As I stood in front of Crage Varran, the ship's commander, I couldn't believe what he was suggesting. I had to get to the second planet of the star B-352 and there was a merchant spaceship heading in that direction with one unoccupied vacancy on board. But there was a catch - the position was for a sex psychologist and according to the quota, it had to be filled by a woman.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Bogart, but I can't make any exceptions to the quota," Varran said, his voice firm.
I was inconsolable. This was my only chance to get to the second planet and I couldn't let it slip through my fingers. "There has to be something we can do," I pleaded. "I'll do anything."
Varran hesitated for a moment before speaking. "There is one possibility. The ship contains nanotechnology-based equipment that can temporarily transform your body into a female. After the flight, we can change you back."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was he serious? "You want me to pretend to be a woman for two months?" I asked, incredulous.
"It's either that or you don't go on the flight," Varran replied.
I weighed my options. On one hand, I really needed to get to the second planet. On the other hand, the thought of pretending to be a woman for two months was daunting. But I knew I didn't have much of a choice.
"Alright," I said, resigned. "I'll do it."
***
I was feeling overwhelmed as I sat in the ship's doctor's office, listening to Philip Derk explain what was expected of me during the two-month journey.
"There are about 40 crew members on the ship, most of them men," Derk told me. "On average, 2-3 of them will require the services of a sex psychologist each day. It shouldn't be too exhausting."
I tried to process this information, still struggling to come to terms with the fact that I was going to have to pretend to be a woman for two months. And then Derk dropped another bombshell.
"Space on the ship is at a premium, so we'll have to make you into a petite woman with proportions of 32-24-34, bra size 32A, height 5'0", and weight 110 pounds."
I was shocked. As a young, athletic man with a height of 6'2" and a weight of 209 pounds, the thought of being transformed into a tiny woman was daunting.
"You'll have until tomorrow morning at 6 am to think about it," Derk said, standing up to leave. "But keep in mind that this is your only chance to get to the second planet of the star B-352."
I sat there, numb, as Derk left the room. I knew I had a tough decision to make.
***
As I stepped out of the nanochamber and into the medical bay, I couldn't believe my eyes. The reflection staring back at me in the mirror was that of a woman - a petite woman with proportions of 32-24-34, bra size 32A, height 5'0", and weight 110 pounds. Standing next to Dr. Derk, who was 5'11" tall and had been shorter than me the day before, I felt tiny and vulnerable.
Derk handed me a uniform set consisting of loose shorts and a T-shirt with the label "Officer Bogard". I couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness as I saw my old name on the shirt - it was a reminder of the man I used to be.
"The ship is warm, so you might want to dress in layers," Derk advised, sensing my discomfort. "I'll leave you to get dressed and then we can go over your duties as the ship's sex psychologist."
I nodded and began to get dressed, still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I was now a woman. As I looked at my new body in the mirror, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disconnection. This wasn't my body, but it was the one I was going to have to live in for the next two months. I took a deep breath and tried to push these thoughts to the back of my mind. I had a job to do, and I needed to focus on that.
***
As I settled into my new role as the ship's sex psychologist, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the spacious office that had been provided to me. It had everything I needed - a desk, a fridge stocked with fruits and drinks, a video screen, and even a comfortable bed.
But my first day on the job didn't go as smoothly as I had hoped. My first client, a black sailor with a "Johnson" label on his T-shirt, had arrived expecting something quite different from what I was prepared to offer. When he made it clear that he wanted me to satisfy him sexually, I knew I had to put a stop to this misunderstanding right away.
I made my way to the captain's office, trying to calm my nerves as I knocked on the door. When Varran called out for me to enter, I took a deep breath and stepped inside.
"Captain Varran, I'm sorry to disturb you, but I wanted to speak with you about my duties as the ship's sex psychologist," I began, trying to keep my voice steady. "I think there's been a misunderstanding. My role is to provide psychological support and counseling to the crew, not to engage in any kind of sexual activity."
Varran looked at me, his expression serious. "I understand your concerns, Mr. Bogart," he said. "But we're in a unique situation here. These men are isolated from their families and loved ones for months at a time. It's not uncommon for them to seek intimacy and physical release in any way they can. As the sex psychologist, it's your job to provide a safe and healthy outlet for these needs."
I was taken aback by his words. I had never thought about it like that before. But I knew that I couldn't go against my own personal and professional boundaries.
"I understand, Captain," I said firmly. "But I can't do that. It's not fair to me or to the crew members who are expecting a certain level of professionalism from me. I'm willing to continue providing counseling and support, but I can't engage in any kind of sexual activity."
Varran considered my words for a moment before nodding. "I respect your decision, Mr. Bogart. I'll make sure to make it clear to the crew that your role is purely one of counseling and support."
I let out a sigh of relief, grateful that the captain had understood my position. I knew that this wouldn't be the last time I would have to navigate a difficult situation as the ship's sex psychologist, but at least I had made my boundaries clear from the start.
***
As I sat in Dr. Derk's office, listening to him explain the importance of my role as the ship's sex psychologist, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The thought of having to engage in sexual activity with the crew members was disturbing to me, and I had made it clear to the captain that I wasn't comfortable with it.
But Derk was insistent. "There's nothing shameful about this work, Mr. Bogart," he said. "This is a standard position that has been introduced on every commercial spaceship for several years now. And the results speak for themselves - the number of riots on ships has been reduced by four since the introduction of the sex psychologist role."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was this really what was expected of me?
"Look, Mr. Bogart, I understand that this may be difficult for you to understand," Derk continued. "But the psychological health of the crew is at stake here. If you refuse to perform your duties, I'm afraid there will be consequences. No one will take you to the B-352 star. You'll be shot in an anabiosis capsule with a radio beacon into space and somewhere in six months, you'll be picked up by some ship returning to Earth."
I sat there, feeling trapped. I couldn't waste six months floating in space, waiting to be rescued. But the thought of having to do something that went against my personal and professional values was unbearable. I didn't know what to do.