I blushed and shook my head." No it does not bother me or shock me."
He laughed:" No worries. I haven't picked you up for any adventures. I am happily married to a very handsome man for the last 20 years."
I blushed some more." I wasn't even thinking that. It's just I am a lot like Brenda and that is perhaps the main reason I always wanted to leave."
Brenda leaned forward and placed her hand on mine." I had no idea. Have you decided what are you going to do?"
"No, I am very confused about the entire thing. About my feelings and what I should do. Part of me thinks it is so wrong and I am sick and should seek a way to cure me from this desire but whenever I think about psycho surgery I hear these horror stories about it."
"It's a rare desire nowadays and usually treated either before birth or at an early stage. But it is not all that uncommon and I too felt confused. The best advice I can give is to be you. Experiment and see what you prefer. Besides I got to warn you about Psycho Surgery that late in life. To alter that desire in you they need to change basic DNA, replace hormone glands and implant a new personality base to eliminate your desire. Since you are living with it for so long they might need to delete key memory sequences. As you can see it is not exactly as easy and simple as it is often portrayed. Your decision for psycho surgery would also affect your Career as Officer, because you were accepted and tested based on your original personality. Basically you would need to start over again and I never heard anyone ever to be accepted as a Cadet after Psycho Surgery. However our society does not discriminate against folks like us and your career in the navy will be unaffected by it. Have you ever tried to live a woman for a while? That usually helps to make a decision much easier. Then you will know what side you like better."
"No I haven't thought of that. Deep down I always thought my society is right and that I am indeed a sick abomination."
Brian said:" Well fate brought you to the right place then. Topeka is the capital of Cross gender issues so to speak, believe it or not! They have the annual Cross Dress Convention here and thousands like you or Brenda come here. There is the Drag Queen Pageant and the Dorothy Festival those events are very famous and transmitted life on GalNet every year! There is a museum and a Research Institute as well"
Brenda held up her finger." Not like me, I am not a Cross dresser I am a woman now and what Eric is, it appears he doesn't know yet himself!"
He made an apologizing gesture.
I asked "Why here?"
Brian shrugged." I don't know for sure, but I think one of the early Cattle Barons was like you and used lots of his money to start these traditions and now they make almost as much money on those events as they make on cattle."
Brenda got up." Since you going to be here three week anyway I am going to show you the Costume Emporium!"
I must have looked at her like one of those cows up there."I am going to be here?"
"Yes, I just talked to Fleet Command and they assigned you to me as an assistant for about 20 days. It will be credited as extra time and you can get this time off as R&R during the next year."
"But the ship, I am supposed to pick up!"
"I think you will get new orders for that any moment."
She was right my PDD played the Thor song of Nilfeheim and in doing so I knew I was called. I was not sure I could hide the disappointment I felt when I took the call. A Commander of Fleet HQ was identified and came on the screen. "Midshipman Olafson, we received the request of Lt Commander Brown of the Science Corps to have you assigned to her for a special project she needs a second person for. You are herby assigned to her Command for the duration of 21 days. After that you will proceed to Ross and do the transfer of the Sturgeon, your orders have been modified to accommodate the Science Corps request."
I was greatly relieved and now I didn't mind to stay. Three weeks would be over soon."Yes Sir."
I recognized the Commander to be the one in Elligott's office who had talked to me before. He smiled and said." You sure have a strange way to spend your holidays, Cadet. The Old Man himself has authorized to extend your Leave so you can catch up on some R&R after you done all those chores and errands."
"Yes Sir, thank you Sir!"
"I have a personal message and direct order of Admiral Mc Elligott for you as well, you are not to take any assignments or fleet business after you done your chores on Wichita and delivered that ship and if he hears you spend even a day in Uniform during your vacation, he will personally send Ultra Marines to give you a vacation you will never forget!" The Commander spread his arms." This was verbatim, Midshipman!"
"I give my word. I will go on R&R right after."
He nodded with a light grin and cut the call.
Both Brian and Brenda had of course heard the call and Brenda said." I never heard of any Midshipman who gets calls directly from the top floor of Annapolis tower or personal messages of the Old man himself!"
"Well he was the Admiral who had asked me to be at Lorman's Starbase."
Brian got up." I think I leave you two now. I have two more business meetings." He took my hand:"It was nice meeting you Eric. If you ever make it to Earth and I am there look me up!"
"Thank you for the tour, Brian."
He swiped me his business card into my PDD and said:" Thank you for your company. Here is my card; my contact info is on it. I was quite serious call me one of these days and tell me how you're doing, or if you decide to try SII for a career."
I thanked him and promised I would do that.
Brian kissed Brenda on the cheek, waved at me and left the restaurant.
Brenda motioned me to stay for a moment and explained." I asked for an assistant for quite a while, but never really pressed the issue because I do like my solitude, but you showing up presented me with an opportunity to tackle a project I wanted to do for almost two years."
I nodded and sipped on the after dinner coffee." I am here Ma'am."
"It's still BB if you want." She brushed over a crease of the table cloth."There is a cave entrance I discovered on the North end of the Bone Valley and I noticed tracks of the animals coming out of that cave but so far have not found any going in. I would like to explore those caves and map them and see if there maybe bones or if those animals perhaps live underground. I didn't want to go Cave exploring on my own. Caves can be treacherous all on their own and it is always better to do something like this with at least one other person."
"I understand."
"Since there are bones there is even a slim chance we might run into living Land walkers and while I am not planning to kill one if we do, two blasters are better than one if we must."
"I am looking forward to explore those caves. Sounds like fun to me!" I really meant that. This is what Starfleet was all about; explore the unknown and crawling around unexplored caves sounded like a nice little adventure.
She smiled disarmingly." I am glad you think that way and I think while you are here let's see if your female side is as brave as your male part."
"You mean I…"
"Why not?"
The waiter told us the Cattle-Men Association had already paid for everything.
I followed her into the shopping mall to a large window front and the Project-a-sign read" Costume Emporium- Everyone you dream of being we can do!"
A Robot Mannequin was wearing an old fashioned looking dress in checkered blue and white, red glittering shoes.
"That is Dorothy Gale form the pre Astro 2D classic Wizard of Oz." Brenda explained.
"And who is Dorothy?"
"Oh you don't know? You simply must watch that show sometimes. It is what they called a movie."
"Oh I know movies. I know many who love to watch those ancient story tapes. You just sit there and watch them."
"Well this particular one was made in 1939. There are a dozen remakes and most recently a Virtu-Immerse production, but none of those can compare with that original. The character of Dorothy with the pinafore, those sparkly red shoes
and pig tails is an icon for cross dressers for a very long time. They hold a Dorothy Contest here in Topeka and I kid you not, there were six milion coming to that contest last year all dressed like that!"
"I thought folks like us are rare."
"Uncommon perhaps, but what are six million to a Union population of Centillions?"
"It does look nice."
"Why don't you go in and get one for yourself? We need to get you some normal things to wear as well."
A strange feeling of excitement and expectation came over me as I agreed and entered the store.
A woman wearing red tube dress barley covering her voluptuous curves came from behind a curtain and smiled:"What can I do for you?"
Brenda answered for me." Can you get him a Dorothy costume, the super deluxe version with all the extras?"
"But of course, do you want it complete with bio flex mask, body shaper and Robo-Toto?"
I nodded." What is a Robo Toto?"
"A robotic dog, the animal you see in that basket over there. It is an essential part of the Dorothy Experience."
"Well I do take it all but I don't think I need a robotic dog."
"Step right in here. The Auto Dresser will take measurements to fabricate the desired costume and squeeze you into it. You are familiar with Auto Dressers?"
"Yes I am."
The Auto Dresser looked different from the ones I had seen before. This one was blinking and had colorful panels, but it was doing the same thing. Robotic arms and nanites combined stock items and raw materials right onto my body. I felt constricted and something really tight took shape around me. Then it was done and I stepped out to see the result in a mirror and what I saw took my breath. It was as if something in my soul had broken and now came like a flood to the surface. I saw a young beautiful woman in the mirror. Any man would have looked ridiculous in a get up like this but on a female it looked simply charming and quite sexy in an innocent sort of way. Perhaps this was the allure that made this particular character so popular even after over 3600 years.
"How do you feel?" Brenda said quietly.
"It should be wrong but it feels so right! Somehow this is me and what I am underneath seems more like the costume."
She smiled warmly. "I am glad you feel that way. Now let's show the world. We need to shop for a few other things as well."
The costume wasn't cheap and cost over 12,000 credits, but I could have bought the store and not be significantly poorer. Still for this kind of money you could by a decent used flyer on Nilfeheim. I never was good with money, at first I never had any and now I had more than I could spend and didn't really need it.
Outside the store I felt as if everyone was staring at me, but at the same time I got the feeling that there was something heavy taken from my soul and I couldn't get enough seeing my reflection.
Two hours later I was another 5000 credits poorer and loaded with bags and realized I had no place to put all these things. I was on a planet I had to leave soon and there was no telling where I would end up.
Brenda noticed my sudden change right away." What is the matter? You seemed to have fun and now you look as sad as a weeping willow."
I told her what I just realized, she listened and sighed. "No wonder you are depressed. Well leave all these things with me and I can send them to you once you know, but for now we get you to a hotel and tomorrow I pick you up."
Interlude: Fornax Cluster
The Herald was back in a holding cell aboard the same space station he had been freed not so long ago. This time he was not in a stasis field but from his head down in a clear plastic material suit with a metallic collar. No matter what he had tried, the material not only slowed down his every move, it resisted his diamond hard needle sharp claws. Right now the suit had bonded with the wall and he could not move even a few centimeters. He decided to research this more once he was free again. It was a very effective way of controlling prisoners he has to admit.
He had seen the traces of the boarding fight everywhere as they put him back, but he also saw armies of beings, both humanoid and non humanoid, fixing and repairing things.
A shrouded being appeared before the dividing force field and looked at him, he was certain it was a Narth!
He snorted." The mighty and meddling Narth reduced to servants to weak and worthless beings. Who would have ever thought the Narth would ever take sides! Do you even know what you are doing by preventing our sacred task?"
"One will respond to all your accusations and questions. Narth do not serve these beings, Narth serves along these beings to accomplish a common goal. No being is worthless, not even you. Narth always knows what one is doing; you are the servant of a servant. It is you who cannot begin comprehend what Narth is doing. The ones you called masters so long ago, the UNI were the ones that meddled and thought of themselves as perfect and complete and yet were far from it. You judge the Union as weak? Let Narth show you what you and your kind are facing!"
The Heralds mind was forcefully and painfully opened and the Psionic shield shattered with ease and then images filled his mind. He saw endless numbers of Wedge shaped battle ships with the Images came the knowledge what he saw. Union Ultra Battle ships, Battle Robots, Marines and then his mind was filled with the combined history of every being and species that ever faced Terrans in battle and every War!
When it was over the Herald was shaking and he who could not cry cried in fear and horror. He, who was bread for war and destruction, was in utter despair realizing how feeble and weak he was against that.
The Narth spoke." These so feeble, mortal and weak humans of that planet Earth are weak indeed, but when it comes to war they change, they transform and it is not the Nul, not the Klack, not the Perthartians or the Y'All or any other species known to Narth who are the most aggressive and utmost brutal warrior race."
The Herald whined," it is them! They are them!'
"Yes they are and the Crucible has failed. The Master is on his way already!"
"How can the Narth stand on the side of Evil and darkness?"
"It is this fanatical believe in only one side that doomed the UNI and has doomed the Dark Ones. There is the third state! Narth Supreme has not taken sides; Narth always was and is the third Way!"
"Not even the Narth can stop the Master when he returns!"
"One will leave you now as it is incomprehensible to you and your kind. Like the UNI you think in absolutes. They tried to stop the Transport and the Guardian so long ago and failed because they were too self important to see the third way. The master cannot be stopped and those who want the master stopped will never cease trying and yet this Universe might hold the answer and end the eternal cycle and the Rule will not be broken again."
"You are not Narth!"
"One is all, one is Narth Supreme!"
"What will happen?
"The future is yet to be determined. Your future however is quite clear. The one you call weak will examine you to the last molecule and fold of your being and it might take them some time but through you they will find ways to defeat your kind."
"The Crucible is not alone! The Call has been made and those after us will come!"
Interlude: Gwenn
Gwenn was sitting in the middle of the perfect circle made of molecular silver that was inlayed in the floor of black marble underneath the carpet of her living room and before her shimmered something insubstantial like a cloud of smoke. A face was inside that wafting field of glowing wisps of light and Gwenn spoke to it." The Black Robes have made their decision. No longer are they removed and separate. They have decided to take part in the Union and one has even become a Cadet."
"The Circle knows of this. She who is with the Warrior has supplied us with such knowledge. She who is with the Warrior thinks it is time the Coven makes the decision as well. The signs have been seen and the signs point to the possibility that the 'Prophecy of Before and Yet to come' will be fulfilled soon."
Gwenn had her hands folded in a complicated wa
y in her lap had closed her eyes."The Black Robes believe the third way is the answer."
"The black robes are so much older than even the Coven. Their wisdom must not be disregarded even if it is not the Coven way."
"The human carries duality."
"Did you read the Human? Could he be the one? Or could he be the one who will find the one?"
"Even finest Coven art can no longer read the human. He has shared the Huhgavh!"
"He has shared the Huhgavh and survived! He could be the one!"
"But the Legend of the Prophecy speaks of the White Being of immense mind and body, equal to Narth. The White Being is the Guardian of the Vault and has the key to the Mind of the One and there is no such being in the life of the Human. I have investigated his file."
"We are not sure if he is the one and the White Being might still appear. The legend is not specific at what time or point the White Being is to appear."
"What will the Coven do?"
"You know what the Coven wants and waits for, but the Circle is not blind to the wisdom of the Black Robes. The Coven wants the human to see that there are other ways. If he is the one it will be of our benefit. If he is not it will be of his benefit, have you sent him to us?"
"Yes he is picking up a space ship and he will deliver it not to the destination but to the Coven."
"The Coven considers becoming a Union member; the Coven believes that the Union is the third way."
"I am a Union Officer and only send the Human because she hopes this will come to pass. For as much as I am of the Coven, I am becoming a being of the Union."
"The one that is with the warrior, she who is the oldest speaks just as you do, who is the youngest. The Circle will decide when the human is with us."
Chapter 16: Witchita
Now that Freya was awake and on the surface I enjoyed bathing and paying attention to little body comforts even more enjoyable than usual. Ever since I had left Nilfeheim I was traveling a lot and one benefit of having a virtually bottomless Credit strip was the fact I could afford the finest luxury accommodations. It sounded weird even when I was thinking it, but as Eric I would have been happy with just about any room, as Freya I enjoyed the luxuries much more. The Cattle King Hotel had several Ultra Lux suites and the King Ranch Suite I chose had everything you could think off, including a state of the art Auto Dresser.
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 281