The technician continued, "We have also programmed physical abilities that will allow you to control your new body's movements. The knowledge is already in you; getting your body working properly just requires knowledge of what it can do and then trying it out for the first time. Indeed, you are more coordinated than most humans. You're body can perfectly duplicate any action that you observe being performed by another human. Actual humans usually take much more practice to acquire complicated movement skills."
The technician continued, "Communication and movement skills represent the extent of your pre-programming, except for some adjustments we've made to the design of the human brain. First, in all of the transformees, we have eliminated all capacity for rage, which makes you even nicer beings than you were in your previous form. I mean, our species is very socially cooperative, but we do get angry from time to time.
As humans, the most any of you will ever experience is brief annoyance or instances of mild frustration; only enough to motivate trying harder without motivating hurting anyone. As humans, it will be impossible for you to hurt anyone intentionally. Second, none of you will have the capacity to experience possessiveness over another being. Our species never had that as a component of our design, but it is a chronic trait amongst humans. Unlike humans, you will never get even slightly jealous and you can be entirely confident that none of the other transformees will either. As you know, jealousy is one of the most destructive forces that resides within the human brain."
"Both of those tweaks have to do with sources of conflict among humans that we don't think it made any sense to incorporate into your design. The third major alteration is that you will not possess any concept of human social groupings. Humans seek bases on which they are similar to other humans, and most of the ones they value are actually quite trivial. Once they've categorized themselves as members of a group that is distinct from members of other social groups, they adopt a preferential stance toward members of their own group. You both know all about this. This type of conflict is one of the reasons watching human activities is so entertaining, heartbreaking, and dramatic for our species. You will not have the capacity to conceive of social groupings, on any dimension, as a relevant basis for evaluating other humans. You will be able to develop preferences for some humans over others, but only based on their intelligence, physical traits, or their charm. That also means that, unlike with humans, there is nothing in your design that will allow preferences for people you've known longer than other people. On the contrary, we've enhanced the mechanism in humans that favours novelty, so that you will very likely find yourself slightly preferring new humans to familiar ones. This modification will prevent our transformees from forming any sub-groups that can isolate them from other humans and other transformees."
As Heidi pondered the differences between humans and her species, something occurred to her: "Excuse me, but what would our species be called in this human language? There is obviously nothing in my vocabulary that I can use, since humans are not aware of our existence."
The technician danced, "Yes, we've had to make up a suitable title for ourselves. As you are aware, on Earth, sea creatures gradually acquired limbs that allowed them to crawl up onto land. In time, those creatures became smaller mammals, which gradually evolved into increasingly complex forms. Humans represent the pinnacle of that process, primarily on account of the evolution of their large brains. On our home planet, we never had any mammals. There were only ever plant species for our entire history. In time, the ancestors of our species developed mechanisms for controlling movement of their stems and the roots at their base. Ultimately, our ancient ancestors developed a deviated stem and the capacity to detach their roots from the ground, which permitted movement. The ancestors of humans were trapped in the sea, whereas our ancestors were trapped in the ground. Once freed from these constraints, evolution could proceed more ambitiously. Our species emerged as the height of that process on our planet. As with humans, the main source of our success also derives from our very large and complicated brains."
"That's a long story to tell you, just to inform you that we evolved from plants and that humans evolved from mammals. Unlike humans, our species derives much of its energy from light energy, just as more primitive plants do wherever we've encountered life in the universe. The term for that in the language we've programmed into you is: photosynthesis. So, we've decided it sensible to refer to ourselves as Photosynths in that language."
Heidi said, "Thanks for that very thorough explanation. I feel like I'm in class, again. So, what happens next?"
The technician guided Heidi through getting her movement abilities started, so that she could stand and walk. As she developed these important skills with the technician, Carly cheered her on. At the end of these lessons, Carly congratulated Heidi by sharing the comfortable experience, at least from their perspective, of being a beautiful naked woman hugging another beautiful naked woman.
Releasing Heidi and taking a step back, Carly took the newbie by the hands and explained, "By the way, that's a hug. You've probably seen humans do that before. Clarissa showed me just before she left. I think it's terrific, so we must agree to do it to everyone from now on. I promised Clarissa."
"Of course, I agree!" Heidi replied.
"Super!" Carly exclaimed, grinning. She added, "So, if what happened with Clarissa is any clue, I'll be leaving with the technician and you will have lots of time to learn other basic things about how to use your body."
Heidi and Carly turned to look at the technician, who danced, "Yes, I don't have much else to do to get you started. I just need to tell you that the room across the hall has instructional videos that you will use to prepare to leave the transformation facility. I wish you the best of luck as you contribute to this project. It was a pleasure to meet the human version of you."
The technician turned toward Carly and danced, "It's time for you to come with me." Giving Heidi a little finger wave, Carly followed him as he sauntered out of the room and turned right. The two of them carried on down the tunnel until they were too far away for Heidi to see them or hear their steps.
Heidi's walking programs were finely honed, and now that they had been brought on line, she walked her naked self with pride, poise, and elegance from her bedroom and through the door on the other side of the tunnel. This room was much larger than the one she had just left. There was a large video panel embedded within the far side of the dome. Large mirrors hung down to the floor from the dome ceiling to either side of the video screen. To the side of each mirror, there was a stool that Heidi cleverly determined was for sitting and looking at her reflection. There was a comfortable-looking couch positioned several feet in front of the screen and a variety of human objects on shelves to the left and right.
The left side of the room hosted what Sandra recognized to be a refrigerator to the left of a long, white counter. On the counter to the right of the fridge was a box-like appliance that, to Sandra, somewhat resembled a microwave. Via Heidi's mind, Sandra corrected this initial perception, allowing her to recognize the appliance as a machine that generates virtually any inanimate object that is small enough to fit inside. Sandra decided to think of the gadget as a replicator and reflected on how the creators of Star Trek would be gratified to know that an advanced alien species actually could make one of their dreams come true. Above the counter were stacks of dishes, sets of cups and glasses, and other essential kitchen/dining tools.
Heidi was so thrilled by the presence of these items. Artifacts from Earth were very popular conversation pieces, to be found in practically every Photosynths home. But now, Heidi would be able to use them as a human. She would have the ultimate authentic human experience and, maybe, she could help save humanity in some small way. Of course, as the Phostosynths who had hired her for the project explained, she would retain all of the knowledge and memories from her life as a Photosynth after her transformation. It wasn't as though her former self was over-written and she was grateful for that. At the end of her time working with the project, they would convert her back and the process would leave memory for all of her human experiences in tact and she was grateful for that as well. She would return to her planet a hero and a source of invaluable knowledge about one of the Photosynths' favorite leisure activities: the tumultuous activities of the inhabitants of planet Earth.
To the right, there was a toilet and a shower enclosed with clear glass, as well as one open cabinet that appeared to be stocked with various hygiene, make-up, and hair grooming supplies and another one stocked with cloths and towels. Closer to where Heidi was standing at the entrance to the room was a long white counter with a sink and faucet set into the centre. A large rectangular mirror was attached to the back of the counter, extending about 5 feet above the counter's surface. Through Heidi's reaction, Sandra felt a powerful curiosity at the sight of this mirror. It had just occurred to her host that she could use it to see what she looked like. This realization sent Heidi to walk off to the right, so that she could view her reflection in the mirror above the sink.
As Heidi reached the mirror and stood facing it, Sandra felt Heidi's powerful sense of joy and the wet sense of tears welling up in her eyes. She loved everything about her new body. Her heart thumped at the sight of her face, which she perceived as unbelievably adorable. She pinched at her upper body and wondered at the perfection of her new form. She bounced up and down and clapped her hands. Then, she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms tightly around her body, squeezing herself and rocking from side to side, as though she was a best friend that she hadn't seen in a very long time. She muttered aloud, in between giggles, "I'm so happy. I can't believe it's happening. This is better than I ever imagined." She opened her eyes and smiled brightly back at herself.
Just then, a voice coming from the video screen disrupted Heidi's celebration as it gently inquired, "Heidi?" Heidi turned to face the screen. A nude, dark-haired woman about the same age (early 20s) as Heidi's human body was seated on a couch that appeared identical to the one in front of the screen in the room Heidi was standing in. Sandra recognized the woman as Zoe from her introduction.
Zoe said through the monitor, "Hello, Heidi. Greetings from Earth! I'm Zoe. I've been part of the Healing Stems project for some time now, so I help get female transformees ready to live amongst other humans. Why don't you sit down on the couch?"
Heidi walked over to the couch and sat down, observing mentally that it felt nice to rest these human legs after they'd been standing for a while. Zoe continued, "A bit later, you will be preparing for the project with other Photosynths who are also training to work with the project and have also undergone transformation. After that, you'll be ready to travel to work with us on Earth."
Nodding, Heidi said, gratefully, "Thank-you. I can't wait!"
Zoe said, "Of course, but now there are some important things I need to teach you. Everyone chosen for the project knows much about humans already, but observing humans and being one are two very different things. The programming you received was merely for communication and motor skills, but those skills are expensive, complicated, and time-consuming enough. We can't provide all of the knowledge you will need just through using our technology to modify your neural circuitry. Now, you will need to do some learning on your own."
From that moment on, Heidi spent several days getting used to all of the procedures involved in keeping her body in excellent condition and perfectly clean. The detailed regimen that Zoe prescribed really was quite elaborate, so we'll simply rely on the notes that Heidi took of things that she was worried she might forget at the time.
On Day 1, Heidi wrote down this list: "1. My name is Heidi. 2. I met Carly and Zoe today. 3. My face is cute, I love my hair, and my body is tight and small. (Note: Yes, small, but it's nice they gave me pretty big breasts. 4. Zoe is my teacher. 5. Milk tastes good, but take smaller sips. 6. I like the taste of apples. 7. I must remember to take smaller bites or make my bites smaller by chewing. 8. Liquid waste comes out from between and solid waste comes out from behind, but humans don't talk about that very often. 9. There is something about Zoe's rear end that makes it hard to stop staring. 10. I need to be sensitive to an uncomfortable pressure that will tell me whether I need to expel waste. 11. Always flush and wash my hands."
For Days 2/3, Heidi wrote: "1. Shave hair from legs, vagina, rear opening (don't like the word anus), and underarms, everyday. 2. Thorough internal cleaning everyday (mouth, vagina, and rear cavity). 3. Shower and clean body, frequently. (Take every opportunity, between activities. 4. Don't let razors cut you. 5. Know when to close your eyes and mouth in the shower – Ow! and Yuck! 6. Brush and floss your teeth after eating. 7. Coffee rocks! 8. I like bagels w/ cream cheese."
For Day 4, she wrote: "1. Hair must be kept in perfect condition as much as possible. (Take every opportunity, between activities – Again). 2. Make-up must be applied and maintained constantly all day lone (TEOBA – Again!). 3. Curling irons burn! 4. Getting out hair tangles. It hurts!"
For Day 5, she wrote, "1. I'm a fantastic dancer. 2. Running is fun and especially to music. 3. There are 24 Hours in a day; 8 Hours for Sleep; 1 Hour for Exercise; About 2 Hours for eating and drinking; About 6 Hours for Washing, Make-Up, and Hair Styling (excessive!); About 30 Minutes for Waste Expulsion; Total = 17.5 Hours, Remainder = 6.5 Hours."
On Day 5, it was just past 7:00 PM according to the clock on Heidi's TV screen when an image of Zoe reappeared, as she often had for the past several days. As usual, she was nude and, as always, presented herself to Heidi with her black hair gathered into pigtails projecting out from either side of her head. Heidi sat down on the couch to await Zoe's instructions. Zoe waved and shouted, "Hey, Heidi! You've done a great job, so far. You're going to be ready for Advanced Training soon. You'll know when a new transformee arrives in the room across the hall. It shouldn't be very long now. Please help us welcome them, just as Carly did for you."
Heidi replied, "I will! I look forward to meeting them in human form."
"Great!" Zoe exclaimed and added, "For this next lesson, may I ask what you know about human sexuality?"
Heidi recited knowledge she acquired from her studies at university, which was quite technical and emphasized the reproductive function over the experience. Zoe clarified some things, briefly instructing a class on the various human motivations for having sex. She finished by saying, "The reason why I'm telling you this is because you're about to enter Advanced Training, in which there will be a number of other humans. Of course, all of them are transformees, like you, and you might even have known them in Photosynth form. Still, they are all very beautiful, the way we've designed them, so all of you can cause sexual arousal in each other without even touching one another. That arousal will naturally motivate each of you to want to stimulate each other, sexually. We want you to understand that it's ok. Do whatever comes naturally to you. You should enjoy being human during the time you have. The only thing The Project requires is that you only engage in sexual activities with partners who have agreed to participate in them with you. If you want to have any kind of sex with transformees you meet in Advanced Training, you shouldn't have trouble finding willing partners. In each of you, we've made a number of modifications to the typical way that humans are constructed."
"Such as?" Heidi asked, with a clinical sort of curiosity.
Zoe replied, "First, none of the female transformees, like you, can menstruate or ovulate. Their bodies won't do anything that could produce a human offspring, regardless as to how much sex they have. Male transformees do not ejaculate sperm when they have an orgasm. We have modified their structure, so they are completely unable to impregnate anyone. They still ejaculate when they orgasm; it's just that the substance that comes out of them has no sperm in it. Second, all of the transformees rate unusually high on their enjoyment of orgasms and on their desire to have them. Humans refer to this variable as 'sex drive'. All of you have as high a sex drive as any human could possibly have. "
"Wow, BIG FUN without risk! It sounds like a very nice situation for us to be in," Heidi commented.
Zoe grinned at Heidi, and said, "Yes, it is important for you to know that, but it is the sex drive part that is most relevant right now. You don't particularly have a sex drive, even though you may have felt a slight twinge between your legs over the past few days. When you have an orgasm, it will bring your sex drive online, just as it does with natural humans or just like how your walking and dancing came on line when you tried THAT out for the first time. When you have an orgasm for the first time, you will want to keep having them pretty often. So, you can expect to add that to your little schedule of daily activities. I just wanted to prepare you for that, because I want to guide you through your first orgasm."
Hearing this, Heidi closed her eyes and grinned, clasping her hands together in excitement. Zoe remarked, "I'm glad you're so eager! Just watch what I do, for now."
Zoe leaned back on the couch and lifted her feet onto the edge, such that her knees were bent. She spread her thighs apart. She explained, as she touched herself with her right index finger, "Heidi, this is the opening for my vagina, which you can see more clearly with my legs spread. Just above, here where I'm tapping my finger, is my clitoris. Get into this position and try to find the spot with your finger."
"I sort of feel some slickness in my vagina just from watching you, Zoe," Heidi commented.
Zoe replied, "That's how this tends to go. Your body is responding to me as erotic. You can understand, now, that sexual arousal is a lot more complicated than rubbing the right spot. Also, the wetness you are experiencing is your vagina preparing for sexual activity. It gets wet so that the penis or anything else you want to insert in there can slide in easier. Your vagina is designed as though your body has had sex before. In virgin human females, there is a seal that makes it difficult and painful to have sex for the first time. By design, female transformees don't have that."
"I'm getting wetter down there just hearing you talk and there is a bit of a throb. Is that from my clitoris?" Heidi asked.
Zoe responded, "When I talk about sex, you think about it and that also generates sexual arousal. Yes, that throb is from your clitoris. Try to find it now with your finger. Trust me, when you find it, you'll know."
Heidi got into Zoe's position and used her own index finger to touch the same general location on her own body that Zoe was pointing to. As she poked around, she said, "I'm not sure if this is...oh, um, wait...mmmmm." Heidi closed her eyes and all of hers and Sandra's perceptions became drowned out in waves of bliss.
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