“Are you sure you’re ready?” Sarah asked through the intercom as Derek stripped off his coat. He smiled weakly up at her as he stripped down to his underwear, carefully hanging up his belongings on the nearby rack. He wouldn’t need them for a while. At least the undies would preserve the last vestiges of his modesty until such time when they were no longer necessary.
He’d been looking forward to this moment with a mixed cocktail of emotions. He’d wanted it more than anything, to actively participate in research into an alien world. Though the method was a bit unorthodox, he was quite eager to experience the results and what they could bring for humanity. It was also a chance to live out an old childhood fantasy, one he’d never thought possible.
Derek had signed up for the process eagerly, hoping to be selected against a small contingent of other potentials. He was genuinely shocked at the number of willing participants in his company. Still, after a long and difficult process, he’d finally won the figurative lottery. Now he stood in the preconstructed chamber, awaiting an injection of nanites that would physically change his form for the next several weeks.
He’d studied what he could from the scans of the alien creature, shocked at its similarity to indigenous earth insects. He supposed it made sense. Insects were perfect biological specimens, capable of surviving and adapting to even extreme environments. Convergent evolution, even on alien worlds, was a strong possibility. Though it could not be classified by any earth genus, it bore the most resemblance to a larval stage in the Odonata family.
The purpose of the experiment was quite simple. Learn what they could from the biology of other worlds, see if other planets harboring life were suitable for colonization. Thus far only a handful of worlds in the known universe were home to complex life. This was the first of several scheduled tests on a variety of alien life forms in the coming months, a way to safely interact with such organisms before traveling to the planet themselves.
As near as they could tell, the creatures carried no harmful bacteria or potential pathogens. They were even carbon-based life forms, though their planet ’s conditions were relatively different than those on earth. Still, every precaution would be taken to minimize the risk of accidental exposure. The preconstructed quarantined habitat would be Derek’s only home for the duration of the experiment.
The nanites would do their work, rapidly reconfiguring his form to match the target species, a process refined over many years with species from earth on a multitude of subjects. Carefully regulated, of course. No one had dared become an insect; the size difference in transformation along with rudimentary brain function was considered too much for the human psyche to handle. Derek smiled at the thought. Though it was secondary to the actual scientific breakthroughs, he’d be famous for the paper he’d publish once he resumed his human form.
Taking a deep breath, he allowed himself to feel every inch of his form in the moments before he gave it up. No one on earth had thus far gone through such a drastic change. Still, he was excited. Assuming everything went well, he’d be undergoing the experience of a lifetime.
“Initiating nanite start-up sequence,” Sarah said over the intercom, taking a moment to regard her colleague’s exposed form. Although the process carried minimal risk she still harbored fear it would be the last time she’d see her friend. Derek flashed her a knowing smile, trying his best to hide his own doubts and fears. They both had a job to do, after all.
<Initiating mental link. Testing, testing, one two three>, he thought, focused on transmitting from the tiny implant hooked up to his brain. His thoughts, memories, and experiences would be stored on a computer for the duration of the experiment. His brain waves however would keep in sync with the alien form he was about to inherit, able to control and experience the creature’s body first hand.
A slight pinch to his arm signaled he’d been injected and his transition would soon begin. He felt a tingle as the nanites did their work, spreading throughout each of his cells. As a sign the process was to begin, his skin twitched and thickened as the tiny robots provided him with a hard insectoid exoskeleton. It would take shape to provide structural support before his internal parts began to liquefy, minimizing the risk of organ failure. He watched in fascination as the skin darkened to a deep muddied brown, slowly spreading over his form, encasing his entire being in protective armor. The skin began to segment in several places, allowing him much-needed articulation once his human skeleton was no more.
His extremities began to tingle next, prompting Derek to watch as his fingers and toes began to change, two digits on each limb growing thick, chitinous claws while the rest shrank back to become useless and vestigial. His remaining digits solidified, stiffening and losing mobility. He gasped from the sensation, thankful the nanites dampened his ability to feel pain during the transition. With a series of loud pops, his new limbs snapped in several places, allowing him an unnerving level of articulation. He flexed his new front legs a few times, getting used to the range of motion they now provided.
An ache at his sides brought Derek’s attention to carefully placed protrusions made known between the layers of his armor. He felt them slowly grow, stiff at first but steadily gaining the articulation that had been granted to his front limbs. It was an extremely disorientating sensation, having two extra limbs he could move in tandem with his own. He flailed the new limbs uselessly, the necessary neural connections evidently thus far absent to properly coordinate his new additions.
Surprisingly, he found the process to be extremely arousing. Embarrassed, he tried to cover his crotch with his shifting limbs but knew it was to no avail. He was being monitored by dozens of cameras, scientists, and researchers intent on observing every detail. He could not hide the lust that had begun to overtake him. It was all he could do not to give in and touch his straining member pressing insistently against the stained fabric of his underwear. That prompted another question to be asked in his head. What would his changed genitalia look like?
Yet, he was soon distracted from such thoughts as his legs cracked and ached and he lowered himself down, not wanting the changes to knock him over and cause him unnecessary damage. The position felt comfortable as his ass began to elongate, repositioning his center of gravity. The seams of his underwear were stretched beyond their limits as with a snap he became entirely exposed to the observant scientists. By this point he hoped his member had changed towards a form more suitable for an insect, preserving what tiny bit of dignity he had left.
In tandem with widening hips, the rapid expansion of his ass signaled the start of his insect abdomen. His waist, however, did not pinch-off, separating it into distinct segments like a typical adult insect. Instead, his body remained largely uniform, tapering off to a point where his anus resided. Derek had a thought; maybe the form he was to become wasn’t an adult. There was no way to truly know.
He felt his anus invert, his arousal indicating that he now had a single opening from which to dispel as did earth arthropods. Yet, the arousal from his changing body only deepened as the changes raced onwards. Somehow, he was now missing the familiar sensation of his erect member. Perhaps his form carried no such structures?
Next, Derek’s mouth felt extremely numb as the more extreme changes began to encroach over his human face. His hair fell away in large clumps, joining the rest of his body hair on the chamber floor. His ears and nose began to dissolve into his head and in panic, he realized he was losing his sense of hearing and smell. Even the musky odor coming off his own body from the changes had dissipated, human organs no longer present to detect such signals.
However, he could still feel and was shocked to detect two abnormal pinpricks where his temples used to be. After a moment Derek was able to see two thin rods pass over his field of vision. Were these his antennae? He waited painfully, hoping for the new additions to take over for his diminished human senses.
Suddenly, he was assaulted with a barrage of strange sensations, unable to yet cope with the onslaught of pheromones and vibrations his new organs could process. He tried to speak but was successful only in producing a series of shrill clicks, likely inaudible to human ears. His antenna picked it up as a series of vibrations, unable to distinguish words.
The motions came with a distinct message, however, one of panic, of a need to escape. He tried to calm himself, relax and resist the panic from being in an alien body. Slowly, the tremors dissipated and the cries of alarm diminished.
His gums itched as something sharp and massive burst forth from the insides of his jaw. He was growing mandibles. From what he could gather, they were not used for slicing, but rather to grasp and hold potential prey. He was soon to find out firsthand. His tongue went numb in his mouth, splitting outward, hardening, becoming something truly alien. Though he could not see it, he had a vague recollection of its shape from scans, a highly specialized organ with a clear purpose. He shuddered, the reality of his new life set in. How could he have agreed to be this thing?
<No!> he thought, determined to see this through. He’d always wanted to transform, to experience escape from reality for a time. Perhaps alien insect wasn’t his first choice, but he would make do.
<No?> He heard Sarah’s voice ask over his mental link. Oops.
<Nothing. Never mind. Resuming transformation,> he thought, embarrassed from the outburst. He made a mental note to keep better control over directing his thoughts.
Vision blurred abruptly and Derek momentarily went blind. Panic resurfaced once again, that perhaps the aliens were too different, that it would be too difficult for him to report on experiences so far removed from his humanity. However, just as suddenly it cleared, and he was treated to a plethora of colors very different from what his human mind recalled. It took a moment for his mind to sort out images. Some things appeared more sharply and some things were simply beneath his notice. Things more relevant to a prey species, he figured.
He gasped internally as a new sensation erupted from a spot on his former forehead. A third eye? He recalled such a structure present in the images he’d studied but had forgotten it in the midst of transformation. Slowly his mind opened up as the nanites did their work and he discovered an entirely new way to view the world. Colors waved to and fro, a cascading symphony of expression. What was he looking at? It took a moment for his human mind to rationalize it. He was seeing a heat trail, a pattern that dedicated his movement into the chamber, so clear even though his human form was almost gone. He could detect other heat forms too, even beyond the confines of the enclosure, likely his research team.
It was almost over. Derek felt a thin prick from under either side of his abdomen, confused as to the source of the discomfort. With shock, his mind centered on the new additions as they gently unfurled and started vibrating at high speeds. He suddenly felt himself rising involuntarily, the protrusions creating sufficient lift for him to do so.
<Wings!> He examined mentally, relishing the feeling of hovering in the air. There was so much he wanted to try but he knew he had to let the changes finish so that he could be examined. Sighing mentally, he allowed himself to lower to the floor, wings naturally returning underneath his carapace.
<You’ve progressed beautifully,> Sarah thought towards him. In a weird sort of way, she found the alien in the chamber mesmerizing. It defied all logic. She should have found the bizarre alien form grotesque and yet…She chalked it up to the internal knowledge that it contained her close friend.
Derek tried to reply but was wracked with a powerful sensation. His crotch ached with an overwhelming need to be filled. He squirmed uncomfortably, all senses intent on finding something in the empty room to quell the arousal. His crotch throbbed uncontrollably, sending waves of pheromones throughout the enclosure, as though his body was desperately willing a mate to breed him.
It began to dawn on him why he’d lacked any structure resembling a phallus. His, now her, new slit oozed viscous fluids onto the chamber floor. He hadn’t considered the possibility he’d end up a female. It was so simple they’d overlooked it. The experiment replicated the DNA of a sample individual, so of course, there was a chance it could be a female.
<How do you feel?> Sarah asked over the mental link, evidently drawing the same conclusion from Derek’s behavior. She felt worried for him; changing species was unnerving enough but gender as well?
Derek heard the inquiry but couldn’t respond. He needed something to quell the burning and it was obvious to his human mind he wouldn’t find a male here. He finally spied a thin metal protrusion from a ceiling beam that might do the trick. He wasn’t sure how to make his body react to such an unappealing stimulus, so he simply willed his body to move. With a fluid motion, he was suddenly there, vertically on the ceiling, wings retreating back into his carapace before he even realized what had happened.
His abdomen, still quivering, hovered over the beam as though unsure. He tried again, willing his opening to clench over the beam, to release his torment. It wasn’t as simple this time. Derek played awkwardly over the beam, cautious about damaging his body and unsure how to move with the precision needed for the task at hand.
At last, he felt his slick opening stretch around the object of his desire. His abdomen clenched and clamped down uncontrollably, sending waves of pleasure throughout his form. He gasped mentally, unaccustomed to this level of sexual euphoria. Was this what it felt like to experience feminine lust or were the aliens simply sexual in nature?
<It…it feels…good!> His mind exclaimed, the feeling of being penetrated better than anything he could have fathomed.
He thrust his abdomen over and over, feeling the orgasmic sensation wash over him. It was a powerful biological drive to mate, to breed, giving him satisfaction to the core. At last, he came, shuddering in violent orgasm as he suddenly dropped from his perch, landing flawlessly on all six limbs.
<I’d say this is going to be an interesting couple of weeks,> Derek laughed mentally.
******
Derek awoke that day to his usual routine. He preferred to sleep on the ceiling, upside down and compact as far as his body could go. The working theory was that the position kept him relatively safe from potential predators. His new form was generally active during dawn and dusk, taking several hours of rest shortly after feedings.
He felt a familiar hiss as the chamber door was opened and a heated form rushed in, alerting his senses. A small pig, if previous feedings were any indication. Though the animal was large it posed no harm to his new form. The animal appeared weary, scenting something foreign, unnerving, but unsure as to what. Nothing in its brain could have prepared it for the fate that Derek’s new body would inflict.
His third eye easily detected the heat waves radiating up from his would-be meal. His wings slowly, silently unfurled, barely detected by even his sensitive antenna. He waited till the beast was directly below him, to where his brain decided was perfectly in range. It did not matter that the prey would constantly move in and out of the chosen radius. He would be content to wait for hours till his prey came to just the right spot.
He dropped, motionless, flipping on his side and latching on to his prey’s back with a sudden strike, warping his limbs tightly around its body. The pig squealed, struggling to assess the threat that had suddenly been thrust upon it. But, it was too late. Derek’s mandibles had already latched onto its neck, and with a sudden flash, his tongue had pierced the beast’s flesh. He felt the familiar release of a chemical secretion from the sides of the appendage. The lab analysis revealed his body produced a powerful neurotoxin, capable of rendering the victim helpless in mere seconds.
Derek proceeded with the least comfortable aspect of the feeding act. His enzymes acted to rapidly break down tissue, creating a slurry that his eager tongue was quick to ingest. He did his best to remove himself from the act, trying to observe it from a scientific viewpoint. However, there was no neglecting the eldritch horror of the process, literally drinking his victim mere moments after its death.
The process took about ten minutes, leaving the unfortunate swine a mere husk. The turnover in feeding time was remarkable, leaving Derek to wonder if the creature simply ate fast to avoid predation or if earth organisms were particularly susceptible to its digestive process. The encounter resulted in a fluid black paste excreted from his backside, leaving Derek thankful for his lack of human smell. He felt sorry for the crew tasked with cleaning up his filth.
<Morning, Doctor Park,> Sarah said via the neural link as Derek finished up his morning meal So far the mammalian fluids did not appear to impede his functioning, which did not bode well for any potential colonists setting to embark on the planet. Better to find out now, he supposed, than to have a team become the first off-world victims of a dangerous alien.
He decided to partake in another one of his usual morning hobbies. Sarah watched as Derek flew up and lowered his hindquarters onto the protrusion on the ceiling expertly sliding his opening down over the beam. He had practiced several times a day and was quite skilled at quelling his lusts as he worked his abdomen up and down. The first several times he’d been embarrassed by the act, but the need in his loins was great and he knew no other method to pleasure himself in his new form.
Derek had no idea if such behavior was normal for the species, or a consequence of human intellect encased in a receptive body. Sarah had jokingly suggested getting him a mate for the remaining few weeks of the experiment. However, the more Derek thought about it, the more he loved envisioning a male’s phallus penetrating his needy flesh, fertilizing the eggs deep within his changed cunt.
As if on cue, Derek felt a familiar straining sensation overtake his abdomen and he pushed, releasing what he knew to be the first of several eggs his body would dispel this morning. Tests had shown the eggs were infertile. Derek wondered if it was a normal part of his biology to lay infertile eggs, or perhaps a result of being denied access to a mate that caused his body to discharge in such a manner, Whatever the reason, he found the process extremely erotic, a fitting endpoint to his regular masturbatory sessions.
He took some time before his next rest cycle to enjoy a sensation experienced by few humans. He unfurled his wings and took to the air, hovering in one spot effortlessly, as did dragonflies on earth. He cherished the sensation, able to move to and fro with as much ease as a fish in water. It disturbed the insectoid part of his brain after a time, uncomfortable with staying exposed too long lest he became a target for a larger predator.
Sarah watched the display with envy, wondering what it must be like for Derek. To truly embrace those few moments of freedom in flight, to be able to exist outside himself, live only instinctively in relative safety. She made up her mind that she would put forth her candidacy for the next project.
After a time Derek flipped himself over and took his usual rest upside down at the top of his enclosure. His sharp claws gripped the ceiling expertly, perfectly balancing his weight as he settled down. He did not need to sleep as he did while human. Instead, certain parts of his body shut down during periods of low activity, providing the necessary rest for regeneration. He found his own human consciousness warning at these times, entering the necessary REM cycles required to maintain lucidity. Slowly, he felt his brain shut down, entering the brief reprieve from alien sensation until his next round of testing.