As the Species Reassignment Center (SRC) appeared through the hyper-pod’s windows you take another long, calming, breath. Today was the day that you, a thirty year old male human, were going to become an animal. After Dr. Kirbry’s discovery, the United Nations set up a panel to repopulate the animals that humanity had destroyed. There was a wave of volunteers at first but their numbers were too small to complete the task. Therefore, all nations agreed to assign random citizens the task of repopulation.
Originally SR was permanent but over the years the technology was refined to be temporary. You’d be an animal for roughly two years, after which you’d be able to decide to change back or stay in your new form. Through this program, the animal species was random.
As the pod pulls into the station, the tension in the pod goes up as the other nine people in your same situation know that there’s no going back now. As the pod’s doors open, ten men and women wearing white medical apparel walk in and up to each passenger.
The woman who walks up to you appears slightly younger than you. She has a wide, warm, smile. She extends here hand as she says your name. As you nod in confirmation, she says, “Welcome to the Species Reassignment Center with the program to repopulation of the Earth! We’ll take great care of you!” Her excitement did little to brighten your mood, though, as you continue to stare at her.
After a moment of silence, she coughs politely and hands you small piece of paper. Looking down at it, you notice it’s just a white piece of paper with hand-written text saying, “Follow me as we leave.”
Looking back to the woman, you see her give a small nod as she looks over her shoulder at the other medical personal as they finish their duties. One by one everyone files out of the pod, all headed in the same direction toward the main elevators. As the woman exits, she heads left away from the group as you look to where you assume your suppose to go and where the woman is going.
As you look back and forth, you realize just how massive the SRC really is. The glass-tube main elevators are large but are dwarfed by the animal exhibits that are housed all around them. In one corner is an aquarium. In another is a lush rain forest environment where a pair of leopards is watching everyone through the glass. Through another window there’s a large savanna. Looking back to the left you see the woman never stopped to look back and is just going around a corner. With a final nod to yourself you bid the others a mental goodbye and quickly walk to try to catch up to the woman.
The hallway she went down is much more business oriented. The grandeur of the main station area is gone, replaced now with little more than an office building’s hallway with doors lining either side. The woman goes through a door at the end of the hall which is closed by the time you get to it. With a small knock you let yourself in.
“I’m so glad you chose to follow my instructions!” The woman says as you step into the room. She’s removed her white cap as flowing red hair falls to just above her shoulders. “I didn’t hear you following me so I wasn’t sure.” With a quick gesture of her hand, she motions for you to sit.
“What’s going on?” You ask once you’re seated.
“The others are going to be transformed as normal. She says like it’s nothing special. They’ll be stuck as animal until they can properly procreate normally. You, on the other hand, will be testing my new method; one that will be much quicker. That is, If you accept of course.”
“Method? Like an experiment? Is it safe?”
“It is. I’ve done it many times in fact. The main issue is the young that are created have a low survival rate. They’re not fully formed. That issue is hopefully resolved with my latest iteration.
“What’s in it for me?”
The woman smiles as she says, “Your commitment to the SRC will only be for two months instead of the normal two years.”
It all sounded too good to be true! What was this experiment though? “Can you tell me more before I accept?”
“Of course!” The woman says as she walks over to a pair of sliding doors that are behind her. She touches a few buttons on a control panel which causes the two doors to slide into their respective walls revealing furry pieces of fabric. No, not just fabric, animal costumes!
“These are what I’ve create. These suits are engineered to change the wearer into their respective animal. At the same time, these costumes accelerate the process of procreation; for a female the gestation period is a week.
All you can do is look on in shock.
“Want to try one on?” She asks.