The midday sun reflected harmlessly off the only and rose mirror shades protecting the two youths. Bouncing with every step the girl's sot golden curls fell to her mid back as deep forest emeralds looked out from behind th rose shades. Lagging some distance behind his energetic friend was the boy, his hair a short crop of fire, his eyes crystal blue water as the imposing steel compound before them grew ever closer.
"Hurry up Levi," the girl bounced on her heels around her friend, "at this rate the war will be over before we sign up."
"I'm not sure this is a good idea Starbuck," the boy said meekly, "What if they laugh and kick me out?"
Starbuck stopped abruptly, her face becoming a stern mask as she looked into Levi's eyes, "Then you tell them 'this is the United American Providences and discrimination against race, gender, religion, ethnicity, or species is against our most hollowed Constitution."
Levi forced a smile, "liberation now! Equal rights for Men!"
Starbuck chucked, "That the ticket. And when we get home we can burn your briefs in sight of your liberation."
Levi chuckled, spirit invigorated the duo quickly passed through the pressurized doors of the compound, the glasses of their shades shifting to clear glass as they entered and spied the uniformed man behind the reception counter looking at a computer monitor. He has crew cut black hair and as they removed their shades and approached him he leveled a calm gaze their way.
"May I help you?" the receptionist's voice was clip and professional.
"We are here to become C-A-Ts," Starbuck bubbled.
The recruiter rose a eyebrow but otherwise remained stoic, "Both of you?"
"Is that a problem?" Levi said emboldened.
The recruiter shrugged, "The exam is very demanding and statistically no man and only a rare few women have possessed the level of...flexibility C-A-Ts demand. Men just aren't...predisposed...towards it."
Levi looked over at Starbuck and then back at the recruiter, intensifying his glare as he placed his hands firmly on the counter, leaning into the recruiter's face, "Sooooo your telling me the UAP open practices discrimination?"
The recruiter leaned back, casually tossing a breath mint into Levi's open mouth before handing him two folders full of forms, "No. I'm saying 'Don't get your hopes up kid.'"
Levi took the folders and leaned back, "Well I took ballet for five years and placed third in the provincial figure skating championship last winter. I think I'm limber enough to serve my territories."
As the duo found seats and began to fill out the paperwork the recruiter leaned forward, something catching his eye a moment, "Girl, brush back your hair a moment."
Starbuck pauses and looks up, doing as told, small pointed ears coming into view.
"I'm sorry but E-L-Fs can't become C-A-Ts either, something about th biotech only being compatible with Terrestrials."
"I'm only half-elf on my others side," Starbuck huffed.
The recruited shrugged, "Suit yourself but expect rejection if your Extraterrestrial Life-Form DNA is as dominant as it looks."
Starbuck huffs again, "That's for the Biomeds to decide isn't it?"
------------------------------------------
"Levi Mail!" the red headed woman's voice easily carried the one floor up to where Levi's head was hidden by a large blue helmet that covered his ears and eyes. His hands flying over a long screen currently lit up with strange icons and arrows.
The world beyond Levi's eyes was not his bedroom however. Instead a lush green meadow stretched out before him and a woman in heavy armor was just completing a roundhouse swing wit ha massive double headed Axe as '-164' floated above the warrior's helpless goblin victim before it dropped to its knees and then landed in the grass face down.
"Mail!" a blue-gray window filled most of Levi's field of vision.
"Hey guys," he said to the air, "B-R-B-mail, DPS on Assist/Follow."
Several voices chirped back with variants of "OK," and "hurry back." as he removed the helmet and made his way down to his mother.
His mother handed him a white envelope emblazoned with the UAP military seal of the Nobel Lion in the corner and over the flap on the back.
"You hack the Pentagon again?" his mother teased, smiling.
Levi smiled back, "Damn and I thought my virus was so clever," he joked as he broke the seal and removed the letter. His eyes went wide as he read the contents as his jaw fell agape and the letter fluttered to the floor.
"Well?" his mother probed casually, "Don't keep me in suspense."
"I-I'm in...they accepted me into the C-A-T boot camp."
"Cat?" his mother scratched her chin, "You never mentioned signing up for that."
Levi shrugged, "The recruiter said I didn't stand a chance."
"Well," his mother ruffled his hair, "You sure showed him!"
Beaming Levi rushed off, "I have to tell Starbuck."
---------------------------------------------------
Her eyes were red and her cheeked puffed as Starbuck's face lite up the small display.
"W-What happened Star?" was Levi's first thought as her resolution clarified.
"I-I didn't get in," Star broke down into tears, "They said my DNA was incompatible with CAT biotech and my best bet was the hard suit devision."
Levi's heart sank, "Thats pure Nitro, Real Ice Man." Remaining silent a moment longer he forced a smile, "At least you get suit access, I'm stuck in infantry."
Starbuck dried her tears as a fierce look filled them, "They didn't use the gender excuse did they?"
Levi shook his head, "Just a generic rejection , doubt even got past the pre-screening."
Star huffed, the fire back in her eyes, What kind of super women do you need to be to join CAT."
Levi shrugged, "Why don't you come over, we can veg."
Star nodded, "I'll bring the 'corn."
"Pure Chill!"
-------------------------------------------
"I was a bit worried when the shuttle came, half expecting to find Starbuck there and have to explain why I was on a military shuttle. Thankfully she wasn't and I found two other men on the shuttle among the throng of girls. Before we reached Boot Camp we picked up four more girls and one more guy. Looks like the girls outnumber us four to one. Once we disembarked at Boot Camp we were shuffled into a barrack where we were shaved bald and given our new gray uniforms. Our instructor was a older woman, somewhere in her 50s with blur trimmed CAT ears atop her head and she wasted no time getting us to work.
We ran for miles and got a swift slap if we spoke out of turn, I'd be ling if seeing her slap around the girls didn't turn me on just a little but it wasn't very erotic when I got slapped, her hands were as hard as steel!. The next day we were up at dawn for a mile hike before breakfast and asleep at 10 PM sharp.
By the third day 3 women and one of the men quit the program and went home. By the two month mark we had lost a dozen more women and the other two guys leaving just me and and a red head, though with our heads shaved we really only had peach fuzz to identify our hair color. Shortly our instructor informed us at this point only the most dedicated remain in the program and since the drop out rate is so high we were combined with several other units until we numbered 8, me the only guy among them. And apparently the only guy, ever, to reach the make or break point in the program.
In the last half of the six month Boot Camp the regime changed gears as endurance and strength training changed to acrobatics, team work, and flexibility training. It was here my Ballet and Figure Skating experience shined and I quickly excelled to the defacto unit leader for our small group of "kittens."
Now we're in a new shuttle headed for the space station that will fit us with out own CAT ears and armor. But I'm worried, the Station is NNS-Alpha, isn't that where you said Starbuck was stationed?"
With a double tap of his finger on the touchscreen th email flew away and Levi looked out the window to his side to watch the vastness of space fly past them. As Levi put the device in his pocket the raven haired girl next to him leaned over, her hair just as short and practically nonexistent as his.
"Sending a love letter to your girlfriend?" she giggled.
Levi snorted, "The opposite actually. And Starbuck isn't my GF but she is a friend. She's stationed here but I never told her I made CAT."
The girl raised a pencil thin brow, "Why?"
"We applied together, didn't seem right to brag when I made CAT and she didn't."
The girl nodded, "Zerg and I did the same thing, your going to have to tell her eventually."
Levi nodded, "I know, I was just hoping it could wait until she got the keys to her DAWG so I wouldn't seem like I'm rubbing my success in her face."
The girl snickered, "The girl is a Digitally-Assisted War Gestalt and the boy is a Cybernetic Augmentation Tek-Armor pilot, thats a twist!"
Levi looked confused.
"Normally aren't boys Dawgs and girls Cats?"
Levi chuckled as the ship jostled a moment, "Sounds like were docking."
-----------------------------------------------------
"Just relax," the technician said calmly from behind a control console while Levi sat in a steel chair, a pair of hydraulic needle lowering from the ceiling unit to casual spin around Levi's head.
"Easy for you to say...what is that thing?" Levi asked curiously.
"It's a standard Temple Stud Piston Injector. Its only sizing up your cranium for optimal placement of the HDSes."
"The whats?"
"All new CAT are implanted with a pair of studs that...well you'll see."
There was a quick sting before the unit lifted up into the ceiling and Levi's hands shot up to feel the small hard lumps sitting just behind the eye line studs that blinked with pink LEDS and were smaller then his pinky fingers.
"Say Visor: Shades" The Tech instructed.
Levi paused, lowering his hands, "Visor: Shades." H felt the stud vibrate slightly as a cloud of silver filled his vision a moment before solidifying into body wraparound hades. "Pure chill!"
"Now say Visor: Display"
Levi did as told and the inside of his shades became a wealth of information.
"Visor: Off." The tech instructed.
And Levi did as instructed, watching as the silver cloud reappeared and then vanished.
"Now onto the ears," the tech smirked.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Levi absently scratched at the new pink trimmed ears atop his head, around him were his fellow CATs, each of them scratching their own ears each with different trim colors, the ears folding down in response to the gently scratching at their base but quickly grew erect as the automatic doors hissed and a girl no older then 16 with short brunette hair and pink trimmed CAT ears, like Levi, entered. Despite her age the girl bore the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
"Greeting squad VK22 I am your Commanding Officer Nala Vosem. Now the basics, I am your experienced commander but Cadet Jonas is my second in command. Despite appearances I am 35 years old with over two decades of CAT experience. A genetic disorder in my family prevents me for maturing but not aging. Now the next two months will have us on light patrol duty as you get the handle of your Tek-Armor. Any questions?"
There was silence, Nala smiled.
"Command Override: NNS-Engage."
Spreading out from the base of the ears each cadet, and Nala, were enveloped in color coded glowing hexagonal energy discs. As the Disc's advanced down their bodies they left in their wake a armored shell until nine armored cat girls remained. Their faces locked in a stoic expression but all eyes were on the pink cat girl in the center of the lineup. She twisted from side to side inspecting the curve of her hips, ran ah and down her smooth crotch and starred in shock at a rounded shapely ass. Oddly enough the view above the hips was less impressive, the pinching of the waist was more illusion then fact, more a factor of her wide hips and broad chest then underlying tissue. The chest was also underdeveloped with only a pair of practically non-existent buds for a bust. Her arms legs, neck, and all other features were shapely if a bit bulky, only the face somewhat resembled Levi's own and it was still a bit softer.
Why do I look like a girl?" a soft, clear, feminine voice responded.
"A cosmetic effect, I am sure," the other Pink CAT girl responded in a similar voice, "Cadet Jonas follow me to the tech sector, the rest of your practicing moving in your armor."
Levi nodded hesitantly and followed after, her hips swaying just a little.
----------------------------------------------------------
"Well?" Levi asked irritably as the technician looked at his hand scanner. Nala and a high ranked officer standing off to one side, "Why am I a girl?"
"Your not," the technician said flatly as he dropped the scanner into its cradle in a near console, "The nanites are hard coded for women so when activated that is th form they tried their best to replicate. However there is a larger problem here."
"What is the situation?" the Officer said in a clip tone.
"Now active the nanites in Cadet Jonas' blood are altering his chemical balances. Men and women both have testosterone and estrogen, the difference being in quantity. Right now the nanites are adjusting that quantity toward their programed norm. This will eventually lead to Cadet Jonas developing some feminine characteristics"
"Fix it," Levi blurt out.
"I can't...not immediately. There are no males CATs so I don't have a road map of how the nanites may react to new programing. If I go in blind the effects could be...disastrous?"
"What could POSIBLY be worse then forced gender reassignment!" Levi threw up her arms in protest.
"Death, paralysis, severe mutation, psychosis, muscle decay...need I go on?"
"What are our options?" the officer cut in before Levi could start a tirade.
"I need to track this transition. I have the nanites feeding data to my system now bu until they finish the procedure and I see how far this goes it's not safe o reverse the program."
Levi sighs, "Just great!"
The officer places his hand on Levi's shoulder comfortingly, "We will do everything we can to make this...transition..painless...Any requests?"
Levi thought a moment, "Three things actually. One: No one and I mean no one is to know about this. The last thing I need is the drama that will come if people find out I'm turning into a girl. I can trust my squad to keep quiet but outside of them and this room Levi Jonas is not the sub commander of VK22 just a normal girl named..." he paused again as he tried to come up with a name. "a girl named Linen Dust."
Nala and the officer shared looks a moment, "That I agree on," The CO said, "We do not need the PR this would bring."
"But how are you going to pass as a woman out of combat during the transition," Nala wondered.
"My second point. You will bring in DAWG pilot Starbuck Christ, she's my best friend and the only person I would trust to tutor me in pretending to be a girl without trying to humiliating or poke fun of the situation. And if this ordeal discovers a way for CAT to open up to non female, non terrestrial CATs Starbuck will be the first new addition. She was only denied CAT status because of her ELF heritage."
"Agreed," the officer nodded after a moment thought, "The last condition?"
"I want bonus pay for this entire hassle, to girl and back!"
Nala laughed, the officer chuckled, "That goes without question."
Levi threw a hard glare at the tech, "This better be reversible," then to the officer, "Arrange a private meeting for me and Starbuck."
the officer nods
--------------------------------------------------------
Starbuck silently looked around the briefing room, not sure what to expect when the doors opened and a pink trimmed CAT entered.
"Starbuck?" she said.
She nodded, "Do I know you?"
"NNS – Release."
As the hexagonal disc fades out and Levi was revealed Starbuck was slack jawed.
"H-How...w-why....CAT...girl...Levi..." was all Star could manage.
"It's a long story and I need your help for the conclusion. Please have a seat, it's a meteor storm..."
Starbuck was a bit pale as she took a seat, "O-OK, I'm seated."
"You see..." Levi began, "It's like this..."
---------------------------------------------------
Starbuck stepped back to inspect her work. Thumb and forefinger stroking her chin as she turned Levi to face a ceiling high reflective surface. A Delicate featured girl stared back at him in shock. Baby soft, smooth skin and soft fingers trembled as they traced the fair feminine features.
"How did..." his voice was unchanged.
Star smiled and hung her arms over Levi's shoulders, a small canister of pale pink creme dangling in one hand, "Facial bond, women have been using it for years to balance out imperfections in their faces with a water soluble synthetic protein. Eventually though the effects can be permanent with continued applications."
"Synth-Protein? Isn't that what Apollo said was his key from going from pimple head to 'sexist man alive?'"
Star nodded as Levi's fingers traced her smooth throat.
"So you used it on my neck too?"
Star nodded again, "In addition to the epidermal bath to smooth out your skin and the wax to remove hair I also touched up bits here and there to smooth over imperfections."
Levi's hands dropped to his chest, the barest hints of a bust tenting his shirt, Levi gasped.
"I knew a full corset was out of the question, you need to breath if your going to fight. So I pinched you only a couple centimeters and used a supportive training bra to give you a semblance of a bust."
Levi put one hand on his wider hips, swayed it one way and then switched hands and swayed it the other hip. Once more Levi was shocked by his ample rear and smooth crotch.
"I followed the armor's example with hip and rear padding and just tucked back your 3rd soldier and added extra padding there."
Levi felt his rod harden as he took stock of the entire package, "I barely recognize myself, I'm actually a little turned on by the girl I see." he admitted blushing.
Star giggled as she gave Levi a peck on the cheek, Levi felt his rod bulge and strain forcing him to turn away from the mirror quickly.
"You OK?" Starbuck wondered.
"That was Virtual, all I could see was two girls kissing, I was geo-thermal!"
Star giggled, "our little Linen is a Lesbian?"
Levi paused a moment then giggled, "Damn straight!"
"No if you were Straight Linen you'd be Virtualizing some hot stud plunging his carbon rod into your reactor core!"
The image of some naked guy riding him gave a full halt to Linen's hard on. After a couple minutes of cooling down Star slipped a black collar around Linen's neck and adjusted her shirt collar until the collar vanished from casual view.
"What was that all about?" Linen cooed in a sweet candy voice. She gasped, "What happened to my voice?"
"Vocal Synthesizer," Star said causally.
"Pure chill," Linen smiled as she turned to the mirror and blew herself a kiss, resting one hand on her hip as she trusted it to the side, "Your a genius Star." she Winked and giggled.
Star rose a eyebrow, "Your acting odd all of a sudden." she commented.
Linen giggled and shrugged, "Just feels natural to exaggerate with this voice and this bod, girlfriend!"
Star giggled back, "Come on girlfriend we still have lots more to do."
"Oh?" Linen turned her head to the side, "How so?"
"Star laughed, "You may have the look but you still need to walk the walk and talk the talk. And Lesbian or not every girl know the basics to warm an man's blood."
Linen moved to a near chair and dropped into it, all pretense gone from her new voice as she put one hand to her forehead, "Can it wait a bit Star? I need a few ti just deal with this stage."
Star placed a comforting hand on Levi's shoulder, "No Problem Levi, take all you need. I can only imagine what your going through."
Water bubbles at the rims of Levi's eyes, Star quick to dab them before it hits the Synth-Protein creme and held Levi close.
"Thanks Star," Levi began to sob in Star shoulder, "I don't know how I could do this without your support and understanding."
------------------------------------------------
"Come in," Linen's voice carried easily through her sparsely decorated quarters to the person on the other side of the automatic door.
A fellow cadet entered a moment later, her uniformed trimmed in blue but she had the same CAT ears as Linen. Linen was resting on her bed bare chested, a couple months having passed since the nanites infiltrated her bloodline had altered her estrogen levels drastically and she no longer needed cosmetic help to give her the curves of a real woman, though the limp slug between her legs would still cause problems if discovered.
"How are you feeling?" the blue girl said in a soft voice as she placed a hand on Linen's chest.
"M-Memo?" Linen jumped a bit, "What brings you here?"
"Well..." the girl blushed, "We'll be moving o-onto the next assignment soon and the girls and I were talking..." Without warning she reached for Linen's pants, slipping them and her panties lower down her ample hips to free the limp slug from it's confinement, and gently blew across it.
"W-What are you doing Memo?" Linen was taken aback a moment.
"Trying to get the little soldier at attention," Memo flustered, "You see, we agreed that whats happening to you isn't fair...so as a reward...for well everything...and..."
Linen sighed, "G-Good luck, I doubt I have enough testosterone to wake the sleeping prince."
Memo smiled and looked into her commander's eyes, popping a blue pill into Linen's mouth suddenly, "Swallow, that should help."
Linen swallowed and after a moment felt blood rush to her torpedo to make it rise. Memo smiled and set to work.
-----------------------------------------------------
Linen's figure quickly developed over the next month until she had developed into a curvy, alluring, feminine sample/ Perky grapefruits hung from her chest like ripe fruit ready to be plucked, her image only spoiled by the secret between her legs. Currently she was sleeping, Memo laid next to her in their bed, a pleased expression on Linen's sweet face until the buzz of the com stirred them both awake.
"Audio on."
"Cadet Dust," came the familiar voice of the Technician managing Linen's case, "Please report to the medical ward immediately."
"As you command," Linen responded as she shared a kiss with Memo and got dressed.
"Stay frosty Sir," Memo waved as Linen left her room.
-----------------------------------------------------
"So everything OK?" the technician asked as Linen settled into the steel chair. "No weird urges or feelings, no nausea, etc."
Linen started to shake her head but stopped half way, a reflective look crossing her face, "Well actually," she began to blush, "You see one of the girls and I have been..and well...sometimes...when I'm not really thinking about the specifics I mean...I say or think something like 'I can't wait for that thick rod to penetrate me again,' even though...when I do think about it...i remember...it's my rod...not like I have...you know."
The technician nods causally, "That's normal, outside of that one little bit of meet between your legs your body is completely female. So the only way it can interpret arousal is through the less of how a woman would be aroused. After all women don't have penis and every part of you is a woman. It's mixed signals and actually why your here."
"Oh?" Linen asked nervously.
"The nanites don't know what to make of your male reproductive track, its just not something a woman should have, its foreign tissue. And my transmissions are saying their bordering on classifying it as cancerous tissue and about to start 'healing' it. Do you have any idea the damage 'healing' your male system will have if their no underling female system?"
A knock formed in Linen's throat as she went pale, "I'm not dieing am I?"
"Not if I perform corrective surgery, with synthetic proteins and silicone I can replicate a female system. The nanites will absorb the silicon and then convert the synthetic protein to real proteins. And you be a fully functionally woman in short order. At that point the nanites wont have any 'abnormalities' to track and will go into stand-by mode."
Linen crossed her arms over her chest, "THEN you can reverse all this right?"
The tech nods vigorously, "I've got Tera bytes of information from this experiment. There will be no problem in reversing the process. There will still be some recovery times between the bing swaps by by Valentine day next your your be back to the Y chromosome camp."
Linen growled bur relaxed into the chair after a moment, "Fine. Let's get this over with."
The Technician nods. "This wont hurt a bit, I just need to send a single to the nanites to put your body in stasis and when you wake up you'll be a new woman."
------------------------------------------
Linen held her arms close as a shiver ran down her spine, the vastness of space open to her though the window on the main hall, she was dressed in her uniform while a endless parade of civilians passed behind her undisturbed.
"Need a ear sir?"
Slowly Linen turned as Memo came up behind her, wrapping a pair of comforting arms around the nu-girl.
"Evening Memo." Linen said coldly. "Have we got our new marching orders?"
She nodded, "Theirs a invasion of the Rim Colonies, they estimate were going to be in the field for the next six months before we get leave."
Linen nodded, "I saw the news, I feared as much...looks like Valentines day isn't going to be my new anniversary." her voice hollow.
Memo pulled her commander closer, holding her tight. "You could always take your leave now. You've been saving it up for the transition back right?"
Linen nodded, "I've thought about it, but the Zeroes and DAWGs are being ripped apart out there, they've even started to conscript BIOFs, they can't afford to be down one CAT, we're not called a elite fighting force for nothing."
"So you've decided then?" Memo's voice was cool, calm, supportive.
Linen nodded, "This isn't how I imagined my life but I can't walk away in a effort like this."
"You know Starbuck and our entire command are here for you sir, don't be afraid to lean on us."
Linen closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, "I know...and I thank you for it."
-----------------------------------
"Fifth unit, flank left!" Linen's voice barked over the come system, "Memo, Rasengan: my wings, I'm going for the assault frigate."
"Affirmative!" several voices barked back.
A pair of thrusters rose from Linen's CATarmor, boosting her into a higher velocity as her finger claws gained a half inch of length, her battle mast set in a focused expression as a two Blue CATs came up beside her. Barrel rolling they avoided the volley of rail gun shrapnel as a unit of DAWGs boosted left to flank. Behind them a seat of multi color CATs, DAWGs, and fighter crafts danced around a opposing number of fighters and capital ships.
A pair of enemy fighters broke toward Linen's group, without need for order the blue CATs broke formation, drawing the fighters fire as Linen's claws dug into the underbelly of the capital ship Rivets of steels flying behind her as she quickly vanished inside the hull. The artificial gravity caught her off guard a moment but the vacuum seemed to be taking care of the enemy troops, her feet magnetically binding to the hull under her as her foot claws extended and dug in to improve traction she pressed forward, dodging every so often as a body caught In the vacuum flew past her. She turned to the sounds of emergency bulkheads under her sealing the rupture in the ship and the heavy sound of metal boot. A lizard faced alien leveled a rifle of some sort at her but there was still some vacuum left.
Magnetics disengaged and boosters fired, twisting in the air as the metal slug grazed her armor but did not penetrate. Speed accelerated by the vacuum and booster combo Linen reached her target just as a second round fired, the slug hit her dead in the chest, scorch marks and metal peeled out, one more shot in the same place before the armor regenerated and she would be dead. However Linen had several points in her favor even as she winced from the pain, a wince her battle mask could never reveal. It only took one swipe to tear the weapon in half, and a second one with her free hand ended the alien's life. A small silver cloud of nanites broke off from her armor like steam, slipping into the ship's filters and then its computers before returning a few moments later with a map to upload to her HUD. A explosion behind her told her the hull had been breached again, her HUD told her it was Memo who had entered the interior to join her. Linen smiled.
"The cloud hacked their map, sharing file." Linen said professionally.
----------------------------------------
A couple tears rolled down Linen's face as her lip quivered, she was dressed in her full uniform again as were most of her unit. I say most because three of their number were not present among the others, no they were sealed into black capsules, each loaded into a launching tube. Other officers were also present.
"We lost three good men today," Linen's mind wandered, as one of the Officers gave his eulogy. "Where did I go wrong? Was it the Rorschach Maneuver? The Tunnel Run?"
Memo once more was there to comfort her CO, "You didn't do anything wrong," she whispered. "You did everything by the book, sometimes people...die."
"I know," Linen said in a low voice, "But their lives were my responsibility. I could have done better. I should have done better to protect them."
---------------------------------
"That was some fight!" a male voice laughed as the helmet of his DAWG hissed and the air locks released. A scragged beard and worn face was the first thing Linen and her band of CATs saw, As their armor melted away the larger figure of the DAWG pilot scooped up Linen and Memo in his arms laughing, "Let's hit the bar, drinks are on me, that was some fancy flying back there."
Linen laughed along with the other girls, time like this made all the fighting seem worth it. A drink with friends, and a lively mood help to keep Linen's mind out of the war she was embroiled in and the her own dirty secret that nagged her every night.
Normally the bar wasn't open at this hour as the small band, now free of their armors, sauntered in but exceptions were made for CATs and DAWGs.
"Bartender I need shots, all around!"
"Whoooo free drinks!" one of the CATs off to Linen's side cheered.
"Make mine a double!" said another.
The bearded DAWG shot Linen a playful smile, "I'll bet you twenty a shot I can drink you under the table."
Linen laughed, "Make it thirty and your on," She cheered spinning in place a moment, "come on girls lets show the DAWGs how we roll!"
"You can do it Linen!"
"Get her Mika!"
the bearded man let out a mock growl as Linen swiped playful at the air hissing. As someone said, "It's a all all duel between cats and dogs!"
"DAWGS rule, Cats drool!" another commented.
Settling down at the nearest table a pair of shot glasses was set before Linen and Mika, sizing each other up a moment they tilted they heads back and took each glass in one swallow
-------------------------------------------
The harsh sting of artificial lights quickly rose Linen from her slumber. As her consciousness returned so too did a pounding headache. Her throat was parched, burning, as her crusty eyes began to focus. It took everything she had not to scream.
Lying across from her, still fast asleep was the same man she had drunken under the table last night, or...had he out drunken her. Her head was swimming and the jackhammer pulse on her cerebellum was making rational thought difficult. Some part of her was aware of three things though. Her body was sticky, as if she had had a good workout. She was naked. And the man lying next to her was hold her in a far to intimate hold, the fact he was also sweaty and naked didn't help. Quietly she slipped out of the bed, partly to avoid waking him, partly to dull the thunder in her head. As her feet hit the cold steel floors whatever control she had left, last nights booze and food surged up, and out onto the floor as she bent to her knees for support. Fractured visions of last night, carnal delights and amorous actions fluttered into her psyche. And once more Linen was reminded of her growing distaste forth Nanities in her blood stream as they purged the alcohol, the hang over, and the confusion from her body and mind, and reconstructed last nights' 'activities' in full high definition detail.
The next thing patrons of the station would see is a pink CAT bolting from Mika's quarters, in her right mind or not the nanites had the sense to invoke her armor and prevent her from running through the halls naked. Once back in her own quarters the armor receded leaving Linen alone with her thoughts, and her tears.
-----------------------------------------
"Your kidding right?" Linen growled, "this is some sick joke isn't it." She protested, even as the Officer took her firmly by the wrist, leading her down the halls.
"CAT or not, the survival of a Zero takes precedent." the man said coldly, "I don't see what your being worked up about. It's paid leave for a year."
"I'm going to be pregnant! I hardly call that 'leave'" she protested. "I'm not just some womb you can rent out."
"No but you are a CAT and being a elite armored fighter comes with certain responsibilities."
"They use a Bio-Form, isn't that why you breed those things? Cheap labor, and Labor?"
"None are compatible with the Zero. And we can't afford to loose him."
Linen growled again, "I just finished my tour of duty, I haven't had time off in three years. Three years damn it. I was planing to finally fi..." she caught herself before blowing her cover, a single bead of sweat escaping her brow. The last thing she needed was to add 'I was a boy once' to her list of characteristics.
The Officer however caught on something was being hidden and stopped, locking a piercing silver gaze on Linen, "Well it can wait for your two week vacation after the birthing."
Linen almost fainted, her voice was gone, "T-Two weeks...that's not nearly enough time." and then her voice became as hard as diamond, "I earned my year off, you can't just impregnate me, make me carry some Zero to term and then tell me that was my time off!"
"Got a problem, take it up with Command, in the mean time the medics are waiting."
"I'll have your head for this," she spat.
The Officer rolled his eyes, "I've heard that before, I dare you to make it stick."
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"How you holding up?" Starbuck wrapped her arm around her friends waist, resting her palm on the growing belly.
"I'm pregnant," Linen said hollowly. "Who knows what is going to happen next. This entire thing, both the transition to a woman and back was suppose to take no more then 14 months max and now I'm looking at celebrating the birth of my first child, who the Med Core are just going to take away to hyper generate the growth of the Zero back to his old form. And my forth year of womanhood."
Star laughed patting her friends back, "Well then we need to celebrate your fourth anniversary and your child's birthday."
Linen cast Starbuck a cold glare, "Not funny."
"I'm not joking, look Lin...Levi...You can either beat yourself up over all that has happened to you and go crazy or embrace it. I have every confidence thing will work out in the end. So stop fighting the ride, enjoy it."
A small smile cracked Linen's face a moment before fading back to her scowl. "Easy for you to say, no one turned you into a boy."
"No they didn't, but I that any reason to just give up. Come on I have a tub of Frost Mallows at my quarters, its your favorite flavor too, Orange Sherbet. Let's pig out until the nanites in your brain freeze."
Linen smiled, leaning against Starbuck's arm. "I'd like that."
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Memo leaned against Starbuck, tears flowing freely as she turned away from the black canister being set into the launcher.
"We commit her body to the stars so that Heaven may grant her audience. Commander Linen Dust served the UAP with honor and distinction for Six years. She was a model of compassion and courage and no man nor woman can ever truly fill her shoes. She was taken from us took soon. But in her death we carry on in her name." Pausing a moment the Officer saluted as the tube was launched, "God Bless you wherever your body may rest, and may this symbol light your path to Heaven's Door."
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Epilogue:
"CAT Unit 4437-A your attention please." The Officer started even before fully passing though the automatic doors.
Instantly the unit of girls were at attention. "Sir, yes sir!"
"Your new CO and Green Squad member will be arriving shortly, Commander Memo please take you position in the center to greet the new members."
Memo nodded, her new pink ears perking up slightly at the not to distant sounds of foot falls as the first member entered. The new girl brushed back longish shoulder length hair to reveal small pointed ears and had a infectious smile.
"Hi, I'm Starbuck, first but hopefully not the last of the next gen of open platform CATs. Bur before joining you all I was a pilot for six years with the DAWG program."
"Permission to comment sir?" one of the girls piped up.
The Officer looked to Memo who turned to the girl and nodded.
"I just want to say I for one am honored to learn what a Former DAWG can teach us, welcome to the team Starbuck."
"Thanks," she giggled.
The Officer coughed, "Now take your position in the line up Ms. Christ."
Starbuck nodded quickly joining the line up as the Officer turned to the door, "And now let me introduce your new CO...This new CAT is truly a ground breaker. As the first male to ever successfully graduate CAT training he sets new standards and opens new roads to a newer, more diverse CAT system. Please show your respect to CAT Commander Levi Jonas. He has been spending the last seven years undergoing specialized training, or so I'm told. Please show him the respect of a man of his years."
Once the introduction was over a new figure entered, endowed with pink CAT ears was a fiery haired boy with crystal blue eyes, he smiled, "I hope we can all work together like old friends."
Several of the unit were more then willing to comply.
The beginning.
