Disclaimer: This story takes time to develop and as such, the sex scene takes place toward the end of the story. Just a heads up.
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"And we're back, live here in the Channel Six studio; joining me now is Dr. Johan Bukowski, lead surgeon heading the SAFE project. Doctor, thank you for being here."
"Thank you Sarah, it's a pleasure."
"Just to clear the air for our viewers at home, could you tell us what 'SAFE' stands for doctor?"
"Certainly, it stands for 'Securing A Future Eternal'."
"And what exactly is the aim of this project?"
"I don't want to give away too much as we're still in the infant stage of application, but what I can say for certain is that we've found a safe and viable means of repopulation through DNA extraction and manipulation."
"I see. And when could we expect to hear of this officially in a health magazine, on the Internet or in the news?"
"I'd say in a couple of years. Very soon now, Sarah, I will personally see to it that this world is repopulated and flourishing as it was before the Change."
"There you have it folks; Dr. Johan Bukowski, giving us his word to secure a brighter future. Doctor, thank you for your time."
"Thank you, Sarah."
~ Two Years Later ~
Stasis Dome Alpha, Sector 10, Location Unknown
May 12th, 2037
I peered curiously out the window from inside my room, delighting in the artificial sunshine and yearning for the freedom that was denied me. Such beautiful people frolicked before my eyes, smiling and laughing and enjoying their lives without a care in the world; how nice it must be for them, having achieved their purpose in life.
I was two days old but twenty years of age and although I had experienced a successful creation, I had yet to be instated. I turned from the window with a soft sigh, my eyes casually roaming around the room. To be locked down twenty-four hours a day after receiving all of my classes and briefs was torture; I had learned more knowledgeable facts, history, politics, mathematics, physics, religion, and assorted languages in two days than most humans could aspire to in a lifetime.
The only issue I had now was being genderless.
I ran my hands over my smooth head again while glancing into the mirror on the wall, my gender-neutral self looking back at me. I was nothing but a placeholder, a work in progress, but to put it officially, a Template.
Dr. Johan Bukowski had achieved his dream just the way it was imagined: he had developed a process of extracting DNA from prime test subjects and manipulated it in a way to not only clone an entirely new person, but to allow for customizable appearances and traits as if the impending human were an accessory. Seeing as how customizing a Template individually upon the day of their human birth would be time consuming and otherwise unsettling, they locked in thousands upon thousands of combinations and stored them in files upon their mega computers; this is where the name Template came from.
And now I had to wait one more night to see how my physical, emotional and mental trifecta would pan out; at this point, I wasn't even aware of my impending gender.
What was most infuriating was that this project strictly produced clones in pairs for the purposes of superior reproduction. My counterpart, the person I was to mate and multiply with, was being held in the room next door, where they too were on lockdown. After all, we had to be kept safe until we were instated or else risk defect.
I flopped upon my bed helplessly, wishing the day would end so I could finally make it to the outside world. I curled up into a tiny ball and placed my ear to the wall, my internal connection to my counterpart taking over to bring me closer to them. I couldn't say for certain, but I had a feeling that whenever I placed my ear on the wall, they were doing the same from their side.
I closed my eyes, satisfied for now with this moment of shared solitude, and willed myself to sleep.
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Dr. Bukowski's Log, November 5th, 2035
Audio interview with first-ever SAFE cloned pair, code named Adam and Eve.
"Good evening you two; how are you feeling?" asked a calm voice.
"Fine, doctor," said Eve.
"Fine, doctor," mimicked Adam.
"How do you feel now that you have your own identities?"
"I am happy that we have our identities, doctor," Eve stated monotone.
"I am also happy, doctor," Adam repeated.
"Please, call me Johan."
"Yes, Johan."
"Yes, Johan."
In a hushed voice, the doctor's voice said, "Note that test subjects are socially inept and show signs of irreversible damage. Rest assured, it is an easy fix: increase social receptors and individual molecular thought processing by fifty percent, minimum."
A few seconds passed, then he addressed Adam and Eve once more:
"So what are your plans, now that you two are free human beings?" he asked casually.
"I want to travel the globe," Eve said.
"I want to eat new and delicious foods," Adam added.
"What about reproduction?" Johan asked curiously.
"But of course doctor; I plan on reproducing with Adam as much as possible," Eve said defensively.
"I share the same sentiment, doctor," Adam chimed in.
A brief silence is heard, followed immediately by the sounds of saliva being swapped rather lewdly.
"Test subjects are reactive in sexual advances, not proactive as expected; another easy fix," Johan said quietly, before continuing, "initial analysis is flawed, as I thought it would be; this interview will now be terminated."
"I wish you two the best of luck; the interview is over now, you're free to go."
"Thank you doctor," Adam and Eve said in unison.
Before the tape comes to an end, two very loud gunshots are heard.
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Stasis Dome Alpha, Sector 10, Location Unknown
May 13th, 2037
The dining facility was deafening and disorienting, but alive and wonderful.
So many Template conversations being held at once always kept the staff uneasy, but they understood our position: a bunch of colorless, featureless, cookie cutter beings jammed into a section of the dome and cordoned away from real interaction would cause such a ruckus.
I for one was no exception and I took breakfast for all it was worth.
I spoke quickly and ate without desire, discussing quantum physics with a group of Templates that looked exactly as I did. With our vast amount of knowledge, we could discuss virtually any topic without leaving anyone behind and we would all take something away from it. The most peculiar thing about Templates at this stage was that, despite not having a single feature that separated you from the clone sitting next to you, we somehow managed to form opinions and ideas of our own; we were, after all, the youngest generation.
My counterpart sat close to me, their right and my left hand intertwined. Sporadically throughout the conversation we would turn and look into one another's eyes, gazing longingly without a word being spoken between us; it felt special and meaningful, sure, but the same sentiment was being mimicked throughout the entire cafeteria.
Before we had finished eating our meal, a female doctor approached us, clipboard in hand.
"Subject number 4581 and subject number 4582?" she read off the clipboard, before looking at the both of us.
We nodded in silent unison.
"It's time to assume your identities; if you would, follow me."
We exchanged glances, smiles rising to our lips; without a word, we stood up and strode after the female doctor, hand in hand.
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Dr. Johan Bukowski swept into the observation center in time to watch subjects 4581 and 4582 step into their transformation pods. The machines would house the Templates in a comatose state until they had completely assumed their new identities.
Some of the technicians were surprised to see Dr. Bukowski on site; by now, Template transformations were so common and easily executed that his presence meant something big was happening, either now or soon to come.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have excellent news. I just got off the phone with the President himself, and the grant we've been hounding after for the last year straight was just put into effect moments ago," Dr. Bukowski said, breathless but nonetheless excited.
All of the employees within earshot looked noticeably impressed and even halted their duties to hear more as Dr. Bukowski paced the room.
"With this money, we can afford to start the SAFE Superior program, and those subjects there are going to be our test group. I want full-scale trifecta—increase their supplements and enhancements by one hundred percent and eliminate all impurities. This is the beginning of a new age, ladies and gentlemen; welcome Adam and Eve 2.0."
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I cannot contain my excitement as I stare at myself in the mirror; although I realize I am conceited for thinking it, I don't care: I am flawlessly beautiful.
I am now a dark skinned female, at above average height and a desirable weight; my eyes are mysteriously hazel, the flecks of forest green shining out against the backdrop of my chocolate skin. My hair is long and wavy and black, falling in borders to present a portrait that is my face: full cheeks, a defined jaw, even a noticeably enhanced chin and a cute up-turned nose.
I pirouette before the mirror many times, completely nude as I continue to explore my new body. Although the entire overhaul is impeccably impressive, my womanly assets are really what I am intrigued by.
I cup my full breasts platonically, observing their shape and testing their suppleness; they are more than a handful but not obscenely so, and are deliciously perky upon my chest. The revelation makes me smile, two rows of perfectly aligned, pearly white teeth beaming back at me; two small craters dug into my cheeks are evidence of dimples, and I grin harder.
