The Sacrifices We Make Pt. 01

(Feedback is encouraged. All characters are 18 years old or older at the tone the story takes place.)

The world didn't know how to react when the aliens suddenly appeared, asking for our help.

The public didn't really know a whole lot -- most of the details were withheld. What was released was that their civilization was devastated by some kind of plague, not only killing off over half of their species, but also making them unable to reproduce anymore. Somehow, they had determined that humans could help, and considered us the only hope for their race.

Of course, there was far more to it - many additional details that none of the volunteers knew ahead of time -- though I believe that, had I known everything, I still would have made the same choice.

The world governments, through the United Nations, created the Alien Reproduction Assistance Project, or ARAP. They sought volunteers, both male and female, aged 18 to 24. Participants would undergo extensive medical and psychological screening, and if they were accepted into the program, were expected to serve four years. In exchange, they were promised a "retirement package" that included free tuition at any college they were accepted to, an annual stipend that was on-par with a typical middle-class working salary, guaranteed free healthcare, and other assistance. Plus, while in the program, all housing and essentials would be provided at no cost. There was a catch, though, because of course there was.

The aliens, they said, needed to harvest our eggs. That is, human egg cells, which is why they wanted younger volunteers: at 18, a woman will still have as many as 200,000 of her original eggs, and the aliens wanted all of them.

Now, for me, this really wasn't a problem. I had always known that I really didn't want children. All of my eggs, from a practical standpoint, would have completely gone to waste. Given all of the advantages, the choice seemed pretty obvious to me. My parents weren't exactly thrilled, but like with joining the military, once I was 18, they no longer had a say. I signed up less than a week after my birthday.

The entire ARAP project was housed on the alien ship, anchored in high orbit above Earth. On the day I left, I was among about 80 others who boarded the alien shuttle, bound for space. We were allowed 50 kilograms of personal items but were told to not bring clothes or food: both would be provided. Actually, we weren't supposed to bring any consumables at all. Electronics were strictly forbidden, but we were assured that we would be able to keep in touch with people back home. I didn't really have much to bring, so my bag was quite small.

"The first point to make is that you should abandon the idea of 'male' and 'female'."

I was in an auditorium aboard the alien ship, set up just like one from Earth. Somewhere around 100 seats faced a raised stage, complete with speaker's podium and large display screen on the back wall. The speaker was a woman with milk-chocolate skin and black hair, probably somewhere in her early 30s. She spoke with a mild accent, maybe Indian or something like it.

"We don't use those terms here, and you'll soon come to understand why. For now, I will use it only once more." She looked out at her silent audience, pausing significantly. "If you are a woman, the first part of this process is to have your eggs harvested. All of them. The procedure is minimally invasive and does not require any kind of incision, but be clear: afterward, you will have zero eggs remaining." Again, she paused, letting that statement sink in. "If this is not something you are willing to sacrifice, you may back out now. No one will blame you or think poorly of you. If you want to leave, simply get up now and report back to the shuttle bay." She waited again, this time for nearly a full minute, but no one left.

"Then, I will assume everyone remaining here is onboard so far. Good. Now we will go more into the process, and the changes you'll all undergo to make that process work." The theater lights dimmed, making the display screen, and the spotlight on the speaker, seem much brighter in contrast.

"This is a human egg cell," she explained, as an image came up on the screen, showing a nondescript sphere. "And this is an alien egg," she said, as another image appeared next to the first. To me, I couldn't really tell a difference. Apparently, that was the point. "They are, structurally, nearly identical. It's why the aliens reached out to us for help." The human egg disappeared, and the alien egg zoomed in, filling the screen.

"The alien eggs have become unstable. All of them. They can no longer support life. When one is fertilized..." an animated sperm, probably an alien one though it also looked remarkably human, swam to and then attached itself to the egg, "it can survive for no more than four days, before..." we watched as the egg on screen started to fall apart, its surface shredding and tearing, "catastrophic failure of the cell wall." We sat in silence, at least some of us understanding the significance of what we had just learned.

The images of the two eggs reappeared as they were before. "The aliens have developed a process whereby they can take a human egg and, through biological manipulation, convert it to be compatible with their reproductive cycle." The two images of the eggs overlapped each other, the few identifiable features blurring and blending together. "These new eggs can be fertilized by alien sperm and will successfully mature. But, there is a catch." There was always a catch.

"Because these are still, essentially, human egg cells, the female alien bodies cannot properly support them, at least not at first. This is the first reason that you all need to be involved in the process. However, just as the eggs are not fully alien, they are also not fully human, though the human body is more compatible with them. The human uterus would still be hostile to these eggs. Herein lies the critical details of the Alien Reproductive Assistance Program." She seemed to be building up to something, and I felt like questions that we'd all had for years were about to be answered.

"I said to forget 'male' and 'female'. You will now be designated a 'incubators' and 'depositors'." The image on the screen cleared and was then replaced by an outline of a female-appearing body. It zoomed toward the abdomen, and a diagram of a whole set of female reproductive organs faded into view.

"This is the normal, human female reproductive system." She used a laser pointed to indicate different sections. "Vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries. As perfect as this system is to develop and incubate a human fetus, it would almost immediately destroy an alien egg, even the hybrid eggs. Another solution, therefore, is needed." The diagram of the organs faded, and was replaced with something similar, but also quite different.

"This is that solution: a bio-engineered uterus, made to support the hybrid eggs during their first few days after fertilization. Note the differences, though." And she was right: this new arrangement was... quite different. "The uterus is smaller, to begin with, and so it sits somewhat higher inside the body. That means," her laser pointed lower, just under the uterus, "that the vaginal canal must be significantly longer to reach it." She was right, the diagram showed this vagina as probably a few inches deeper than what the last, normal human, diagram showed. "This does create a few issues, which we will address in a moment. You will also notice the lack of fallopian tubes and ovaries. Incubators will not produce the hybrid eggs. They are created in a lab and are injected by the depositor."

Her laser pointed to the barrier between the small uterus and the extended vagina. "It is necessary for the already-fertilized eggs to be implanted directly into the uterus, through the cervix, otherwise the eggs will not be viable." The room was silent. I was sure most of us had questions -- I know I definitely did -- but we waited, and watched, and listened.

"This is when we come to the depositor." Another human figure, though instead of an outline, this was more of a drawing of male anatomy, showing the outside rather than the inside. "The job of the depositor has many pieces to it. First, they are responsible for the initial incubation of the eggs, restoring them from cryo-preservation. They then fertilize the eggs and finally inject them into the incubator. We will deal with this last piece first."

The diagram of the genitals, seen from a 3/4 perspective, started to move, as the penis became erect. "As I mentioned, the new uterus, and its cervix, sit farther inside the vaginal canal. As I also said, it is critical that the eggs be implanted directly into the uterus itself. The fact of the matter is that realistically, no penis is naturally that large." For the first time there were a few murmurs from the audience: some of the men trying to claim that they were, in fact, adequately sized.

"Gentlemen, I doubt if any of you are 33 centimeters, which is 13 inches long, though if you would care to prove me wrong right now..." Everyone, especially the women, gave a brief, slightly nervous laugh at that. "I didn't think so. But that's nothing to be ashamed of: human men aren't required to be that large and very, very few come even anywhere close. That, plus the need for a reshaped glans, means that new equipment must be created." The image rotated, showing a top-down view, zoomed in to the penis. The diagram of the incubator anatomy reappeared, and the penis slid into it, penetrating no more than half way.

"You can see why this is a problem. Even a somewhat above-average penis will still not come close to the cervix. The engineered penis, though..." The organ on the screen began to lengthen and thicken, filling the vagina completely, until the tip just barely touched the cervix. I felt my own insides squirm, thinking about how something that large would be extremely uncomfortable, if not outright painful. Yes, I would have one of those new bioengineered uteruses and vaginas but... oof.

"The penis must be significantly lengthened. In addition, it must be thickened to add sufficient erectile tissue, otherwise an erection would be nearly impossible. Still though, as you can see, this does not completely solve the problem." Her laser pointed at where the crown of the head touched the cervix. "The head of the human penis is too pointed and cannot seal against the cervix. Even with the added length, many of the eggs would still fail to enter the uterus." The image zoomed in to the at meeting point, making it clear that leakage was going to happen.

"The solution is simple and direct enough: we reshape the head as well." The diagram began to change. The head lost its helmet shape, instead rounding off and almost flattening at the tip. At the same time, a kind of fleshy ring or flange formed just behind the tip. "Between flattening the head, and this ring of erectile tissue, the penis is able to form a seal with the cervix, ensuring that all eggs are deposited successfully." The image started to animate, as several tiny circles, presumably the eggs, moved from the tip of the penis and into the uterus. There were, again, some murmurs from the audience, as they likely saw the same thing I did: this newly rebuilt organ looked an awful lot like a horse penis.

After giving us all a moment to let our brains catch up, the image again shifted. The incubator body faded out, and the depositor genitals rotated back to the 3/4 image, though now with the large, modified phallus. The presenter's laser flicked on again and this time the red dot appeared on the illustrated scrotum. "Significant changes must be made to the scrotum as well. As you can imagine, human testicles will not be necessary." The screen zoomed in on the scrotum, the two normal human testicles becoming visible for a moment, before fading away again. "Instead, three similar structures will be placed inside the scrotum. The first," a single testicle-like organ appeared inside the sack, in the middle, "will hold the alien semen and sperm, which will need to be placed into the depositor on a regular basis. I'll go over that process later. The second," another not-testicle appeared to the left of the first one, "will hold the hybrid eggs just before implantation. They will need to stay in this holding structure for at least an hour as they are reconstituted from cryogenic suspension. The structure starts at about the size of a normal testicle but can expand as the eggs reconstitute. Then finally the third structure," and as expected, a third organ appeared on the other side, "collects and holds a nutrient fluid that the depositor's body will produce, which is necessary for the growth and development of the eggs during the first few days." The diagram zoomed back out, once again showing the huge, modified penis, still very erect and curved upward slightly, and the now-enlarged scrotum, with three testicles, or whatever they were, clearly outlined.

"There is one, final modification." The diagram once again rotated, this time upward, showing the area behind the scrotum, and a little back from that, the anus. Before the speaker said anything, the diagram started to change: a split formed between scrotum and anus, and the very familiar structure of a vagina formed. "An additional structure is needed, one which will allow the alien semen to be injected into the depositor." The lips spread open, showing again the external structure of a human vagina. The image changed then, showing a side-on view. In the same place as a woman's, a vaginal canal sat in front of the anus, leading to the new opening that would be created. It was the same size and shape as the enlarged ones meant for the incubators, but there was no uterus. Instead, at the top of the canal, a kind of tube appeared to lead back down to the scrotum.

"Through essentially normal intercourse, an alien male will ejaculate into the depositor. The semen and sperm will be collected and transported, via this tube," she indicated it with her laser, "down to the scrotum, where it will be deposited and held in the central testicle-structure until needed." More murmurs, these a bit agitated or at least animated. The presenter allowed it, though: this was a lot to take in, especially for the men who were, in no way, really prepared for what they had just been shown. When everything calmed down, a few minutes later, she continued.

"Now that we've gone over the physical changes, we can discuss the process. We start on the most important day: implantation day. This is the begging of a two-week cycle, and the busiest day of it. First, injection of the alien semen." The diagram, still the sideways cutaway of the depositor's internal organs, rotated 90 degrees so that it lay prone. "The depositor will have sex with an alien male, using the new vaginal structure." A penis the same size as the depositor's modified one slid into the vagina. Its shape was surprisingly similar to a human one, though with two extra ridges behind the glans, and a slight flare at the base. "The alien will ejaculate into the depositor, and the semen will be collected and transported to the testicle structure." The image animated, showing the ejaculation and the alien cum moving through the depositor's body, down into the scrotum. Then the alien penis faded out, while the image of the depositor's body rotated back upright.

"The next step is to inject the eggs into the depositor. This is done, not through the vagina, but through the penis itself." The image now showed some kind of tube approaching, then inserting itself into the urethra of the modified penis. We watched as it snaked its way through, up the whole length, finally curving downward toward the devices in the scrotum. Once apparently attached, several tiny blue spheres moved through the tube, through the penis, collecting in the scrotum. "A small, flexible tube is inserted through the urethra to deposit the cryo-preserved eggs. The eggs, at this point, are tiny, no more than a millimeter across. Anywhere between one and two dozen are deposited at a time. The depositor will do this with their assigned Incubator, at least to begin with, using a small device that will be provided." An image appeared, this one an actual picture of a small, handheld piece of medical equipment. I couldn't tell if it was human or alien tech, but there were no straight lines on its curved, white surface, and only a couple of unlabeled buttons. It was turned so that I could make out a small glass vial inserted into the handle, holding several tiny blue spheres.

"The eggs must reconstitute and fertilize for at least an hour, though no more than two. During this time, the alien semen will be moved from its holding chamber to the egg chamber fertilizing the eggs, which will swell slightly, to about the size of a small pea. Once the incubation period is over, the depositor and the incubator will engage in sex." A couple of cheers sounded from some of the men, though they quickly quieted down.

"The type of sex doesn't matter and really isn't the point. It's just necessary so that the depositor can ejaculate and implant the eggs." The diagram once again changed to show the huge, horse-like penis inserted into the diagram body of the incubator. The flat, flanged head pressed tightly against the cervix. "It is crucial that, when ejaculating, the depositor does so inside the incubator and pressed as tightly against the cervix as possible." The image showed the eggs flowing from the penis directly into the uterus. "The depositor will ejaculate the eggs and also the nutrient fluid that has been building up."

Now the penis, and the depositor itself, faded from the screen, and the focus was on the incubator. "Over the following four or five days, the fertilized eggs will grow and mature. The depositor will need to, at least daily, provide more of the nutrient fluid, again injected directly into the uterus." Once again the huge penis appeared, sliding into the incubator's vagina, pressing against the cervix, and releasing a flood of fluid that covered the eggs.

"The eggs will grow while inside the incubator," the presenter explained, and as she did, the diagram animated to support what she described. Each egg grew, expanded, at least four times its original size but probably much more. "The incubator should expect some mild... swelling or bulging during this time." Again, murmurs, this time from the women.

"After the incubation period is over, the eggs must be harvested. Much like with birth, it's difficult to predict exactly when the eggs will be ready to be released, though they do at least all mature at the same time. When ready, the uterus will contract and the cervix will open, pressing the eggs through and down the vaginal canal." We watched as the screen showed the diagram of the eggs, now about the size of chicken eggs though completely round, sliding down and eventually out of the vagina.

"And that's essentially it. Whatever time is left in that first week, plus another full week after, is reserved for you to rest and recover, especially the incubators, and then the process starts over again. Are there any questions?"

There were. There were lots of questions, but I won't take your time going over all of them right now. Besides, they really all can be answered in much more interesting ways, as I experienced them all over my four years with the program.