“The advent of samurai-tech has made embracing your gender both easier and harder in many ways.

On one hand, with enough money, there aren't really many limits to customising your body. On the other hand, this has led to lots of confusion.

Are you valid if you seek only conventional hormone replacement therapy and nothing else?

Are you obligated to undergo procedures to make you fit into the image of being conventionally attractive?

Can you even afford to do so?

If you undergo full-body remodelling, will you look like you or like a cookie-cutter version of your gender?

Of course, that is still ignoring all the things hateful people have to say, despite the protectors confirming that there are many sapient species out there, who have no concept of gender or more than two sexes.

Transgender and nonbinary people have many challenges to face still in their quest for acceptance.”

--Doctor Lucy Pemberton, New Oxford Professor, in a lecture on Gender Studies, 2032.

Woah, that’s a lot of points! At least… I think it is.

‘What’s a token?’

Tokens are another reward given to Vanguards, like points, for certain achievements. They can be used to upgrade catalogues to higher classes.

‘Cool, does that mean I could get better claws or something?’

You could, but I would recommend thinking carefully about how to spend your token.

Hurried footsteps start echoing through the pipe again.

‘Okay, we’ll pause that for now then. How much would some simple throwing knives be?’

Two points per knife.

‘Knife please then.’ I hold out my hand and a sleek silver blade with a small ring at the back falls into my palm.

New Purchase: Throwing Knife

Points reduced to… 1413

I roll it between my fingers, feeling the weight before flicking it up and catching it by the blade.

I look down the tunnel and raise my arm. The moment I see a flicker of a movement at the edge of my light, my arm shoots forward, sending the blade spiralling through the air into the shoulder of a model Three.

‘Knife.’

I draw my hand back again, as two more dogs leap into the light past their staggering companion, and another knife spawns above it, blade down. This time the knife finds its home in one of the plant’s eyes, sending it tumbling limp to the floor.

I don’t even ask for a knife as I reach back a third time, but one appears anyway and I send it into the open jaws of the dog that’s now only a metre away from me. It flinches back but doesn’t die, so I spring forward and drive my fingers into its skull before it can recover.

Chip, Spot, and Stripe all sprint towards the final Model Three that’s still running towards us despite only having three fully functioning legs. Spot stops at the dead plant on the way and starts pulling the knife out of its face by the only part still visible, the ring, while Chip and Stripe run to either side of the living dog.

It snaps at Chip who runs wide past its working leg, but in doing so it gives an opportunity to Stripe who springs up and latches onto the knife hanging from its shoulder, pulling it out and down, spreading the wound along its leg.

I watch with a silent chuckle as the creature fruitlessly snaps at the raccoons running circles around it, then take the knife Spot delivers back to me. I flick it out, hitting the beast in the head this time and ending the fight.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Targets eliminated!

Points increase to… 1439

Other than the sounds of my siblings’ paws and my slow, controlled breaths, the pipe falls quiet.

‘Sounds like that’s the last of them for now.’

I take my gloves off and slump against the side of the tunnel, placing the blades beside me as they’re returned by Stripe and Spot, who settle on either side of me, watching out into the tunnel. Chip claims my lap for himself and shuts his eyes as he rubs his head against my stomach.

‘So, do you have any suggestions on how I should spend my rewards?’

I do. However, I believe I need more information about you to properly assist you in making this decision.

‘Didn’t you profile me before picking me?’

I did. However, there wasn’t much data about the first sixteen years of your life, and even for the last two, there isn’t a lot of personal data.

‘I woke up in the undercity two years ago, so I can’t give you any help there.’

I pick up one of the knives and roll it between my fingers as we talk, rubbing Chip’s belly with my other hand.

I see. Did you remember your name when you woke up?

‘No. But I found it saved in my augs. Wait, is this why you called me Elise Roberton? I didn’t think I had a last name.’

Yes. One of the things I was able to find was your birth records, and you were originally named George Roberton.

The instant I hear the name I flinch. The knife falls through my fingers, clattering to the floor as a shiver runs down my spine.

I don’t remember ever being called George, but the mere suggestion makes my stomach coil in disgust. It’s even worse than when I try to speak.

I pick Chip up and pull him into a hug, burying my face in his fur.

‘That’s not my name.’

Of course not, and I apologise for bringing it up, Elise.

She doesn’t say anything else for a bit, letting me sit, basking in Chip’s low purring as I calm down.

I let out a sigh, lowering my brother back into my lap and leaning my head back against the pipe.

‘Okay, what is it you need to know?’

Are you uncomfortable with speaking because of your voice?

I kind of expected it, but the question still makes me frown.

‘Yeah… It’s too deep.’

I thought so. In that case, would you be interested to know that with Protector grade genetic manipulation we can modify your voice?

‘Really?’

My eyes widen in surprise and my head snaps to attention.

Yes. With the right catalogues we can do almost anything we want, from modifying your current body to building a new one. Is there anything else you’d like to change?

‘Yes,’ I respond almost too eagerly. ‘I’m too tall, my hairs too flat and wiry, my face is too sharp, my che-‘

I catch myself and clench my fists. It feels weird to say this to someone.

‘My chest and hips are ugly and shapeless.’ I run my fingers through Chip’s fur, finding comfort in the warm familiarity as my chest tightens. ‘Not like a girl’s should be.’

I see. In that case, should I assume our first priority is changing your body to suit your gender identity?

I nod my head.

In that case, I would like to suggest the technology of the Prolotors. They have a keen focus on genetic manipulation and self-modification, and I believe their catalogues would help you a great deal.

‘What would that include? What kind of self-modifications can we do?’

The Prolotors have a curious system of producing and cultivating genetically modified parasitic viruses that forcibly mutate and fuse with a host. The first catalogue I would suggest contains thousands of different virus strains with different effects.

‘That sounds… horrific?’

It’s one of the more violent options for how you go about this, but I believe it will suit you well, and there are certain advantages to that.

‘Really?’

Yes. Firstly, Prolotors’ base form before all their genetic tampering is something I think you would like. I would show you an image, but your augs won’t load it. Think of them as a mix between humans and raccoons. Their catalogues can be used to help your siblings too.

There’s such a perfect race?

Secondly, it’s a relatively inexpensive choice due to the slight instability.

‘Instability?’

There is a chance for unwanted mutations to happen, or for a modification to fail. But the chance of failure can be reduced with help from other catalogues of drugs the Prolotors produce, and any problems that arise can be fixed, they just might cost some extra points.

‘I guess that’s not that bad. Will it be painful?’

Yes. The Prolotors also produce a lot of weaponised bacteria and viruses for use against the Antithesis that will help you in combat too.

She totally just tried to brush over the pain thing! Ah well, what’s a bit of pain to get what I want?

I hear a faint clack far off down the pipe. Something’s coming again.

‘Looks like we’re almost out of time. Okay, what should I actually be buying then?’

Class I & II Prolotor Viral Modifications for one token and five hundred and seventy-five points will unlock the basics you need to make and changes. I would supplement it with Class I Prolotor Drugs for a further one hundred points.

‘Okay, that would leave me with…’

Seven hundred and sixty-four points.

I totally didn’t need that…

‘What would that get me?’

The cost of modifications will vary wildly depending on what you’re after. A single serum full conversion from biologically male to female will cost you five hundred points, but I would recommend first purchasing some combat upgrades to help fund further modifications instead.

‘Okay, purchase the catalogues and suggest some combat stuff then. Something’s getting closer.’