The Exchange,

Chapter 11
The exchange part 11

Chapter Description: Sandy and Lyce get properly aquainted

(i’m not sure if anyone is actually reading this story, so whilst I am going to continue to write it, I probably wont post anymore of this up here unless people actually want me to as I dont want to spam people. *hugs hugs*)

Lyce and Sandra stared at each other for a moment, both wondering what to do. It was Lyce that broke the staring competition when he suddenly realised he was wetting himself. A sharp intake of breath and his face grew redder by each passing moment, he looked down at his Velcro shoes. Sandra mistook his distress for being in the playpen. She felt bad for him.

"I’m sorry you’re in here with me" She apologised. She wished she was older so that she didn’t need to be restricted in where she could go. It wasn’t as if being outside the pen would make her any less safe. She wasn’t a real baby, she wasn’t likely to stick her fingers in plug sockets or chew on electrical wires, and her inability to walk meant she couldn’t get very far anyway.

Lyce finished relieving himself, looking down at the floor he absently kicked a soft building block. the block burst into a cute little song as it rolled along the ground, causing both children to jump. Suddenly both kids regarded the block with more interest. Lyce, pushing his recent accident out of his mind, crouched down and picked the block up, turning it over in his hands. There was a picture on each side of what he figured was a different musical instrument. Experimentally he pushed one of the sides and as he suspected a different song burst from the small cube. He guessed the picture on the side corresponded with the sound he was hearing. Sandy grabbed at a different block closer to where she was she picked it up, then yelped and dropped it. Lyce looked over at her, concerned as he saw the confusion on Sandys face.

"Whats wrong?" he asked.

Sandra pointed at the block she had just dropped. Lyce picked up the block in his free hand, it had a different animal on each side of the block. He looked at the animal on the block side facing him. It looked like a sheep except it had long legs like a stork, large claws were on the feet of the animal. cautiously he squeezed the block and a noise like a warbled quack came out of the block.

"Don’t be scared Sandy." He said reassuringly. "It’s just a toy."

Sandy didn’t want to tell Lyce what had happened when she picked up the block. She had touched the same picture and suddenly her mind had been transported to the top of some tree and she had been watching one of those creatures pluck wool from its own body to line a large nest. She knew that it ate berries and leaves of the same tree it nested in, it couldn’t fly but the large claws it had, made it an expert climber. The animal was called a Bau, she could smell what the animal smelt like. A musty bark smell. She knew she would recognise the Bau’s footprint. The Bau was endangered due to the type of tree it relied on was slowly dying out. The information so suddenly and sharply in her mind, had scared her. She didn’t like suddenly having such intense information flooding her mind, she felt violated.

Lyce handed her the block and she shook her head.

"I don’ want it fankyoo, lets swap." She pointed at the music instrument block he held in his other hand and he looked at it for a moment then handed that one to her. She held her breath as she took it, and let out a large relieved sigh when the music block had no effect on her. She was already wondering if the fact that she would be a ranger when she grew up had contributed to her strange episode. She looked at the block from all angles pressing each side to listen to each instrument, Lyce was doing the same with the animal block he now had. Both children played with the blocks for a while, Lyce wondered why Sandy was so scared of the animal block, but he didn’t want to press the situation.

Sandy watched Lyce methodically turn the block pressing each side in turn, randomly she realised she was chewing on her one and quickly she pulled the soggy block from her mouth, feeling foolish, Lyce hadn’t noticed though and she felt lucky he had been so enthralled by what he was doing to not catch her acting in such a babyish way. It was a struggle sometimes to resist those childish urges and she was finding it harder to keep control sometimes. Maybe being in the pen was for her safety. Maybe as time went on she would feel the need to chew on wires. She stared at him and suddenly he felt her looking at him, he brought his eyes up to meet hers and she looked away feeling embarrassed that she had been caught staring.

"So how old were you before all this." Sandy gestured around the pen.

Lyce smiled sadly as he sat down in the pen, throwing the block from hand to hand for a moment.

"I was 25, I was a teacher actually."

Lyce wasn’t sure what else to add, it was strange talking about a life he’d never return to, he shifted uncomfortably in his wet nappy. He wanted out of the pen so he could go sort himself out, he wasn’t used to having to sit in a wet nappy, usually when he realised he was wet he would change himself straight away, but confined to this pen, as he was he was unable to fix his problem.

"You must have been a good teacher." Sandy said. Lyce simply shrugged.

"I enjoyed my job, It was tough at times but the kids seemed to enjoy how I taught, and I was able to get results" he smiled remembering fondly his classroom and the children he had taught. He picked up his juice and brought it to his lips. He missed completely and ended up tipping half the contents down his front.

The two children stared at one another for a moment. Lyce’s heart was beating heavily in his chest. He had been trying so hard to be capable, and just one moment of lapsed concentration had resulted in disaster.

"I think I’d better call my mummy." Sandy said regretfully. "You’re soaked." She didn’t realise that Lyce was soaked in more than one way.

"Mummy, mummeee...." She called out.

"No, wait, no need to fuss, its really okay..." Lyce said trying to stop Sandy from yelling out, but he had been too late. Anya popped her head round the kitchen door.

"What’s the matter sweetie?" Anya looked across the room at the two kids and saw the mess Lyce was in. "I guess someone had an accident." She said cheerfully. "Not to worry." She stated as she walked across the room. "We can just get you changed into your pyjamas"

She walked right up to the pen, noticing Lyce looking thoroughly ashamed of himself. "Hey its okay kiddo, we all have accidents sometimes, even me." She smiled reassuringly then picked him up out of the pen as he stuttered "its....it’s okay...i’m sorry....I...I.."

"Seriously, don’t be embarrassed Lyce, it’s really no big deal. you’re doing really well for a little boy. It’s my fault for not giving you a proper cup."

She settled him back down on his feet and then went to his bag to get clothes. Lyce focusing on his shame didn’t stop Anya from opening his rucksack. As she unzipped the bag, his clean disposable nappies sat plainly on top of his clothes.

"That reminds me, do you need a change?" She asked matter of factly, no hint of any kind of emotion in her voice.

Lyce’s humiliation grew tenfold.

"I...I..."

"Well lets get these wet clothes off of you, Arlie won’t be pleased with me if I give him back to you and you’ve caught a cold"

Anya began to unbuckle his overalls, he took an involuntary step backwards, tears were clearly in his eyes. Anya noticed he was uncomfortable. She smiled sympathetically

"Oh Lyce, it’ll be over in two shakes of a gliphs tail. Then you can get back to playing."

Lyce looked over at Sandra who was peering curiously through the bars of the pen. Sandra hadn’t seen the nappies in his rucksack. He pointed shakily at her, not really thinking.

Anya looked at Sandy and then back at Lyce, suddenly understanding what the boy was trying to say

"Ah." She chuckled. "Tell you what, lets do this in the nursery then shall we." She grinned, zipped up and slung Lyce’s rucksack over one shoulder then held out her hand for Lyce to take it.

Finally finding his voice he clutched at his own hands, making it clear he wasn’t taking Anya’s hand.

"It’s ’kay. I can doowit"

Anya sighed and held out her hand again.

"It’ll be quicker if I do it Lyce. it’s no big deal, don’t worry okay. the sooner we get your clothes changed the sooner you can get back to playing with Sandy. I don’t want her to be lonely out here waiting for too long."

Sighing, realising he was fighting a loosing battle, he gave a quick glance at Sandy then he gingerly took Anyas hand. She led him happily into the nursery, keeping the door open in case Sandra should call, she dropped the bag down and turned to Lyce then unhooked the buttons of his overalls in two swift easy movements. Lyce knew that simple task would have taken him a good thirty seconds. She let the shoulder straps fall down his back then she tugged his overalls down. She had toyed with the idea of putting him up on the changing table but realised that would have just added insult to injury and she didn’t want to humiliate the boy any more than what he was already feeling.

"Lay down will you Lyce."

Submissively he complied, wanting to be as helpful as he could in one way, yet in another just wanting to run from the room.

She gently tugged his shoes from his feet and finished pulling off his overalls, she could see clearly that his nappy was wet.

"Looks like you had more than one accident huh" Again there was no hint of mockery in her voice it was just a simple statement but lyce could feel his ears burning, he was blushing hard.

She started undoing the tapes on his disposable and his hands quickly shot down to stop her.

"Don’t be a silly boy." She chastised as she gently pushed his hands away. Lyce dropped his arms to his side and looked up at the ceiling, trying to mentally place himself some place else. Anywhere but here. Anya quickly undid his nappy and whisked it out from under him. Grabbing some wipes she gently cleaned him up..

Suddenly she looked up, she could have sworn she heard someone at the front door. Her suspicions were confirmed when she heard Blake call out "Hello? Anyone home?" She heard him walking from the hallway and into the main lounge "Ah, hi pipsqueak, where’s your mummy?"

Anya looked up at the clock, it was 4pm, looked like Blake had kept his promise about coming home early.

"I’m in here!" She called out as she pulled a clean disposable from Lyce’s rucksack and lifting his legs she placed the clean nappy under his bottom and gently lowered him onto it. Dusting him liberally with talcum powder. She looked up as Blake entered the nursery, carrying Sandy who was holding her dragon tightly and sucking her dummy. There was shock on Blakes face when he saw what Anya was doing.

"Who’s this? We’ve got another one?" Blake asked confused.

Sandra looked at Lyce laying in the middle of the nursery floor having his nappy changed. Someone else in nappies like her? She had thought Lyce was older then her, he certainly had better co-ordination and was quite considerably bigger than she was. Why was he wearing nappies?

"This is Lyce, he’s staying the night. I’m helping Arlie, he got called in to cover an emergency shift down in maintenance." Anya explained as she finished fastening the tapes of his clean nappy. She pulled him to his feet. Lyce. This is Blake, Sandys daddy."

Lyce wasn’t sure if his legs had the strength in them to hold him up, what had just happened to him had been severely emotionally draining, his face which had been bright red to begin with had only intensified when he realised Sandy had seen him in this vulnerable state. Standing in just a blue striped t-shirt, nappy and socks he looked up at the man.

"Peesed to meet yoo" He muttered. knowing that there was no excuse for bad manners. He brought his hand up to his face, subconsciously hiding, although his heavy blushing was beginning to fade.

"nice to meet you too little man." Blake said grinning as he ruffled Lyce’s hair. Anya gently pushed Lyce towards Blake as she took Sandra from Blakes arms.

"Can you take Lyce through to the lounge and sort out his pyjamas while I sort out Sandra, she’s probably soggy by now as well."

"Sure, not a problem." Blake said grabbing the unfamiliar bag that he guessed to be Lyce’s as he ushered Lyce from the room.

With the two guys gone Sandra looked up at her mummy. She was laid down on the changing table, Sandra felt scared with what she was about to say.

"Mummy...I want to be honest with you, earlier I picked up a block, it had animals on it, and I saw that animal....do you have an animal called a Bau on yoor planet?"

Anya had been pulling baby wipes from the packet and she froze, fear crossed her features and Sandy wondered if she had done the right thing in revealing what had happened. Anya towered over sandy and suddenly Sandy felt more vulnerable than she had done so far. When Anya spoke it was in a conspiratorial whisper.

"We are not going to discuss this here, not with your father in the house. I don’t want him to know what you’re experiencing." Anya was genuinely concerned that Blake if he found out would not be quite so protective of his daughter. Anya was disobeying the rules as it was, by not bringing Sandras exceptional gifts to the attention of the Exchange council.

"Why not? What’s wrong with daddy knowing? Will he be angry?" Sandra asked confused. She had been told it needed to be a secret, but keeping it from her male carer seemed like they were lying to him.

"Not angry as such, just....I don’t know. I don’t want to take any chances that he might tell other people."

Anya had pulled Sandras plastic pants from her and unpinned the wet towelling. Sandy continued to speak although she shivered slightly, she didn’t know whether it was because of the cold air from her lower nakedness or what her mummy had just said.

"But are there Baus? You didn’t answer my question? Are they sheep bird things?" Sandy needed confirmation that there were such things, either that or she was actually going mad. Anya sighed, looking agitated, she knew Sandy wouldn’t drop the subject until she got her answers.

"Yes, there are, and yes they look similar to sheep. But I must admit I don’t know what’s going on with you. I’ve never heard of a ranger being able to pick up information from a picture before. They can pick up information from bones and animal fur, spores and tracks, but pictures are a new one on me."

Anya felt fear for her daughter, but tried to push the worrying thoughts from her head. If this continued Blake would find out eventually.

Anya had automatically without thinking, cleaned Sandra up and was putting her in a disposable when she snapped herself out of her morbid daydream of playing out the worse case scenario in her head. Focusing on finishing the task, she pulled a light blue footed sleeper out of a drawer and dressed Sandy quickly and efficiently. Sandy was surprised at how quickly she was getting used to this ritual, she was glad though that Lyce and Blake had left Anya in peace to work, she still felt uncomfortable about being seen in this state by guys for some reason. Sandra felt almost completely comfortable with Anya though. She guessed it was the whole spliced DNA thing.

"It’s not bedtime yet is it? I’m not tired?" Sandy asked suddenly concerned that she was being dressed for bed.

"you’ve got a couple of hours left, bedtime for you is 6 i’m afraid kiddo, little kids like you need your sleep."

Sandy pouted as her mummy picked her up from the changing table and sat in the rocking chair, grabbing a soft hairbrush Anya brushed Sandy’s mousey brown hair gently. Sandy tingled with pleasure from the sensation, and suddenly realised she was wetting herself uncontrollably again. Gasping, she grabbed at her crotch, she’d only just been changed. Anya felt the warmth seep through the nappy and footed sleeper as Sandra sat on her lap. She sighed, a small sympathetic smile on her face

"Oh Sandy, I only just changed you, you soggy child."

Anya finished brushing Sandy’s hair, as Sandy sucked on her pacifier agitatedly and then carried her back over to the changing table to repeat the process she had only just completed.

Five minutes later Anya and Sandy reappeared in the Lounge where Blake and Lyce were sat side by side looking at the far wall of the Lounge. Images moved across the wall, Sandra realised it was some sort of television projection, an animation of some sort was playing on the wall. Every few minutes Blake and Lyce would chuckle at what they were watching.

Anya walked over to the two of them and placed Sandra at the feet on Blake.

"Watch her while I get dinner ready." She said and then headed for the Kitchen. A few moments passed and Lyce carefully slid off the sofa to sit by Sandy on the floor. He was now wearing a short and t-shirt set with cartoon spaceships all over the fabric.

The three of them watched the cartoons happily together for a while until Anya called from the kitchen that dinner was ready.

Blake hoisted Sandra up onto his hip and steered Lyce in the direction of the Kitchen, a wonderful meaty smell wafted from the room.

"mmm smells good" Blake said with a large cheesy grin. He plopped Sandra down into her high chair and strapped her in. Lyce was struggling to climb into one of the chairs and when he had finally done so he was to short to sit at the table properly. Blake and Anya exchanged looks, then Blake disappeared for a moment and returned with a large book.

"Sorry kiddo, this’ll have to do" Blake said as he gestured from Lyce to hop off the chair. Lyce slid down and after Blake put the large book on the chair Blake plucked Lyce up and settled him on top. Now Lyce was sat at the table properly, he was given one of Sandras baby spoons, it was better than being given a normal spoon. Lyce didn’t want to make an issue of it and he actually felt adult cutlery would only hinder him.

Anya dished up 3 bowls of some wonderful smelling stew. Sandy watched the three of them begin to eat. Where was hers? She suddenly realised she was being left out.

"Hey. What about me?!" She looked like a little lost puppy stuck in the high chair.

Anya got up and placed a small bowl on the high chair feeding tray. She pulled a large bib over Sandys head.

"I was just letting yours cool down for a second sweetie, no need to get agitated." She chuckled. The stew looked similar to the stew everyone else was eating except it seemed to have been blended to purify all the chunks of vegetables and meat, giving it a thicker consistency. Anya handed Sandy a baby spoon.

"Do you think you can feed yourself for mummy?"

There was probably about six spoonfuls in the bowl. Sandy looked down at the food, feeling suddenly elated that she was being given some freedom of control. She held the spoon and plunked it into the mix, trying to get some onto the spoon proved tricky, and when she finally managed getting some on the spoon, trying to then get it to her mouth was even trickier.

Lyce was doing marginally better getting most of it into his mouth, making sure he was sat close enough to the table that any food he didn’t manage to shovel into his mouth fell onto the table rather than onto him. He was concentrating hard on not making a mess.

Meanwhile Sandra was giving up, she’d managed half a spoonful of food so far and she was getting impatient so the spoon had been left to the side and she was now using her hands to feed herself. The taste was of a really rich beef stew, there seemed to be root vegetables in there somewhere too but she couldn’t pinpoint the taste. She wondered what was actually in the stew.

"This is reely gud" Lyce said happily, food all around his mouth.

Anya smiled "I’m glad you like it Lyce, its one of my specialities." Anya looked over at Sandy who had somehow managed to tip the bowl up onto the tray and the remaining stew was all over the tray.

"Blimey Sandy, you’ve out done yourself. You mucky thing" Sandy giggled as she squished some of the stew into the tray. Her hands and face covered in the food. She was deeply captivated by one of her more childish moments. Lyce giggled at Sandy happy that she seemed to be happy.

The four of them ate, Blake and Anya chatted for a while and once everyone at the table was done Blake cleared away the plates while Anya attacked Lyce and Sandra with baby wipes, clearing away the majority of the mess. Satisfied with her clean up job she freed Sandra from the high chair and went back into the living room and sat on the Sofa, settling Sandy on her lap she unbuttoned her blouse and unhooked her maternity bra. Lyce had followed and suddenly confronted by Anyas exposed breast he quickly averted his gaze and suddenly found sandy’s toy dragon really interesting. He picked the dragon up from the floor and played with it.

Sandy hadn’t wanted to suckle. Not with Lyce in the room, but her babyish tendencies betrayed her once more and she had latched on without a struggle and was feeding pretty fiercely. Blake came into the room and sat down beside Anya as she nursed Sandra. Blake watched for a bit. Anya grinned at him. "Are you jealous? Do you want some?" It was Blakes turn to blush and he turned his attention back to the projection programs on the main wall of the lounge.

Sandra suddenly felt overwhelmingly tired, she struggled to keep her eyes open, she didn’t want to fall asleep, especially since she had been adamant that she wouldn’t be tired for a long time to come. She had no idea what the time was but she knew it couldn’t be later than 6.

Anya unlatched Sandra from her nipple, and popped Sandy’s pacifier back into her mouth. Anya did up her bra and blouse, and gently stroked Sandras forehead rhythmically hushing her little girl until sandras eyelids grew heavier and heavier and soon Sandra was lightly snoring.

With her baby asleep in her arms Anya looked over at Lyce who had been concentrating hard on Sandras toy dragon.

"Lyce? Are you ready for bed?"

Lyce actually wasn’t that tired, but he wanted to be near where Sandy was, so he nodded.

"Okay, lets get you both to bed then." She stood up carefully and pointed in the direction of the nursery. Lyce got the hint, still holding onto Sandy’s dragon he got his rucksack and led the way into the nursery. Anya was right behind him. Laying Sandy down in her crib, Anya unpopped a couple of the poppers on the legs of Sandras sleeper suit and checked to see if her baby was wet. She wasn’t, so Anya did the poppers back up again and then turned and smiled at Lyce.

"Lets get your teeth brushed and ready for bed huh. I don’t really have anywhere suitable for you to sleep so if its okay with you I’m going to put you in the bottom of sandras cot. There’s plenty of space for the two of you so it should be okay." She could see lyce’s attention flitting across to the cot.

"It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just that there’s not much of an alternative."

Lyce shook his head.

"Its ’kay Anya, I wanna be wif Sandy. I like her heaps" Anya grinned. "Good that’s settled then. Arlie was right, you are a good little boy. I’m sure he must be really proud of you. Do you need your...pants changing" She said.

Blushing slightly Lyce shook his head, he was actually dry now. Soon with teeth brushed, face washed and a toilet break, Lyce found himself being lowered into Sandy’s crib. Anya tucked him in.

"Now if you need anything just shout for me okay."

Lyce nodded although he knew he wouldn’t call for Anya for fear of waking Sandy. He could see Sandy under the patchwork blanket sleeping soundly. She looked tiny even from his short perspective.

"She muss be tired huh" Lyce said quietly. Anya looked at Sandy and nodded. "Yeah, babies need a lot of sleep, she’s been through quite a lot, as have you so you should probably get some sleep too."

"Yeah, but im notta baybe" Lyce was quick to add, and Anya chuckled.

"No, you’re not Lyce, you’re a very clever little boy, and i’m glad we had the chance to meet like this, i’m sure me and Sandy will be seeing a lot of you."

This seemed to make Lyce grin. It would be nice to have Sandy around, he felt protective of her, perhaps because he was close to her predicament. He recognised characteristics of himself in her. She seemed to have accepted her fate just like he had.

Anya was heading for the door she turned the night-light on.

"Sleep tight Lyce, see you in the morning."

"Nini Anya." Lyce said as Anya partially closed the door.

Lyce lay there, looking up at the bars surrounding him, listening to Sandra’s rhythmic breathing. He felt calm and actually fairly content, more content than he had been since waking up on board this ship. He lay there for a while subconsciously matching Sandy’s breathing, slowly without realising, and with a gentle smile on his face, he drifted off to sleep.