know those dance routines to perfection. Of course that's what got me into this situation in the first place.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror and it was apparent that I was a cheerleader. My appearance, what I wore and how I held myself, all screamed cheerleader. But could I move like a cheerleader in my new body?

I had enough room for one of the routines. I danced through it without any problem at all with all the joy and excitement that I had danced with before the change. If anything, my dancing was even better since I better fit the mold of the people that the routines were designed in mind.

I had heard Momma let Hailey and Chelsea in while I was getting ready. I knew they were waiting for me and a mischievous thought took hold of my mind. What was I going to do for my grand entrance?

When I came in sight of the kitchen, I did a tumbling run and ended perched before them in a perfect one-point landing.

"Denise! Please save that for practice!" Momma tried to maintain the stern look she delivered the rebuke in but it soon dissolved into a giggle.

"I'm so proud of you! I don't want you to be hurt so I would appreciate it if you restrained yourself till you can get to a safe place to practice."

"I will Momma."

"Wow Denise! No doubt about it! You are a cheerleader for sure! No one will be able to touch us in the competition with us together as a unit."

"Thank you Hailey. You girls do good work! Thank you too, Chelsea, for coming and for your part in it. I had no idea as much as we practiced together that you were into something that powerful."

"You are so welcome, Denise. It's not something that we talk a whole lot about due to the prejudice. You might have never known the power we have if Jenna's departure had been after the competition."

"So how goes the hacking, Hailey? Can Denise show up in public now?"

"Oh yeah! The fix is in! Dee Jay has transfer papers for a special boarding school in a secret location where he will be doing special studies. That place is so exclusive that it is likely that no one will would be able to see him since they don't have any public exhibitions scheduled for the next month."

"That takes care of Dee Jay, where does Denise come from?"

"Dee Jay's twin, Denise, who was with her father when he died in China was finally released from being a ward of the state there and has just arrived to live with her mother. Denise is registered at school and they are expecting her to begin classes tomorrow."

"What happens when Dee Jay comes back after the competition? "

"Denise will be transferred to the boarding school and Dee Jay will resume classes here."

"Denise, I don't want you stuck in a boarding school. Wouldn't it be okay if you just stayed here and Dee Jay never came back?"

"Chelsea, I don't have any control of what happens with the spell. Even if I became Dee Jay again, I would be your friend like before."

"Denise, she is still upset about Jenna leaving. With Dee Jay in the costume mostly, Chelsea thought of Dee Jay as a girlfriend. Now that you are here, she doesn't want to have to confront the reality that would happen if you changed back."

"Chelsea, let's make the most of this time. If we plan things right we can do lots of things to enjoy ourselves and make good memories."

"Thank you Denise.I'd like that very much. You know I liked you as Dee Jay but I feel like you are perfect as Denise."

"Being Denise feels pretty good to me right now too, Chelsea. In life sometimes you have to wait and see how things turn out."

"Mrs. Russell. We have the gym reserved for cheerleader practice. If Denise is up to it, could she come with us now and we could work on the routines."

"I believe that would be okay girls if Denise feels up to it. I have some things to tend to at school so I could give you girls a ride."

"I feel up to it Momma. Even with my talent, I'm not exactly like Jenna so practice will eliminate any rough edges we have before the competition."

"Thank you for the ride Mrs. Russell.I'll call Star and Kendra and have them meet us there."

"No problem, girls! I'm really glad to help!"

Momma winked at me and I guessed that since I as Denise was now officially sorted that she was going to follow through on her plans to become a stage mother. This should be fun!

The ride to the school was uneventful and Momma let the three of us out by the gym before she parked in the visitor's parking. Inside Star and Kendra jumped out and yelled, "Surprise!"

The gym was decorated in streamers with the team colors, green and white. There was a big banner draped along the back wall declaring, 'Welcome Home Denise!'

As I tried to take this all in, I choked up with emotion and cried tears of joy. The four girls disappeared into the locker room for a while. Finally they emerged in their cheerleader uniforms.

They all paraded out in formation and they carried between them a fifth cheerleader uniform which had my name embroidered on it! As they marched along they sung the school's original song when it was originally Lamur High School instead of Lamur Institute which changed when they added the Junior College classes.

"When the Green and the White are flowing over our dear LHS

Your name in fame we are shouting, As we cheer you to success.

As we march unfaltering forward, Your future great we hail,

May your glory never lessen and your courage never fail.

Lamur, Honor

Lamur, Glory

Lamur High School

Lamur High we praise your name

When the Green and the White are flowing over our dear LHS

Your name in fame we are shouting, As we cheer you to success.

As we march unfaltering forward, Your future great we hail,

May your glory never lessen and your courage never fail."

Together they presented to me, my uniform. I took it back to the locker room and as I put it on it seemed that I was born to wear that uniform. I proudly returned to join them, knowing that I now completely belonged to the squad.

Hailey cut short the compliments and got us into the routines. I know it wasn't just me but it seemed like now we were ten times better executing the routines than when Jenna was part of the group. I believe it had something to do with everyone giving it their all. It was as though in order to have a chance to participate at all that they must give their maximum effort.

Two hours flew by quickly but by the end of it, we all knew that we were a lock to win the competition. The girls were surprised to have the Head Mistress of the School enter the gym accompanied by my mother.

"Denise, I am Headmistress Lacon! Welcome to Lamur Institute. Girls I have come to a decision following the disruption that occurred when Jenna left the cheerleading squad. You really need adult supervision but there is not enough money to pay a staff member for added duties. Fortunately , Mrs. Russell has volunteered to step into that capacity. She has a great background in cheerleading and will provide coaching from her experience." I'd like for you girls to welcome Mrs. Russell as the new Lamur Institute Cheerleading Coach!"

"Coach Russell, would you like to address your cheerleading squad?"

"Thank you, Headmistress Lacon! Ladies, I am proud to be your new coach. I feel a part of you already through Dee Jay and now through Denise. Our team has been in a state of flux with Jenna's and Dee Jay's departures. I'd like to extend my personal welcome to Chelsea and Denise as they join our squad. I'd like to thank our cheerleader captain, Hailey and continuing members, Kendra and Star for their outgoing service and spirit.

"Ladies, you all look so good in your uniforms. I include you in that too Chelsea since your mascot costume is your uniform. Chelsea, you are just as important to the team success of this team as any other member. The smiles and enthusiasm on your faces show me that even with all the changes, you are all cohesive as a unit. Each of you are committed to the success of this team."

"We have a competition to win in two weeks. I know that you will do the school proud."

"I'll leave you ladies in Coach Russell's capable hands. Good luck to us all!"

Headmistress Lacon left the Gym and we were alone before Momma spoke again.

"Hailey please put the squad through all the competition routines from beginning to end. Ladies show me what you've got!"

This is what I was waiting for in order to show that I was a real part of the team now. I did not disappoint myself or any of the others. We all shone as bright stars moving as one. I guess that having gone through so much to bring us to this point made us so cohesive. We executed each stunt with precision and grace. What we were doing was art, just like ballet, in the way that we all fluidly moved.

"Hailey, since you are familiar with the squad's previous performance, I'd value your evaluation, please."

"I am very proud of each one of the squad for the advances that each had made. I don't know if we ever were this good before. Yet it took all that had come before to bring us to this day. But we are not satisfied with our performance and we want to make our best, better."

Finally the competition routines were over and I returned from the dreamlike state that I was in. The euphoria was contagious and it showed on everyone's face, even Momma's face.

Momma called us all together. We all sat in a circle, cross-legged on the gym floor.

"Ladies, I am proud of each and every one of you. Your work today has been excellent! I want to congratulate all of you. My main task for the time leading up to the competition is for you to keep the skill and enthusiasm that you just showed in your performance today. I want you to show the competition judges what you've just showed to me and you will overwhelm them all!"

Hailey asked what was on all of our minds. "Coach, how will we do that?"

Momma asked, "You all want to do well in the competition, don't you?"

I and the rest of the girls answered in unison, enthusiastically, "Yes, Coach!"

"I'm glad to hear that, ladies, because I'm starting some changes for the time leading up to the competition. After that we'll adjust depending on the needs of the team.

"One! You will all have a strict curfew of 9:30 PM. You will need to get to bed earlier because you will have some new preschool activities as a group to attend.

"Two! Until the competition, there will be no one on one dating, but group dating will be allowed and encouraged. I know this is an imposition, but we have so little time to iron out our group dynamics. You all know that even in the best conditions, boyfriends can be a problem. This is the one rule that will be gone after the competition, so take heart in that.

"Three! You all gained a new set of pre-school group activities. I was able to get some of the businesses in town to donate funds to pay for those in exchange for some promotional considerations after we win the competition. Each day at 7 a.m. you'll have a different activity. The school is furnishing a van that I will be driving to pick you up at your homes and take you to the activities and to school afterward.

"Monday will be ballet.

"Tuesday will be strength conditioning.

"Wednesday will be jazz Dance.

"Thursday will be gymnastics.

"Friday will be ballroom Dancing.

"Saturday will be a special team building activity.

"Sunday will be Yoga."

"Anyone may be excused for an activity in order to participate in the spiritual endeavor of their choice. Our goal is that we will build strength physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. Strong individuals in synergy make a strong team.

"Four! We'll cut the practice time after school because you will have the morning sessions for conditioning and we will be suspending learning any more routines 'til after the competition. This will give you all plenty of time to get your homework done before curfew and for some group activities that you yourselves can plan.

"That's all the rules though I reserve the right to add some more if we need them.

"I know that each of you is going to sacrifice and have your lives upset for this period. When you see yourselves in a place where you can do your best for the competition, I'm sure you will agree that it will be worth it.

"Are there any questions?"

There was a deafening silence from all of us as we tried to take in what my mother had just told us.

"Alright ladies, that is it for today. I've kept you all too long already. Remember curfew at 9:30 p.m. starting tonight. Team dismissed! Hailey, could you stay a moment?"

Hailey nodded and I looked questioningly at Momma to get a clue what I was expected to do since she was my ride. Hailey and I joined the others getting to our feet but Hailey stood opposite my Mother while the others headed for the door. I wasn't sure what to do but my mother finally cleared that up by speaking.

"Denise, you can hear this too because it concerns you."

"Thanks Momma, I mean, Coach!"

"You meant Momma but that's something that we both are going to have to get used to ourselves."

"Hailey, I wanted to explain to you that I'm not trying to usurp your role as Captain. I need you in that role, especially now. How do you feel that the girls will respond to those restrictions?"

"Coach, you know that we'll do what ever it takes for us to win. I'm not sure how to answer them when they ask me why?"

"I did it for our weakest link, Denise. She's the best fit under the circumstances but it is different being a substitute instead of being on the squad. You all look good under perfect conditions but when tested each individual and the team as a whole will react according to their gifts and experience."

"So the morning activities are to test ourselves under different conditions where we can learn to be successful and work on any challenges revealed. Of course the curfew is partially because you had to pack our schedules and the no-dating is because Denise is vulnerable but isolating her would be worse. You already explained that with the cross training in the morning, we'd already have our conditioning training so that could be cut out of our practice sessions. Did I get it right?"

"You get a 100! And when you explain it, especially about the dating and curfew, how will they react?"

"They'll all want to support you in providing a safe environment for Denise. She's made such a sacrifice in being a girl for a month to help us win. The least we can do is to join her in solidarity to give up dating and going out nights. No offence Denise, but being a hot girl and dealing with boys is perplexing and upsetting even with the maturity that we have."

"I will admit that going from being an ordinary boy to a very hot girl is a real challenge. I'm glad that you and the rest of the squad are going to keep me busy and not leave me alone with any of them."

"There is one more surprise for Chelsea that I did not reveal to the team at the request of your mother, Hailey. In fact she's probably talking to Chelsea about it now. Chelsea's educational aptitude is such that she is not being challenged by the work she is doing now. Chelsea is getting an early promotion to High School Freshman. With some work this summer, she will be a sophomore next year too.

"Chelsea and Denise will have all their classes together. They will be able to help each other and Denise will have someone she trusts to help her through any issues she may encounter at school.

"I'm going to rely on both of you to not spill the beans inadvertently so Chelsea is properly surprised. So now I have let you in on the rest of it, what do you think, Hailey?"

"Coach I am glad you are on our side. I believe our chances have improved greatly with your guidance to do well. I can't believe that soon our dream that was thought impossible will come true! Thank you, Coach!"

"You are welcome Hailey! Go join your mother and sister. Denise and I are going home so I can give her some well deserved TLC after such a momentous first day out for her."

Hailey almost ran to the door but she always moved with such grace that it didn't really seem like running. Momma and I walked briskly behind Hailey to follow her. When we were through the door, we got to see a euphoric Chelsea get out and greet her sister with a big hug and kiss. Chelsea blurted out the news and she received another hug and kiss from a joyous Hailey. Chelsea called out to me with the news as well.

"I get to be a freshman and be in all of your classes. This is going to be so awesome. What are you going to wear tomorrow for our first day of school?"

"Congratulations Chelsea! I'm glad that you will be around to help me. We'll have so much fun together. I'm not sure what to wear tomorrow. Maybe you could help me pick something out?"

"Mother is giving me the look so I guess I have to go. Call me and we'll work something out!"

"I will Chelsea! Bye for now!"

Momma and I grinned at each other as soon as they had driven off. We got into the car and were on our way home before we relaxed enough to talk for real.

"You were awesome, Momma!"

"The actual coaching would be the same even without you being my brand new daughter. When you lose one member and have two substitutes stepping up, you have to try to pack a lot of experience in a small time. My coach restricted us to no dating and going out late before our championship competition. When one girl has her heart broken, even one who has experienced it before, it is difficult for the team to perform their best."

"Thank you, Momma!"

"After we win the competition, it will be different. Headmistress Lacon had already hired a coach for next year for both the High School and Junior College Cheerleading squads."

"How is that going to work?"

"Fortunately, since she is currently working as assistant athletic director at a junior college, she has permission to use her vacation for the two weeks following the competition. She will assume her new coaching duties right after the competition and I'll be her assistant. Just prepared to be grounded after the competition to take the place of the team rules which will be expiring. "

"Having you watching over me especially after the competition will be worth any added things you have to send my way. Because it is coming from you, I know that eventually it will be for my good so I'll do it cheerfully."

"I'm glad you know me so well, Denise, and that this won't come between us. I'd do anything for you, my sweet daughter!"

All I could do right then was to call out, "Oh Mother!" and roll my eyes at her with a great big smile.

We had a real mother / daughter moment when we got out of the car at our home since we shared that big hug and kiss that I had wanted to give her just a few moments before while we were still driving.

"Denise, Alicia should be up by now and I am sure she will have a lot of things that she would like to say to you. Please stay in the living room and I'll go up and check on her and bring her down to visit with you."

"Sure, Momma!"

I gave her a big smile and skipped into the living room and curled up my legs underneath me sitting on the middle of the couch and getting comfortable. I waited in the living room and soon Momma and another woman appeared and each took a seat on the couch on either side of me. The woman took my hands in hers and smiled a huge smile at me.

"You must be Denise and I'm Alicia! I'm so glad to meet you again! The last time that I saw you, you were a newborn before your parents moved away from us. The military had reassigned your father."

"Yes! I'm Denise! I'm very glad to meet you, Alicia. Thank you so much for helping us."

"It's my pleasure, Denise. We should get down to business. I'm sure your mother told you that Rebecca was called away suddenly on another matter or she would be here helping in person. She was able to brief me on what she knew about what transpired in the circle and your mother has said she's told you some of what Rebecca found out already. But in helping Rebecca to recall her experience in more detail we discovered some more."

"What was it that you found out?" I surprised myself in the very enthusiastic and little girl way that I asked that of Alicia.

"The circle you participated in for your transformation is not really Wiccan at all. They go through some of the motions but their methodology and practice is not Wiccan, but instead is just a girl's club. The only exception is Hailey."

"How is Hailey different?"

"Hailey could be a Wiccan if guided because she has the aptitude. She has discernment of spirits and she can craft a spell. However, she has no real spiritual connection to the others in 'the club', which is what I am going to call their circle from now on. She can't tap into the power."

"Is there any more about the mystery girl who was the real power in 'the club'?"

Our mystery girl is not a Wiccan either because she is able to break the 'Do no harm' rule at will. She is dangerous since she is able to tap into a source of great Majick and working through Hailey to craft the spell. She is able to incorporate destructive elements of her own into the spell as well without any Wiccan 'Do no harm' protections. "

"Wow, Alicia! That is a lot more that you were able to bring out of Rebecca from her memories of what happened. How is it that you are so skilled doing that?"

"It's one of my gifts that I use regularly. My vocation which I am partially taking a leave from is the law. I help my clients tell me things that they don't know that they know and that helps me help them. It's a talent that has expressed itself, using the majick of Rebecca's circle"

"Wow! A lawyer? How are you able to drop everything and help me, Alicia?"

"I'm not dropping everything, Denise. I'm doing some legal papers from here but I'm getting another partner in my firm to do the courtroom appearances 'til my part in helping you directly is over."

"I'm so glad for your help, Alicia. Thank you so much." I got up and gave Alicia a big hug and I reveled in the freedom that I had to do that for both of us.

"Even when things get back to what passes for normal and I'm back west at home, I want you to be free to call me any time of the day or night and I will help. I can do a lot over the phone when it's just normal problems and not paranormal problems like we have right now."

"Thank you Alicia. You're a good friend to my mother and I. Is the next part getting me to recall things I don't realize that I know from my encounter with 'the club'?"

"That's right, Denise! We are going to have to try to determine the identities of those other members of 'the club' and find out who is the real malevolent power that tried to sabotage the spell that Hailey wove about you while you were in the center of them."

"Well, I know that of the seven that I saw five of them. Of those five, three I know who they are which were Rebecca, Hailey and Chelsea. The other two seemed that they were also the type of girls who were likely to be cheerleaders but they did not go to our high school. I had never met them before and we were not introduced. The remaining two of the seven had their backs to me as I passed between them stepping into the center of the circle and I did not have a chance to turn since things began as soon as I had taken my place in the center."

"Did you see anything that stands out of the portion of them that you did see?"

"One was a blonde and the other a brunette."

"That's good, Denise. You got rather close to them passing between them. Did you notice any distinctive smells?"

"The blonde was wearing Shalimar and the brunette was wearing, White Diamonds."

"You are doing great Denise. As you were going past were there any small details that stand out as you reconsider them?"

"Yes the blonde had a tattoo on her shoulder and the brunette was wearing a special charm bracelet."

"Think intensely, Denise. Did you actually see their faces for a moment in your peripheral vision as you passed?"

"I did! I did!"

"Who were they?"

"The blonde girl was Kendra and the brunette was Star!"

"Excellent work Denise! We now know five of the seven girls who were present that night. And you can identify the other two by their faces. All we need to do is put a name with those faces. Your mother is helping with that task."

"Sweetie, getting to know those girls is a benefit of the morning classes. I've bought what they will think are complimentary passes for some of our morning classes and given them to the cheerleader coaches in Vaughnville to distribute to their squads."

"Can we get photos of those girls so I can pick out the girls that I saw?"

"I'm putting together a series of magazine articles about all the cheerleading squads in the area and they have given me team photographs to use in the articles. We'll go over those photos with you later. The girls we want to identify have to be somewhere in the area to be able to slip away to attend those midnight meetings. Once we have established who they are we can find out through the girls on the squad what they know about them too."

"What about the mystery of the blank space in the circle that Rebecca filled?"

"Rebecca was told that Jenna was a part of 'the club' and that they had not had a chance to fill her spot since she had left. Denise be careful because since all the rest of the squad is in 'the club' they might offer to you the spot. You don't have to be in the center to be affected by rogue spells like they are doing. Just being part of the circle would be enough to open yourself to another spell. Let us know if they approach you for that and we'll try to find an out for you or some way to protect you."

"I will, Alicia and thanks. Unless I'm really a girl in spirit or I do something to keep me a girl, the next time for a full moon will be when I would be changing back to Dee Jay. Won't that make the point moot?"

"If they were true Wiccan, since there isn't a sacred day in this month. That would be true but our rogue sorceress isn't drawing power the way Wiccan do so they could get together on any day. That they did your spell on the full moon was just fortunate timing so that the sorceress could remain undetected more easily."

"Can we change the subject for a second and tell me if this question is a bit too personal, Alicia."

"Ask away, Denise! My being a transwoman is part of the reason that I am here too. Is that what you wanted to talk about?"

"Alicia, your friends love you and would do what is best for you and from what I could tell from speaking to both you and Rebecca, making things natural for you is something they would be capable of and Rebecca said she had encountered the spell that Hailey used on me before."

"Simply put Denise, we did use that spell on another of our friends and I saw the result. There is a price to pay in order to gain that natural body and the price was too great for me. Remember, why Rebecca originally wanted to put you in touch with me before she was called away?"

"It was because Kendra, even though she had gone through the same spell, was not going to be very much help to me even though she would try. Why was that again?'

"It is because of the price that is exacted upon the person transformed in the name of doing no harm. Reality is reformed so that the person was never a transwoman. Their original identity is lost because in the new reality they were never a transwoman and always born ordinary. They may have memories as data of their old life but they are meaningless because they literally happened to another person who no longer existed. Kendra's help that she could give is limited because things that happened to Ken literally did not happen to her."

"You didn't go through the spell because you didn't want to lose who you were. You would essentially die and be reborn a completely different person. And if I am female in spirit or I do something that forces me to remain female then that will happen to me. I will cease to exist."

"Not completely, Denise. The new you will be created from your essence but it will be a blank slate. You can take love from one life into another so it can be a worthwhile sacrifice to make. I saw this happen firsthand with one of my friends and an all encompassing love sustained her in her new life. I have not encountered such a love in my life yet to risk the spell which is why I am still a transwoman."

"Thank you for sharing that with me, Alicia. It helps me to understand the stakes and that this person who we are seeking really wants to obliterate me from this life. If it happens I know that I have your love Mother and perhaps that can help me bridge from this life to the next."

"You have my love Dee Jay now and forever and nothing can change that! It does not matter if you are Dexter Jacob or Denise Janice, I'll love you forever. You are my world!"

Mom and I hugged and stayed together for what seemed like an eternity. I sobbed tears of joy for my Mother's great love for me and mine for her and she did the same. Finally as we broke the hug, Alicia was there with tissues for both of us.

"I can see through your example, ladies, what real love is all about. I guess we are finished here except that if you are up to looking at those photos, Denise, we can have all the pieces to the puzzle available and we can see what we can do putting them together and finding more of the pieces."

"I'm up for that! Bring on the pictures and I'll pick out the other two girls!"

Momma composed herself and brought the pictures. Alicia excused herself as we made ourselves comfortable in front of the computer screen that the pictures were displayed.

More and more, I got the feeling that Momma was the friend who got caught pregnant after the spell and the result was me. I'm not ready to ask her about it yet. This was the perfect time to volunteer the information if Momma was ready. I guess I will only have my intuition for now. I went through each picture and finally I had the two girls identified and I shared my findings with Momma and Alicia.

"I know who the two girls are! One is identified as Veronica Fielder who is a junior and a cheerleader at Parson High School in nearby Vaughnville and Sabrina Wright, who is also a junior and a cheerleader at Townsend High School also in Vaughnville."

"That's great work Denise! They both should have gotten passes from their coaches so we'll be able to get to know them and I will find a way to slip them some additional passes 'til we find out what we need to know about them."

"We, Mother?"

"Of course I'll be there, Sweetie. You don't think I'll just be waiting in the car for you girls. I'll be in the classes too and I can add my observations to yours."

"I was just kidding, Momma! I'm glad to have you there and I want you there." Alicia came in and rejoined us after her errand.

"I knew that, Denise. I'll always be there for you when you need me. Alicia?"

"While you were looking at the photos, I was on the phone with my friend and our computer expert, Jennifer. The reason that we haven't heard from her before now is that Star knows her stuff and she didn't miss a trick with the hacking so you are completely covered in your new identity, Denise." She paused for a moment as if she was composing her thoughts.

"What is it Alicia?"

"One price that the military exacted on Rebecca for borrowing one of their fastest jets to get home was for her to use her influence with Jennifer to get her to look into some computer breaches of the base computers. It's the kind of thing that she has to be on site for so Jennifer accepted a contract to look into things right here at Lamur AFB."

"Denise, you are going to love Jennifer. I'm glad that she will be able to help too."

Jennifer is a single mother who is bringing her son, Richard with her. Richard is a junior and a star baseball player on his current team who will be attending Lamur Institute with you Denise."

"Is Richard cute? Goodness was that my outside voice?"

"Richard is very cute, Denise. I would appreciate it if you would befriend him. He has had to move around a lot before Jennifer adopted him. He's shy and has trouble meeting real friends at a new place even though he's an upperclassman. With your new status as a cheerleader, you could do a lot towards Richard being accepted and settling in here."

"You know, I need all the friends that I can get so of course I'll be Richard's friend. When is Richard's first day at Lamur?"

"They are here and getting settled right now so I would expect Richard to be in school tomorrow."

"Speaking of school, look at the time, young lady. Don't you have a curfew?"

"Yes Coach! I'll go right up and get ready for bed. Could you come tuck me in like you did before I thought I was too big for it? I would really like it if you would now."

"Sure Denise. Go get ready for bed and I will be up in a little bit to tuck you in."

I got up and left the room. As I was going up the stairs to my room, I heard whispers coming from the living room as Momma and Alicia talked. I really like Alicia. She is really smart and has helped me a lot already. It was easy to get ready for bed. I just relaxed and went on automatic and everything went well. Soon I was in my nightie and ready for Momma to tuck me in.

I said my prayers and wondered if I had a guardian angel watching over me. Could it be that is why I heard what I did in the circle? I am certain now, what they were really singing was something Celtic and old. I'm thankful for anyone looking out for me when 'the club', led by that mystery girl, is out to get me.

Momma came in and gave me a kiss and tucked me in like when I was little. I felt so secure and comfortable that I knew that sleep would take me soon.

Dance, Dance, Dance

Full Moon

Chapter Four ~ Bearing Gifts

By Jo Dora Webster

Part Four - Bearing Gifts

[Tuesday Day Three of the Enchantment]

I awoke to the sound of the alarm which I had set an hour earlier than what Momma had suggested. I had the challenge of the disappearing 'training wheels' which would happen just when any fair weather friends would be disappearing since the cheerleader competition would have been over.

I decided that the best thing to do was to make sure I could get ready in the morning. Shortly after I was out of bed and had my robe on over my nightie, I heard a knock on my bedroom door. I walked over and let Momma in to give me a good morning hug.

"Hey Kiddo! I bet I know what you are doing getting up early. Are you testing yourself that you know the skills so you won't have to rely on the training wheels?"

"You know me too well. At least most of the performance and movement skills that I would have learned growing up as a girl, I can learn for real. Basic activities of daily living should be easy to list and learn even though a girl has much more on the list than a boy does. I just hope I'm lucky enough to cover all the bases."

"Good luck follows careful preparation, Bad luck follows sloppy preparation. You already learned a lot of movement skills in your time as Amy which your mimicking ability allows you to absorb unconsciously."

"When you put it that way, that makes things a bit easier for me since I've already learned moving like a girl so I won't have to worry about that leaving me when that part of the majick ends."

"You've been observant while you've relaxed and let yourself do things automatically. You can test yourself on skills by not letting go and completing the task and letting yourself go to see if you correct what you did on automatic."

"How did you get to be so smart Momma?"

"That started when I became your mother. Join me downstairs for breakfast when you are ready, kiddo. Have a good shower, sweetie!"

In the extra hour I was able to get ready myself without relying on the training wheels and I had a sense of satisfaction with that. I guessed that it came so easy for me with my ability to duplicate another 's performance. I'd have to work more on getting ready for other things besides school. I hoped that I would have a chance to cover most things before those 'training wheels' went away.

Finally, I was satisfied with my reflection in the mirror, and so was the 'automatic' me. I gathered everything I would need for school and walked down the stairs and met Momma in the kitchen. She already had a wonderful breakfast laid out for both of us and she encouraged me to sit and enjoy.

"You look beautiful this morning, kiddo! Come enjoy your breakfast. How does the learning go?"

"I'm making less mistakes as I am getting used to my body and how I can look my best. I am concerned with when the 'automatic' me goes away while I am still a girl. I move like a girl already and I have plenty of practice doing that."

"You have no problem moving as a girl, Kiddo. In fact it should be better for you since you are a girl 24/7 instead of switching into being a girl during your Amy and cheerleading time. With you learning girl skills the way that you did this morning, You should be well rounded in girl skills by the time you are on your own for them."

"You are right that I should have the movement and skills internalized by the time that part of the spell leaves me. What I am most worried about is losing the ability to ask myself for girl information and have the answer pop into my head, Momma."

"Kiddo, you'll have the knowledge that you already have to call on. I'm going to do my best for you to have a broad base of experience and learned knowledge to draw upon. Hopefully you'll have enough knowledge to get by and you can ask Alicia or I anything to fill in any gaps. Just think of it as practice in improvisation, my young actress."

"What about the sense of wrongness that I should have once the spell ends? I guess it will be like what a trans-boy knows. But what if that wrongness is not there?

"You really won't be bothered with that until the end of the month since with you being so well adapted that you'll go on inertia. You'll have a continuing self interest to maintain your feminine persona, so when that sense of self incongruity asserts itself the change will be imminent."

"What if I turn out to not be uncomfortable with being a girl?"

"Then you won't have long to worry, Denise. If you stay a girl then reality will be rewritten so that you will have always have been a girl. Even in losing who you are now, the love remains and in being totally congruent you'll have a chance of total happiness."

"That still seems scary, Momma. I'll trust that our parent child love will remain no matter what the future holds for me."

"Don't worry, Kiddo. 'There are always possibilities!' Anything else on your mind?"

"Momma, where did all my male clothes go and where did all those female clothes that I have been wearing come from?"

"It was part of the spell to change your clothes to something appropriate for the new you and those displaced your male clothes. The same thing actually happened with your room as well. When the spell is over then either things will revert to the way they were or things will be in keeping with the new reality that will reset everything."

"It must be weird for you to be going through this again with me after it happened at college. You must have been able to compare notes with her since you were both pregnant at about the same time. I counted back and that must have been about the same time that you realized that you were pregnant with me and Daddy enlisted in the Air Force. It must have been a stressful time."

"I had you, Sweetheart, and that made all the stress go away for me. You were my little miracle then and my big miracle now and the other extraordinary things in my life pale in comparison to the miracle that you are, Denise."

I noticed that she did not say anything about the girl who got pregnant as a result of the spell that Rebecca's circle accomplished. I wonder why that's something that she won't talk about voluntarily. I know she won't lie to me if I ask her a direct question, but do I dare?

"Aww, Momma, you have to say that!" I blushed with embarrassment over being made such a fuss over.

"That doesn't make it any less true."

We finished and Momma hurried me out to the Minivan. Momma had to pick up all the girls in the Minivan to go to our session before school. Since it was Tuesday, after the teacher work day yesterday, then we were about to go to LA Fitness and take a strength conditioning class

We picked up Kendra and Star who lived next door to each other and went to Hailey and Chelsea 's house to pick them up. Hailey and Chelsea's mother, Brittany, seemed as vivacious and giggly as her daughters as if she had lost ten years overnight. If I had not known that she was their mother, I might have mistook her for a twenty something not long out of college instead of the thirty-eight that she celebrated at her last birthday. I made a mental note to get Alicia to check on Brittany to find out what was going on with her. Was a Dryad going around giving kisses that left people ten years younger?

Brittany 's appearance and musing on that took me out of the conversation that was playfully going on around with whispers and giggles galore. We pulled into Bally's parking lot and off loaded. Then Momma led us into the class area and registered us. Of the other girls waiting for the class, I saw both Veronica and Sabrina from the circle. It looked like "The Club" was all here except Jenna who seemed to have escaped the influence of the malevolent power which wanted to ruin my life.

Part of the idea behind getting cheerleaders together for classes was to mix and get to know one another better. Fortunately for me, we were each wearing name tags. That made it easier for me to walk up to a total stranger and strike up a conversation. I wanted to get to know both Veronica and Sabrina better.

"Hi Veronica, I'm Denise Russell. I'm a freshman transfer student and a new cheerleader for Lamur Institute."

"Hi Denise, I'm glad to meet you. I would recognize a Lamur Institute girl right off. Don't you just hate wearing those plaid skirts and awful shoes. I'm glad my high school doesn't have a uniform. You do get to wear your cheerleader uniforms on game days though?"

"Yes, I'm very glad of that. I wish I could really make an impression by the way I dress. There is very little creativity that can be shown with these school uniforms."

"How are you adjusting to life here? I wondered about you right off since we tend to know everyone who is a cheerleader in the other schools, if not personally, at least by reputation."

"It's been interesting to say the least. Haven't we met before, say early Sunday morning?" I whispered to her so that no one else could hear. She replied in a whisper as well so we could talk freely.

"Oh, you are going by Denise now? You turned out very nicely. You are a good sport to help your friends since Jenna left. I was glad to help as part of the circle. I hope your team does well in the competition. We are working on something that I hope will make us the Regional representative in the competition next year."

"Thanks for the well wishes. Thanks for your part in helping me. How long have you been a Wiccan?"

"About three years ago, I joined when the circle first formed to help Kendra. I had no dealing with Wicca before then. I have no real interest in it but I felt compelled then to do it and now it has become a habit. I don't really practice Wicca or anything like it. My family is Jewish and that is my real religion."

"How can you get into things like the circle without feeling it?"

"I do what I've been told and it's worked out. Both you and Kendra are proof of that."

"I'm still getting used to this girl thing and I can't talk about it with just anyone and there are some things that I am embarrassed to ask the girls I see everyday. Could we get together and talk sometime?"

"I'd like that Denise. Guess we should hush since the class is starting."

"Okay and thanks."

We did hush as the instructors started explaining the circuit training regime to us and the proper way to use the machines. Each of us got to start on a different machine. It was fun to work a while on one machine and then time was called and we would work again on something different.

We'd gotten through one cycle when a break was called. While we were on break, I got a chance to talk to Sabrina. It was weird because our conversation went word for word almost like when I was talking to Veronica. I learned that she did not consider herself Wiccan either and she was Jewish too. I got a similar agreement to get together with her to talk sometime.

I found out from Veronica that they both attended the same temple and she invited me to attend sometime and find out more about their religion. I was raised Christian so this would be a chance to broaden my horizons. I found it strange that both were compelled to join the circle around the time that Kendra was helped. Could majick be at work here?

Close to the end of the second circuit and the end of our time, I noticed a lady with a son speaking to Momma. They both stepped outside leaving the young man behind. He had a very athletic build to him like a baseball player. I checked out the size of his hands. You know what they say about the size of hands and the size of another part of a man's body.

There was something about him that got me all hot and bothered. Did I believe in love at first sight with a total stranger? Well I guess I had to believe in lust at first sight. I was kinda amazed but I decided to go with the flow. It was official, now in this female body, I was attracted to this young man.

He came over to me and I began to melt. I composed myself and gave him a big smile.

"Hi Denise, I'm Richard. Our mothers know each other so I thought I would introduce myself."

"Oh! Richard! My mother said that your mother took an assignment here and that you would be attending Lamur Institute now. From your reputation as an athlete, our Baseball team should be better now. I'm glad because its is always nicer to cheer when our team is winning."

"I'm looking forward to being able to help out the team. You know you could help me out right now, Denise."

"I'm willing to do anything to help."

"You are my kind of girl!" He took me in his arms forcefully and just as forcefully kissed me full on the mouth lingering there for an eternity before he released me. I was stunned not knowing what to do and before I could decide he took my arm and led me off into a closet and closed the door.

"Richard?" I gasped still not registering what had happened.

"Denise, I'm sorry that I did that without warning. My mother recruited me to help with your situation. I was given this talisman." He pulled out a triskeliion made of Celtic knot work and very old by the look of it.

"This protects me from the compulsion of a love spell but I can tell when one is placed on me. Just before I kissed you, I was hit by a very powerful spell. The idea that my mother had was to play along with it with public displays of affection. If the person who cast this thought that it was working then they might not send someone against you who was not protected and might even rape you. I can pose as your new boyfriend too and you wouldn't have to worry about from the normal advances of hormonal boys."

"That works for me Richard and thanks for your help. And Richard?"

"Yes Denise?"

"I can be a very good actress. Please, no more surprises!"

"Okay, I promise, Denise. Anything else?"

"How do you really feel about me? You do know that I have a spell on me and that until very recently, I was a boy myself."

"I never knew you as a boy so this is what matters. You are very attractive to me. I hope that we can be friends spell or no spell."

"I'd like that Richard. One can't have too many friends and I need all I can get especially now. I guess we had better come out of the closet before they break the door down. Get ready for some real acting."

I mussed my clothes and makeup as if we had just had an intensive make out session. Richard opened the door and I made my grand entrance into the room.

"Richard, I believe you show real potential. After what I can teach you, you'll never want another woman again. I guess you'll do as my boyfriend for now."

Richard had a stunned look on his face and was spared further embarrassment by my mother leading him away outside. With the adults away, the other cheerleaders in the room voiced their approval.

Mother gathered us together after coming back in and told us," Girls we have to go back to school. Richard's mother asked me to give him a ride to school and he has promised to behave so he's waiting in the minivan for us. Now let's go!"

I was first into the minivan and took the seat beside Richard with a big grin on my face as I was unaffected by the look that my Mother was giving me. Since she didn't say anything, I figured that I was alright for now.

I had to remember nonetheless that Mother was driving and I wanted to get to school in one piece. Richard and I did nothing more than hold hands and talk in whispers while the Minivan was moving. And the Minivan was moving very quickly and we were at the school in record time.

I believe that I did a pretty good acting job because all the girls were envious of me for landing the new hunk before any of them got a chance at him. However, as we offloaded at the school entrance I felt more and more alone as the juniors and seniors peeled off down other halls and left only Chelsea and me going to homeroom together.

I was about to find out how really good an actress that I was because I had to convince them all that I was my own sister instead of the Dexter Jacob they all knew. I guess that I was about to find out a little of how people really felt about me. Chelsea promised to help if I painted myself into a corner but I hoped that I would not do anything that would lead anyone to believe that I was someone other than who I seemed to be.

I stopped and held the door open for Chelsea as we came to the homeroom door and quickly realized what I had done and scooted in quickly behind her as though we were both entering at the same time.

I thought to myself, "Ladies first doesn't work anymore because I am a lady now." Having gotten my faux pas out of the way first thing allowed me to relax and get into the role of being Denise with everyone there. Chelsea and I found two seats in a row empty and I sat down in the desk behind Chelsea.

"Class, please welcome Chelsea Dooley and Denise Russell," Mr. Nestle said. He was not only our homeroom teacher, but he happened to be Kendra's father as well.

Applause and cheers rang through the classroom as we received a warm welcome. When things had quieted down a bit, Mr. Nestle continued speaking.

"Chelsea was promoted from middle school early and will be finishing the term with us here. Denise had been living with her father overseas and has finally made her way home after her father was killed in action in Iraq. You may all remember her brother Dee Jay who was a student here but was offered the chance to finish the term in an exclusive boarding school."

It looked like our cover story was holding up okay. I guess it would have been easier if reality had changed but I did not want Dee Jay's existence to be removed completely since I was planning to go back to being Dee Jay in a month. I was not going to be doing anything to prevent that from occurring. Alicia was watching over me to make sure I didn't run into some additional spell that would change the rules of the spell I was under now.

If I did what I was supposed to do then the only way I would end up being Denise at the end of the month was if I was already Denise in my brain. If things had proceeded without this spell being put on me, I would know my own mind better and know the answer to whether I was really Denise or Dexter. I was totally devoted to the cause of winning the competition so I would find out in less than a month the answer to that burning question.

Homeroom went okay and so did my morning classes. Chelsea and I enjoyed being together and I reveled in the new attention that I was getting from my classmates. I was getting envious looks from the girls that I had transferred in and landed a spot immediately on the cheerleading squad. I was getting lustful looks from the boys focused on my bust, butt or legs.

However, the word soon spread that I was already claimed by the new star of the baseball team, which was destined to bring Lamur the pennant this year. The boys followed the code and they did not mess with another boy's girlfriend. I was safe for the moment. I wondered what might happen when that malevolent force found out that Richard and I were not building up to having sex. I hoped that I would be ready and that someone would be near to help out.

Francine West, Freshman Class President and Julie Newman, Freshman Class Vice President flagged Chelsea and I down and we sat together at our table at lunch. The freshmen and seniors had the first lunch period and the sophomores and juniors had the second. Because of that there wasn't a cheerleader table and for lunch Hailey was eating with her senior friends.

Even if Chelsea and I were both cheerleaders, being freshmen outweighed that. Since we had not gotten a better offer, Chelsea sat on the other side of Francine leaving a chair for me between her and Francine. I wondered why she chose to sit in line with them instead of opposite them but she told me later that she wanted to keep watch over the senior table. We managed to chat easily in spite of the arrangement.They wanted to get to know us and I was curious on how they would react to me. They really had not seemed to notice me when I was Dexter.

"Hi, Chelsea and Denise! Welcome to the Freshman class here! Thanks for accepting our invitation to eat lunch together." Francine greeted us with a smile.

I hoped that my performance was good as I spoke to Francine as though I did not know her. "It's my pleasure, Francine. My life has been so much up in the air recently and I am glad to be back home with Mother."

Julie spoke immediately, who I knew more from church where she was in my Sunday School class. "We were so sorry to hear about your dad's passing and we grieved with Dee Jay over it. It is so like our government to get something as simple as sending a daughter home to her mother and brother into a complicated thing."

Chelsea wanted to help and she interjected. "Part of her trouble was because of a silly old local law in Saudi Arabia, where her Daddy had been stationed and that they had made their home off base, that treats female children like property and as such they had annulled Denise's US citizenship for as long as the property that her father had owned was still in limbo."

That seems very backward, couldn't the US Embassy help?"

"The American Embassy did its best but since Denise was caught at home and off base when her Daddy died, they would have had to kidnap her from the authorities and they thought Denise might be hurt or killed in the attempt. What the authorities really wanted was for the property to pass out of her father's estate and into the hands of one of their citizens."

"What would happen then?"

"At that point when the property was sold, the odd law no longer applied and she became just another foreign national. Once they no longer considered Denise a citizen of their country, then her American citizenship took control again. They turned her over to the American embassy which got her on the next plane to the US before they changed their minds."

I was glad that Chelsea had mastered our complicated cover story and it was my time to agree and hope that answered their questions.

"That's it mostly. I had a governess looking after me when Daddy was on duty or assignment away. The government provided a place for the two of us to stay together. They had a driver who was really a guard assigned to us also, since they wanted to be sure that I stayed off base or out of the embassy. It meant that I couldn't go to the American school and had to go to one of their schools."

Julie asked, "Dee Jay never spoke about you at all, what is up with that. Until you showed up here today I didn't know that Dee Jay had a sister?"

I was briefed on this part so I hoped that the cover story would hold even though I knew it was patently false.

"Momma and Daddy had a falling out over his volunteering for a status in the military that made everything about his work classified. They split over it even though they did not get divorced. Each of them took one of us in the separation. Dee Jay seemed like he needed Momma and I was a Daddy's girl. After years of living apart, it became easier just to ignore that the other existed.

"That must have been tough being separated from Dee Jay."

"Most of the time we lived in a communications blackout so word on us just couldn't get through to the states. As much as I hate it that Daddy has died, at least this gives me a chance to know my mother. I'm disappointed that Dee Jay is gone but maybe it will give him a chance to get over things in his own way. Maybe when he gets over his issues then we can be a real family again."

Francine added, "Well we hope that Dee Jay will be doing well wherever he is now. I don't know but it seems to be off all the maps on the internet search that I did."

I asked, "What does it matter where he is if he's happy there?"

Francine blushed and said," I had a crush on your brother and hoped he would ask me out. He always was hanging around with the cheerleaders even though I have no clue why they would want to hang out with him. No offence to you both, you seem like nice down to earth girls and no offence to your sister either Chelsea. I guess that it's more of a status thing and that status is pretty difficult to compete with. The rumor mill says that Dee Jay was our secret mascot and now we have another one."

I tried not to let show what was going on in my mind show on my face. Francine is a really nice girl. I guess I missed out being with a simply wonderful girl, just by being obsessed with working with the cheerleaders. Well I could spend time with her now but as long as I am a girl there will be no romance. At least I could have another friend.

"Sometimes boys can be so blind! I'm sorry that he missed out on being with you Francine. From what I could tell, Dee Jay had lots of friends but no girlfriend. And on the other thing, neither Chelsea or I were on the cheerleaders then so we have no way of knowing who was the secret mascot. As for now, we are both sworn to uphold the school's tradition of secrecy. Sorry girls."

Julie responded, "That's alright, girls. We wouldn't want you to break your promise. It's just fun to guess about since it is a mystery, but knowing would take all the fun out of it."

Francine added, "I am so glad they have wised up and created a cheerleader alternate position as part of the squad and I know that you will do well Chelsea. We were so lucky that you came out of nowhere and were able to pick up all the routines flawlessly or we would have been in big trouble when Jenna got called away. With this being a military town, it's something that could happen again."

"I am so lucky to be with the squad," Chelsea said. "I think that part of it is because I am Hailey's sister and she knows what I am capable of and partly because being so bright and skipping grades I think that they want to be sure I keep busy and out of trouble."

Francine said, "We count our Freshman class so lucky to have you both aboard when we need you most. I hope that both of you are planning on coming to the Sadie Hawkins celebration dance that is being held this Saturday. It's our Freshman class project and we need all of our prominent freshmen to participate for it to be a success."

I spoke, "I don't know how to say this but my mother, the new coach, has made a rule against dating until after the competition. Is this a girls ask the guys dance?"

Francine answered, "Yes it is and we are encouraging the girls not to ask their regular boyfriends just to mix it up a little and make it more exciting for everyone."

Chelsea replied, "We'll ask her about it at practice today. Maybe if she made it mandatory for the cheerleaders not to ask anyone who we've dated before and for our dates to meet us and part at the dance when it is over then it would be like a group date that she said would be okay. That would make it even better because all of the cheerleaders and not just us two would want to attend."

I added, "Momma is reasonable and if we explain it just that way then perhaps things will work out for all of us. If you want to meet us for lunch tomorrow, we'll let you know what she decided."

The bell rang warning us to get our plates put up because lunch period was just about over. The four of us shared our gladness over getting to know each other a little better and promised to meet back for lunch regularly. Chelsea and I put our plates up and got a move on to our classes. In the back of my mind I considered that Richard and I had not had a date yet and that meant that it would be within the rules for me to ask him to the dance if Mother approved of the plan to turn it into a group date.

The classes went quickly and finally we had our freshman girls' P.E. class. Chelsea and I were surprised to find in entering the girls locker room, Hailey was there waiting for us.

Hailey said, "There has been a change. Since we have a coach now, we get to have part of our practice during P.E. Coach Russell talked it over with the Headmistress and set it up for all of us. The rest of us found out last period when we were going to have P.E. and we got our last two period classes swapped. We all know that Coach Russell was only going to be with us a month but since the end of term was just a couple of added weeks, the company that she works for agreed to let her be off on leave until the end of the term. Coach Russell said for all of us to change into our workout uniforms instead of gym clothes."

I was glad to know I would have my mother's undivided attention for a little longer. It would not mean as much if reality changed at the end of the month if I were staying a girl. But if I returned to being a boy after this experience, I knew that even if it were a transformation that I wanted I would have a bit of adjusting to do and it would be good to have her close to me. I snapped out of my daydream and got busy changing as I saw Star and Kendra enter as well but they knew why they were there having had it explained to them last period.

We all got dressed and Hailey led us out on the baseball field where Coach Nestle was putting the baseball team through its paces. They were having batting practice and Richard was at the plate hitting everything that was thrown to him over the fence in deep center field. Momma, I mean Coach was there waiting for us and we gathered around her to hear what she had to say.

"I'm glad to have you all with me for PE for the rest of the term. I believe that the added time will be very useful to get ready for the competition. After the competition, we might have all the practice time we need just in the P.E. class. We'll see if we can do that as a reward for all the hard work that we are going to be doing in the time we have left.

"Speaking of rewards, as a reward for all the hard work that I am going to put you all through, I believe with just a restriction or two we can turn the Sadie Hawkins Celebration Dance that the Freshman Class is sponsoring into a group date on Saturday. If you all agree to the restrictions then we will put it on our schedule.

"Restriction number one is that you meet your dates at the dance and say goodbye to them at the dance and that your parents provide your transportation to and from the dance.

"Restriction number two is that since you girls will be asking your dates out, that it cannot be a person that either you or any of the present cheerleaders have been on a date with. And I expect that you girls will be polite and spend 75% of your time at the dance with the person who you asked. That other 25% can be with your regular boyfriends or whoever. I hope that your boyfriends will come and I hope that they will spend that same 75% with their dates, but since they are not under my jurisdiction, I can't dictate that they not be jerks. I hope you will use your influence so that they won't be in this case.

"If you all agree then it will be a group date and if not then it will be off limits for all of you even if you have agreed to the restrictions. All in favor of the restrictions, raise your hand."

All of our hands were enthusiastically raised. I was so glad because if even a minority of the school followed our example, then the dance would be a huge success. I would be curious to find out who Francine's choice would be with Dee Jay out of the picture. I wondered what would have happened if the dance had occurred before Jenna had left.

Momma, I mean Coach, continued. "I am so glad that you all have agreed to the conditions so we will make this a group date on Saturday. This also lets me announce our first team building activity which will precede the dance on Saturday. I've arranged with a local salon for us to have it all to ourselves with their staff for three hours on Saturday before the dance. You will all be getting ready for the dance, but the catch is that you yourself will have no say in what is done to you. However, you will have a say in what is done to each of your teammates. I will have the right to veto any plan that is too radical so keep that in mind when you make your plans. You have between now and then to come up with what you feel will do best for each of your teammates to bring out their beauty in a way that they will really shine bright at the dance."

That started wheels turning in each of our heads as we thought of things that would be nice but was something that had not been tried by our friends.

"Lastly, we are out on the baseball field because our baseball team has several home games before the competition and we will be cheering at those games. I wanted us to have a chance to go over our game cheers again because rumor has it that with the team's new addition that they may make it to the state championship this year.Hailey, go put the girls through their paces. Chelsea, join the other girls in line."

We all took the field including Chelsea who was to join us as a fifth cheerleader instead of doing the mascot routines. Our field cheers could add a fifth member easily. Momma had her doing that to protect her secret with her being without her costume. As it was with me, she was our backup cheerleader so it was good for her to practice our routines too.

"You gotta Go to Fight!

You gotta Fight to Win!

You gotta Go, Fight, Win!

You gotta Go to Fight!

You gotta Fight to Win!

You gotta Go, Fight, Win!

Go!"

As we went through our paces, the baseball team on the field was going through a simulated game and Richard was pitching. I noticed something curious going on as the shortstop or second baseman would flash the sign to the batter that indicated the pitch that Richard was going to throw. Even with that advantage to the batter knowing what pitch that he was going to throw, Richard was pitching a no hitter against the split squad and Richard was pitching for the second string. Richard hit a home run each time he got up to bat and his teammates had managed to put people on base before each one so the second string was rolling over the first string handily.

I could have watched the baseball team practice, that is watched Richard, all afternoon long but Coach blew the whistle and sent us in. School was over and the gym was now ours exclusively. Chelsea was able to change into her mascot outfit and we began to run through all the routines again for the competition. Hailey put us through our paces as Coach watched and made notes on our progress.

I was in the zone and was flowing with the rest of the girls through the routines. When the whistle blew for us to stop, it was more of an interruption than a relief. Coach told us all that she was proud of the way we worked today and sent us off to the showers. As I showered, I wondered what I was about to hear from Momma about Richard and I. I said my goodbyes to Chelsea and Hailey as Mrs. Dooley came to pick them up. I was wondering at how young she appeared, as she seemed to be younger than when I last saw her.

Momma waited to escort me to the minivan until all the rest of the parents had taken their children home. I had noticed that the baseball practice had broken up at about the same time ours had since Coach Nestle had taken Kendra home.

"Lucy, you've got some 'splaining to do!" Momma began in a not too good imitation of Ricky Ricardo from 'I Love Lucy.'

"Momma, it wasn't my fault, I didn't know..."

"That's okay Sweetheart. I had a very long talk with Jennifer about this morning. I had no idea that she had a son three years before you were born. I wonder when she had time for it. Sometimes you don't know someone as well as you believe. Anyway, she told me that Rebecca had asked Richard to keep an eye on you and gave him some protection in case the malevolent force that had it in for you in the circle wanted to make sure that you got pregnant. I feel safe with you both to be together. It might be a good idea for you to ask him to the dance so he can help keep you out of trouble. The four of us are going to have dinner together tonight and talk over things."

"Momma, I am so glad you understand. After that look that you gave me, I thought that I was going to be in real trouble."

"That was acting, after the performance Richard gave there was no way that a parent would react in any other way. I could tell Richard took you by surprise since even you are not that good an actress. Why did Richard introduce himself in that manner?"

"Oh Momma, Richard knew the force was pulling on him to deflower me so he put on a show for the benefit of the one who we are looking for. The entire circle was gathered in that room so it could still be any one of them except Rebecca of course."

"That explains it. Richard is very quick thinking and mature for a boy his age. Well, dinner will allow us all to be on the same page and see how we plan to deal with this from this point."

"I'll be very glad to see Richard again. There is something about him that I can't put my finger on that makes him very welcome to be around." I smiled and added, "And I will ask him to the dance both at dinner and then at school so it will be known for sure that we are a couple."

"I'm glad Sweetie that you like Richard since it looks like you will be spending a lot of time with him over the next few days."

We both got ready for dinner and Momma drove us to the restaurant where Richard's mother and Richard were meeting us.

Jennifer, Richard's Mother seemed very apologetic when she spoke to Momma and I, "I am so sorry this happened this way without us being able to get on the same page. It was more about introducing you both to Richard as quickly as possible than needing Richard to ride with you all to school. I had no way of knowing that something would happen that quickly against Denise. I'm glad it was Richard that was the subject of the first spell since it hasn't affected him as intended."

Momma wanted to calm her. "You could not have known that the fiend would strike that quickly and I am so glad it was our decoy who got hit with the first one since that buys us some time to figure out who it is that is doing this and how to deal with them."

"Rebecca did send some more gifts besides the trinket that Richard is wearing. She sent seven crystals which turn from white to black in the presence of someone in the influence of evil. She also sent seven necklaces to use to break the hold that the evil one has on any of the circle that may be affected."

"How do you suggest they be used?" Mother asked

"Denise should take the crystals and expose them to one of the girls when none of the rest of them are around and preferably when she is alone with them so we can be absolutely sure that it is the girl tested that turned the stone. She should keep them in the box that they are in now since that box keeps them from being affected while the box is closed. If for some chance one of them are turned without knowing who did it, the crystal can be returned to being white by going under Denise's pillow before she goes to sleep and then returning it to the box when she wakes in the morning. Here is the box, Denise."

"Thank you," I said as I took the box and placed it in my bag.

"Denise, I will keep the necklaces safe while you find out how many, if any, are affected. If there is only one, then we will have determined who the culprit is already. When we know, we should meet again and decide on the order and the best way for the necklaces to be used. Until we find out who it is, you and Richard should make out when ever you get the chance if observed by anyone from your school so that Richard's cover isn't blown and someone else is set against you."

I grinned at Richard and said," That will be a tough acting job but I guess I can bring myself to do that. Richard, would you like to go to the dance with me?"

"I would be very honored to go with you, Denise. I accept"

"Great! I'd like for you to manage to meet me long enough at my lunch time so I can invite you in front of the whole freshman class."

"I could manage anything for you, Denise. I'll be there," Richard said confidently. Spell or no spell, I believed him. This could be fun. There was some other small talk with Momma and Jennifer catching up but nothing eventful. Soon I was home doing my homework and after that Momma tucked me into bed.

Dance, Dance, Dance

Full Moon

Chapter Five - Careful What You Wish

By Jo Dora Webster

Chapter Five - Careful What You Wish

[Wednesday Day Four of the Enchantment]

Wednesday morning rolled around without the drama that the day before had been. Mom had laid out for me the jazz class uniform which consisted of a tube top and hot pants along with a cover up and tap shoes in a Mary Jane style. I got to bring my cheerleader uniform with me to change into afterward since it was a game day. It was a far different world to be a cheerleader rather than Amy since I received all the popularity and attention of a cheerleader all the time now. Much more with being the new girl on the block too!

Mom repeated her car pool duties and soon all of the cheerleaders were in the van. Chelsea made a point of sitting by me on the back seat. It was a perfect chance so I got one of the test crystals out to place it in contact with her while I distracted her.

"Chelsea what do you think of my lip gloss? Do my lips seem more kissable?"

"Girlfriend you have the most kissable lips around!"

She surprised me by giving me a kiss right on the lips. I turned my face up and relaxed into it and the whole thing was rather enjoyable. Chelsea sure could kiss!

"Is my lip gloss too twinkie?"

"Your lip gloss is perfect. I love cherry!"

"Denise, you are becoming such a girl!"

"Of course I am! Like I said before, you guys do good work and I'm enjoying who I am."

"I'm glad girlfriend! There are so many things that I want to share with you now. Girls have all sorts of possibilities for so much closer friendships. We can share everything."

"Except Richard! He's mine!"

"Of course girlfriend! No girl will come between you and your boy."

"I hope so."

"Now that you are adjusted, I want to start sharing things girl to girl with you!"

"I'm down with that. We'll squeeze in what we can before the competition and much more after that when all the pressure is off and we have lots more free time."

"You go girl!"

I had managed to get the crystal in contact with her while she stole that kiss from me.I didn't mean to be quite that flirty but it got the job done. I sneaked a look while Chelsea who was sitting closest to the aisle was turned the other way getting ready to exit the bus. The crystal had turned completely black. The Evil had touched her! I still had to wait on the rest of the tests because then we'd know just how many were affected. It could be a minority or the entire circle might be under the Evil's influence.

We girls had our Jazz dance lesson at one of the premier dance studios in the area. We learned that we would be getting our ballet and ballroom dance classes there too. We met other cheerleaders from the high schools around for the class which was fun. However, since we already knew who the two girls were then meeting the others were not as important.

We quickly went from the basics of tap moves into a much more advanced choreography since a lot of what cheerleaders do is derived from Jazz Dance without the tap moves.

I found myself at one point as pivot girl between Kendra and Star. We started out with me seeming to throw Kendra but it was all her leaping ability. Still it gave me the chance to put my hands on her waist and I concealed the crystal in my hand as I held her. We took a break before practicing the throw the other way with Star. I repeated what I did with Kendra with Star so now I had both of them. I looked at both the crystals and they were both totally black like Chelsea's had been. I had switched out the crystals and stopped at the water fountain when Sabrina came over.

"Hey, Denise! I'm Sabrina. You may not remember me but we met Saturday night late?"

"Oh! Yeah! I didn't get introduced but I remember seeing you there. Thanks so much for what you did for me. I can never repay it."

"Girls do for each other! We're sisters now. And I wanted to see if you could help me?"

"Sure!"

"If you weren't going to eat, I hoped you might go with me to a practice room and you throw me like you threw Kendra. My partner did not get it and it made something which should be beautiful be so awkward.I don't want to hurt her feelings but I do want to learn this."

"Sure Sabrina, I'll be glad to help. Do you know your way around here?"

"Yeah. I take some classes here."

"Cool!"

I followed her to a meeting room and threw her like I did Kendra and it came out just as beautiful and graceful with Sabrina. She was a natural but it helped having someone who knew how to do it to get her timing right. Like before I palmed the crystal as I held her waist the first time.

"Thanks, Denise! Maybe I'll see you in the circle again? We've yet to come up with a replacement for Jenna and you would be perfect."

"We'll see. If not there, certainly in the morning practices and at games."

"You go girlfriend! Later!"

She went off to get back with her cheer-leading squad and I went over to change out the crystal. Sabrina's crystal was black too! I got another one to see if I could check Hailey.

We got back to the practice and just like the other two I managed to palm the crystal when I held Hailey by the waist. When I was able to swap it out, I discovered that it had turned black like the others.

The practice was very rewarding but all too soon we had changed out of the dance outfits and into our school clothes which in my case was my cheerleader outfit. The call came for us to load up on the mini van. At the same time, the other cheerleaders were out getting into their rides as well. I don't know who started it but one van had their cheerleaders singing their Alma Mater as they pulled out of the parking lot with the windows down and the rest of the quads joined in with theirs. All the way to school the Lamur Institute Alma Mater was sung as sweetly and sincerely as I had ever heard it from all of us.

Because the pressure was off on meeting the rest of the girls in "The Club", I got to pay attention to my new school schedule instead of floating by it like I did yesterday. Like Dee Jay, I had Coach Charles Nestle for homeroom. Everyone in homeroom was the same except I took Dee Jay's place and we had Chelsea added as well.

I saw Dr Jordan come to the door and the coach motion her in for a chat. At the end of their short conversation, I was surprised that it was about me.

"Denise Russell, please go with Dr Jordan. She has some school business to discuss with you."

"Coming , Sir and Ma'am."

I gathered my books and clutched them to my chest hugging them as I followed Dr Jordan out of the classroom. I wondered if I had already blown my cover. There was no reason that I knew of that Dr Jordan would have any cause to interact with me but she did have unfinished business with Dee Jay. I wonder if the undisclosed boarding academy and the people behind the mysterious scholarship were one and the same. She led me to a conference room and we sat down across from each other.

"Denise, I want to help you in the best way that I can. However you must be completely honest with me. To aid in that I will tell you about things that you may not know in the hope that it will encourage your participation."

"Of course, Dr Jordan. I'm glad that you wish to help me."

"Please call me Ariel. According to the records, you missed out getting to visit with your brother Dee Jay as he left and you arrived. The meeting that was held with him on behalf of the consortium I represent was prepared to offer a scholarship tentative on further testing, to him was on the Friday at school before his departure. He left on Saturday night/early Sunday morning, while you arrived in town on midday Sunday. Presumably with everything that has been going on, you haven't had much chance to learn second hand things about Dee Jay from your mother. Is this correct so far?"

I decided to answer as close to the truth as I could while maintaining the illusion that Dee Jay and I were not one and the same.

"Ariel, I understand that Dee Jay left at midnight and I arrived soon after.However, I was exhausted and required the next 36 hours to rest before I actually was able to function normally. Dee Jay left before I arrived so we didn't have a chance to talk."

"At the meeting, both Dee Jay and Francine West were informed of their preliminary qualification for the scholarship and alerted that the added testing would be administered by me sometime this week. Imagine the consortium's surprise to find that a computer trail linking Dee Jay's destination with one of the consortium's institutions. Consortium systems were hacked and someone planted that information. They assure me that even though the computer trail is sufficient to stand up, offline checking confirms that your brother did not in fact make it to the school. Denise, your face does not show either surprise or concern for your brother's whereabouts. Do you have anything that you would like to tell me, young lady?"

"Ariel, it's not like that.I'm so sorry that the consortium was involved by us in our cover up. All I know is that we were supposed to be using a computer black hole and not a real school. Dee Jay does not exist right now. I was created from his essence for a month or, more accurately, one cycle of the moon. At the end of which time, Dee Jay will reappear and I will disappear, if all goes according to plan."

"I believe you, Denise. Thank you for being honest with me. Instead of purging the false computer trail, steps have been taken to bolster the trail. The consortium has added offline documentation that the trip did take place and that Dee Jay is actually in residence at a facility. It seems that someone went to a great deal of trouble to explain Dee Jay's absence. Since the consortium is still interested in Dee Jay as a prospective scholarship recipient, they'd like to help. How was this change from Dexter to Denise occur?"

"It was Majick! A group of seven females in a circle around me, chanted until I was changed into Denise."

"I actually know how majick can work. I hope that you will forgive me but an app on my phone has both recorded you and performed voice stress analysis on it and assures me that you are telling the truth however impossible it seems. The consortium expected that a substitution was in place since there was a goof in your records that included a duplication of Dee Jay's test results in your name, which we did not administer."

"It's all true. What now?"

"The consortium has taken the liberty of expunging anything from your records that you could not have gotten with your back story. We have strengthened the computer trail adding offline elements when possible. Actually this duality strengthens the consortium's interest in you, whoever you turn out to be. The consortium has adjusted the conditions of the initial test consistent with your back story, and has chosen to offer to you the same chance it offered Dee Jay."

I'm pleased that the consortium is still interested in me. Are you going to go ahead and give Francine and I the added tests, on schedule?"

If indeed you need the month to finish whatever it is that you are involved in, the consortium would be willing to defer future consideration. It would be deferred for both of you, since we have to fly in special personal which means grouping testing when ever possible."

"What will you tell, Francine?"

"Simply that Dee Jay's being sent away was a mistake, since he did not take the added evaluation, yet. Instead of disrupting him again, he'll finish the school term where he is now. He has not been awarded the scholarship, but he's still being evaluated for it. We'll tell her that Denise's ordeal prior to coming here and the stress of the cheerleader competition, make it desirable to defer bringing the resources here for the testing until both Denise and Fran are ready for it. We'll also explain to her that you both will be eligible for a collegiate scholarship for your further education in the event either of you don't qualify for our scholarship. The consortium feels that is the least they can do."

"Ariel, please thank the consortium for me on behalf of Francine and myself. I know we'll do well with the chance to get a good education. I'm sorry that Dee Jay's disappearance at this phase of the consultation means that they can't be transparent."

"I will. Based on what you have told me, the consortium will keep both yours and Dee Jay's cover stories intact as well as take care of Francine for possible later consideration of which ever of you are available afterward. It is definitely within their mission statement to do so. Both, you and Fran are still potential scholarship candidates and it pleases them to look out for your best interest. I won't ask you to disclose any more now but you might ask the secondary computer expert who examined the initial hacker's work to look at the results again. The secondary expert should be able to verify what the consortium has done on your behalf. Hopefully with that assurance of their good will, it will merit your trust."

"I'll do that. Thank you for everything, Ariel."

"With your identity reestablished, the consortium considers binding on you what Dee Jay signed. Fran will be informed that you are a potential candidate but that the added testing will need to be delayed for a month. We'll let her know that she has the same freedom to discuss in the manner that was outlined with you as she did with Dee Jay. Now we'd both better be getting to class before the student assistant I left the class with gets nervous that she might be expected to teach my lesson plan."

We walked together to my first period class, Algebra, which was the same as I had as Dee Jay. The composition of the class was unchanged. Chelsea had a less advanced Algebra class due to her having to cope with the late year promotion and catching up. As bright as she was, she'd be back in the advanced classes when she got to start her sophomore year from the beginning.

That was okay because Francine was in there and I arranged for my seat to be by hers and Julie's. The girl who sat where I sit in class now, had a crush on one of the guys that Dee Jay's empty seat was close to so I didn't have to sit in Dee Jay's old desk. I had intended to snag Fran either before or after class today to chat but I was with Ariel before and then Ariel asked her to wait after class afterward so I waved to her and went on. Instead I went out into the courtyard and pulled my cell phone out and activated an app which auto dialed Jennifer.

"Hi Jennifer, this is Denise. Did I get that app you put on my phone going correctly?"

"Denise, every thing is secure here. I hope you aren't where you can be overheard."

"I'm okay. I just talked with Dr Ariel Jordan on behalf of the consortium that was in the process of qualifying Dee Jay for that scholarship. It was to one of their facilities that Dee Jay is right now. They suggest that you recheck the arrangements to discover that Star didn't do as good a job as she could have and what you were satisfied with is their work."

"I understand, I'll get right on that. With the clue about the source, I should be able to verify. What are their intentions?"

"They feel it is their duty to protect Dee Jay and they want to have another chance to complete the vetting after the month is over."

"I trusted too much the last time and I missed their work. It will be this evening before I have anything for you. Okay?"

"Sure, Jennifer! Thanks so much for your help! Bye!"

"Bye Denise."

Second period class was the same also as Dee Jay's old schedule. I began to get comfortable in spite of the changes. I had Biology with Mrs. Judy Turner. This was an advanced class also so Chelsea wasn't in it with me. I hadn't noticed her in the class before but Julie was in the class and I arranged with the same girl to swap seats so that Julie and I were sitting together. Julie remembered me in the class yesterday so we walked out together.

"How do you like it at Lamur Institute so far?"

"I really am enjoying meeting the people here and the teachers seem okay too. I still think that I may still be getting settled at the end of the term but it's been easy to join in. Next year in the fall, I should really be comfortable."

"I'm glad that you feel welcome. I know that the girls are counting their blessings that you are so talented that you could pick up the routines just by seeing them in the video. We thought the cheer-leading team was going to have to withdraw from the competition."

"I can't take credit for having the talent but I am glad that I get to use it for a good cause. It's a shame that Jenna had to be called away so suddenly."

"Well, here we are at class. Let's see if we can make another deal so you can sit by me in Women's History."

"That would be great!"

Just when I thought I had it made, third period came and threw me for a loop. Not only was that class different but I had different classes for the rest of the day! Like yesterday, Chelsea met me in the hall going to third period class and it turned out that we had the rest of our classes together. Instead of US History, I had Women's History. Denise, by her old school's records, had been enrolled in Women's History so they scheduled me for it here too. It wasn't an advanced class so Chelsea was in it with me. Julie was in it with us as well. Things were relaxed in there so that there were no assigned seats and no boys to worry about so the girls cooperated to let Chelsea and I sit near Julie.

This was a much different class since it was all female students, not by restriction but most boys were unsure what Women's History involved so they went ahead and took US History. We girls would all have to take it too before graduation but taking this now just delayed the inevitable. Mrs. Tara Fielder who taught the class was a real feminist. The way that she taught the class was vital since she taught with a passion for the subject that was contagious. I found myself hooked and vowed to quickly read the chapters that were already covered so I could catch up with the rest of the class.

Even though I paid attention in class I could not help thinking a little about lunch and letting everyone know that Richard is my boyfriend. After class Chelsea, Julie and I walked to the cafeteria where we were met by Francine on the way. Chelsea and I were again sitting with Francine and Julie.

Once we were settled Julie couldn't wait anymore and asked. "So, what gives? We've discussed everything else but the dance!"

Chelsea said, "The Coach read my mind and proposed the same restrictions without us saying anything. The whole squad agreed and so they are all coming but not with their boyfriends. Of course the boyfriends will be there to claim what time they can with their girlfriends. It will be a big social event and should be lots of fun!"

Francine breathed a sigh of relief. "Denise, I am so glad that your mother came through for us. So, who are you going to ask? Inquiring minds want to know."

"Well, Richard and I have not dated so technically we are not a couple yet. I'm going to ask him as soon as I see him today before another girl beats me to it."

Julie pointed out Richard walking into the cafeteria and coming straight for us. "Don't look now but here he comes!"

Richard came right over to me and handed me a note and said to me, "The Headmistress asked me to get this note to you from Coach Russell. How are you Denise?"

I cleared my throat and told him, "Very well, Richard. Thank you for bringing me the note. Richard, would you like to be my date for the dance this Saturday?"

In front of my friends and the entire freshman class, Richard said, "I would be very honored to go with you, Denise. I accept."

I wanted to give him a hug and kiss but did not want to be sent to the office for a PDA (public display of affection) so instead I tried to let my demeanor show how pleased that I was with Richard, "I am very glad, Richard. I will count the hours 'til then."

"As will I!" Richard quickly turned and left. I was able to open the note and read the message:

"Congratulations Denise. When Richard asked me to send the note to you, I felt it was the least that I could do. You have to cheer for the baseball game against Parson HS after school so you might be ready to test Veronica. Love, Coach." I did not share the message since none of my friends could know about the conspiracy lest the word got out that Richard and I were not real and some other boy suddenly might get infatuated with me.

Instead of having English with Dr Richards like before, I had Drama with Mrs. Gloria Wright. Fran was in the English class along with Julie, so Chelsea and I parted company from them when we turned toward class. We had a few boys in it but there was mostly girls. Drama had a promising beginning for me. The class had been leading up to a presentation of Romeo and Juliet for the school before the end of term. I took over as prompter for a relieved girl who had been doing double duty as the lighting tech too.

Chelsea and I met Julie and Fran on their way into the Theater. They had Deportment with Headmistress Lacon which was being held in the theater too. I asked Fran if she'd like to go to the restroom. Julie and Chelsea said that they would go ahead and save us seats in the theater.

"Fran, did Ariel tell you about the Scholarship?"

"Congrats, Denise for qualifying like Dee Jay and I did and it would be okay to talk to you about it. Congrats, girlfriend! She told me that Dee Jay was sent away by mistake and that he's finishing the school year there. They have some snag so that they won't be ready to complete the testing for a month but they said that we both already qualified for a collegiate scholarship, by getting this far. Going to that prestigious boarding academy would be fun. I hope that I make it so that I get another chance at being Dee Jay's girlfriend."

"I'm glad for both of us! I really hope that you two get together if that's what you both want."

"Thanks Denise. Guess we had better get to class. We don ' t want to be late for the Headmistress's lecture!"

"Let's go!"

Instead of having Study Hall next, I had Deportment. Deportment was a required course for girls only at Lamur Institute. It was taught only one period a day by Headmistress Lacon. We met in the theater usually for our lecture while I found out that the practical portion of class was held at various places depending on what the subject matter was going to be. Sometimes we would be doing Drama in the Theater so that made it nice for those times. I had Francine, Julie and Chelsea in that one with me since all the girls of the freshman class seemed to be in there. It was the makings of a very good time.

My phone vibrated just as I was out in the hallway outside the theater. I looked and it was Jennifer calling me back.

"Hi Denise. The work that was excellent that I couldn't improve on was theirs! They were so fast cleaning up the mess that Star made that I didn't have a clue that Star was so sloppy. She knows the mechanics of hacking but hasn't got a clue about covering her tracks. She's just not experienced on the different formats either so everything comes out pristine new instead of aged."

"So we can trust them?"

"Absolutely! I checked back and not only did they trace Dee Jay to the Academy solid electronically and offline, but they cleaned up your history so that it's as solid as anyone's life. If they want the full story, go ahead and give it to them. To have a resource like them around is worth the exposure. They've been cool about this so far and we shouldn't tick them off by obfuscating. If this all works out well then you'll have more data to base accepting their offer on after we finish with our challenge."

"Good deal! I'll make contact and spill it ASAP. Thanks Jennifer! Bye."

"Bye."

I had swung around outside to take the call taking a short cut that got me to the gym before Chelsea but not before some of the rest of the cheerleaders arrived. I should have noted yesterday my relief from not having drown proofing as the PE required for all boys. A Girl's PE was much better but I got to go right into the cheer leading PE class yesterday so it was all good. We didn't practice at the baseball field today during PE.

It seems that Coach Nestle felt that we were too much of a distraction and he wanted them to focus prior to the game. Instead, we were able to cheer in the gym as the Freshman class PE was out at the volleyball courts. We got in a good practice for the competition.

The last thing that we practiced was the team's fight song. The student body loved to sing the fight song which was based on the words and music to "The Army Goes Rolling Along."

"First to fight for the right,

Full of Lamur Institute's might,

ARMYdillos Go Rolling Along!

Proud of all we have done,

Fighting 'til the battle's won,

ARMYdillos Go Rolling Along.

Then it's hi! hi! hey!

ARMYdillos on our way

Count off the cadence loud and strong; (two! three!)

For where'er we go,

You will always know

ARMYdillos GO ROLLING ALONG! (keep it rolling!)

ARMYdillos GO ROLLING ALONG!

ARMYdillos!!! GO ROLLING!!! ALONG!!!!"

"YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

We loved to jump up and kick out and wave our pom poms after the fight song was over. We all got caught up in the emotion of it. We were fired up! Now we needed to get the crowd fired up so that our team would win!

We all walked out of the gym together with the intention of going over with Mom in the van to get some fast food before the game. I drew next to Mom to see about catching Ariel before she left school.

"Coach, Dr Jordan talked to me about the scholarship that Dee Jay received and she suggested that I check with Jennifer before we talked again. Jennifer said that I should ASAP. Is it okay for me to catch her before she leaves school?"

"Go ahead Kiddo, fine by me! We'll bring you some food back."

"Thanks Mom!" I gave her a kiss on her cheek and then hurried back to the school building to catch Ariel. I was in luck because she was still in her classroom working on something at her desk when I came in.

"Hi Dr Jordan!"

"Thank you for returning , Denise. And it's still Ariel. Did you have a question?"

"I did as you asked and I'm ready to tell what I know. Jennifer confirmed that you all were helpful."

"Come sit down and close the door behind you."

"Thanks."

I took a seat across from her after I had shifted a chair that I picked up on the way.

"Part of this is a school secret that I am not sure if you know about."

"Is it the reason behind Dee Jay being moved to a next to last period study hall early this year? If so I will continue to keep that secret."

"Okay that simplifies it. Since you know, do you mind if I talk around it. It's just uncomfortable for me to do anything .. you know?"

"It's Okay! Proceed."

"Well because of well .. you know .. Dee Jay was in a position for his natural mimic ability to be used to help the school. When Jenna left because her mother was transferred overseas, the cheerleader competition that they had worked so hard for was in jeopardy. Hailey, who took over for Jenna, decided that we couldn't get another girl in championship shape on the routines in time for the competition. Dee Jay knew the routines because of ... you know ... but our team was entered in the all girl classification. So the only way for Dee Jay to participate was if Dee Jay was turned into a girl."

"Denise, relax and take a breath! Goodness girl, don't be so stressed. Okay that's better, proceed."

"Okay, Ariel. Hailey led a Wiccan circle and their friend Ken had turned out to be a transgirl and the circle turned Ken into Kendra. They wanted to do the same thing for me only if I wasn't a transgirl it would only last for one cycle of the moon. Star is a hacker who decided how to do my life history and decided the best place for a non-existent person to be was at the cyber black hole they found. Only I guess it turned out to be one of the consortium's computers. Oops sorry!"

"That explains why you said that Dee Jay didn't exist right now but if all went well he'd be back in a lunar cycle and you'd be gone. How did they change you?"

"Mom's friend Rebecca from her sorority flew in to watch over me to make sure they did it right.It was Hailey, Chelsea, Kendra, Star, Rebecca, Sabrina and Veronica in the circle. They chanted something like greek while I was in the circle only I know it was really something Celtic and I was out of it. Thirty-six hours later I woke up as Denise. Rebecca had to leave but she sent word that something was wrong in the circle. It was pure evil!"

"Is that what you are trying to do besides help win the competition for your lunar cycle is find the evil and best it?"

"A huge evil had corrupted it so that it wasn't Wiccan anymore. The spell is keyed so that if a girl gets pregnant, she stays a girl because turning back would harm the baby. There were additions to the spell to raise my sex drive to a point where I would have gotten pregnant. Rebecca stripped it out but the evil is still after me. Since it can't change my sex drive now, it's throwing horny guys my way. Fortunately the first one, Jennifer's son Richard, had a protection charm that negated the spell for him to deflower me, but it's up to me to identify and banish the evil before it can harm me and trap me as a girl. So going after the evil is really self defense."

"I believe that I understand. Please contact me if you feel the consortium might help you with your task. Either way, as Denise or Dee Jay, the consortium is interested in you. They know that you have to take care of this first, but they will be waiting."

"Thanks. This is so weird, it's just great to have someone else believe me. If I need help then I'll be in touch. Thanks, Ariel"

"You're welcome, Denise. Good luck cheering at the game tonight!"

"Bye!"

I left her room and the building and headed out to the baseball field. Mom was there waiting with an Arby's bag and drink.

"We ended up at Arby's so I brought back your favorite."

"Oh a Turkey and Swiss! You remembered! Thanks Mom! "

I love Arby's Turkey and Swiss only it tasted so much better than I remembered. I wondered about that and then realized that girls have a much better sense of smell than boys. Much about tasting food is also how it smells so better smelling means better tasting.

Hailey came over and took me away from the other girls to chat.

"How are you doing, really Dee Jay?"

"I'm doing well! I'm very comfortable with my body and I seem to be doing the routines even better now than before."

"Are you okay with all this?"

"Yes I am. I know part of that is the spell and I'll have to wait 'til after new moon to know for sure if I were really a transgirl and born to this or not. I'm a great mimic and what I'm learning now will let me continue coping when the "Training Wheels" are gone. I just might need to actually ask questions then. Right now I can just recall the information, but it will be gone then."

"I am glad things are okay for you so far. I made good on my promise. I built into the spell a back door that I can use by myself to end the spell early. The only catch is that it's the same ending conditions as the full spell so like it you'd be a girl if you started out a transgirl and a boy otherwise."

"That's what I expected. Hailey, it may tell you more by me saying that if you want to address the real me then call me Denise because right at this moment she's the only reality that I have. Dee Jay's life feels like someone else lived it and it takes a lot of faith to believe he was ever real."

"How are you adjusting to being a cheerleader? Bet you got the full treatment today with the status and admiration in your cheerleader outfit in class today."

"It's been different and the attention has been at times disturbing. I think that's why I liked being Amy because I could do such good work for the school but personally stay out of the limelight. Now it's a different responsibility. Those around take more from me but give more in return. I already know that I would not trade being a cheerleader for anything except to go back to being Amy. But that's not my place right now and I am needed to be a cheerleader to help the school so I am one. You know?"

"Yes, I know. Each of us have to make the same trade offs since this service intrudes on our personal space but I'm glad that you are willing to make the same choice that the rest of us have that it is worth it."

"It is most certainly worth it. I guess it's time to go to the field and start cheering! Woo Hoo!"

"You go girl! ARMYdillos Assemble! Time to start cheering!"

We all gathered around Hailey as we had Jenna before her to go cheer. It was a little strange that I was in the cheerleader uniform and Chelsea was Amy but that's the way things were right now. We all went to go cheer at the baseball game.

I daydreamed about Richard. Even though I had only just met him, there was something very familiar about him that I could not put my finger on. It was as though if I had only one more piece of the puzzle that it would all fall into place but without that one piece it was hopeless.

I managed to get out and talk to Veronica before the game by herself. I had also managed to slip one of the crystals out and tuck it in my bra without encountering anyone else. We talked and agreed that I would attend Temple on Saturday with her and her family so I would see what it was like. Even with the events going on that Momma had planned for Saturday, I knew that she would make sure she allowed time for those who wanted to go to services to do so. She was just like that, embracing all faiths and their right to practice their religion where and when they felt led to do so.

When I was out of sight of Veronica, I looked at the stone and it had turned black. No wonder she was such a poor Wiccan! She, herself, was under the influence of a powerful force that was used for evil. I wonder how Veronica would react when she was free again to act of her own accord.

That meant that I had tested everyone including Hailey. All the stones had turned black. Rebecca was certain that it didn't come from Hailey already so it could be any one of them. The crystals had revealed "The Club" as an even greater threat but were useless in fingering the one behind it.

Hailey decided that we really needed to get the crowd enthusiastic. From watching practice, I had a pretty good idea what Richard could do pitching and the Baseball ARMYdillos who took the field today would be as different from the team that squeaked out the opener like night and day. We all picked up our megaphones because this was a responsive cheer that the crowd answered us. First time through, Hailey led the cheer and used her megaphone alone and we echoed.

"Heidi Hay! Hit It

Heidi Hay Heidi ho!

Heidi Hay Heidi ho!

Wooly woodly Wily Whoa!

Wooly woodly Wily Whoa!

Lift your heads and hold them high!

Lift your heads and hold them high!

ARMYdillos passing by

ARMYdillos passing by"

We all joined in with Hailey on our megaphones as we repeated what came before and the croud rocked the stands and echoed us! It was sure different being one of the cheerleader's in the short skirt and tank top than it was as Amy. I was out there for all to see and part of me just loved it especially when Richard had his attention on just me!

"Heidi Hay Heidi ho!

Heidi Hay Heidi ho!

Wooly woodly Wily Whoa!

Wooly woodly Wily Whoa!

Lift your heads and hold them high!

Lift your heads and hold them high!

ARMYdillos passing by!

ARMYdillos passing by!"

Sound off!

ARMYdillos!

Hit it again!

ARMYdillos!

Rip it apart!

Aye

Arr"

Emm

Wye

Dee

Eye

El

El

Oh!

Es!

Yeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaah! ARMYdillos!

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

We were jumping up and down and shaking our pom poms in the air and we all ended up by all of us doing a split at the same time, except Chelsea as Amy! We were trying to work on it so that she could duplicate my feat of performing a split in the costume. It was so cool and the crowd loved it!

The crowd was on fire and the baseball game was sensational because Richard was extraordinary! Richard pitched a perfect game for the ARMYdillos and hit three home runs, one of which was a grand slam. The final score was 11-0

I was so proud of Richard and it looked like the predictions that we could win state were not all that far fetched after all. He walked off the field after throwing the last pitch in the perfect game and straight into my arms. I had the perfect excuse to give him all the attention that I had wanted to give him earlier. I did that and more and both Richard and I were very pleased with what transpired

However, both our mothers came by to break up our little PDA.

"Young lady, it is a school night! Go hit the showers! We're going home ASAP"

"Yes, Coach!"

"You too Richard!"

"Yes Mom!"

Before I could get my lip stuck too far out pouting, Mom had me wrapped up in a hug. I saw that Jennifer was hugging her son as well.

"Oh Sweetie, you danced like a star tonight! I'm proud of you!" And she whispered, "Remember."

I wrapped my arms around her hand squeezed. I did remember that the sooner that I got home the sooner that the four of us would be out of prying eyes and able to discuss today. I think that Richard must have gotten the same prompt because he was off like a deer for the showers.

"Thanks Mom!"

I turned and exited quickly for the showers myself. I had to be home quickly before Jennifer and Richard arrived to compare notes. I wanted to change into something a bit racier than the outfit I had in my locker to put on when I finished my shower.

Before we knew it, the five of us were in our living room. I think that they on purpose had Mom and I on the couch sitting across from Jennifer and Richard on the love seat. Alicia took the chair in between the couch and the love seat. They did not trust us not to make out and they were right!

I began, "The consortium which was offering the scholarship to Dee Jay before has blown my cover since Star inadvertently duplicated test results they gave to Dee Jay that Denise could not have taken. The good news is that they made my identity secure from further hacking and will keep my secret in return for the chance for me to finish their scholarship testing after the month is over.

Jenifer continued, "Denise informed me and I verified that they are on the up and up. While they seem to have little experience in the supernatural, they have a way of making things happen in the mundane world and should be a good ally. Denise should be able to learn things about them with the interaction that she might not have been able to learn otherwise. She will be able to make a more informed decision regarding any offer they make."

"Thanks, Jennifer. The other news of the day is with the detection crystals I have six black crystals out of the seven provided. It leaves only Jenna to not turn a crystal black yet and Rebecca was sure that Hailey was not the source of the evil but she was tainted like the rest. That makes them kinda useless except to let us know this is a lot worse than we thought."

"Not entirely Denise, We need to go ahead and try to identify Jenna with the crystal . Since all of the circle is tainted then the last crystal could identify any one who they add to their circle to take Jenna's place. The ones that you have turned can also serve another purpose. If you have any girls at school who you are close to you should check to see if they are untainted. If untainted it should turn the crystal back clear or in some cases a brilliant white. If it doesn't turn then it might not be activated so you'd have to try a clear crystal to confirm someone is tainted."

"That is useful, Alicia. Thanks! I should check Fran and Julie since they have become friends and of course Ariel who is the consortium connection."

"That is a good idea, Sweetie. Anything else today?"

"Guess that is all except that Richard and I are officially an item at the school and I tried to reinforce that after the game tonight."

"I really enjoyed the attention but Denise, I feel we should just do the acting instead of slipping into a relationship for real. Part of what you are feeling now is due to the spell and I would like to be sure it's really you and not the spell behind it. We can still have fun, just within limits, okay?"

"Okay, Richard. You are right but geeze you sound like my mother right now and I would rather you sound like my boyfriend!"

"That's okay Richard! What Denise needs now is a coach and it's curfew young lady. Say good night to all the nice people and go to bed please."

"Yes Coach!" I went around and gave Alicia and Jennifer a hug and a chaste kiss on Richard's cheek.

"Good night All!"

I went around to Mom and wrapped her up in a bear hug and kissed her cheek.

"I love you Mom!"

"I love you too, Kiddo. I'll be up to tuck you in after our guests leave."

"Thanks!"

I turned and went upstairs to bed. I had the best Mom that a daughter could ever want. I got ready for bed and true to her word, Mom tucked me in. I drifted off to sleep without a care in the world because I have faith in her.

Dance, Dance, Dance

Full Moon

Chapter Six - Always Darkest

By Jo Dora Webster

Will Fran and Julie help when they learn the truth about Denise?

Chapter Six - Always Darkest

[Thursday Day Five of the Enchantment]

When I woke earlier than the alarm, I found that "The Recliner", the one that Momma always pulled into my room when she was worried about me was there. She herself wasn't there but by the covers and pillows on the recliner, it was clear that she spent a lot of the night watching over me. The fragrance in the room was amazing with the herbs and rose petals scattered about, the candles which must have been new when they started which were now burning low. The remnants of essential oils beckoned as my room had become a fragrant feast. Soon after Momma returned and got back into the recliner, but upon seeing me awake and sitting up in bed, she arranged the covers that she got back into on her lap and raised the recliner to it's full and upright position.

"Good Morning, Kiddo! I hope that my getting up didn't wake you. How did you sleep?"

"Like a baby, Momma! What's all this?"

"I thought that it would be a nice precaution to take. Sometimes the dreams of the unprepared are intruded upon by a great evil like the one that you intruded upon yesterday by revealing it's agents."

"I thought that Rebecca had put wards in place so that the evil couldn't spell me."

"That she did sweetie, and they are holding just fine. However there is the one thing that we can't overlook now that we realize just how powerful it is to not just use but possess all those girls in the circle."

"And what is that, Momma?"

"The Evil only has six girls to prey upon to work it's way upon this plane, but is used to having seven. The distance that Jenna's Mom put between her and "The Club" has saved her and removed her from its immediate influence. In the end in order to put this to rest, she will need the evil's touch removed from her as will all the girls in its clutches."

"Rebecca acted as the seventh in the circle that created me but she kept the evil from making me a permanent girl by removing the factors that would have compelled me to become pregnant. I guess that by being protected by the wards and keeping myself pure, I'm not the vessel that the evil could have easily possessed like Kendra was when she was made. She was transgender so she became a permanent girl after the month was through.";

"As a cheerleader and spiritual sister to the girls, and as one who has eluded its easy grasp, it still wants you and needs someone to bring its power up to full strength again. What it could not get by your physical acts, it could possess you by your subconscious desires which are free to invade when you enter the dream plane. If it is able to subvert that subconscious avatar then it could possess the real you and bypass the wards in place to protect you. Under it's influence you would be directed to do what it took for you to remain a female vessel under its control."

"So that's why all this is in place. To protect me while I dreamed and was still vulnerable to the evil. Thank you Momma! It must have realized when I was made with all of the evil purpose countermanded that it wasn't going to be likely that I would fall to it."

"That's why we need to be looking out for a new member of the circle. Rebecca took it unaware and vulnerable. It's human agent had a real stake in converting you so you could compete with the girls so that great desire made the evil use what was available which was Rebecca even though it did not control her. It wont want to be weakened by that for long so it will seek out someone who's desires and links with the other girls make her a fit for the seventh girl."

"How are we to know that short of witnessing another circle formed with a new seventh girl among them?"

"Have faith in providence to provide the chance to detect her. Goddess is greatly amused by coincidence and could bring fortune our way if we stay true."

"How long will my dreams have to be guarded?"

"Till the evil is banished from this plane or is vanquished. We were fortunate that your first days were of dreamless sleep from your newly embodied spirit needing time to restore a balance to your mind and body interaction. Your spirit has accepted your new body and now it is able to allow you to enter the dream plane. How did you see yourself in your dreams, sweetie?"

"I saw myself as a young woman like I am now instead of as the boy I used to be."

"So now you can dream freely, and the evil could attack you without this protection, We really should not have counted on the transformation to disrupt your dreaming and should have been protecting you in this way since the Evil was revealed. We are fortunate that all is well."

"Momma you all have been really great and this is the kind of thing that no one could have been prepared prior to it being revealed. I’m just glad that you are on my side and that you have such wonderful friends who out of the blue have come back into your life at the time you and I need them the most."

"Thanks Kiddo! You are my world and even though I must let you be free to make your own way, I'll do my best to protect you in any way that I can. I love you, sweetie!"

"I love you too Momma!"

"Unfortunately, I can't prevent you from enduring some things but I can be there for you to help you through them."

"Why are you sounding like something like that is coming up all of a sudden? What's going on Momma? Is everything okay? The Evil didn't sneak in when we weren't expecting it, did it?"

"You've got a clean slate of magical health, Kiddo. It's just that in the documents that even the unknown Ultra Hackers came up for you did not include a sports physical. I'm afraid it's not the kind of document that can be faked easily so they went for a general statement of good health for you without supplying the specifics that could trip things up. I'm afraid that you are going to have to have your first physical as a girl including a full gynecological work up in order for you to continue in the Cheerleader program and be eligible to be in the competition. I've got an appointment for us scheduled this morning."

"Well it can't be that bad, Momma! You survived your share of them since you were a girl and so going through just one can't be that bad. At least it's going to happen before the new moon so I'll still have the training wheels to help me too!"

"That's the spirit, Kiddo! I'm taking you to see my gynecologist, Dr Glenda Moore, for this and she's a real gem and will get you through the experience with the minimum of discomfort. And I'll be there to hold your hand through it. It's a bit unusual for a girl your age but there are no records of a complete physical in your portfolio. Of course with the fictional upheaval that kept you away from home so long after your father's death, it's understandable that even if such a thing occurred the records might have been lost. So for all practical purposes this will be treated as your first exam and I have every right to be there with you to help you through it and comfort you."

"Thanks for being here for me, Momma when ever I need you!"

"You are welcome sweetheart! I'll sign you out after your first period class so meet me at the office after first period. If all goes well we should be through in time to have a nice lunch together then sign you back in for your afternoon classes."

"That sounds great, Momma. I'll meet you in the office after first period."

"What did you have planned for after school?. I was just wondering if I should stay to pick you up to bring you home after cheerleader practice."

"I want to wrangle an invitation to go over to Chelsea and Hailey's house after school to spend the afternoon. Who knows, with two of "The Club" there perhaps I might even run into the new seventh member of the club while I'm there and then we'll know at least what the entire situation is before the next phase of actually trying to banish the evil from the girls."

"Sound like a good plan, Kiddo! Make sure that you let me know for sure that you are going and also if you need to extend it to over supper or into the evening."

"I will Momma!"

"Well I guess we both are up so I'll go get on with my morning routine and leave you to yours. I hope you have a great day, Kiddo!"

"I hope you do too, Momma"

Momma was out and left me with a chance to think over what she had said. I was glad that there was no game today so I wouldn't be on display and stand out so much in my cheerleader outfit. I'd have to put some thought into what I would wear since I wanted to fit in but didn't want to look like a Quaker girl either. I had one reprieve in that I would just have to bring the outfit along since I would be dressing for the activity that Momma had planned for us before school today.

I went to my bathroom and stripped out of my nightgown and panties and got into the shower having first protected my hair so that it wouldn't get wet. Once I was completely clean I rinsed off and the left the shower wrapping my self in a towel and then taking care of all of my morning routine. I could tell all through it all that there was a bit of noise going on in my bedroom but I thought nothing of it. I imagined that either Alicia or Momma was busy with something out there.

But when I was ready to leave the bathroom and go out into my room to get dressed, I cautiously peeked out to see if the coast was clear. I threw the door open amazed at the transformation that the room had undergone! Gone were all the reminders of the ritual that had gone on last night as though it never happened.

But even more amazing was that in the alcove, where I'd never had anything in that space, was now a seating area with the recliner on one of the walls leading to my east facing window with its window seat and on the other wall was a brand new flat screen TV hanging up there. The recliner had been covered in a new slip cover that had a pattern that had been taken up by the wallpaper which had appeared on the walls of the alcove when I was transformed. It was just perfect! Now the recliner could stay in my room and not look out of place ready to be used by someone to watch over me every night as I slept! I was so blessed to have all this help when I needed it most!

~~~(***/::|::***)~~~

Momma gathered the girls together and took us in the van to the site for the Gymnastics lesson. All of us were already good all around gymnast. We had to be to do some of the Dance tricks in our routines. This training was to home our gymnastic skills in the individual exercises. That increased skill level would help us in our routines.

I loved Gymnastics even more now that I could more easily do all of the skills for girls with my female body and new center of gravity. There were a good representation of girls from the other schools too that we got to meet with and socialize. As soon as we warmed up, we divided up randomly into 2 teams. The instructors scored us as the competition judges.

We all thought that what we would be doing was Floor Exercise since that is what most of our tumbling runs consisted of tricks from. Another one we thought for sure would be the Vault horse since we all did vaults in our routines.

"I'm sure you are curious on how we are going to conduct the competition. We want you to stretch yourselves and we don't have time today to do all 4 events. What we will be doing is having each team doing the Balance Beam or Uneven Bars and then we'll switch. Besides the coaching that we give you on how to conduct each event, you may rely on coaching from your teammates as well. For this competition only the team scores will count toward the overall winner. Let's go girls!"

We were on the Balance Beam first and we had a red arm band and the other team had a green arm band. The coaches worked with each of us individually as well as using other students who had been taking gymnastics to demonstrate the skills involved. With my mimicking ability plus my ability to be creative, I had put together a good basic routine just as we were taught. However, I added a couple of tricks that I had mimicked from the individual gold medal winner in the last Olympics.

"Who would like to go first?"

"I will!"

"Okay Denise you can go first."

I broke the ice with my routine. I felt pretty good about the basic routine and the tricks that I had added. Since this was not about the individual scores, they did not reveal my score or any of the others who came after me. I found myself in demand as the girls asked me how to do some of the tricks of the routine we had been taught. We made extensive use of the practice beam near floor level as our teammates each took their turns.

"Go Blue Go!"

when I wasn't coaching, I joined my team mates as they encouraged each before beginning their routine. I also could not help but look at the other team competing on the Uneven bars. I could not wait to try flying like that. Some of the girls were really good!

Finally we finished and so did the green team on theirs so we swapped and repeated the process. Our blue team girls had gotten such a lift from their good routines on the balance beam that the confidence overflowed on to the training we each took on the Uneven Bars. I did the same here with going first and adding some tricks I had mimicked from Olympians. My good run gave confidence to the rest of the girls and we repeated our success from the previous event. Finally both teams were through and we sat on the mats in our teams to hear the results.

"First I would like to congratulate you girls on your great effort. There are several of you on both teams who might consider adding gymnastics as a sport. There are college scholarships to consider as well as the Olympics. Now to the results. On the Balance Beam, The Green Team, 81 and the Blue team, 99. On the Uneven bars The Green Team, 97 and the Blue team 105. The Overall winner is the Blue team with 204 points."

Each of the girls on the blue team congratulated each other as well as gathering for a big group hug. The Green team consoled each other but it was clear that they had a great team as well.

Chelsea who was still wearing her blue arm band gave me a big hug. "I know that you are the reason why we won. We were good but you are great, Denise. I am so glad that you are on our team. Hey, do you want to come over after practice?"

"That would be great, Chelsea. You're my girl and I love hanging with you!"

"You know it girl! Hey here comes Coach and the bus, guess we are off to L.I.!"

Once we all loaded into the Minivan it was not long before Momma made it to the front of Lamur Institute. Chelsea and I walked together since we were headed to the same homeroom. We made it to the hall outside homeroom where I saw Fran and Julie just going into the restroom. I excused myself from Chelsea and followed them in. Upon being finished in the stalls the three of us primped in front of the mirror. I palmed one of the black crystals in each hand and touched both girls on the shoulder.

"I am so glad you girls are my friends, being a cheerleader is nice but you two girls are genuine and I really love you both for that."

"I love you too, Girlfriend. I'm glad you came to LI."

"Me too. Never a dull moment with you around, Denise. Guess we had better get to home room before we get counted tardy."

"We filed out of the ladies room and into home room. I was able to check the crystals and they had both turned white. It appeared my assessment of them was correct. Now all I had to do was to call Momma and set things into motion. I always looked forward to first period but now even more with no Chelsea and having Miss Ariel for a teacher. When the bell rang for homeroom to end, I excused myself back to the restroom where I pulled out my cell and called Momma

"Momma, I tested both Fran and Julie. They both came back clear. I really would like for you to get them to help me."

"I agree that you can use some more help, especially for after the cheer-leading competition. I'll set things in motion and let you know when I sign you out for your doctor's appointment. See you in an hour. Have a good class, Kiddo!"

"Bye, Momma."

I hung up the phone and left the restroom and arrived in Miss Ariel's Algebra class for first period. The bell rang after I sat down and class was in session. I smiled at Fran and Julie. They had no idea what was ahead of them. I could not help but hope that since Fran had a crush on Deej that she would help me when she found out who I was. And Julie would help Fran help me. Ordinarily time seemed to whiz by in Algebra and today was no exception. Too soon for my tastes since my next stop would include a gynecological exam. Eww!

Just before the bell it was announced over the intercom, "Denise Russell, please report to the office." By now everyone knew that my Momma was on staff so my classmates didn't make any fuss. I picked up my things and purse and was just out of the doorway when the bell rang indicating class change, so I left it open.

I arrived at the office where the receptionist waved me through to Headmistress Lacon's office. I entered through the open door and saw Momma seated in one of the chairs in front of her desk and I sat down in the other.

"Your Mother, explained to me that with Hailey graduating and you being eligible for a scholarship that may take you away from us for next year, we may need to replace two cheerleaders for next year. I've approved her plans to do cheerleader tryouts and increase the cheer-leading team temporarily to a total of seven including Amy."

"The Headmistress also voiced to me her concerns which had been going on for a while now that her daughter, Star had been taken over by an evil force. After finding out that she was aware of quite a few supernatural things happening in Lamur, GA, I explained about our discovery concerning 'The Club' being powered by 'The Evil' and that Star is part of 'The Club'.

"Denise, or as I now know, Dexter, I admire your dedication to Lamur Institute which led you to become involved and also that you want to free Star and the rest of your friends from this 'Evil' which has taken over. I told your mother that you all should get in contact with the Headmistress of Lamur Preparatory, Captain Celia Love, USAF. She has a connection to the supernatural herself and she may be helpful to you. Denise, please do your best to save my daughter, Star!"

"I will Headmistress. What about helping Fran and Julie shine at the tryouts?"

"The Headmistress has agreed for us to be able to recruit Fran and Julie to help you help Star and the other girls. Since I won't have any choice about who makes the team next year and won't be the coach, it is my prerogative to proceed with the fiction of a tryout after the competition. I am to make it clear that my choices are just for this year and that they should continue to train for the real tryouts for next year which will be held by the new coach.

"I'll get Francine and Juliet out of their class when you both return to campus and send them for a meeting in your office, Coach. My dear, I don't envy you on your way to your first gynecology exam. Hopefully soon Star and the others will be free and this will be all over. Dismissed."