The New Self Society
#1 of NSS
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I am new, and this story is new. I hope you enjoy! I'm not sure if I will continue, the feedback I get will most likely determine that. Let me know what you think! And thanks for looking!
NEW SELF SOCIETY
CHAPTER 1
June 1994
"Jed, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Jed said nothing as he timidly looked up at his father, who was driving his big meticulously clean red truck. When Jed's dad received his first paycheck as a Samammish county fire fighter, he immediately cashed it in for a down payment on a fire truck red Ford. Jed had hated Fords every since he had to do a project on the model-T in the first grade.
"Jed I asked you a question. Don't make an adult wait when he asks you a question" Said his dad gruffly.
"I want to be an Animal" he replied timidly to his father.
"Dammit Jed, you know better then that!"
Jed had been waiting for the right time to share his secret wish of deviating from his proud human heritage with his father. This obviously hadn't been the right time. He loved his dad, but didn't feel like his dad loved him back. More then anything, Jed just wanted his fathers approval. And for him to not yell so much.
The brakes protested loudly as the big red truck screeched to a halt.
"Don't let me hear about any of this liberal hippy animal bullshit ever again" he said sternly.
"But dad-"
"No, son. No son of mine is going to subject himself to that. It's not even technically possible"
He was saying all this quietly. When it came to Jed's dad, there was always a calm before the storm. It was so hard to tell where to draw the line.
"It might be someday"
"NOT FOR YOU! THAT'S ENOUGH!"
He jammed the car into gear, and they drove home in silence.
PRESENT DAY
The old fashioned radio in Jed's faded old hand-me-down red truck cackled and buzzed as he turned the nobs trying to find something to listen to on his long drive home from work. The dial clicked into place and static was replaced with clear words and urgent sounding news music.
"This is Robert Seagull, reporting for NPR in "All things considered".
"International headlines have been made today by the NSS, otherwise known as the New Self Society". It has been announced that the first legitimate public success in scientifically pairing a human with mammalian-animal physical characteristics and instincts has occurred. We have the opportunity to ask Dr. Tess Galliga, head of the project some questions on todays airing of All things considered.
"Welcome Dr. galliga"
"Thank you for having me, Robert."
"First of all Dr. Galliga, kindly explain to our listeners what this scientific breakthrough actually means"
"Well Robert, as has been disclosed recently by the federal government, the pairing of animal-mammalian and human traits has been going on for years, strictly for military use. There is a reason for the sharp decline in military service dogs for the last 20 years. Our program has the ability to give a human the best of both worlds in the sense of having human traits in an animal like body. Strength, enhanced senses, fur, whatever you can imagine. We can make people animals in a sense. For the first time in history, this technology is available to the general public. That's where the real breakthrough is."
Do you actually turn people into animals?
"No. Not completely. A human who elects to go through this treatment will see no change in their mental state, other then a few instinctual tendencies. Only physicality's will be greatly effected. Upper body and legs will stay largely the same. The difference comes in skin becoming tougher, or changing into fur, along with many changes in the head, eyes, nose, (becoming a snout) and ears. The great change in these areas reflects the great change in the senses. other areas of change come in hands, feet, and genitals."
Why does this program even exist?
"This technology was originally developed specifically for military use, along with applications in human disabilities and illnesses. The uses in disabilities and illness failed in human application. A blind person will stay blind if they become an Animal version of themselves. But great strides were made in the world of combat as a result of highly trained forces having the heightened senses of an animal in addition to their special training. This idea of becoming in a sense an animal became so popular among the general public, that our government saw an opportunity to create jobs and raise revenue. That's why the program exists today. People are interested for many reasons. From vanity, to useful applications in agriculture and business, to sexual fetishes. The response we have had from the world at large really is quite amazing".
What type of animal can one choose to become?
"Roughly 80% of the recorded transformations as of today have been some type of canine. They have the best sense of smell, which is a very desirable trait in becoming a human animal. Although theoretically we can use any physical DNA to transform someone. From bengal tigers to lobsters. the sky is truly the limit."
Has there been any type of opposition to what you are doing?
"Absolutely, Robert. People have been against the program from the start. Oddly enough, the main opposition has come from supremacist type groups. When people elect to go through the Animal transformation, they are legally classified as a different race. Though they still have the same mentalities and cultures they grew up with, Human Animals are moved to a different classification then human, black, white, latino, etc. They become human Animals. These supremacist groups feel it is inappropriate to go through the transformation process and have developed prejudices against those who choose to do so."
Jedidiah rolled over some railroad tracks, and suddenly the radio's clarity was replaced again with static. He frantically pulled over and did all he could to poke and prod his radio into functional submission once again. The dial finally slid back into place and the voices returned, enabling him to catch a few more words.
"-The high demand is actually a good thing for consumers."
Said Dr. Gallinger's feminine yet sturdy voice through the radio.
"Like I said before, the high demand has caused clinics in many major cities to open up, enabling not only a greater rate of accessibility, but lower prices for transformation services. A human can transform for under $10,000 dollars. There have been reports of insurance companies speculating as to whether or not they will provide those services to people who get into disfiguring accidents. It really is the golden age of scientific physical manipulation."
Thank you Dr. Gallinger, for being on the show. It has been an enlightening honor.
"Pleasure, Mr. Seagull"
Jed gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles, even though he was stopped at the side of the road. His foot was still pressed against the brake, and the truck was still in gear. This was big news.
He unclenched his clammy hands from the steering wheel and began to massage his temples. This is what he had always wanted. Now that it was within reach, he didn't know if he could go through with it. His family definitely leaned towards the side of ridiculous supremacy. The Jenkin's family was proud to be purely human, and didn't even respect other nationalities then their own.
Jed sighed and then jumped as the truck began to roll forward due to him taking his foot off the brake.
TO BE CONTINUED?