Chapter 4: Shaping Up

When David and his sister returned to the living room, Sylvia was sitting, reading quietly. "David," she asked, "when are we going to get our new bodies?"

"I don't know, Sylvia." He looked up at the ceiling, "AI, when are the med-tubes going to be free for changes to concubines?"

"Some tubes are available currently, sir. Changes can be scheduled for any time during the remainder of the journey, subject to tube availability and concubine training requirements. All initial checks and necessary medical work on sponsors have been completed."

"So once we've decided on the changes we want, they can be done pretty much straight away?" David confirmed.

"Affirmative, sir."

"So, Sylvia," David said, "since you asked, you can go first. AI, show us a hologram of Sylvia as she is at the moment." The AI responded with a life size display of a naked Sylvia in the middle of the room. She jumped a little when it first appeared; she hadn't realised that the AI could show something like that. The hologram was rotating slowly, so all three of them could see every side of it.

"Keep the original there please, AI, and show us a second copy for the modifications."

The AI showed another hologram of Sylvia, next to the first.

"Well, what would you like to look like, Sylvia?"

"Umm... , well, I'm not really sure. It's all up to you really, isn't it, David?"

"It's your body, Sylvia, and I'd rather have you happy with the way you look. I think that will be better for all of us in the long term." Remembering what the ensign had said about altering mothers, he continued, "There was some advice they gave us. We shouldn't change you so much that we upset Pat and Mary. They need to be able to recognise you after you come out of the tube."

"That seems sensible," Sylvia agreed. "AI, can you roll me back to age twenty one, before Pat was born, without the jelly-belly."

The second hologram changed to show a younger, slimmer, Sylvia. The pooch in her stomach was gone and her breasts had shrunk a little, standing higher on her chest. Her hips and thighs were carrying less fat, though they weren't as slim as Rachel's.

"Oh my! I can see why Des fancied me." Thinking of her husband, left behind on Earth, Sylvia started to cry quietly. Rachel immediately got up from where she was sitting and moved over to comfort the older woman.

David thought it would be better if he left the two of them to it for the moment, it seemed to be women's business. He examined the changed display. He knew that Rachel would want to grow up, and he wanted to keep Sylvia as his senior concubine, so he had the AI advance her to twenty five, but without the effects of her pregnancies. He liked her breasts as they currently were, so he compromised by having them half-way between the younger version and their current size, though still sitting higher. He did the same with her hips, changing them to half-way between. He liked the contrast between Rachel's narrower shape and Sylvia's more rounded curves. Those changes also had the advantage of producing a new look closer to her current appearance, and so less likely to cause problems with Pat or Mary. He took the opportunity to clean up a scar on her knee that looked like it had resulted from a childhood injury.

"I'm sorry about that," Sylvia said, interrupting David's thoughts. "Seeing myself looking young again brought back a lot of memories. I'm all right now." The older woman had collected herself again, though Rachel still had an arm round her for reassurance.

"Not to worry, Sylvia," David told her. He was slightly shocked at her crying. Up to now he had thought that, of the three of them, she was coping the best with the changes in their lives. Perhaps she was actually feeling it more than appeared on the surface?

"You made me look older again," Sylvia complained, looking at the modified hologram.

"I wanted to keep you at about your current age," David explained. "If you look too young then I'd have to keep Rachel looking fourteen and I know she'd hate that."

Rachel was indignant. "Don't you dare David! I want to grow up. I don't want to stay like this forever." His sister was eager to acquire a more feminine figure.

"I suppose it's not too bad," Sylvia said eventually. "I'll probably be spending a lot of the time pregnant anyway, so I'll only look like that between babies."

"That is correct, Concubine Sylvia Harlow," the AI interjected. "You will be returned to this appearance after each pregnancy."

David was getting irritated by the AI's habit of using full names and titles when they weren't necessary. "AI, please call us by just our first names when no other people are present."

"Yes, David," the AI responded.

"What about hair, Sylvia?" David suggested. "No need to shave if you don't want to."

"Good, I hate shaving. No hair please, AI."

As the hologram changed, all three of them burst out laughing. Sylvia buried her face in her hands.

"The Bald Prima Donna!" David exclaimed.

Instantly, Rachel responded, "She always wears her hair in the same style."

Sylvia lifted her head and looked at Rachel, puzzled.

"Ionesco," Rachel told her quietly.

Sylvia was none the wiser, but decided to check on it later. The AI should know what it was all about. Turning to her sponsor, she said, "I hope that doesn't give you any ideas, David."

David did an exaggerated Fu Manchu impersonation, stroking an imaginary moustache, "Now I know how to punish you if you're naughty. You'd better be a good concubine, Sylvia. No more cheekiness, or I'll have you looking like that." Sylvia blushed, while Rachel giggled at the thought.

David took pity on her. "AI, just remove visible hair below Sylvia's neck, leave the hair on her head as it is."

The hologram changed again, and Sylvia relaxed, "That's what I meant. The AI can be much too literal sometimes."

David smiled. She was right about the AI. "While we're on hair, how long do you want it, Sylvia? The AI can fix it so it won't need trimming."

"Can I change it when I want to?"

Again the AI interrupted, "Small changes like that can be done easily with your sponsor's permission."

"You have your answer, Sylvia," David said.

"OK, keep it the length it is for the moment, I only had it done a couple of weeks ago. I can always change it later." By now she knew enough about David to trust him not to be petty about small things, like a new hairstyle.

"Any other changes, Sylvia?"

"Could you take away that mole on my cheek and make my nose a little smaller please. I think it's too big for my face."

David was puzzled, he couldn't see anything wrong with Sylvia's nose. "Your nose looks fine to me as it is, Sylvia."

"Please, David. Only a small reduction."

"If you insist?" Sylvia nodded vehemently in response. "AI, please reduce Sylvia's nose slightly, say five percent. And remove the mole as well."

Sylvia smiled at the result. "Yes, that's a lot better."

David couldn't see any real difference. "That seemed important to you," he asked.

"It was. I was teased about my nose at school. I've always wanted to change it a little. I know it's silly but..." She shrugged with a wry grin.

"If it makes you happier, then it's worth doing. Any other changes you want? I cleaned up the scar on your knee."

"Oh yes, so you did." She paused, considering her new image as it turned in front of her. "No, I don't think there's anything else. Can I have another look at me in the morning please, David? I might think of something overnight."

"Of course. AI, please save that version of Sylvia, and let her see it when she wants tomorrow morning. She can make changes, but I want to OK them before they are implemented."

"Confirmed, David."

David turned to his sister, "Now for you, Rache. Two holograms of Rachel please, AI."

"Can I be twenty please?" Rachel asked. The AI changed the second hologram to show a much more feminine Rachel, with all her curves fully in place. Not as many as Sylvia, but unquestionably more than the current version. She wasn't any taller, having already reached her full height, but her shape had definitely caught up with her height.

"I'd rather you grew up as naturally as possible, Rache," David said. "I want to do the least possible in the tubes, and let the rest develop normally. AI, roll her back to eighteen."

The hologram changed slightly. "That still looks pretty good, Sis."

"I s'pose so." Rachel couldn't see any real difference, but she wasn't going to let her brother know that.

"Back to sixteen, AI."

"Ugh! I'm still a stick insect," Rachel burst out.

"The prettiest stick insect ever I think," her brother told her. At sixteen she was thinner, though still more rounded than currently. The promise of her final shape was definitely there to see.

"Keep the sixteen and show us a fifteen," David ordered.

The two holograms moved further apart, and a third image of Rachel appeared between them. "That's horrible," she said. "It's just like I am now."

"Well, it is less than a year away," he pointed out, "and you have put on some weight. There's more shape to your waist and hips by then."

"Please, David. I don't want to spend years 'til I look nice."

David considered the problem. His sister wanted to grow up quickly, while he wanted her to grow more slowly and naturally. He thought it would be better if her age and her appearance were more in step. Obviously he could impose his will, but he also wanted Rachel to be happy with her look. Then he thought of the way his Marine upgrade was being done, both in the med-tube and more slowly later. Perhaps he could do something similar with Rachel. Silently he questioned the AI, «Can I spread Rachel's changes over time, like with my own enhancements?»

«Yes, David.»

«Could it be over months, rather than a few weeks?»

«Yes, David. It would be better if any changes were completed before she became pregnant, but other than that there are no issues with extending the time taken.»

«I want to wait a bit before her first pregnancy, as I'll have Sylvia going first. I've got six months to get Rachel pregnant, haven't I?»

«Correct, David. Female concubines should be pregnant within six months of being extracted from Earth.»

He turned to his sister, who had begun to look anxious. "Rachel, I think we can compromise. You know that my changes are coming on slowly?"

Rachel nodded, "You mean I'll get mine slowly too?"

"A bit of both. I'll advance you to fifteen in the tube, and then have you grow up to sixteen in the next four months. How would that be?"

"Can't I go straight to sixteen, and then slowly to seventeen or eighteen?" she asked.

"Sorry, Sis, I don't want to speed you up too much. We can think about it again in four months time. You look hot at sweet sixteen." He smiled at her, while Sylvia nodded her agreement. The older woman thought it was sensible for David to allow time for his sister to have her personality catch up with her appearance. A fourteen year old mind in a twenty year old body would be strange.

"What about my boobs? Please can I have bigger boobs, David?"

David knew his sister was worried about her breasts being too small, so he allowed a small boost, "Add six months growth to her breasts on the fifteen year old image please, AI." The image showed a somewhat increased bust. "How about that, Sis?"

Rachel grudgingly accepted her brother's decision. "As long as we can talk about it again in four months."

"Yes, Rache, of course. Now, are there any other things you want done? Hair?"

"Can you take away my armpit hair, but leave the other. I only just got it, and I don't want to lose it yet."

"As she asks, AI," David said. Seeing the result he continued, "Trim back her pubic hair a bit, and tidy up the edges." Turning questioningly to his sister he saw her nod in return. "Anything else, Sis?"

"Can you fix my teeth, AI. Straighten them and whiten them."

"Some straightening can be done, Rachel," the AI told her, "but your third molars are not fully developed yet, so it would be advisable to restrict changes to the front teeth only for the moment."

"Just the front teeth is fine."

The middle hologram stopped rotating and grimaced, showing an even set of white teeth. Sylvia made a mental note to get the AI do her teeth, she hadn't considered having it do that for her. Just as well that Rachel had thought of it.

"Too white," David said, "they look artificial." Tone down the colour a bit."

He looked at his sister, who nodded her acceptance, "They did look a bit weird, all perfect white like that." She continued, talking to the AI, "Can you do something about my face, it's all lop-sided."

Three life-size disembodied heads appeared floating in the air in front of them. The AI explained, "All three heads are exactly symmetrical. The left hand head is the left hand side of Rachel's face mirrored to make a whole face. Similarly for the right hand head and the right hand side of her face. The middle head is the average of the left and right sides, also mirrored."

The three of them looked at the heads. David thought that they made his sister look unreal, almost like a robot. Real people's faces weren't that precisely symmetrical to the nearest millimetre.

"They look too perfect," Rachel said. "I prefer the right version, but I don't really want to look like any of them. I'd feel like a Barbie Doll."

"As opposed to a Bratz Doll?" David joked. He was glad she agreed with him about the artificial appearance of the displayed heads. "AI, change the middle head. Add in one third of the left side and two thirds of the right side so it's no longer perfectly symmetrical." He had noticed his sister's preference for the right hand head, so biased the changes that way.

"Ah, that's better," Rachel agreed.

Sylvia did as well, though she kept silent. She made another mental note to try the same thing with her own appearance.

"It looks more like me and it isn't so lop sided," Rachel continued. "Can we try different proportions of left and right?"

After a few minutes experimenting Rachel settled on a new look that she was happy with, and that David was glad to confirm. "You can have another go tomorrow morning, Rache, like Sylvia." His sister nodded her acknowledgement.

When David stood up to go to bed, Rachel was initially both eager and nervous. She ended up disappointed when her brother told her that she would be on first call for babysitting overnight. She would be sleeping on her own, while Sylvia shared his bed again.

While they were both getting ready for bed, Sylvia told David that his sister had been asking questions about sex. "She's worried about anal, and puzzled how some women can deepthroat."

"Anal?" David was surprised. "Wherever did she get that from? Dad would never ever have said anything to her about that."

"It was in this morning's concubine training fillum." Sylvia's Irish accent was coming out with the word 'film'.

"Ah, that explains it then. I've never tried anal, so I can certainly hold off doing it with Rachel. Have you done that, Sylvia?" She blushed and nodded. "Good, you can teach me first." Noticing her mild embarrassment, he moved on to Rachel's second query. "What did Sis want to know about deepthroat?"

"She was just surprised that anyone could do it at all. She thought it would make them throw up."

"Concubines get some help from the nanites for that, they reduce your gag reflex. That makes it a lot easier."

"Will I get that with my new body, tomorrow?" she asked.

"No," he told her. "You got it yesterday, at your initial medical check. Want to try it?" Naked, he sat on the edge the bed and spread his legs.

Sylvia knelt in front of David, jacking him lightly. As soon as he started stiffening, she moved in to lick his shaft from balls to tip. When he was ready, she bent forward to take the tip into her mouth, licking round the top, adding her saliva to the pre-cum he was already beginning to produce. She took him into her mouth, letting him penetrate as far as she was used to. Pulling back, she repeated the move a few times to get him well oiled with her saliva. Then she drew a deep breath and gingerly engulfed him further, and further, and further! When her nose reached his pubic hair she pulled back, an expression of surprise on her face, "Bloody hell!"

David grinned down at her as she dove back down onto his cock, eagerly trying out her new skill.

In her small bedroom, Rachel lay awake, thinking. Yesterday, the lieutenant had said she was a sex slave. Back then the idea had frightened her, even terrified her. She was still a bit nervous about the sex part, losing one's virginity was meant to hurt a bit. But the 'stuff' she'd been doing with David was sex as well, and she'd certainly enjoyed what they'd done so far. Perhaps the sex wouldn't all be as bad as her worst fears. And the fact that it would be with David helped. She knew he would do his best to make it good for her.

She thought about the slave part as well. Dad had gone on and on about the proper Biblical role for women. They had to obey their fathers and, once they were married, they had to obey their husbands. Well, concubines had to obey their sponsors, so there wasn't really a lot of difference. Obedience was always required. A husband was meant to love his wife, which didn't necessarily apply to sponsors, but surely applied to some. She could think of a few married couples from church who didn't seem to love each other. David was her brother, so, in her case, she definitely had a sponsor who loved her. Obeying David had, so far, been a lot more enjoyable than obeying Dad. Although he probably didn't realise it, her father had actually been training her to be a good, obedient, Confederacy concubine. That thought amused her; it certainly would have horrified Dad!

She was woken from her sleep by the AI, "Rachel, Mary is awake and crying. She appears to need comforting." Blearily she got out of bed. As she was crossing the main room to the lift, she noticed Mister B. lying face-down on a chair where he'd been left. Thinking that he might help with Mary, she grabbed him and went up to see what the problem was.

Mary was awake and sniffling. Luckily she was doing it reasonably quietly, so she hadn't woken Pat. "I miss my Da," she told Rachel between sniffles.

The teenager couldn't produce Mary's father, but she did have Mister B. "Here, you have a good cuddle with Mister Bozo, Mary. I'll sit here for a bit and things will be better in the morning."

"Can I keep Mister Bozo please, Rachel?"

That shook Rachel. Was she quite ready to give up that much? She knew she was a bit old for toys, and in the final analysis her teddy bear was just a toy. He did represent a lot of her past, but all that past was now back on Earth. She had grown up a lot in the last couple of days; had she outgrown Mister Bozo and all he symbolised? She made her decision, "Yes Mary, you can keep Mister Bozo. But I might want to borrow him back for a little bit when I'm feeling miserable."