Chapter 10
                              ANSWERS


          Joe Bates drove into the drive at the home of his flying
buddy and fellow engineer, Dave Skinner.  When he got out of his
sports car, he smoothed his clothes, the loose fitting jumpsuit
that hid his new curves.  He slowly walked up to the front door and
rang the bell.  Cindy Skinner, Dave's wife, opened the door and
peered out.  She smiled when she recognized Joe, and opened the
door.  Joe went inside, feeling a bit self conscious as Dave's wife
watched him walk in.  He couldn't conceal the look of surprise when
he saw Dave.

          The last time Joe saw Dave, he was about six feet tall
and weighed two hundred pounds.  Dave was thirty-two years old, and
was not in as good shape as Joe.  A decade of married life had
endowed him a small pot-gut which he couldn't get rid of, no matter
how hard he tried.

          The Dave Skinner who came out of the family room didn't
look anything like that.  This one nervously entered the room was
wearing a woman's white blouse, with loose baggy shorts, also
obviously a woman's.  Since he wore nothing under the blouse, the
dark outline of his now large areolas could be seen through the
thin fabric.  He walked uncomfortably, not yet familiar with much
wider hips, and a shorter gait.  Were it not for his short haircut,
he could easily be mistaken for a typical, almost middle aged,
somewhat plain, sloppily dressed, housewife.  Dave always had the
beginnings of a six o'clock shadow even in the morning, but now his
face was as smooth as a young boy's.  Joe saw that Dave's legs were
hairy, maybe not as heavy or thick as before, but still covered
with soft black down.  It looked unusual to see someone who looked
so female have such hairy legs.  Joe couldn't help but look at
Dave's chest.  Through the thin fabric of the blouse, he could see
that the heavy chest hair Dave had was gone, replaced by a
voluptuousness that was a source of embarrassment for its owner.

     "Hi, Joe, what's new with you?" Dave asked, somewhat sarcasti-
cally.

     "Not much, Dave.  Just thought I'd stop by, and see if you
want to go bar hopping this evening," Joe teased.

     "Nope, I don't think I'm up to it, old buddy," Dave answered. 
He had trouble returning the humor that his pal was using to break
the tension.

     "I talked to Mike while ago, and he's got trouble too, but it
sounds like he's a little different from me, or you," Joe said.

     "What do you mean?  Is he still a guy, or what?" Dave asked,
the sarcasm creeping back into his voice.

     "I can't really tell from how he described his symptoms, but
if he has changed, he isn't as far along as we are," Joe said, not
taking his eyes from his buddy's chest.

     It was strange seeing a matronly body below the almost
familiar face.  Dave's face was little changed, but maybe ten years
younger looking.  He wondered what Dave was thinking about him.

     "Good for him.  He would REALLY make an ugly woman," Dave
said, smiling for the first time.

     "I think I talked him into coming over here.  He should be
here soon," Joe said.

     "Well, you sure look good, Joe," Dave returned, eyeing his
buddy, trying to imagine what he looked like under the loose
clothes.

     "Linda has been helping me try to make the best of this," Joe
said.

     "It looks like you even have lipstick on.  Do you?" Dave
asked, moving closer.

     Joe grinned, and said, "Well, yeah, I do.  I even had a
makeover at the Mall the other day.  With Linda's help, I've been
able to make the best of it.  Some of the things I've done have
actually been kind of interesting."

     "Well, I haven't done much that's interesting," Dave said,
with not a little disgust showing through.

     "We both might as well treat this as an experience, Dave," Joe
recommended.  "As I see it, we're stuck like this, at least until
we can find out what's causing it.  Hopefully, it's not permanent."
He tried to sound more confident than he actually was.

     "It's easy for you, old buddy.  You're not married, with a
family; a wife and kids.  Hell, Joe, look at you.  You're practi-
cally beautiful," Dave lamented.

     Cindy went to him, but Dave pushed her away.  She looked at
Joe.  Joe didn't know what to do, or say.  Dave walked back into
the family room.  Joe followed him to the family room, and he saw
Dave sit on the couch, with his four year old son, David.

     "Joe, are you a mommy now, too?" David asked innocently.

     "Hi, David," Joe replied.  "No, I'm not a mommy.  I just sort
of look like one, I guess.  Your dad and I have a problem with how
we look.  We don't know what's wrong with us yet."

     "You're pretty," David said.

     "Thanks, David.  I guess," Joe replied, looking at Dave.

     The door bell rang.  Joe quickly got up and went to the front
door.  Cindy opened the door.  The familiar hulk of Mike Osborn
loomed in the doorway.  Mike's eyes widened when he saw the new
Joe.

     "Holy cow, Joe!  You ARE a woman, ain't you?"  Mike almost
shouted, his loud voice seeming to be almost unchanged.

     "I suspect so, Mike," Joe replied.  "Come on in."

     Mike walked in and followed Joe back to the family room.  He
walked right over to the couch to look at Dave.  "Damn, Dave, you
seem to have the same problem as Joe," he said.

     "Clever observation, Mike," Dave said.  "It looks like you
escaped whatever happened to us."

     "Well, not exactly, Dave," Mike said, not wanting to talk with
young David listening intently to the unusual conversation.

     "It seems you haven't changed at all," Joe said.

     "Can we go somewhere private," Mike asked.

     "I suggest you all go to our bedroom," Cindy said.

     Dave got up, and awkwardly went into the bedroom, his
substantial butt jiggled and swayed as he walked.  Mike and Joe
followed.  Dave closed the door after them, stopping David, who
wanted in.  Cindy led him away from the door.

     "You think I haven't changed?" Mike asked, pulling his
sweatpants down.

     Mike pulled his royal blue men's undershorts down.  He looked
down at his pubic area, and pushed the hair away from around his
penis, which was now very small.  It could have been no more than
an inch or so long.  There were no testicles evident, and his
scrotum was split down the middle, looking somewhat like a vagina.

     "See, I got problems too," Mike said, displaying his little
penis.  "When I pee, it comes out from under here," he said, as he
lifted his penis up.  He then spread his split scrotum, and pointed
to an area close to the base of his tiny organ.  Joe looked
carefully, but could see no evidence of an opening at the tip of
his penis.

     "Looks like you've gone only part way to what's happened to
me," Joe said, looking with interest at his friend.

     "What do you look like, Joe?" Mike asked.  "You sure look like
a girl on the outside."

     "Yeah, and I guess that's what I am, on the outside," Joe
admitted.

     "Could I see?" Mike asked.  "If I'm gonna be... I might still
be changing, and I'm wondering what I can expect."

     "Well, I don't know," Joe replied, reluctant to show his
buddies his new body and closely trimmed bush.  Not that he was
ashamed of his body and the way it looked, he just felt strange
putting it on display.  He knew that he was the most feminized of
the three of them.  Hell, Mike could hardly pass as a woman if he
tried.  Dave was probably as changed as he was, but his large hips
and buttocks didn't look good on him at all.  Dave didn't carry his
new shape well, either.

     "Aww, show us Joe," Dave said.  "Mike showed us what he looked
like, and he's embarrassed too.  We're all in the same boat."

     "Okay, then I'll show you," Joe said slowly.

     Joe unzipped his jumpsuit, and pulled it from his shoulders. 
He pulled his arms from the sleeves, and let the suit drop down his
hips, and settle around his knees.  Joe looked at his friends while
he stood there in his underwear, his face red with embarrassment. 
Mike didn't even pull his pants up, but stood staring, mesmerized
by the shapely body of his friend.  As Joe carefully lowered his
panties, Dave and Mike's eyes widened when they saw his carefully
trimmed hair.

     "Damn, Joe.  You really are a girl, ain't you," Mike ex-
claimed.

     "I guess I am, Mike, and I'll bet that you are too," Joe said.

     "Well, I sure don't look like that," Mike said, pointing to
Joe's pubic area, "and I feel like a man, no matter how small my
cock is.  At least I still have one."

     "Don't be so sure," Joe said.

     Joe reached down and separated the folds of his genital
opening.  A glistening little nub peeked out as he did so.  He put
his finger next to it, and pointed it out to Mike.

     "This is what my penis looks like now, Mike," Joe said,
carefully saying what he thought to be fact.  "It still feels like
my cock to me, too, but it's not a penis, not anymore.  I think my
penis has become a clitoris, and I think yours has too.  It's just
a little bigger for some reason."

     "I don't know," Mike said, as he watched Joe pull his panties
back up.  "I sure don't feel like a woman.  I feel exactly like a
man.  In fact, look at this."

     Mike pointed to his penis, which could now be seen protruding
through his thick hair.  It was erect, and it stood out, ready for
action.  It was about the diameter of a pencil, and maybe an inch
and a half long.

     "Pull your pants up, big guy," Joe said.  "I can still get
a hardon too.  Tell me, do you get wet down there when you get a
boner?"

     "Yeah, I do," Mike said.  "I don't know what causes it
though."

     "I think it's what happens when a woman gets excited," Joe
answered, "and that's probably what you are now, just like Dave and
me."

     "Joe, I know something is wrong with me," Mike said, "but look
at me.  I just can't be female.  Not with a body like this." Mike's
words were more of a question than a statement of fact.

     "I don't know, Mike," Joe said.  "I just don't know, but I
want both of you to come with me to the hospital.  My attorney
friend Jay Logan put me on to a guy named Dan McQuire.  He is a lab
technician or something, in Forensic Medicine.  He does things like
trace identification from hair, or blood samples, in homicide
cases.  He is working on proving my identity, but some doctors
there want to see me, and run some other tests.  Maybe they'll be
able to help.  I told them I had two friends who also had similar
problems, and they'd like to examine you guys too.  We should go
over there this afternoon if you guys are free."

     "If it'll help get me back to normal, I'll do almost any-
thing," Mike said as he pulled his sweatpants back up.

     Throughout the whole discussion, Dave said little, but watched
his friends as they showed their changed bodies, and discussed what
to do about them.  He finally spoke.

     "What can doctors do, Joe?" Dave said.  "Look at me!  I know
what I am.  I'm a fat, dumpy guy with a woman's body; a FAT WOMAN'S
body, but I've got a wife and two kids.  What can the doctors do
about that?" Dave looked like he might start to cry.

     "Dave, I don't know what they might be able to do," Joe said. 
"I do think we should give them a chance to look at our problem
though.  If we're stuck like this, the sooner we know it, the
better.  If there is a way out, then as far as I can see, they'll
be the people who can help us find it.  We can wallow in self pity,
but that won't get us back for sure." Joe tried to sound confident
for his depressed pal.

     "When do you guys want to go over to see Dan?" Joe asked.

     "Whenever you want, Joe.  I'm ready," Mike said.

     "Well, let's get ready then," Joe said.  "Dave, can you find
something a little better to wear?  At least put a tee-shirt on
under that blouse, or something.  Maybe Cindy can help."  Joe tried
to get his pal to dress with a little more pride.

     "What's the difference?" Dave said, "I'm just too fat.  I'm a
fat, ugly, woman."

     "I don't care what sex your body is," Joe insisted.  "It's
still YOUR body.  Show a little pride, Dave."  He opened the
bedroom door, and walked out.  Cindy was in the kitchen, and young
David was at the table.

     "Cindy, would you help Dave find something to wear?" Joe
asked.  "I want him to come along with Mike and me to Hillcrest
Hospital to see if they can do anything for us."

     "Joe, I've been trying to get him to wear something more
appropriate," Cindy replied, "but he'll only wear what he has on,
or one of his old tee-shirts.  His pants don't fit at all.  I had
those old shorts from when I had Suzie.  He won't even try anything
else."

     "Come with me," Joe ordered, and walked back down the hallway,
where Mike and Dave were coming back from the bedroom.  Joe took
Dave's arm, and led him back to the bedroom.  When Cindy came in
the room Joe closed the door.  "Dave, take that shirt off, and pull
those shorts down," he insisted.

     Dave unbuttoned the blouse, and took it off.  He pulled the
shorts over his big hips and buttocks, and stood there, with
nothing on but men's boxer shorts.  He was quite a sight, and Joe
fought to suppress a grin.

     "Cindy, do you have any underwear that will fit this guy?" Joe
asked.

     Cindy, who was attractive looking but perhaps a little
overweight herself, went to her dresser.  She rummaged through her
drawer until she took a pair of white cotton panties and put them
on the bed.  She opened another drawer, and from the back of the
drawer selected a white cotton bra.  It looked too big to fit her,
but looked like it might fit her husband.  She held the up the bra
by the back strap.

     "This is from before I went on the diet after Suzie," she
explained while her husband just stared.  "It might fit you,
though."

     "Go ahead Dave, try it on," Joe insisted.  "You'll probably
appreciate how it feels if you try it."

     "Joe, I don't think I can wear something like that," Dave com-
plained, his higher voice sounding slightly whiny.

     "Why not?" Joe asked, trying to sound authoritative.  "Are you
afraid you'll look like a woman?  No problem, old buddy, you
already do, so you might as well get used to it."

     Dave took the bra from his wife, and pulled it around his
chest.  Cindy helped her embarrassed husband put it on, and
adjusted the straps to fit his slightly larger shoulders.  The
support made Dave's breasts look much less saggy.  He shook his
chest, feeling the support and comfort the bra provided.  Dave went
to the dresser mirror, and looked at himself.

     "See, it's an improvement already," Joe said encouragingly. 
He went to the bed, and picked up the white underpants, holding
them out to Dave.  "Okay, pal, now take off those baggy shorts, and
try these."

     Dave took the underpants, and held them up by the waist band. 
To Joe, they looked twice as big as the ones he was wearing.  Dave
shrugged his shoulders in resignation, and put them back on the
bed.  He then pulled the boxers down and stepped out of them.  Dave
had never seen a large naked woman before, and was amazed at the
size of Dave's large, soft buttocks.  Dave took the panties from
the bed and stepped into them.  He pulled them up over his large
butt.  When he had them on, he went to the mirror and looked at
himself.  Dave watched as his friend saw himself in women's
underwear for the first time.  He knew what Dave was going through. 
Dave just stood there and stared at himself.  He reached down, and
touched the flat area where his male organ used to be.  Joe
remembered how he felt, the first time he saw himself the same way. 
It seemed so much different with the snug fitting panties on, than
when you were naked, when your pubic hair somewhat hid your new
contours.

     "Cindy, do you think you'd have something to fit this guy?"
Joe asked, breaking the silence, as Dave looked at himself in the
mirror.

     "I'll see," Cindy answered.  "I might have something from
before the diet.  What do you want, Dave, shorts or a dress?"

     Dave stood there.  Cindy repeated her question, and only then
did Dave look at her.  "Ah... I don't know," he said.  "Do you have
something like Joe's wearing?"

     "I don't think so, but I'll see what I have," Cindy replied. 
She went to the closet, and soon returned with some pink pants, and
a loose fitting pullover top.

     "Pink?  Does it have to be pink?" Dave asked.

     "Sorry, it's what I have, and of what I have, I think it's the
best thing for you," Cindy said.  "Try it on."

     Dave took the pink pants and pulled them on.  They fit fairly
well; they were only a little tight across the butt.  He pulled the
top over his head, and straightened it across his chest.  It also
fit better than expected.  With Cindy's old clothes on, Dave looked
like a young, plump, woman with a butch haircut.

     "Not too bad, old pal," Joe said, putting his hand on his
friend's back as he inspected himself in the mirror.  "Maybe we
need to go to spend some time at the health club, though,"

     Dave went to the bedroom door, opened it, and went back out to
Mike, who was sitting on the couch, playing with David.  Mike
looked up when Joe came in and saw Dave in his new clothes.

     "Big improvement, Dave," Mike said.  "You kinda looked like a
slob before." Mike wasn't known for his tact.

     "Well, I think we ought to go see Dan Mcquire," Joe said. 
"Can I use your phone, Dave?"

     "Sure," Dave answered.

     Joe got Dan's phone number from the pocket of his jumpsuit,
and punched it into the phone.  Almost immediately, the phone was
answered.  It was Dan.

     "Forensic," the voice on the other end said.

     "Dan?" Joe said.  "Joe here.  Joe Bates."

     "Hi, Joe.  What Can I do for you?" Dan asked.

     "Dan, I'm at my friend's house," Joe replied.  "I'm with the
other two guys who are having the same problem I am.  Can we come
over and see you?"

     "Absolutely!" Dan answered.  "There are some people here who
can't wait to examine you guys.  I'll call the doctors now.  When
can you get here?"

     "We're getting ready to go right now," Joe replied.  "About
thirty to forty minutes should do it."

     "See you soon, then," Dan said, and hung up.

     "How do we want to go?" Joe asked.  "Do you guys want to each
drive over separately, or does anybody want to ride with me?"

     "I don't want to drive, looking like this," Dave insisted. 
"I'll ride with you."

     They all went out to the driveway.  Mike's big 4WD pickup was
parked behind Joe's car.  Mike got in and started his engine while
Dave and Joe got belted in.  They backed out, and Mike followed Joe
to the hospital.

     When they arrived, Joe led his strange crew directly to Dan's
office.  Dan was there waiting.  He introduced himself and Joe
presented his two shy buddies.

     "Well, I guess we might as well go upstairs and meet Dr. Krell
and Dr. Loe.  They're anxious to meet the three of you," Dan said,
after shaking hands with Dave and Mike.

     They followed Dan to the elevator and rode it to the fourth
floor.  There, Dan took them down a long hall and into some
offices.  They sat down in some chairs, as Dan talked to the
receptionist or secretary behind a desk.  In minutes, they were all
asked to come to the next room.  There, they met a small man with
thick glasses.  Dan introduced him as Dr. Krell, and described him
as a specialist in gender and genetic research.

     "I'm pleased to meet you Dave, Joe, and ah... Mike, is it?"
Dr. Krell said, smiling.  "Don't worry about a thing, I'm not sure
what is going on here, but we are learning new things concerning
genetics every day, and I'm certain we can come up with some
answers in your case."

     Joe could see Dr. Krell looking each of them over very
carefully.  He sort of felt like a lab specimen, as the little man
inspected him and his friends.

     "I have been looking at the records of Joe Bates," Dr. Krell
went on.  "I don't have anything on you two," he said, looking at
Mike and Dave.

     "I just found out about them this morning," Dan said.  "I'll
take them and get their records, as soon as you're done with them."

     "I would like to work with err... Mr. Bates here," Dr. Krell
said.  "You may take the others, and get them to fill out the
paperwork to get their records.  I'll see each of you in a little
while."

     Dan got up.  Mike and a nervous Dave Skinner followed him back
to his office.

     Dr. Krell looked carefully at Joe.  He made Joe a little
nervous.  Dr. Krell saw Joe's concern, and attempted to reassure
him.  "Relax, Joe," the little man said.  "I won't harm you, and we
just might be able to help."

     "I'm okay," Joe said.  "I just wish I knew what was going on
here."

     "You are an engineer, is that right?" Dr. Krell asked him.

     "Yes, I'm an electrical design engineer, and I work for
Honeybone Avionics," Joe volunteered.

     "Well, then, you might understand that there are methods that
we must use, or follow, which are necessary to eliminate as many
variables as possible," Dr. Krell went on.  "I think you realize
that we don't really know what has caused your condition, but if we
can figure that out, it might be possible to reverse it.  The state
of the art in genetic engineering is probably the fastest advancing
area of biological science these days.  I hope we can help you, but
I'm sure YOU can help us."

     "Will I ever get back to normal, Doc?" Joe asked.  "What are
the odds?"

     "It is far too early to tell, Joe," Dr. Krell explained.  "We
want to give you a complete examination, to find out the extent of
the changes."

     "I'm ready for whatever you need to do," Joe said.

     "Good.  That's good," the doctor went on.  "Did Mr. Mcquire
tell you the results of your blood group?"

     "No, I don't think so, he said the results would be in soon,"
Joe replied.

     "Well, they're in, and they are VERY interesting," Dr. Krell
said.  "Mr.  Bates, the DNA tests show your chromosomes to be
female.  You have the normal XX cell structure of a normal genetic
female.  However, your blood shows extremely high levels of
testosterone for a female.  If it has always been at these levels,
I would expect you to exhibit masculine secondary characteristics."

     Joe looked at Dr. Krell in confusion.  "Exhibit masculine
secondary characteristics?" he said.  "Doctor Krell, five days ago,
I was a MAN.  That's about as PRIMARY as it gets.  I think you'll
find, if you'll read my records, that I fathered a child when I was
seventeen.  I'm not a girl who's changing into a man.  I'm a guy,
who woke up Friday morning with female body." Joe was irritated,
and it was starting to show.

     "Joe, calm down, calm down," Dr. Krell said.  "I have read
your records, and I know your history.  I'm just stating the facts
as they appear.  No matter what you have been, if your body and
blood chemistry stay as it is, you will surely begin to develop, or
redevelop the secondary sexual characteristics of a male.  That is,
increased facial and body hair, upper body muscular development,
and other changes.  Perhaps you have already experienced one or
more of them.  That's why we need to conduct a complete physical
examination.  To find out what's going on."

     Joe sat back in his chair, and tried to relax.  He was worried
that the specialists wouldn't understand his problem, and was
probably a little "spring-loaded" for confrontation.

     "I'm sorry, Dr. Krell," Joe said, with resignation.  "I'm
ready for whatever you've got."

     "I'll call Dr. Hopkins," Dr. Krell said.  "He's expecting you,
so I don't think you will have to wait long.  He will be conducting
the physical examination.  Are you ready for it?"  Dr. Krell looked
at Joe, as if to see his reaction.

     "I guess so" Joe said.  "I just had a class two flight exam
last month."

     "I doubt you've ever had one like this, Joe," Dr. Krell said,
smiling.  "Dr. Hopkins is a gynecologist.  He's anxious to do a
full pelvic examination on you."

     The muscles in Joe's crotch tensed as he heard the little
doctor say those words.  He had almost forgotten that he was
different now, much different in some places, and a physical for a
woman included an internal examination.  He hadn't thought about
that, until now.  He wondered what it would feel like, and if it
would hurt.

     "Don't worry, Joe," Dr. Krell said.  "Dr. Hopkins is very
skillful, and he won't harm you in any way, and we might even find
out what is causing your symptoms," Dr. Krell saw Joe's apprehen-
sion, and was trying to arrest his fears.  He picked up a phone on
the desk, and punched a three digit number.  He spoke into the
phone.  "Our patient is ready, Karen," he said.  "Okay, we'll be
down in ten minutes." He put the phone back on the desk.  "They'll
be ready for you in ten minutes," Dr. Krell repeated.

     "Okay, then," Joe said.

     "Tell me, Joe, did you put the makeup on, or did someone help
you" Dr. Krell asked, as if to make small talk.

     "Linda, my err... fiance... was my fiance, is helping me to
cope with the situation," Joe explained.

     "Well, you are certainly attractive," Dr. Krell said.  "If you
don't mind me voicing a personal opinion.  You seem to handle the
change extremely well."

     "I'm getting used to it, a little, I guess," Joe said.  "It's
almost possible to forget it happened, sometimes, but only for a
few minutes.  Even looking at myself in the mirror is a strange
sensation.  I don't know If I could ever get used to looking like
this." Joe cupped one of his breasts with his hand.

     "It must be quite a change," the doctor agreed.  "I don't know
how I would handle something like that if it happened to me.  Are
you experiencing any health problems?"

     "No, I don't think so," Joe said.  "I haven't gotten used to
being wet practically all the time, and I guess... Well, horny...
err... I just get turned on from almost anything anymore.  I don't
have much to see, but I've had more erections, that's what they
feel like, than I ever had before, even when I was seventeen."

     "Interesting," Dr. Krell said.  "It's possible the high levels
of testosterone in your system have played havoc with your metabo-
lism.  That could account for the increased libido.  Of course, the
wetness is the result of sexual excitement.  It would follow that
if you had an erection, as you call it, you might now also
experience vaginal lubrication.  It's a natural female reaction to
sexual stimulation."

     "I know what you mean," Joe agreed.  "I guess I didn't realize
women went around with wet underpants, or worse, when they get
excited." Joe grinned at the little doctor.

     "With the levels of male hormone in your system, it's
understandable that you might excite easily," Dr. Krell said. 
"Tell me, what causes the excitement?  Is it women?  Men?  How do
you feel about your fiance, since the change?  Forgive the personal
questions, Joe, but I have never experienced a subject who made the
transition from male to female, completely, and apparently fully
functioning, in one day.  I've worked with a few male to female
transsexual patients, but for them, the transition literally takes
years, and the result, while sometimes amazing, is nothing like
your situation.  Even your DNA shows that you are female."  Dr.
Krell could scarcely contain his interest in Joe's malady.

     "Well, doctor, the first thing you have to remember is that
this is Monday," Joe said.  "Last Thursday, I was a thirty year old
MAN.  I went to work, flew an airplane for about two hours, went to
the health club, played racquetball with a buddy of mine, and then
picked up my girlfriend, and spent the evening discussing getting
married.  That was four days ago, and I still completely remember
what it was like.  I still appreciate a good looking woman, and now
it's awful easy to see more of them than ever before.  You wouldn't
believe it.  Well, maybe you would.  You're a doctor."  Joe grinned
at Dr. Krell as he spoke.

     "How about men?  Have your feelings toward men changed in any
way?" the doctor asked.

     "I'd like to say no, absolutely not, but actually, I'm not
really sure," Joe admitted to the doctor things he didn't want to
admit to himself.  "My senses seem sharper now.  I feel things
differently.  I smell things I never did before.  My own sweaty
tee-shirt, from before the change, gave me the strangest feeling. 
I don't know if it was sexual, but it could have been,"

     "Interesting," was all Dr. Krell said to that revelation.

     "When you look like this, it's impossible to relate to men the
same way as before," Joe said, thinking of his experience with his
best friend, Jay.  "I've tried, but it just doesn't work."

     "I think we can go down now," Dr. Krell said, and got up from
behind his desk.  "If you don't mind, I'd like to observe the
examination."

     "No, I guess not.  Sure.  Some on," Joe said nervously.  He
was actually somewhat glad Dr. Krell would be there.  He liked the
little man, and felt he could trust him.  He didn't know what was
going to happen next, and felt he knew him, even though they had
just met.  He followed Dr. Krell out the door.  Even with his
smaller body, he was maybe six inches taller than the doctor.  They
got on the elevator and rode down one floor.

     The door opened, and Dr. Krell went out and Joe almost had to
run to keep up with him.  They entered some doors, which were
painted with the words OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY.  As a single
male, Joe had never been in a place like this before.  He could
feel his heart pound as he stood at the desk behind Dr. Krell.  The
doctor said something to an attractive nurse behind the desk, and
she immediately got up and motioned for them both to follow.  She
led them to an examining room.  It had a chair, a stool, a table,
the type with stirrups, and a cabinet full of paraphernalia.  There
was a paper cover on the table, and on the end, the paper was
stained with a few drops of what looked like blood.  The nurse
spotted the soiled paper, pulled it down, and ripped it off,
creating a clean cover.  The nurse then went to a drawer, and
removed a hospital type smock, the kind that is open in the back. 
She gave it to Joe, and told him to undress, pointing to a small
clothes tree in the corner which had three hangers on it.  Then she
and Dr. Krell left the room.

     Joe unzipped his jumpsuit, and sat on the stool at the end of
the table.  He removed his shoes and socks.  He quickly slipped out
of the jumpsuit, and felt very cold standing in his underwear.  He
looked at the little smock, and had to suppress a laugh.  Even with
his smaller size, it was far too small to cover much of his bottom
half, and his rear end would be completely uncovered.  "Right," he
thought.

     He removed his bra and slipped out of his panties.  He put the
little smock on, and wondered what to do next.  He decided to sit
on the edge of the table.  He hoisted his butt up, and was looking
at the stirrups when he heard a quick knock on the door.  Before he
could even acknowledge, a handsome man of about forty years entered
the little room, followed by the tall, dark-blond-haired nurse, and
Dr. Krell.

     Joe sat there, extremely self conscious.  Dr. Krell spoke.

     "Joe Bates, this is Doctor Joe Hopkins.  Joe, meet Joe," Dr.
Krell said, smiling broadly at his little attempt at humor.

     "Hi, Doctor Hopkins," Joe said.  Try as he might, he couldn't
forget he was sitting in a room, with two men and a woman, almost
naked, his butt hanging out from the little smock.

     "Hello, Joe," Dr. Hopkins said in a rather deep voice.  "I
hear you've had a very interesting weekend."

     "Yeah, it's been a grin a minute," Joe snapped back.

     "How about standing right here, Joe," Dr. Hopkins said. 
"Maybe we can figure out what's going on with you."

     Joe stood before the big man.  Dr. Hopkins took each of Joe's
arms and looked at them, one at a time.  He looked at his hands,
his elbows, and took a small light, and looked into his eyes, and
ears.  He turned him facing away from him, and thumped, and pressed
on his back in various places.  So far, it was familiar to Joe.

     "Please remove the smock," Dr. Bates said.

     Joe untied the little tie behind his neck, and pulled the
cloth off of him.  He stood there, naked, and could feel the warmth
as he blushed from showing his body to these strangers.  He moved
his leg to cover his genitalia, embarrassed by Linda's trim job on
his pubic hair.  No one in the room seemed to notice, however.

     Dr. Hopkins firmly pressed Joe's breasts between his fingers. 
He used enough force that the slight pain it caused made Joe wince.

     "Does that hurt?" Dr. Hopkins asked.

     "A little," Joe replied.  "They seem a little sensitive to
me."

     "More than normal?" the doctor asked, and then grinned when he
realized what he said.

     "They've felt the same ever since I've been like this," Joe
said.

     Dr. Hopkins looked carefully at Joe's nipples, and felt each
of his breasts, apparently feeling for lumps.  It felt strange to
Joe, to have such big, strong, hands feeling the soft, sensitive
areas of his body.

     "Please sit on the end of the table," Dr. Hopkins said.

     The nurse went to a small cabinet, and took out some metal
tools.  She lay them on a towel placed on a small rolling table. 
Joe looked at the things on the table, but didn't recognize the
stainless steel, and white plastic tools on the table.  Dr. Hopkins
went to the table and took some surgical latex gloves from a box on
the table.  He carefully put them on.  When he had them on the way
he wanted, he picked up a shiny metal tool which looked sort of
like a huge cork remover with elongated spoons on the end.  He held
it up for Joe to examine.  Joe noticed that there were two of them,
and he picked up the larger of the two.

     "Joe, this is called a speculum," Dr. Hopkins said.  "I use
this to do the internal examination."  He moved the control on the
end, and the "spoons" on the end, spread apart.  Joe cringed as he
thought about where that thing was going.  It seemed far too big to
fit inside him.

     The nurse adjusted the table so that there was a slight tilt
upward to the head end.  Then she pulled Joe back, so that he was
lying back on the table, tilted.  She covered his body with a small
green sheet.  The warmth felt comforting to Joe, but he just knew
everyone in the room must be able to hear his heart pounding.  The
nurse pulled out and adjusted the metal stirrups and then placed
Joe's feet in them.  It was not uncomfortable, but it did seem
strange.  Suddenly, Joe felt the end of the table, the part under
his upper legs, go down, as Dr. Hopkins folded it down.  Joe's butt
was now at the very edge of the table, but the weight of his legs
was taken up by the stirrups.  Next, Joe felt cool air on his
bottom as Dr. Hopkins and the nurse adjusted the sheet so that his
bottom half was exposed.  Joe couldn't see much, since the sheet
concealed what was happening from his view.

     Joe felt a hand touch his crotch.  He felt smooth fingers
touching his genital area, as Dr. Hopkins examined it with firm but
gentle touches.  He could feel his labia being spread wider than he
had ever done, and he felt his penis, or clitoris now, being
examined.  Suddenly the touching stopped, and Joe thought, and
hoped, it was over.  Then, from over the sheet, Joe could see Dr.
Hopkins take a speculum, the smaller one this time, and put some
K-Y jelly from a large tube, on the spoons.  He held the spoons in
his hand momentarily, perhaps to warm them.  Then, Joe could feel
the speculum as Dr. Hopkins placed it at the entrance to his
vaginal opening.  Dr. Hopkins swiftly, but gently, maneuvered the
metal device, until Joe could more sense, rather than feel, that it
was deep inside him.  Suddenly there was a very noticeable pain, as
the speculum was spread.  Joe never felt more vulnerable in his
life.

     As he lay there, covered with a sheet, Joe was unable to see
what was being done to him, but was feeling a slight pain, as the
metal object in his crotch was moved around.  Joe began to think
about something he had read somewhere, that some women tended to
develop special feelings for their doctors.  Now, Joe could
understand why.  These guys saw, and knew, things about your body,
that you couldn't even see yourself.  It was almost like you were
dependent on them to tell you that you were normal.  He never felt
that way about his male body.  This one was far more complicated,
it seemed.  You even needed a specialist, just to check it out.

     Suddenly, Joe felt the speculum collapse and withdraw from his
bottom.  The stretching it had done made him feel strange in that
area, even with the tool removed.  Before Joe had recovered from
the quick removal of the speculum, he felt a finger in his genital
opening.  "What the heck is going on now?" he thought.

     Dr. Hopkins felt around inside Joe, pressing on his abdomen
with his other hand as he did so.  Joe could feel him pressing on
his bladder, and for a moment had a strong urge to urinate.  Then
the hand on his abdomen went to his bottom, and he felt Dr. Hopkins
insert a finger in his other opening.  He probed and felt around,
and Joe found it very uncomfortable.  Then the hands and fingers
were gone, and Joe could see Dr. Hopkins remove the surgical gloves
and toss them into a covered waste can.

     "You can dress now, Joe," Dr. Hopkins said as he took a
clipboard, and started writing on it.

     The tall nurse helped Joe up, and held the sheet as he turned
and stepped off the table.  She gave Joe a box of large, soft
tissues.

     "You can use these if you need them," she said, and she
followed Doctors Hopkins and Krell out of the examining room.

     Joe sat there, wrapped in the small green sheet, his crotch
feeling like it had been ripped apart.  He pulled the sheet away,
and looked at the tender area.  His genitalia and pubic hair were
smeared with the lubricating jelly that Dr. Hopkins used.  Joe
looked at the table where he had been sitting and saw a spot of
blood on the paper.  "No wonder," Joe thought.  He took a tissue
and began cleaning himself up, wiping the jelly from his pubic
area, and found a slight trace of blood around his sore, and
abused, genital opening.

     Joe went to the clothes tree, and took his underwear from the
hook.  He pulled his panties on, and felt a slight twinge of pain
as he moved his legs with the snug fitting panty on, but he felt
better, more secure, or less exposed.  He put the bra on and
slipped into his jumpsuit.  He wondered if he should leave the
room, and decided to wait where he was for further instructions. 
Joe sat in the chair, and squirmed around to find a position that
didn't hurt his ailing bottom.  He had just found a comfortable
position, when the nurse knocked and immediately entered.

     "If you're dressed, Dr. Hopkins would like you to come to his
office," she said, smiling.  "Did you have everything you need to
clean up?  There's a bathroom right inside that door." She pointed
at a door as Joe followed her down the short hall.

     "I think I'm okay," Joe said.  "Kinda sore though."

     "Yeah, it's a little painful the first time," the nurse said.

     Joe followed her back to her desk, and then into an office on
the side of what must have been a reception and waiting area for a
number of doctors.  Now, five or six women sat in the couches that
lined the walls, apparently waiting their turn for what Joe just
received.

     Dr. Hopkins was at his desk when Joe entered.  Dr. Krell was
sitting in one of the chairs in front of the desk, and they were
engaged in discussion.  Dr. Hopkins motioned for Joe to sit in
the other empty seat.  He did, but wiggled around, trying to get
comfortable.  His underwear seemed to ride up, or something, and
amplified his minor discomfort.

     "Is there a problem, Joe?" Dr. Hopkins asked.

     "Well, doc, I guess I'm a little sore from your inspection,"
Joe said, with a slight grin.

     "I'm sorry, but I was as careful as I could be," Dr. Hopkins
said.

     "Any news?" Joe asked.  He wondered what the results might be.

     "Well, Joe," Dr. Hopkins said, "I don't know how you feel
about this, but my examination reveals that you seem to be a
normal, healthy, mature female.  I see from your records that you
are thirty years old.  I must say, you certainly don't look that
old, externally, or internally.  Your pelvic examination is
somewhat unusual.  Internally, your condition is more like fifteen
to eighteen years old, rather than thirty.  Your uterus is perfect,
and pink, like a young girl just out of adolescence.  Your breast
development is normal female, with some slight stretching of the
epidermis.  I suppose that is because of the extremely rapid
growth.  Overnight, I understand?"

     "I didn't notice anything when I went to bed, and I looked
like this when I woke up," Joe said.  "Can you do anything for me?"

     "What do you like us to do?" Dr. Hopkins asked, watching Joe's
reaction.

     "I don't know.  I feel like I'm still a man, but I sure can't
resume my normal activities, looking like this.  Do I have to
remain female?" Joe asked the ultimate question.

     "Well, Joe," Dr. Krell began, "you have probably heard of
surgical procedures to change the body's physical appearance to
that of the other sex.  After hormone therapy, usually lasting a
year or more, it is possible to alter the appearance of the
genitalia, so that it has the appearance of the desired sex.  For
a biological male who has the need and desire to have a female
appearing body, the results are often amazing.  It can sometimes
even fool a doctor.  However, for a biological female who wishes to
be male, the surgical procedure is far from perfect.  Any penis
created is basically nonfunctional, with little or no sensation. 
There is no natural erectile functioning, and it's difficult to
make it function even for urination, since it is often prone to
infection.  Many patients don't even elect genital surgery, but
settle for hysterectomy, and mastectomy.  Hormone therapy will
often give a satisfactory outward male appearance, however.  For
you, who actually have experienced a complete, functioning male
body, I think you would be very disappointed with any result, no
matter how it would turn out."

     "So I'm stuck being female, unless I want to become a
hermaphrodite?" Joe asked, wondering if he really understood what
Dr. Krell had just said.

     "Well, Joe, I wouldn't word it like that," Dr. Krell went on,
"but I guess that's one way of describing it.  I don't think you
would be happy with the result.  I know it isn't easy, but you seem
to be adapting to what has happened to you very well.  I don't
think it would be any easier for you, if you elect gender reassign-
ment."

     "So you guys think I should stay like this, huh?" Joe asked,
a strange feeling coming over him.  His face tingled as he
considered his options.

     Female... He had lived four days like this so far.  Sometimes,
it wasn't so bad, but to stay like this?  Could he handle it?  On
the other hand, to look like a guy, but not have a penis, or at
least a functioning penis.  Hell, he might still have to sit
to pee.  He thought of the feelings, the sensations of being with
Linda, but then, he still had that.  It was different, for sure,
but in many ways, even better.  He didn't know.

     "Can I get pregnant?" Joe asked.

     "I haven't done any testing for fertility, but I suspect you
very likely could," Dr. Hopkins said.  "I believe you are now a
mature and functioning female, and as such, you'd better use
adequate contraception if you should choose to become sexually
active.  By the way, your hymen is intact.  I had to stretch it a
bit during the examination, but I believe it remained intact."

     "You mean I'm a virgin?" Joe asked.  He had never thought
about that.

     "Well, I don't know about that," Dr. Hopkins answered,
chuckling, "but your pelvic exam showed an intact hymen.  That's
not too common for a woman of your age.  I have a question for you,
too."

     "Sure, what?" Joe asked.

     "Was your penis circumcised?" Dr. Hopkins asked.

     "Well... Yeah, why do you ask?"  Joe was curious about why he
wanted to know.

     "Well, I observed some unusual scar tissue around your
clitoral area," Dr. Hopkins said.  "I had never seen that before,
but we decided that it might be carry-over from penile circumcision. 
I don't think anyone on record has ever experienced what you have."

     "Will it cause problems for me?" Joe asked.

     "If it doesn't hurt, or cause irritation, I doubt it," Dr.
Hopkins answered.  "Physically, your clitoris is missing the little
hood, called the prepuce, that it normally would retract into, or
under.  The extra exposure may cause discomfort during intercourse,
or when wearing tight clothes.  I don't know.  Since you've always
been like this, since the change, you may not notice anything at
all.  Cosmetically, I doubt anyone but a gynecologist or maybe a
sharp general practitioner would even notice.  I wouldn't worry
about it."

     Joe thought about what he looked like in the hand mirror; the
little sensitive bundle of flesh at the top of his opening.  Linda
didn't look like that, but he decided it was probably the least of
his problems.

     "What about my life, my job?" Joe asked.  "Hell, I'm a thirty
year old man, an engineer, and a pilot.  All my records, my
identification, show me to be male.  What can I do about that?" He
didn't know what he wanted to do, but he knew he needed more
information.

     "Don't worry about that, Joe," Dr. Krell assured him. 
"Whatever you choose to do, it will be possible to change your
records, even your birth certificate, if you need it.  I'm not sure
about your military records, however."

     "So what do I do next?" Joe asked.  He hadn't known what to
expect, but he had more questions now, than answers.

     "Well, I think we need to find out what has caused these
symptoms in you, and your two friends," Dr. Krell said.  "We'd like
to run more tests on you.  Could get you to come to San Diego where
there are more facilities to do research into your condition?"

     "What can you do there that you can't do here?" Joe asked.

     "I don't really know if there is anything anyone can do for
you, Joe," Dr. Krell said, "but we need to find out just what has
happened, and just what caused it.  Then we might, and it would be
a big might, we might be able to somehow reverse your condition. 
If we were to alter your appearance with surgery, I don't think you
would be pleased with the result, and it would surely leave you
disfigured. If you possibly can, I advise that you try to live with
what you now have, at least for a while.  I realize it isn't easy,
but none of your other options are, either.  I would recommend that
you consult a therapist, if you're having any difficulty coping
with the changes.  I might add, you seem to be doing quite well, so
far."

     "If I decide to stay this way, at least for now, what will I
have to do to get my records changed?" Joe asked.

     "If you will come to my office in San Diego, I have all the
information you need, and there is a group of people to help, who
are familiar with the legal requirements for Arizona," Dr. Krell
replied.

     "How did they get familiar with my requirements already?" Joe
asked, since as far as he knew, he was the first person he had ever
heard of with his problem.

     "You might be surprised at the number of gender dysphoric
persons who elect gender reassignment," Dr. Krell answered.  "Only
they take years to get where you are now, but then they face the
same obstacles, after the reassignment surgery.  We see well over
a hundred every year."

     It had never really occurred to Joe there were people on the
street, maybe people he knew, who had once been a different sex. 
He didn't think he had ever seen anyone like that.  He felt sorry
for anyone who felt they had such a problem, since he now knew what
it was like to have the wrong body.

     "I didn't realize there were that many people who changed
their sex," Joe said.  "I wonder why I've never seen any of them."

     "How do you know you haven't?" Dr. Krell said.  "I know of at
least one that you've seen."

     "Really, I sure don't remember seeing anyone like that," Joe
said, slightly amazed.

     "I wouldn't normally say anything, but I know she won't mind. 
I know you've met Dr. Hopkins' nurse, Karen Simpson," Dr. Krell
said with a grin.  "When I first met her, her name was Keith.  That
was just four years ago."

     Joe was shocked, and impressed.  He had never even considered
that the tall, friendly, and very attractive nurse could have been
anything but a natural woman.  She looked, walked, and even sounded
like any other good looking female.  So she was once a guy too.

     "YOU made him... err... her look like THAT?" Joe asked
incestuously.

     "Well, I helped HER get her body in line with what she
considers to be HER normal gender," Dr. Krell said proudly. 
"Hormones did most of the work, and a morning on the operating
table did the rest.  I didn't make her a woman, I just helped her
to get a woman's body." He was obviously proud of his work.

     "But you can't do anything like that for me, huh?" Joe asked.

     "Joe, I think I could make you pass as a man in public," Dr.
Krell answered, "but I am sure that you would not be pleased with
the cosmetic, and function, of the phalloplasty.  It is just a lot
harder to create working male parts, and you had a real penis, so
you would be expecting something like that, and that I absolutely
cannot give you.  Again, I recommend that you try to live with what
you've got.  If it becomes intolerable, then let's talk about
alternatives," Dr. Krell smiled as he spoke.

     "Well, maybe that's what I have to do," Joe said.  "I'll give
it a shot."

     "Good choice," Dr. Krell said.  "Now, I think we need to call
your employer, what is it... Honeybone Electronics?"

     "That's Honeybone Avionics," Joe said, correcting him.  "We
design, and manufacture aviation electronics of all types,
navigation radios, computers, flight management systems, and a lot
of other stuff for Civil and Military aviation."  He was trying to
figure out who to call.

     "If you will give me the number, I'll call them, and explain
what we need from them," Dr. Krell said.

     Joe gave him the switchboard number, and told Dr. Krell to ask
for Jim Matheney, his supervisor.  Dr. Krell dialed the number, and
in a few moments, he was talking to Jim Matheney.

     "Good morning, Mr. Matheney, my name is Dr. Benjamin Krell,"
he said.  "I have three of your employees here at the hospital, and
we have uncovered some unusual symptoms in them.  I feel that the
problems may be job related.  I hope you can help us figure out
what is wrong with them."

     "That really is understating the problem," Joe thought, "but
maybe that's the best way to start."

     "Yes, sir, that's who it is," Dr. Krell said into the phone,
"and I would prefer not to discuss their symptoms over the phone. 
Yes, sir, it would be good if you could come here, to Hillcrest. 
Yes, Dr. Krell, fourth floor.  Two o'clock this afternoon would be
fine.  See you after lunch, then.  Bye."  Dr. Krell had quickly
started the ball rolling.

     Just as Dr. Krell hung up the phone, there was a knock on his
office door.  "Come in," Dr. Krell said.  The door opened, and
nurse Karen Simpson looked in.

     "Dr. Krell, the other two patients are here from downstairs,"
she said, smiling.  Joe looked carefully at her, and was trying to
imagine her as a man.  He couldn't.  Dr. Krell saw him staring at
the nurse.

     "Please have them wait outside for a moment," Dr. Krell told
her.  Joe continued to watch her, and it was slightly obvious he
was curious.  "Karen, do you have plans for lunch?" Dr. Krell asked
the nurse.

     "Not really, I thought I'd just go out, maybe over to Wendy's
for a salad.  It seems I really have to watch my calories," she
said with a quick grin.

     "Well, Joe here is free for a couple of hours," Dr. Krell
said, "and I think he wouldn't mind buying you lunch.  I've told
him a little about you, and I think you two might have something in
common."  It was plain that he and Karen had a mutual admiration
for each other.

     "Sure, Joe, let's go, if you're ready," she said, holding out
her hand in greeting.  "My name is Karen Simpson.  I've read your
records, so I know you're Joe Bates."

     Karen and Joe shook hands like two guys meeting for the first
time.  Joe liked the pretty nurse the first time he saw her, and
now that he knew her unusual past, he wanted to get to know her. 
As he stood next to her, he saw that she was even a little taller
than he was.

     "Nice to meet you, Karen, let's get something to eat," Joe
said, as they walked out the door.

     "Be sure to be back by one thirty, Joe," Dr. Krell ordered as
they went out the door.