After hiding in a mummy's case, Bob undergoes physical and mental changes. Are they a curse or a blessing? And do they help in the quest to defeat an ancient threat that's fast approaching earth? A prophesy from the time of the pyramid building now has the world in fear. A search for an alien artifact that is crucial for the world's survival is now in the hands of Bob. Is he man enough for the challenge?

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Editor Note: This Story was originally posted on BigCloset Classic on Saturday, October 19, 2002 - 02:10 am and transferred to BigCloset TopShelf on Sunday, 10-04-2009 2:49 pm for everyone to continue to enjoy. ~ Sephrena

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Viewing Note: This story should be viewed with the Papyrus font installed on your Windows platform in the c:/Windows/Fonts directory. Microsoft Word installs this font automatically.
 

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The Legal Stuff: The Maiden's Curse  © 2001 Prudence Walker
 
All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, logos, compilation design) may printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without express written consent of the copyright holder.
 
The images used for this story are obtained and used under royalty-free license* and fair-use policies from Free Stock Photos, 3D Desktops UK, and from Graphics Hunt.com , and Wallpaperstock.net . Cairo Airport Photograph credited by indiaiphonedownloads.blogspot.com .

 

 
Bob was pissed; his date had failed to show. She had arranged to meet him at the opening of the refurbished museum. They had first met at a bar, only two days prior to the opening. They had seemed to hit it off and Bob had been confident that, this time, he would make a go of it. Now it seemed that his luck with women was running true to form.

Wandering alone in the museum, refusing to fall into his usual despondency, he lost himself in the unfamiliar surroundings. As it was near closing time, there were only a few people about. In frustration, he decided to knock on a door that had a restricted access notice on it, hoping that someone was inside who could re-direct him to an exit.

When no one answered, he tried the handle and was surprised to find it opening freely. He called out, as he entered, but only received silence in return. Feeling somewhat nervous, he walked further into the room examining the exhibits, which seemed to be in some disarray. Possibly this was a workshop where they got the exhibits ready for showing.

Something seemed to be silently calling to him and as he sought the source of that call, he stopped in wonderment, for there in the corner a beautiful woman was standing, motionless. As he moved closer, he realised it was an image on the lid of a mummy case.

She was extraordinarily beautiful. As he gazed on her countenance, he couldn't resist running his hand over the lid's surface, tracing the contours with his fingers. Then, getting the same strange urging as before, he felt compelled to open the lid, which he did--revealing--nothing, it was empty.

Disappointed, he was about to close the lid when he heard footsteps approaching. Panicking, knowing that not only was he trespassing, but also having disturbed the exhibit, he looked for a place to hide. The open mummy case beckoned invitingly, on an impulse, he stepped inside the case, trying to squeeze his body into its almost form fitting lining. Pulling the lid shut, bar a crack for air, he was glad he had a slender build as he only just fit.

The door opened and he heard voices talking.

"Look at this beauty," he heard them say.

"It only arrived yesterday, it was only discovered last week. We were lucky to be the ones to catalogue its unique properties," a different voice spoke.

Bob was silent, hoping they wouldn't open it like he did. Then his blood went cold as he heard one of them say.

"Lets set it back down on this trolley and I'll get one of the guys to bring it into examination room tomorrow. Be careful you don't damage it, or you might be cursed."

Bob heard the man laugh, and he wondered what he meant.

"There's a curse?" came the other voice, sounding worried.

"Well, I don't know much about it, but I heard that when they discovered it, there was some mention of it being capable of changing your body. I wouldn't worry; they probably put their own interpretation on the inscriptions. Doesn't every mummy case have tales of curses associated with them?"

Bob had no time to dwell on the implications of a curse as he felt the case tilt backwards and with an ominous click, he heard the lid shut as the weight settled fully on his tenuous grip. The voices of the people outside became muffled. While he debated if he should call out, or wait before trying to extricate himself out of this self-imposed prison, he realised that it was too late--the men had already left.

Bob found that he was trapped, he couldn't find any release on the inside, obviously, there being no need for one for the last occupant. The confining space left little leverage available for him to be able to force it open. Already it was clear he was starting to starve for oxygen, as his lungs started labouring.

Slowly, as his oxygen starved brain started to fade, he grew aware of a voice calling him, a woman's voice. He sensed it more than heard it and, while he concentrated on it, his panic seemed to fade as he lapsed into unconsciousness. His last rational thought was wondering if this was the ghost of the original occupant finally calling to him to join her.
 

 
He awoke, wondering where, and after gazing around, when he was. The shadow from the half built pyramid sheltered his body from the late afternoon sun, which cast its slanting rays across the burning desert; told him he wasn't in Kansas anymore.

He was walking, no that was wrong, she was walking ... SHE? ...Yes, incredible as it was, he seemed to be in a woman's body. No, that wasn't quite right, it was as if he was a passenger in her mind. He could see, hear, and feel her body as if it were his own, but he had no physical control over it.

She was speaking in a foreign language, but not being particularly academic he couldn't say which one it was, but assumed it was Arabic. The other odd thing he noticed was that there seemed to be a pause between her thinking and speaking, as if she too, was speaking in a foreign tongue and was translating her thoughts into words as she went.

He could just pick up a minute amount of her thoughts and it was clear that it wasn't an earth language of any era. Her next words confirmed this as he listened in.

"But Krith, we didn't come all this way from Omicron IV just to fail now, we need to activate plan Chronus."

"I know Aglsha, we took a chance coming here, unfortunately we only had the one go at it."

"This world is in danger, it's a pity that this is the highest technologically advanced culture available at this time,"

Bob heard the woman say.

"You realise the sacrifice you'll be making, if you go ahead with the plan? It will be many hundreds of years till the technology that sent those signals to us, come to be. Finding a suitable candidate could take even longer, time that can hardly be spared."

"Of course Krith, but hopefully a candidate will come along that fits the criteria, and in the right time frame," he heard Aglsha answer. "Then I will live again if only as a guide."

"Well, if we are going to do it we had better start now before the ship loses all power," replied the man referred to as Krith.

"What will you do after the ship has finished reverting?"

The man sighed, "I guess we'll try and blend in with the natives, lending what help we can. Maybe we can start the process of advancing the knowledge base?"

"The orb? It may be needed in the future and I can't risk having it."

"Don't worry, my daughter, I'll put it in a stasis field. For the future candidate, you'll know its whereabouts and what to do with it. We will have placed the resonators in the pyramids in the exact alignment," he added, looking up at the still to be completed pyramid.

Bob then saw a series of quick scenes of the two of them entering a ravine that was hiding what could be only a spacecraft. Then the scenes flickered rapidly as if being fast-forwarded like a video. One scene showed a machine shining a device at the prone woman; the last was odd, as the only thing in view was the mummy case. It had the exact likeness of the woman, but of the woman herself there was no sign. Bob felt darkness descending again as his senses faded.
 

 
"WHAT THE HELL!" Came a voice. Bob woke; hearing the surprised yell of a museum worker, and found the lid had been opened. A man was staring at him with a shocked expression and, as Bob moved his body the man blanched, shock stopping him in his tracks at seeing the person in the case move. Bob started to apologise, thinking he was in serious trouble, but stopped in shock at the sound of his own melodious voice, which sounded just like that of the woman in his dream.

As he started to climb out of the mummy case he noticed a few other changes. His shirt was stretched tight across his chest and he could feel what could only be breasts underneath. He swiftly jumped up out of the case noting that as he suspected he was a female beneath his male clothing. The clothing felt uncomfortable and ill fitting on his newly transformed body and he was aware of the stunned reaction of the man standing next to him.

"You're her... I mean...the woman who... on the case...how could..." the man spluttered.

Bob just wanted to get out of there and find out what had happened to his body, so he/she ran to the door pulling it open with a ripping and tearing sound that indicated that it had been locked. Well, no more. It hung drunkenly off it's one remaining hinge as Bob ran though it without pause. S/he was out and running along a corridor before the man in the room had time to even think of stopping her.

As s/he ran, his/her mind was racing. 'How did I damage that door?' S/he thought, 'If I'm a woman now. I shouldn't have been able to do that, not even as a man!' Passing a darkened display case s/he stopped in wonder. 'Now I know why that man was so shocked,' thought Bob. 'I'm the spitting image of the woman on the lid of the mummy's case! How is this possible?'
 

 
Finding his way towards the exit, s/he realised it must be the next day as the morning sun, shone streaming though the museums windows. Bob paused near the unopened main doors and wondered if they were still locked. Suddenly a shout coming from behind galvanised him/her into action as a lean looking security guard came hurrying towards him/her talking into a walkie-talkie.

Bob decided s/he had places to be elsewhere, and took off running. Stiff-arming the solid looking door, s/he was hoping for a repeat of the last time. She was shocked, not only to see it open under his/her impetus, but that it came off completely and went flying several yards away down the steps.

Bob ran like the wind, taking the steps four at a time, leaving the security guard trailing behind in his/her wake. As s/he ran s/he marveled at the strength of this body, s/he was hardly exerting him/herself. Finding the car, s/he unlocked it and got in, squealing the tires in his/her rush to get home.

He glanced at his/her new face in the rear vision mirror, and nearly ran a red light in his/her self-absorption with the face that met his/her gaze. The fine boned features were surrounded with a mass of honey-gold hair that had the odd look of showing reddish highlights as it moved. Clear limpid blue eyes that invited one to drown in were framed with long dark lashes beneath highly arched eyebrows. The lips glistened, as if freshly coated with lipstick. The overall look was mesmerising, and Bob had fallen in love it.
 

 
Arriving home, the first thing Bob decided to do was strip off and examine more closely, this body of his/hers. Standing naked, in front of the mirror Bob was amazed. Of his old body there was no sign. Instead, the girl that greeted his/her scrutiny was gorgeous. Her long legs were perfectly proportioned and showed no sign of the strength that had allowed her to avoid the guard. Looking at her arms and hands, she saw no bruising, yet the strength hidden within was masked under a seemingly normal slender arm.

Looking at herself, having decided to think in terms of her obvious gender, she guessed that everything seemed in proportion. Breasts ample, without being too big and a slender waist over hips that seemed normal, but felt much wider and more padded than he would have imagined. Trying not to look to closely at her new genitalia, she sat on the bed not wanting the distraction, while she thought about how this all had occurred.

The girl in the past had obviously had a major part in her new form, just what the mechanics of it were, she couldn't say, but that ray thing must have been the key. Perhaps it imbued the case with her essence. It was plain that she was unlike anyone else on earth. Maybe she had some sort of super power which allowed her to change form, or at least change another's. With a sudden chill, Bob wondered if she was in fact a sort of parasite, living though others and altering them to a form of her choosing.

Searching her mind Bob could detect no other thoughts than her own. Maybe it had failed. It was a long time ago, hopefully too long. She tried not to feel guilty at that thought, remembering the words from the dream about the world being in danger. Perhaps the danger had passed, but the thought wouldn't go away that, somehow she was failing to avert the danger because somehow the woman, Aglsha had failed to survive whatever the process was that had changed Bob's body into that of hers.

Bob decided that nothing could be done at the moment about her obvious changes. She would have to think of the practicalities.

First, she needed some clothes and a name. 'Bobbi' seemed the obvious choice, but a perverse thought, possibly a memory of the original person, whose body she now wore, made her choose Angela as the modern day equivalent.

Getting up, she went and looked at her clothing to see if anything was adaptable so she could at least go and buy something appropriate. Putting on a clean vest and under pants was first. She shrugged at the look of the pants on her, but wasn't prepared to go out with nothing on underneath. She saw a sweatshirt that, although baggy on her, didn't look too out of place. A pair of shorts was the only thing that would fit. Having a drawstring it could be tightened around her narrowed waist. A pair of leather sandals completed her attire, on which the buckles were tightened to the last notches.

Taking a deep breath, she went back out to the car. She felt nervous, as she knew she was about to try and pass herself off as a woman. This time there was no adrenaline or panic to cloud his mind of the fact that he was in a woman's body, as was the case in her flight from the museum. No, this was the calm deliberate and intentional portrayal of someone that she had no prior experience of, to fall back on. It was scary, and she nervously looked around to see if she was drawing any attention as she got into her car.
 

 
Driving into town she had to stop for fuel. She noticed the attendant at the pumps looking at her, but it was a look that she knew. She should, as she had given that very same look to all of the pretty girls in the past. It was uncomfortable, the mental undressing he was giving her, and it felt embarrassing. The only positive thing about it was, she obviously passed as a woman with full marks.

Finally, she stopped near the centre of town and was in the process of reversing the car into a tight parking space, when a man walking by started directing her with hand signals so she could tell how far she was from the other cars. It gave her a new experience that she was of two minds about. As she got out and thanked the man, who was smiling, she was thinking it was nice to have the help, but did this mean the man didn't think she was capable of parking on her own, because she was female? Or was he genuine in helping for help's sake? She wondered, if she had been in the same exact situation, but as a man, would he have offered the same help?

Pushing those thoughts aside, Angela started walking towards the mall wondering what was in store for her. As she entered the mall doors a group of people came towards her. One of them was holding a video camera with the letters WMTV on the side. She stopped in her tracks, thinking that they knew somehow who she really was and what had happened in the museum. As she was about to turn tail and hike it out of there, Angela saw that one of the men approaching was holding a large jar filled with envelopes, curious, she paused, waiting till they got nearer.

"Welcome, welcome my dear, you as a visitor to the mall today, have been given the opportunity to win a prize just by picking out a lucky envelope from the jar. This promotion guarantee's that everyone will be a winner. Could please tell us a little about yourself and why you chose to shop here," he continued, thrusting the microphone in her face.

"I don't know what to say?" spluttered a surprised Angela.

"Well how about your name?" he laughed. "That's always a great start."

"Angela."

"Well Angela, "Can you tell us what you'll be buying here?" the man asked, interested.

Angela was fearful that she would be ridiculed if her photo was shown and her real identity was discovered. Knowing that to turn and walk away would make her stand out more, she decided to go along for the ride.

"Umm, clothes I guess," Angela replied, thinking fast.

The man laughed good-naturedly, " Of course, where's my head? I should have known that a beautiful lady like you would shop for clothes."

Angela blushed, as she realized that, even dressed as she was, she was beautiful. This was the hardest part of becoming female. To interact with others with a whole new set of rules, rules she didn't know. The physical side, by comparison, was easier to deal with. She still had two legs, two arms, only certain bits were different.

Realizing she was supposed to say something, she said that she needed a whole new wardrobe as she had lost a lot of weight. The man asked her how often she shopped here and how much would she normally spend. Angela blushed and said it was her first time here, and that she would normally spend about $400 dollars when she went shopping, managing to make up some on the spur of the moment facts about herself.

The man thanked her and held the jar so she could take out an envelope. Opening it, she saw that it contained a voucher offering half off any beauty treatment offered by any establishment in the mall.

'Oh great, just what I need now--not,' Angela thought to herself. 'Isn't having to learn how to buy women's clothes enough, without that."

Thanking him, before he could ask any more questions, she escaped thankfully into the sanctuary of a lingerie shop. She chuckled to herself that only a few hours ago, she, (as Bob) would have never had the courage to enter the place. Now, she was using that same fear most men have, against them.

Looking around the shop she realized that she was going to need way more money than she anticipated, the prices on women's clothes shocking her. Checking to see if the coast was clear, she ventured out seeking a money machine. Locating one, she inserted her card, not noticing the spark that went from her fingers to the card and punched her numbers in, wondering how much she should withdraw.

Checking her balance first, she was surprised to see that it had unaccountably doubled. Taking advantage of this windfall, she withdrew almost $2000. She settled on the shop that had a fine array of clothing for women. Entering, Angela went and asked an assistant for some advice, explaining that she needed an entire new wardrobe.

"Do you want some help picking out the right sizes?" she asked helpfully.

"Yes, please. I need everything from the skin out and head to toe," replied Angela, looking at her beseechingly. "I expect to spend a lot of my money here," she added.

The assistant told her to wait a moment, and then walked over to an older woman, who seemed to be the manager. As the assistant spoke to her the woman looked over at Angela and gave her a smile. She spoke quietly to the assistant for a moment before continuing to walk into an office. The assistant returned with a big smile and told Angela she was free to help her as long as she needed her. Even in the other shops, if necessary.

This was great news for Angela, as she sorely needed all the help she could get. The rest of the morning was a strange experience for Angela as Heather, the assistant, took almost full control, guiding her in the selections of not only clothes, but also makeup and accessories. Most of which Angela considered unnecessary, as all she wanted was look presentable. She didn't want to make her body stand out more, especially in the eyes of men, but couldn't come with a valid excuse to refuse. She didn't want to refuse Heather's selections as she valued her expertise in this department.

It seemed that they must have tried on everything in the shop and in the shoe store next door. Heather suggested a visit to the malls' salon after learning of the half off offer. When, after a few nudges from Heather, she gave in to having the works done, she had her hair permed in a very practical style that needed only a few brush strokes to keep it neat and yet it made her look extremely attractive.

While her hair was being done, she had her nails done and her ears pierced. Seeing that her ears didn't bleed at all, she had some small hoops inserted instead of the usual sleepers. Another girl did her makeup, commenting that she hardly required it bar a little eye shadow. After viewing herself in the mirror afterwards, the combination of the clothes, makeup and hair, made Angela feel very much at odds with the image.

In the mirror, in front of her, was an image out of her dreams, a beautiful woman with a body to die for. A woman, however, whose head still contained Bob's very male thinking mind. The thinking processes of that mind, as it looked at the vision in the mirror, were telling her that they would like to kiss and get to know this attractive person more intimately. Unfortunately, the sexual orientation of the body was firmly fixed in the heterosexual range and as such, did not respond to the image in a sexual manner.

This meant that Angela wasn't turned on physically with her image, which left her feeling worried. Was she going to find men attractive? At the moment she was too busy trying to survive her first day as a member of the fairer sex, to dwell too long on those thoughts. Walking out of the saloon, she thanked Heather again, and bought her lunch at a one of the little bistros in the mall. Angela noticed the eyes turning as she entered, and while she tried not to feel like she was piece of meat on the auction block, it was as if peoples eyes, the men's in particular, were burning holes in her.

It was a hurried lunch, as the attention from the men took most of Angela's appetite away. She felt like she was on the menu also, and wondered if she, as Bob, had given some other women the same feeling when he had admired a particularly attractive female. With lunch over, Heather helped carry her bags of purchases to the car. Promising to come again Angela thanked Heather, who promptly hugged her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Taken aback at this display of affection, Angela smiled back as Heather waved goodbye, thinking that women don't worry about showing their feelings to others in public.

Getting back home, Angela unloaded the six bags of feminine clothes and other products. She spent the rest of the afternoon hanging up her new clothes after making room in her closets. The underwear went into the just emptied drawers and the makeup products she just left in their boxes on the dresser, as she wasn't planning on using them anytime soon, even if she knew how. Other feminine hygiene and hair care products went into the bathroom, along with the moisturizers. Looking at all the shoes she had bought she took off the heels she was wearing, opting for a pair of comfortable mules.

Scrounging in the cupboards for something to eat, she realised that tomorrow better be a grocery-shopping day. Finding enough for the evening meal, she sat and ate in front of the telly. She caught sight of herself on the news as they aired the piece on the mall. Looking at herself on the news item, she was struck by how feminine she looked in her odd assemblage of Bob's clothes. She did notice that her gestures and movements were feminine too, with no sign of the scared male within.

'Was this a part of living in a female body? 'She thought,' or was there another factor here, that she wasn't taking into account? Shrugging away these thoughts as unsolvable for the moment, she started getting ready for bed. The effects of the first full day as a woman, plus going on a marathon shopping spree, started taking their toll.

Looking at some of the nightwear she had purchased, Angela cringed a little inside. They were so feminine and delicate, and seeing that Bob normally slept in the buff, she wondered why she let herself be talked into buying them. Putting them back in the drawer, deciding to continue sleeping nude, she crawled under the sheets and was soon fast asleep.

Her dreams were unusually vivid. They seemed to contain scenes of pyramids and Aglsha and, when the dreams turned to normal present day things, it was as Angela that she saw herself, not Bob. Waking once during the night, with the need to urinate, she wandered into the bathroom. She seemed to be going on a female autopilot as she pulled up her nightie and sat down before doing her business and walking sleepily back to bed.

On awakening, Angela yawned. As she stretched her arms before sitting up she noticed the fact that she was wearing the nightie. 'How had that happened?' She wondered. She didn't remember putting it on, and looking over the drawers she noticed a few other things were out of place. Sliding out of bed, she noticed the way the nightie felt, as its silky folds slithered against her body. Feeling slightly aroused, as the sensuous fabric stimulated her nipples, she looked closely at her dresser wondering what it was that looked different.

'Oh my god!' She thought. 'The makeup.' Where, before the bottles and tubes and other items she had purchased had been still in their assorted boxes and wrappers, now they were open. Checking, she saw that not only had someone opened them, but also they had been used. The container of foundation had fingerprints in it and the lipstick was smeared on the end.

In a panic she rushed though her flat looking for an intruder. Not finding anyone and, seeing the doors were still locked, she sat down and wondered if she was dreaming. Getting an uneasy suspicion, she walked back to her bedroom and placed a finger in the foundation.

'SHIT!' She sat back down on her bed, stunned. It was a perfect match! Somehow, in the middle of the night she had opened the makeup and used it, as well as putting on the nightie.

'I'm losing it,' she thought. 'Something weird is happening to me. Apart from the body change, now I'm sleep dressing...or what?' Trying to come up with a word for it, and failing.

Looking closely, she could see traces of eye shadow still on her lids. 'Man! What happened last night?' Thought Angela with a shiver. She decided to dump the makeup in case it happened again, thinking that without it, maybe the possibility of her sleepwalking might diminish, but as she started to pick them up a voice seemed to shout (NO!)

Shocked, she froze, her hand poised over the bottles and creams. Slowly she moved her hand forward and again came that oh so faint plaintive cry. (NO, PLEASE!)

Angela thought this was the end, that she was mad. Hearing voices in her head was the last straw. Wasn't being transformed by an alien device enough? She sat and waited, fearing any further signs of insanity.

As she sat thinking in an almost meditative state, she could sense a struggle within her mind, as if someone or something was trying to communicate with her. Then, like a radio that had just hit the correct frequency, the voice began to speak, becoming clearer with every second.

(I am Aglsha speaking to you though this body I recreated when you entered my Hevreck capsule. I'm sorry that you were formally a male, but your particular aura was attracted to the capsules' sensorium.)
 
 
# Authors note: to make things clear, from now on, Aglsha's thoughts will be within (---) and Angela's thoughts within '---' normal conversation will use "---" #
 
 
'I don't understand,' thought Angela. 'What's a Hevreck capsule, and why was my what's-it attracted to your sensor thingy?'

Angela could hear the voice laugh in a very feminine manner. It was comforting in that it was very relaxed sounding laugh.

(Lets see if I can simplify it for you. The Hevreck capsule contained my disembodied essence or soul if you will. It contained a detector that was searching for a certain type of person to come within range. It was set to attract a person with psychic, or latent psychic powers, and get them to enter the capsule so I could re-enter the world again.)

'I have psychic abilities?' Angela thought back.

(Well, they are latent now, but with my powers at your command we should be able to accomplish my mission,) Aglsha replied.

'Your mission? What powers? I don't understand.'

(The reason for my being here is to save your planet. It was partly our people's fault that it was put into danger.)

'What danger?' Angela parroted, feeling a sense of dread.

(There was an enormous cloud of Pleolites entering our system, what you might call a scourge. They are a pestilence to all forms of life and they are now headed into your system. They will destroy all life on this planet in a few days, leaving nothing behind. )

Angela gasped, 'how long before they arrive and is there a way to stop them?'

(Not for another month or two as far as I can calculate, although it could be sooner. Time is short and we need to prepare. There is an orb, which can amplify the mental processes in the brain. I need to find it and set up the field with the aid of resonators placed in the pyramids by my father.) At that, her voice grew sad as she realised that her father was long dead and yet it was as if it was only yesterday when she last heard his voice.

'Go on please,' begged Angela, hoping to distract her in her time of sorrow. "What exactly are these Pleolites?"

"We don't know, only that our first attempts at contact resulted in the deaths of the crews that flew too close. We did find one thing; we managed to recover a craft that was left drifting after the cloud had passed by. Everything in the ship was dead, including the ships Helx, even plants where dead."

"Helx?"

"It's like one of your planets felines."

"Ah, a cat," Angela offered.

"Yes, a cat."

"Anyway...we...we managed to deflect them with a special energy shield before they could do any damage, as we are a spare faring race.) She continued, struggling to put thoughts of her father aside for the moment.

(We decided to re-direct them towards a sparsely populated part of this galaxy where they could do no damage, but four Konicons later, we started to receive radio waves coming from a point directly in their path. We established that a civilisation was growing in that part of the galaxy, as the transmissions grew far beyond what is normal. Much debate was held as to whether we should assist in any way, but it wasn't until a different type of transmission was received that we acted. We saw what you call television. It was quite a shock to see people just like us, but separated by the immensities of space. We couldn't stand by and do nothing, so we created a hyper warp craft that would make a one-way journey to your planet.)

'Wow! Just like a story from star trek.' Angela said, butting in on the narrative.

(Star trek? Oh yes I see the reference in your mind,) she replied.

'You're reading my mind?' thought Angela, getting alarmed.

(Only your surface thoughts, I would never violate the sanctity of your own mind without you inviting me!) The shocked thought came back.

Angela considered the situation. Here she was, in a body not her own, having a silent conversation with an alien female who was residing in her mind, worrying whether that female was reading her mind or not.

It seemed too ludicrous, and she started giggling in a very feminine manner, then that started to become a full laugh. Aglsha's thoughts grew puzzled but held a touch of amusement, as Angela's thoughts grew plainer.

'Sheesh. Come on in any time. My thoughts are your thoughts,' she laughed, using a line from a Star trek episode. 'Just don't blame me if it looks like a cesspit in there,' she added.

Aglsha's voice smiled, if such a thing can be said. It certainly felt like it did to Angela, as Aglsha's joy of being invited to share Angela's deepest secrets coloured her next words.

(Angela... I like that name. I see you took it as the closest to my own in your language. Thank you for the consideration. I'm honoured and I promise you that I'll try my best to help your world and though you, save your planet, not to mention guiding you though the mysteries of the female lifestyle.)

'Why did you have to transform me, though? Couldn't you have used my male form?' queried Angela.

(Unfortunately the orb is tuned to the thought patterns of the female mind and your psychic powers will blossom as a female, thereby adding to mine. Anyway, getting back to my story, there was a slight miscalculation due the vagaries of warp travel plus the fact that it was new technology and untested. Instead of us arriving here at the time we where expecting, with a technological presence, we arrived in your past where the best we could do was set up the resonators and prepare for the future.)

'Couldn't you have just warped forward a bit?' asked Angela, thinking of a recent episode of star trek.

(Unfortunately the craft was built in space, using a non-magnetic metal alloy, Lithium Phosphorite. It's the only thing that works in proximity with the warp engine. Unfortunately, because of its high reactivity as soon as we hit the atmosphere the hull started degrading and wouldn't stand the stresses of an escape from the earth's gravity well.)

'So what was the mummy...um... capsule? How did that work?'

(Is your entire race this inquisitive?) She sighed, (oh well, let's get the questions over,) Aglsha smiled. (The capsule contained my energy matrix. My physical being was converted and stored while my mind went into stasis. We still had the energy from the ship to do the conversion, but knew we wouldn't have it in this time period to reconvert it. That's why we...I, needed a physical body. The energy required is so much less to affect the body changes and download my mind into your brain.)

'I guess there was plenty of room in there,' joked Angela.

(Yes its surprising, I think your brain has a bigger capacity than our own, but we need to get the capsule back here, to complete our change,) Aglsha added, not fully getting the joke.

'You're kidding right? I mean, we couldn't get back in now, not with the exit I made. What more changes do we have to go though?' Angela asked, worriedly.

(Look, this is what we will do. Now where's that makeup? We need to dress appropriately.)
 

 
The woman that strolled though the museum bore little resemblance to the one that left such a trail of destruction a day ago. Elegantly made up and wearing an expensive silver sheath dress that showed every curve of that luscious body, she walked calmly past the same guard that had given chase the previous day. She strutted past as if she owned the place. The guard's eyes were riveted on her ass as she walked away from him towards the display rooms.

(See, I told you he wouldn't be a problem,)

'Did his eyes pop out or what?' Angela murmured.

(I'm sure something did, but I'm pretty sure it was much lower than his eyes.)

'Okay, now what?' Angela whispered, looking at the newly installed door leading into the room containing the capsule.

(This way, to the right. I can sense it. They must have moved it since you were here last.)

Angela, moved to the corridor on the right and walked along it till a command from Aglsha, stopped her outside another door. She looked to see if the coast was clear, then grasped the handle and twisted. The force from her extra strength hardly showed on her face, but the handle groaned and a metallic grinding sound indicated that the lock had given way.

Opening the door as if it had been unlocked, Angela strode determinedly in, barely pausing, as she oriented on the capsule as it lay on a table. She walked in and placed her hand on the capsules' lid. Aglsha concentrated, tapping into the well of Angela's untrained psychic power. She started the process of Zendo, whereby the capsule shrank rapidly in size until it was barely six inches long and as thick as a walking stick. The process continued, much to the amazement of Angela, as the ends curved inwards until they met and fused, becoming a circle only two inches round.

Pulling a leather thong out, she tied it though the circle making a necklace. She then placed it over her head letting the altered capsule slide between her breasts and out of sight. Just then, a shout alerted her to the presence of a staff member as he entered from another adjoining room.

"Hey! What are you doing in here? This is a restricted area," he shouted.

"Oh? Sorry, I just wandered in, as the door was unlocked. I didn't see any sign on the door," Angela calmly replied.

Scowling, the man went over to the door, examining it closely. Seeing that indeed the handle turned easily he was about let her off with a warning until his eyes saw the two sliding bolts that were now useless, the ends having been bent and broken. He glanced around the room looking for another intruder, one who might have had the strength to cause such damage. Seeing no one and dismissing the woman in her seeming frailty, he quickly made a call on his walkie-talkie.

"Intruder alert in room Alpha B," he intoned quickly.

A crackle of static preceded a voice saying.

"There's help on the way... anything missing?"

"Haven't checked yet, but there's a female here that needs questioning. I found her in the room."

"Is she our intruder? Are you in any danger?"

"No I don't think so," replied the man, feasting his eyes on the vision in front of him. "I think I'm in danger though. In danger of falling in love!" he laughed.

The room was suddenly inundated with burly guards and more of the museum's staff, all wanting to know what the story was. Angela kept her face calm as questions were fired at her.

"How did you get in?"

"What were you doing in here?"

"Was there someone else here?"

"Are you someone's accomplice?"

When the staff realised the mummy case was missing, the questions started turning ugly, until Angela shouted,

"Enough already! I told you I haven't seen it, or taken it! Does it look like I could have broken in here and removed a mummy's case or whatever it was you're looking for?" she said indignantly. "Ask the guard at the door. I'm sure he noticed how long ago it was when I entered." She gave them all a look of wrathful indignation at being falsely accused.

One of the brighter staff members called for the guard to be brought to them and they quieted down until he arrived. He wasn't long in coming and confirmed that she had indeed entered alone, just about five minutes before. The staff members, who had accused her, apologised saying it was all in the heat of the moment, what with finding her in the restricted room and all. One of the guards escorted her outside, saying the museum will be closed while they do a thorough search.

Angela could feel the miniaturised capsule behave oddly as she moved. It seem to press hard against her as she walked forward and it felt like it was resisting changes in direction by pressing into her breasts as she turned. She queried Aglsha, who laughed.

(When I compressed its spatial dimensions and its apparent weight I couldn't reduce its mass. It still has the same inertia of the original weight. It's slow to start moving and just as slow to change direction or to stop. I can bend some of the physical laws, but I can't break them.) She explained patiently.
 

 
Back home again, Angela removed the capsule from around her neck and placed it on the floor of the lounge. Aglsha, using Angela's hands again, returned it to its original mummy case form.

(What form of electrical energy do you use, Direct current, or Alternating?)

'Alternating,' Angela replied.

Angela, following Aglsha's instructions then fiddled with the lid, removing a section with a sliding, twisting motion. This revealed a fine coil of filament like wire, which she proceeded to insert in a power outlet after pressing on certain protrusions. Immediately there was a soft hum and several small pin like light's glowed on the mummy's lid.

Angela went into the kitchen to get something to eat, while the capsule continued to absorb energy. Looking at the lid after an hour, she noticed more lights were showing and some were blinking in a hypnotic pattern. A mental query to Aglsha gave her more information than she wanted, as Aglsha told her that they needed to return inside the capsule for the final changes.

'But why?' questioned a worried Angela.

(This body is strong, but the bones are not. We need to strengthen them and add a few features the capsule couldn't do with its stored power.)

Angela reluctantly climbed into the open capsule, and on Aglsha's instructions, closed the lid.
 

 
Aglsha climbed out of her capsule in the late afternoon. She stretched her arms and checked out this new body. She found it as limber as her old one as she went into her yoga style exercises. Feeling the body's hunger, she went into the kitchen to cook something sustaining. Taking her food into the lounge along with a strong cup of coffee, she relaxed, enjoying the solitude of this body without Angela's constant questions.

After thoroughly enjoying a meal prepared with her own hands, she sighed.

(Come on sleepy head--time to wake up.)

'Ugh! Wassup? Boy my head and my body, aches.'

(What do you expect when most of the calcium in your bones has been augmented with Molyhedrum?)

'Moly what!...?'

(Don't worry it's not as bad as it sounds. It makes your bones as strong as steel without the extra weight, but it won't show up on an x-ray in case you're worried,) Aglsha reassured her.

'So what else has changed?' asked a slightly mollified Angela.

(Well our flesh is denser and will take a lot of punishment and we are much faster in both speed and reflexes.)

'Wow, a female superman,' laughed Angela.

(Almost.)

'Anything else?' Angela pressed, sensing that Aglsha was holding something back.

(Yes, but its something only I can access at this time. Now lets get a few items before we dispose of the capsule.)

'We're getting rid of it? Won't we need it again?' Angela blurted out in surprise.

(No, but there's a few items we may find useful.)

Under Aglsha's instructions Angela slid and pressed at certain spots on the lid to reveal a tiny recess that contained a small silver disc on a necklace and a ring with clear crystal that caught the light producing a rainbow like flash. Placing the ring on her finger and the necklace around her neck produced a curious tingle though her body and she could feel something calling to her.

'What is this feeling I'm getting? It seems to be calling me?' she asked, startled.

(That's the orb. We need to find it, and those devices amplify its signal so your mind can sense it's whereabouts.)

'Is it in Egypt? If so, we are going to need money and lots of it,' Angela inquired.

(Money? You don't have enough?)

'No, and with the way I look, I've now got no job,' sighed Angela. 'Its a nice body an all, and it's starting to grow on me, but I can't go to work and say I was turned into a woman by this alien artifact. I'd be locked away and that's the last thing we need with the earth in danger.'

(All right, what types of credit systems do you use.)?

Angela went and got her old wallet with her credit cards and drivers license, all showing the name Bob Warner. 'Oh oh! We can't travel overseas with that.' She thought, more to herself than to Aglsha.

(Place the document in the capsule with anything else we need that has your old name on it. We can correct them and send that information to the appropriate places electronically.)

Aglsha told Angela to plug another fine wire into her phone jack and after a flurry of flashing lights signaled the capsule interfacing with the network. All the information was transmitted to the banks and the government agencies so that her new identity would hold up under any scrutiny.

Removing her cards, driver's license, and passports Angela saw that that they were all now showing Angela Warner. Even the photos had been replaced with her new image.

(I've augmented your current monetary accounts. I hope 3 million of your units of currency will be sufficient.)

'3 mill..... Oh my god, I'll be arrested for fraud...' Angela gasped. Wait a minute, it was you wasn't it, that altered my account balance in the mall?"

(Yes, I sensed that you needed more currency, and altered the card so that it would double whatever you had.)

'Where did we get 3 million dollars from?'

(Don't worry; it's been obtained though untraceable routes and it won't attract any attention from the authorities. I transferred a dollar out of 3 million accounts disguised within normal bank charges.)
 

 
The woman waiting quietly as she was issued her boarding pass on the direct flight to Cairo was the picture of calm elegance. One could have never of imagined the turmoil going though that woman's mind.

Dressed in a navy skirt jacket combo and matching heels, she fussed a little with the ruffles on her cream blouse.

"Are you sure I look okay?" Angela asked nervously.

(With this body? You'd look great in a sack,) sighed Aglsha, wondering how many more times she would have to convince her.

"I hope that passport stands up, we could end up in prison for a very long time otherwise."

(Calm down and just enjoy the flight. We will be very busy later and I need you in a relaxed state, not burning up your energy needlessly.)
 

 
Angela walked up to her seat that the stewardess had indicated and sat down. It was the isle seat of the row of two, running up the left hand side of the plane. The plane seemed rather empty to Angela. There was an old lady in the seat in front but nobody in the seats behind. Shortly afterwards a man came up to her right and placed a small hold all in the luggage locker above her head. He turned to her and said with a smile,

"Hello"

She realised he was going to be sitting next to her and started to stand to allow him to get past.

"No need for that. If you like, you can take the window seat and I'll take this one," he said smiling. "By the way, my name's Simon."

"Angela," she answered, as she moved into the window seat.

"A very apt name, if I may be so bold." He said, smiling at her.

"Thank you," she blushed. His frank gaze with his piercing blue eyes seemed to look straight into her soul. It felt different from the looks she saw from most men. His gaze never dropped from her face to the more obvious place that seemed to attract men's attentions. She dropped her eyes to survey his lean body that seemed to be turning her insides to jelly.

'What's happening to me? Why am I feeling like this about a man?' she queried. 'Is this something to do with you and those extra modifications?"

(Sorry, this is just a normal reaction to the male of your species. Doesn't he look gorgeous with that black, unruly mane of hair and those eyes?)

'But I'm a man... I was... um I guess not, at least not anymore. Is this how a woman feels when she is attracted to a man?'

(Yes, Aglsha smiled.)

'Oh boy, am I in trouble.'
 

 

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