The Exchange,

Chapter 2
The exchange part 2

Chapter Description: A sci-fi adventure: Sandra learns a bit about her new body

Sandra woke up but she didn’t open her eyes. She felt relaxed and safe and felt as if she was floating. She was just at the right temperature. She smiled a brief flicker of a smile and opened her eyes. Her smile faded instantly. The bars were back. She rolled over to her front and pushed herself up onto her front. She was back in that cot. She hadn’t been dreaming. She was still a baby. She didn’t want to be a baby.

She noticed she was now wearing a pink denim dress with patchwork flowers embroidered on the front, she also had on white socks and pink booties which also had the same embroidered flowers. It was very obvious it was a two piece outfit. To her dismay Sandra also saw that the pink denim dress didn’t come close to covering her well padded behind. Although her nappy was now covered by a patchwork nappy cover that matched the rest of the outfit.

She couldn’t tell if she was dry or wet. It was humiliating to say the least and she let out an involuntary whimper

She hadn’t noticed Anya until two large hands wrapped themselves around her and hoisted her under the armpits, up and out of the cot.

"Wakey wakey sleepy head. You slept for an extra hour."

Anya beamed at Sandra happily as she held her baby at arms length.

"And look at how adorable you are. Yes you are! YES YOU ARE!"

Anya blew bubbles on Sandra’s tummy and despite the horror and dread Anya felt, she burst into a fit of infectious hysterical babyish laughter.

"I just knew this outfit would be perfect for your first day. And your hair ties into such cute little bunches I could just eat you up"

Sandra looked down at herself and watched as her feet kicked out in mid-air helplessly. If she was being honest she did look kind of cute, and hearing Anya say it made it feel more real and more acceptable. Sandra blushed though nevertheless. It seemed for the time being at least she was stuck like this. She opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it again when her tummy made a loud rumbling noise. Anya laughed.

"who’d have known something that tiny could make such a racket huh? You’re actually long overdue for a feed so I guess I shouldn’t expect anything less. I even have breakfast ready and raring to go, it should still be warmish"

Anya walked over to a table and picked up a baby bottle full of what looked like milk. Sandra shook her head, she wasn’t drinking from a baby bottle. She wanted proper food, a bacon sandwich would be perfect right about now, and coffee...in large quantities, her eyes though, never left the bottle as it came closer and closer, she hadn’t even realised that she had started drooling.

" I need proper food. I’m starving. Not this stuff"

She said as Anya put the bottles nipple to Sandras lips, Sandra instantly latched on and began to suck. Mortified that she hadn’t even put up a fight Sandra cried a few tears as she guzzled down the bottle, but her sadness was short lived as Anya cooed gently at her whilst she nursed on the bottle.

Anyas voice gave her comfort and when Anya smiled Sandra couldn’t help but feel brighter and happier it was like some magic spell. Sandra didn’t know it was because their genes had been fused together and the hybrid version she now was, was connected with Anya in a way that only mother and child could be.

Sandra finished the bottle, feeling full and surprisingly satisfied. Anya gently placed Sandra over her shoulder and tapped her back for a minute or so before Sandra let out a large burp, much to her embarrassment. It was humiliating being this weak and dependant on someone. Sandra was caught in a strange limbo situation, part of her felt more safe and content than she had ever done her entire life, the scientist in her was curious as to what the exchange program held for her, and then the independent adult woman in her just wanted to run screaming from the room and away from this place. Anya tickled Sandra under her chin braking Sandras thought process.

"You looked miles away kiddo, I know this is such a big thing to take in all at once, it’ll take a while to adjust, so its okay if you want to cry or just sleep, or if you’d like I can take you on a little tour of the ship"

Sandra wasn’t particularly tired, and she had forgotten she was on a spaceship, how ridiculous did that sound, a real space ship, suddenly she looked towards the window. The morning sun was shining through bathing the room in mid morning light.

"Wait. if this is a ship..how come I can see the sun?"

She pointed clumsily towards the window. Anya laughed. her laughter was like a music box, bright and happy and full of melody. Sandra broke into a childish grin, happy that her question had created such a reaction in her carer.

"Little one, that’s a projection, just to make you feel more at home and comfortable in your environment."

"oh. I see."

Sandra felt foolish and her smile faded, she should have guessed that the window scene had been faked, although she had to admire the realism in the illusion. Changing the subject Sandra pointed to the door.

"Can I see the ship peeese"

Sandra blushed again when she realised how childish she had just sounded.

Anya nodded, "Of course sweetheart."

Then without any warning whatsoever, Anya tilted Sandra over and stuck her index finger down the back of her nappy. Sandra gasped in shock. Anya didn’t seem to notice Sandras humiliation, or if she did she masked her expression well.

"Nope you’re still dry so I’ll just grab your changing bag the harness and I guess that means we’re ready to go"

Sandras face was still burning red from embarrassment, maybe going out in this state was a bad idea.

"Hey I changed my mind I don’t want to go out there, I don’t want people seeing me like this."

Sandra had tears in her eyes now, and a big pout on her face.

Anya held her at arms length and looked her in the eyes, Anyas face reflected concern.

"Sweetie, you just look like any normal baby, there’s nothing abnormal about you, if anything people are keen to meet you, you’re somewhat of a celebrity"

Sandra’s’ eyes widened with surprise.

"what? Me? how? Why?"

Anya cradled Sandra back in her arms.

"Sandy, do you remember what I told you earlier, about being made into an infant because you’re highly intelligent, that’s not strictly all there is to it, you seem to have an amazing resistance to our drugs that we use, you’re a special case and one that’s being watched very closely. You might actually be the one we’ve been waiting for. The others in the lab decided to make you much younger than we would normally start an individual in the exchange program because it was believed that you’re natural resistances to our program would benefit you most in a younger state, and that seems to have held true so far...."

Anya trailed off and Sandra thought she saw pain suddenly flash across Anya’s calm features. Instinctively Sandra reached out and grabbed a pudgy fist full of Anya’s long wavy brown hair. This seemed to bring Anya back from whatever memory she had been reliving.

Anya continued.

"Anyway, the upshot of it is kiddo, you’re the youngest on board. I had to go through extensive training to qualify to look after you. Turns out baby’s are way more complicated than they look, many of the other carers on board applied for the position, but in the end only one could actually get you. As a result i’m being watched just as closely as you. We’re in this together"

She smiled and ruffled Sandra’s hair.

"...saying that, I should probably stop giving the game away, I’m not supposed to tell you these things i’ll get in trouble and neither one of us wants that."

Sandra’s head was reeling from the information, she was a baby because she was clever and because she was immune to drugs they used? She had a vague memory of a man shooting her with chemicals in her office, she suddenly felt frightened.

"Wait, are you guys still using drugs on me I mean, i’m a baby, okay, I get that, but it sounds like i’m also being a lab rat."

Anya felt tears prickle her eyes.

"Oh sweetie, you’re not a lab rat. I would never let any harm come to you. Yes we have drugs and yes some of them you are going to have to take whether you like it or not. I do hope you’ll co-operate as they’re for your own good. I’d never do anything that would hurt you. Never. And I’d never let anyone come and hurt you. I’ll protect you, with my life if I have to. No-one will take you away from me."

Now tears were visably running down Anyas face, Sandra felt her own bottom lip beginning to tremble and her eyes welling up with tears.

"i’m....i’m sorree, don’ cry, peeease don’ cry"

Sandra tugged on Anyas hair watching this large woman cry was making Sandra feel such anguish, the pain in her heart was more than she could bear, she hadn’t even noticed that her words had come out childish again.

Anya held Sandra close using one arm and with her free hand produced a tissue from a pocket on her skirt, dabbing her eyes she sniffled a little bit.

"i’m sorry, I didn’t mean to break down like that. I didn’t mean to worry you. You’re a good little girl and I know you didnt mean to make me cry. I just love you soo much that for you to think I was using you like a lab specimen was more than I could bear. You’re such a special little girl."

Anya touched Sandras nose lightly.

"MY very special little girl"

With that Anya hugged Sandra tightly, one hand supporting her padded behind the other cradling her head. Sniffing back the final remnants of the tears, Anya smiled bravely at Sandra.

"okay, enough with the waterworks, crying doesn’t solve anything, lets go for a wander."

Sandra wasn’t sure is she wanted to go, but she didn’t want to see Anya cry any more so she simply nodded and looked at the door afraid of what might be on the other side.

Gently Anya placed Sandra on the floor and moved quickly over to a cupboard as she rooted around in it with her back to her little charge she talked to Sandra.

"Just stay put there for a second sweetie, I just need to find the carrier."

Sandra watched Anya rummage for a moment and then looked at her little feet and podgy legs. She suddenly wondered if she was old enough to walk. How hard would it be if she couldn’t walk. That would be terrible.

Feeling fearful, Sandra crawled onto her knees and pushed against the floor with the palms of her hands trying to stand herself upright. It took a second or two and suddenly she found herself standing on her two feet. Her legs felt like jelly and she wasn’t convinced she was going to get very far. Anya was still rummaging in the cupboard so with a hefty sigh, Sandra put one foot out in front of the other and promptly fell backwards onto her diapered butt with a loud OOMPH! She hadn’t expected that. She couldn’t walk?

Undeterred she pushed herself back into a standing position. At least she could stand upright, but her legs just didn’t seem to have the strength to hold her up if she was only standing on one leg. She moved one leg forward and this time stumbled forward, surprised, the momentum carried her another two steps before she collapsed in a heap. She looked up and saw Anya towering above her with pride shining in her eyes.

"you’re trying to see what your body can do. I’m sorry it’s a little weak, with a month or two worth of feeding you should be able to toddle, but you look so cute trying. you’ll be my grown up girl in next to no time"

Sandra felt miserable, a month or two? That was an age away, but once again Anyas presence and smile seemed to make the situation more bearable. Anya scooped sandra up and popped her into one of those forward facing baby carriers that was now strapped to her chest.

"there, now you can see where you are going and I have both my hands free. Perfect."

Anya grabbed a white bag and pulled that over the shoulder, Sandra guessed it must be her changing bag and she blushed at the idea of someone having to carry nappies around for her. Suddenly something was popped into Sandra’s mouth, she hadn’t even seen it coming and she spat it out in alarm. Anya chuckled

"ooh silly that’s your binkie."

"My what?"

"your pacifier, you know, dummy, binkie, what babies suck on."

Anya picked it up off the floor, gave it a quick suck herself, to clean off any fluff it may have attracted and popped it back in Sandras mouth. Sandra sucked on it feeling foolish but finding it soothing.

Anya spoke, Sandra couldnt actually see very much of her now that she was strapped into the carrier facing away from her.

"Sandy, one last thing, I told you this earlier but you might not have remembered. I can understand you, but that only works when we’re in our apartment, because its just you and me here our energies are synchronised, once more beings are added into the equation being able to pick your mental thoughts out from everyone else’s becomes tricky. Other people wont be able to understand you at all as they’re not tuned into your patterns. Some of the other exchange students might be able to understand you. it depends on your wavelengths."

Sandy was confused.

"Wait, i’ve been talking to you all this time so....."

Anya cut her short,

"No sweetie, you’ve been talking baby babble, but I can hear the words you want to say because i’m picking up on your brain patterns, it might sound like words to you but in reality you’ve been talking into my mind. We are fused together, you must feel the bond we have, that was created when I became your carer, You have DNA of mine and visa versa we’re hybrids of each other"

As a scientist this was incredibly fascinating, telepathic conversations, Research on earth had suggested such a thing was possible but they were decades away from proving anything. this was astounding. Sandra brought one of her podgy little hands up to one of her pigtails and pulled thoughtfully.

"So wait, that means I wont be able to communicate with you when we leave, what if I need something or what if I need to say something important."

"You’re just a baby, i’m sorry but thats the way this place works at the moment, as you get stronger you’ll learn some of our words and be able to communicate more efficiently, but for the time being, I guess crying is all you have, if you need something i’m sure you’ll find a way of letting me know. Okay enough dilly dallying, lets go for a walk shall we."

With Sandra powerless to do anything accept go with the flow Anya headed for the door, ready for their first outing

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