Synopsis:

Scott was on his way west to meet up with his friends to start a new life in L A. What he came across in the desert after his car broke down would change him forever. He wondered if his friends would recognise him once they finally met again. He didn’t think this was what his friend’s intended when they said, "start a new life."

Chapter Thirty-One

Kim's bluntness, stunned everyone, and made it clear that the stakes were high for everyone, including the Shelke.

"We have started at the hospitals inoculating newborns with the nanite Krin. We also started giving older children the same treatment, wherever we could justify giving them a needle." Kim broke the tension, left by her earlier words.

"We have to win," came a voice, and in that instant, time seemed to freeze for Sara, as her panicked mind raced, realising that Maggie had seen all of that graphic scene. Even knowing she wasn't what she seemed, that is, just a normal 6 year old girl, having her witness that would destroy the innocence that was the kitten. Sara's heart thudded as she turned to look behind her, where she had last seen Maggie. She expected to see a very traumatised little girl, sitting in the seat behind her. 'Damn, she should have sent her out of the room, had she not been wholly occupied,' she thought regretfully. Instead of seeing a forlorn form needing a cuddle, there sat Maggie the adult, still holding on to her baby.

It was she who had spoken, and had triggered Sara's mind about Maggie. Maggie looked at Sara's face and saw the concern written on her face.

"Don't worry, she didn't see that," Maggie whispered to her, as she held up her Krin adorned wrist.

Sara didn't need to be told who 'she,' was, and marvelled at the complexity of Maggie's twin personas. Obviously the Kitten had used the Krin, or that the part of her, that was the adult, had.

"I had to protect her from seeing that," explained Maggie, with Sara nodding understandingly.

Sara got up and went and hugged Maggie, not caring whether she was young or adult, she need love in both forms, and Sara was determined to see she got all she could give. The others having heard Maggie were not slow in joining in on the hug. Sara gave her up to the others, seeking Kevin for a hug as well.

"We will win," Kevin reassured her, as he poured his love into a kiss for his soul mate.

Kim seeing the way each were comforting the others, smiled. There had been some doubt at first whether this race could or should be saved. She knew mankind was capable of terrible destruction in its blind search for personal gain and power, but it was also capable of doing noble things and making sacrifices for the good of others. She hoped that mankind would eventually join the other galactic communities, adding their own uniqueness to the rest of the sentient civilisations.

"I do have a few other things to tell you before I leave," Kim interrupted.

Everyone went back to their seats, looking expectantly at Kim. She could see that they hoped it wouldn't be any more bad news, as they shifted nervously in their seats.

"I have brought your mobile salon with me," she said, smiling at Carolyn and Tyrone. It's in its other guise at the moment," she added, as the new owners started to rush outside to see it.

Everyone trooped out, with Kevin bringing the laptop along so Julie and William wouldn't miss out on the inspection tour. The car in the driveway was a yellow Camaro, sporting front and rear spoilers and mag wheels. There was an air scoop in the hood, behind which, showed the chrome barrels of the carburettor, and when Tyrone started it up and revved it slightly, the throaty roar of a V8 motor, broke the morning peace, making the chassis twist in response to the torque developed by the big motor.

Tyrone drooled as he exited the muscle car; hearing the twin exhausts burbling as the engine idled.

"That's some car, but it's a mite small to do hair in," he joked.

Kim got in and showed them the all-important knob. Getting everyone to stand well clear, she activated the change that would produce the RV. The sudden transformation, as the Camaro expanded into the new RV, caught Carolyn and Tyrone by surprise. Even though they knew about the ability, of the Shelke technology, seeing it actually happening, was breath taking.

"Wow!" they cried in unison, as they walked around the outside of their own piece of heaven. Climbing inside caused more gasps and a few questions. Inside, showed an interior similar to the RV that Sara and Kevin owned, with one double bed, one bunk over the cab with wardrobes and shower, along with the bathroom and toilet.

"It looks great, but where's the equipment for the salon business?" asked Tyrone, as he looked in some cupboards.

"This is the living mode, not the working mode," Kim explained just press this," Kim said, showing them a small button inside a small flap on the wall.

Tyrone offered Carolyn the pleasure of doing that, which was readily accepted. On activation, the insides changed, as did Carolyn and Tyrone's clothes. Looking at the equipment that appeared, they didn't notice that they were wearing a pink uniform, similar to those worn in salons everywhere. Carolyn chuckled when she turned and saw what Tyrone was wearing.

"I can't seem to keep you out of skirts and heels for long, can I dear?" she teased as Tyrone plucked at his skirted uniform, trying to get a look at his nylon-clad legs.

The others crowded in, taking in the view of the four reclinable seats with individual height adjustment. The seats swivelled around, and were held in a slot in the floor allowing them to reach a hair washing bowl on one side, to be slid across to four hair drying hoods fitted on the other side the walls were mirrored, allowing the clients to see themselves from all sides. Every conceivable item relating to the hair business was provided, including shampoos, conditioners, and hair dyes. Tyrone picked up an item in curiosity. It had a handle with a cord on it and a sliver barrel that had a metal curved piece the fitted to the curve of the barrel and way able to be opened like a lopsided pair of tongs. As he touched it, he knew instantly what it was, even though moments before, he'd had no clue. It was an electric curling wand. Tyrone knew exactly how to use it to its best advantage, even though it was the first he'd seen.

"You're surprised at knowing what to do with that," Kim guessed seeing the expression on his face. "It’s the programming we gave you, along with the diploma's on the wall. Tyrone belatedly took in the four diplomas on the rear wall. Two were for advanced hair design for the two of them, plus one each for makeup and beauty products. He noted that Tyrissa was the name on two of the diplomas; there were also photos of them both looking extremely feminine in close company with several famous movie stars. Obviously, the Shelke had thought of everything.

Carolyn had walked through a curtained area at the front end of the salon where two more seats were arranged in front of a vast array of make up products. She looked into the mirror there and saw that her uniform had CT Styling on the left breast; only the spelling was Cee Tee. Underneath was her name. CT...Carolyn and Tyrissa. She laughed, seeing that CT could also sound like city.

Tyrone had also spotted that, while looking at himself in the mirror. He didn't look like a he, although by a furtive check below, he knew that the lady in the mirror was definitely a male. Although the figure in the mirror showed a feminine silhouette with a narrow waist and curves in the other places, he didn't feel uncomfortable from the corset he was obviously wearing. Ignoring the others that were admiring everything, he unzipped the uniform and let it drop to the floor, leaving him standing in just lingerie.

"Oh my," he gasped as he took in the view of his near naked body, ignoring the giggles from the others. "I have a woman's body," he gasped as he ran his hands over the naked skin of his waist. He wasn't wearing a corset, only panties and a garter belt, to which his stockings were fastened and a bra that cupped almost C cup breasts.

"Like the corset?" asked Kim with a smirk on her face.

"What corset?" replied Tyrone, looking puzzled at Kim.

"It's in stealth mode," Kim explained, handing him a ring. "Turn the gem around."

Tyrone slid the ring onto his hand then rotated the ruby like gem on it. The skin that looked naked from his hips to his breasts disappeared from view, as a white silky material appeared around him. It was seamless with no obvious fastenings or tightening laces.

"The ring controls the corsets shaping power, and whether its visible or not. Pressing on the edges of the gem control the degree of shape in the waist hip or breast, pressing it in the middle releases it altogether." Kim demonstrated, giving Tyrone a wasp waist that looked incredible. "Just make sure you pull it up to your nipples when u put it on. It controls the shape of your breasts, so that the bra can be taken off. In invisible mode, you could walk topless and appear to have normal breasts, just like any other woman." Kim added.

"That will be great when Tyrone's shopping for bras, going topless, while he tries them on, if he looks this good," Carolyn teased, tweaking one of his rounded globes.

"HEY!" protested Tyrone protecting his breasts from further spousal attack. "What's good for the goose is good for the goose," he said, adapting the saying for the current circumstances. He mock lunged for Carolyn's own breasts, missing, but not seeming to be mind, as she danced out of range.

Kim caught their attention, as she showed them a secret drawer that contained about twenty Krin. Tyrone turned serious as he mentioned the risk of carrying such a valuable cargo.

"What if they get stolen, or we pick someone that's not honest and we end up with the police or the FBI on our necks."

Kim asked Tyrone and Carolyn to place their hand on the spot where Kim had made the drawer appear.

"Now it's keyed to you, and won't open for anyone else, as for the other, I suggest you use these," she said, handing them a pair of feminine styled sunglasses. "To check each person for the veracity of their claims." Kim explained that these glasses would allow them to hypnotise the most strongest will.

"They look a little too fem for me," suggested Tyrone, as he tried a pair on.

Wear them as Tyrissa and when you change back to Tyrone, they will look more masculine," Kim explained, grinning at the incongruity of seeing Tyrone all dolled up, complaining of something being too fem.

Sara realised that they hadn't worn the pair of glasses that they had found, during a transition from female to male. She mentally kicked herself, for a moment, before realising that she had just been careful not to lose the only pair they had at the time, and didn't want to damage them by experimenting with them. Sara made a mental note to ask Kim for a pair for Kevin.

"What about break-ins, can they be jimmied open or cut in from the outside? Persisted Tyrone, determined to make sure every thing was done to protect the cargo.

"The RV is invulnerable to attack. It's made of the same material as our spacecraft. plus there's an Null Zone protecting the skin from projectile weapons. Kim explained. Before the question, "what's a Null Zone?" She explained. "It's a thin barrier that's activated when an object tries to penetrate the skin. It's designed to operate at a pressure just short of scratching the surface. We use the same thing against meteorite hits in space. What happens is that the moment anything exerts enough pressure to mar the surface, its sent into a Null Zone, similar to the zone where we store all our bodies and cars. It's a stasis field with a dimensional rift that sends meteorites, missiles or whatever into."

"Hey wake me up somebody," Tyrone cried, slapping his face. "I've fallen asleep and dreaming I'm in a Star Trek, James Bond, and the Twilight Zone fantasy.

Everyone giggled.

Kim showed them a laptop that was similar to the one Kevin was holding, and explained the functions. It could communicate both with Sara or Julie as well as Kim if she wanted. In addition, it would be used to chat to their new customers on the net. The software that was used for Tyrissa's body modification was also loaded, and ready to go. Both Carolyn and Tyrone were in a daze, after being given the 50 cent tour of the RV and shown all the gizmo's and special features. Kim got serious for a moment, handing them a list of the most urgent cases that they'd have to deal with first. Tyrone read the list, nodding his head in approval. He could see they were in for a long journey, but one with rewards, if they could give these souls peace, as they repaired or transformed their bodies, like they themselves had been.

"I think we'll start with Cathy_t first," Tyrone said, looking at the list, "Then work our way into Canada to Rikki b, and the others there, before coming south again. Jenna and Cathleen aren't as urgent, but I know some that are suffering from cancer, or other life threatening diseases that need to be seen first," Tyrone added, wiping a tear from his eye, as he thought about his chat friends. Carolyn hugged him and dabbed away his tears, knowing how much his online friends meant to him.

"What about those in other countries?" Tyrone asked, gaining his composure again, as he thought of another Sara in the UK.

"Once you start your work, and the word starts to spread, we can send more mobile units like this one, to all countries. They will have other Shelke driving them, but we should be able to reach everyone within a month," Kim explained.

Tyrone could imagine the upheaval in the TG community, as people started to live the life they'd only dreamed of up till now. He wished he could see each face as each one realised their dream. Kim's next words brought more tears to his face.

"What we can do, is have you there in a conference mode on the laptop. Having a known person, who has been through the process, will allay doubts, and be a reassurance for the subject. You will also get to see the finished product," Kim suggested, having sensed Tyrone's need to do just that.

Tyrone hugged Kim tight, not caring if anyone saw the tears. The others gathered round, making it a group hug, as they realised this was the beginning of something momentous for the transgendered of the world.

To be continued.

  

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 © 2005 by Prudence Walker. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, and compilation design) may be printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without the express written consent of the copyright holder.