Brian Brookwell His Merwife and othe Metamorphic Fantasies

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Harikart."
"Lin," the younger man said extended his hand. Willy shook it
automatically.
"He's under the impression that the nanites wouldn't be able to decode
your wife's genetic code so quickly. It usually takes days before anything
even starts to happen."
"There's a strange bump at the bottom of her spine at her hip, too."
Willy put into words what he'd felt earlier when he'd lifted her into bed.
"Caudal development can't happen so soon?" puzzled Dr. Harikart. "That
shouldn't be." Dr. Harris merely nodded.
"May I examine her?" he asked.
"Of course," Willy felt an instant liking to Ted Harris. He wasn't so
sure about Lin Harikart.
He found himself surprised and left behind as Dr. Harris half ran into
the room. He quickly lifted Gillian and felt along her spine from her chest
downwards. Much to Willy's surprise he kept going until he was nearly half way
down her thighs.
"Caudal development," he announced calmly. Dr. Harikart pushed past
him, his eyes denying the assessment and repeated the palpation. He shook his
head in surprise.
"That's unprecedented," was all he could say.
"Willy, I want you to feel along your wife's spine just as I did. Do
you notice anything else?"
Willy felt carefully along her spine just as the doctor had, wondering
what he was supposed to be feeling for. There were some strange bumps along
the spine near her hips as well as a rubbery and totally unexpected section
between her thighs.
"There's bumps, here," he pointed to her back.
"Her dorsal fin is starting to develop already. This is very early but
maybe her injuries and coma may have something to do with it. Less resistance
from her body's defenses. Who really knows. Nanite reconstruction is a science
in its infancy."
"I can't see that as a possibility," Dr. Harikart protested. "Conscious
state has never been identified as a contributing factor in any past study."
"What other possibility is there then?" Dr. Harris asked, looking at
his assistant. His expression was one of give me a better explanation. "It's
too early to say," Lin Harikart stated as he backed down.
"Indeed?" Dr. Harris smiled. "I believe this amazing change is an
excellent sign." He turned to the nurse. "I want 24 hour monitoring of Mrs.
Thompson. This maybe nothing but I want to know. Keep a movement record and
I'll schedule a full scan when the diagnostics people come on in the morning.
Mr. Thompson, Willy, get some sleep. You'll need it in the morning. There's a
lot to do."
After they'd left, the nurse came in with a pill in a cup. "With all
the excitement, I thought you might need this. Dr. Harris always leave
standing orders for mild sleep aides for the first few days of transformation.
Many volunteers are too keyed up to sleep." Willy was reluctant at first. He
seldom took medications unless he really needed it. Later, when sleep refused
to come, he changed his mind and took the pill.
The next morning, he noticed with delight that Gillian had moved
several times during the night. The blankets were rumpled everywhere and her
arm was up by her head just as he remembered her sleeping before the accident.
He got dressed and touched her hand. The arm was no longer flaccid and
loose. There was a resistance now, however slight. In his heart, he knew she
was healing. He dared hope again that he'd have her back again. He made his
way quickly to the cafeteria and took a tray. The breakfast was appetizing for
a change rather just fuel to keep going. On his way back, he met another
couple in wheelchairs. He recognized their shapes from the pictures he'd been
shown. They'd chosen dolphin tails.
"I'm Greta. How's your wife?" she asked.
"I..." Willey stuttered a moment wondering how they'd heard so soon
about Gillian.
"I'm Wilhelm," responded the man. "We heard she was sick or hurt."
"She's been in a coma for months. A car accident," Willy replied. Then
he held out his hand. "I'm Willy."
"Good to meet you," Greta replied. "Why did you volunteer then if she
was so sick?"
"The nanites may cure her. At least they won't make it any worse."
"But isn't that risky?"
"Yes. But we've tried all the traditional approaches. There was no
other option."
"Is it working?" Wilhelm asked.
"I think so. Well, hope so, anyway," Willy smiled. "She moved last
night." Greta looked puzzled. "She's been paralyzed since the accident and
hasn't been able to move at all."
"That is good news!"
"I hope it is. I hope you don't mind but..."
"You want to get back to her?" Greta asked kindly.
"Well, yes."
* * * *
Willy turned to walk out and was hailed by another couple. He couldn't
tell what kind of fish their legs were being reshaped into. Their tail looked
like a bundle of bumpy ropes instead of any fish he'd ever seen.
"I'm Tim and this is my wife, Rita," he introduced them. "Your wife's
getting better?" he asked.
"Some changes," Willy backpedaled. "Can I talk later please? They're
taking her to diagnostics and I need to be there."
"I understand," he smiled and waved him towards the door. Willy half
ran from the room and met an intern pushing his wife on a gurney.
"Can I tag along?" he asked hopefully.
"Well, uh, it would be better if..." he was interrupted by the nurse at
the duty station, who was shaking her head affirmatively. "Sure, why not."
Willy followed the gurney to an elevator, down eight floors and into
the diagnostics area. They quickly transferred Gillian, suit and all, onto a
flat table. She was quickly strapped down and the scan started. Ten minutes
later, the scan completed, she was bundled back onto the gurney. Dr. Harris
and Dr. Harikart met them outside the room at the nursing station.
* * * *
"The first results are amazing. She is developing a caudal appendage [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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