Danica spent nearly a week in the store, as Delvin was pulled into an in-depth organizational mission. He was unable to check on her, and with Olga17 now in his home, he really had nothing to worry about. He assumed, based on the short messages he got from Olga17, that Danica was there but gone...each time he happened to send a message to Mainframe. He figures that she is still going down to the store each day as an android, without connecting to Mainframe or telling Olga17. Either way, he feels confident she is okay.

To her, she has no idea how long she has been in pieces. Her legs and arms have not moved, as they have kept the same stockings and gloves on them all week. Her torso has had a new bra and panty set put on it every day. Ladies coming into the store have seen her torso wearing that lingerie set and bought it immediately. Her naked torso would be quickly covered with a new bra and panty set, only to have it purchased within an hour or so. As far as mannequins go, she is their number one seller.

Related to her head, it has been left in the bin it was placed in earlier in the week by Olga17. With no knowledge of her surroundings, her facial expression of a slight smile remains on her face. The sales representatives throughout the week ignored her head, as they have little to do with the mannequins, physically. The androids take care of bringing them in and displaying them, so the sales reps only have to maintain them as needed throughout the day.

Saturday rolls around, and Delvin is finally able to return home. He has so much he wants to tell Danica, but he has to make sure she is as committed as him. He knows she wanted offworld, and maybe she still does, but he is now hoping that she might be willing to stay even longer. No word yet on her ID card, but then it has only been a couple of weeks. He comes out of the elevator and is greeted by Olga17. She gives him a brief rundown of the week, from the basics of what was cleaned and maintained, to some of the specifics of furniture changes that were made by the organization.

As much as he might like to see what new furniture he has now, he really wants to see Danica. However, Olga17 has not seen her today. Immediately, Delvin thinks that odd as it is Saturday, and the store is closed. Asking about yesterday, Olga17 replies that she did not see her that day either. Figuring there must have been an oversight downstairs, he asks Olga17 to begin preparing dinner for two, while he runs down to the store for a minute.

After Olga17 acknowledges her task, Delvin heads to the store. The doors open to a quiet store-prep area, as he expected. No one should be down here today, he assumes that even Maintenance is probably done for the day. Walking to the storefront, he wanders around the floor, looking for Danica. He checks each mannequin's face, but none look like her. True, he recalls, she wound have been in the T12 suit, but she should still stand out.

Looking around, he mumbles softly, “Like the torso wearing that bra...definitely her size.” As he continues his quest, that thought comes back to him. Would she have been disassembled? Deciding he might need to check the logs of the mannequins, he goes to the main register area. Punching in his password, he waits for the computer to load. Looking down without really focusing, he sees a bin of heads under the counter. One in particular seems to catch his eye. “Danica?” he asks.

As the screen comes to life, he pulls the head up into his hands. Turning it over, he clicks the week's history for mannequins on the screen. The part of the neck that would be hidden when assembled has a small impression. Looking closely, he sees: “T12”. Oh no, he thinks in panic. Looking back to the screen, it confirms what he now knows: Danica had been disassembled and scattered throughout the store for the entire week. Maybe I can put her back together without her knowing what happened, he thinks.

Checking the listings, he locates where each part of her is in the store. Quickly, he goes to each of her parts, double-checking it has the “T12” stamp somewhere on it. Confident he has them all, he reassembles her and puts her into the transmogrifier. This is not something he normally does, but the process to undo is much easier. The computer knows the settings from before, so it is just a matter of turning the machine on with the mannequin inside. As he hits the 'start' button, he begins to walk to the storage area. On a shelf, he pulls a lubricant bottle for her to consume.

As he walks back, he sees Danica stepping out of the transmogrifier, looking down at her mismatched outfit. Oh, he curses, I don't think I can explain this away now. Holding up the drink, he says, “Hey, there, beautiful!” Danica smiles weakly and takes the offered drink. Downing it in just a few gulps, she asks, “What in the world am I wearing?” Before he can reply and after she reads his facial expression, she asks suspiciously, “And its just now getting dark, but it was already dark, so how long was I a mannequin?”

Delvin shrugs his shoulders, “Well, maybe a little longer than usual, but it's alright now. I'm back!” Danica gives him a questioning look, “Back? From where?” He puts his arm around her as they walk towards the elevator, “All in due time, but let's get upstairs. I'm sure your hungry and still thirsty, and I got Olga17 working on dinner.” Danica feels there is much more to the story, but for now, her growling stomach and parched mouth cannot wait to be satisfied. Putting her arm around him as well, they head up the elevator.

Olga17 has prepared a lovely meal, and for once, Danica and Delvin get to enjoy it without being in a hurry. She does not have to get up to get anything, as Olga17 is right there to assist. As it turns out, Mainframe had already registered Danica as a priority user to Olga17, so there was no issue when Danica shows up in Delvin's arms. In fact, Olga17 seemed to be expecting her in someways, so Danica had not felt uncomfortable in the least.

Delvin shared as much of the story as he could. “To keep from boring you, I will share the part that concerns you,” Delvin continues, “The man you impressed with the wedding dress had called this 'emergency' meeting, which was out of town. He asked for me personally, and from the results, it looks like I am in the circle of trust of my organization, and it all started with you.” Raising his glass, she does the same and they toast their good fortune. “Not only is he exclusive with our group, but he is exclusive with me.” Danica whistles and replies, “He must have really liked that dress.” Delvin nods, and says, “Yes, and you, too. He offered me a more-than-generous sum to buy 'T12',” then holding up his hand, “Which I naturally refused.” Danica was not uncomfortable, as she is learning to trust him, but that bought of being sold did unnerve her slightly.

However, the rest of the evening goes well, as they leisurely chat through dinner and dessert. Danica has figured out that she was a mannequin for a week, even though it felt like no time had passed at all. She is not mad about it, realizing there was nothing he could do about it. Olga17 clears the table as Danica says, “I think I might hit the sheets tonight, I'm worn out.” Delvin nods his agreement, then adds, “I agree with you, there. And on that subject, I have a bit of a surprise for you.”

Upstairs in his bedroom, Danica finds that all of her clothes had been moved into a section of Delvin's closet. “Evidently,” Delvin starts, “Olga17 took our relationship as being a one-room, one-bed kind of thing. Soooo...” Danica nods her head, “As part of our arrangement, right? I'm the live-in girlfriend.” He shushes her gently, holding up his hands. “Not so loud. Olga17 is more than just my helper, but also a recorder for the organization. You need to watch what you say and do around her.” As if on cue, Olga17 walks in.

“Miss Danica,” she starts, “All of your clothing has been moved into here for easy access. Olga17 also moved the make-up machine and toiletry items to the master bathroom.” Danica nods her head and replies, “Thank you, Olga17. That saves me a lot of time and effort.” Olga17 nods her head and asks Delvin, “Will there be anything else this evening? Normal protocols will send Olga17 to charge for the night upon cleaning the kitchen area.” Delvin waves his hand, “No, no, Olga17, you finish your cleaning then go charge. See you in the morning.” Nodding her head, Olga 17 replies, “Thank you, Master. Pleasant dreams,” and leaves the room.

Before Delvin can say anymore, Danica speaks up, “I would make some comment about you planning this all along, but since you have been away, I guess I can't blame you.” Delvin shrugs his shoulders sheepishly and replies, “It's a big bed, so we can stay away from each other.” They both nod absently, but it would prove to be unnecessary. Within the hour, they are in bed and trying to fall asleep. Neither would be able to recall later who started it, but they both know it ended in both of them crying out in pleasure more than once that night. In fact, Danica was making a move for one more round with Delvin, who was thinking he might have to decline, while during the foreplay, they feel asleep in each others arms. And like the last time they were in bed together, they awoke in a tangle of arms and legs.

Neither has to be up in a hurry, but Olga17 arouses them with questions of breakfast. They both nod and decide to eat downstairs after a shower. Olga17 nods and retreats to make breakfast. Delvin and Danica both go to the shower naked and hop right in. They each take time cleaning each other, giggling and playing in the water like young lovers. Neither makes a move for more than just play and cleaning, as last night's “playtime” did away with the awkwardness of their budding relationship.

Toweled off and in robes, they eat a wonderfully-made breakfast by Olga17. They talk more of his trip and the week ahead. Feeling more confident with him, she decides to take a leap of faith and ask, “So, can you tell me the importance or history of the pink and blue, female and male separated foods and drinks?” This seems to be a huge part of their culture, and this question, which has been plaguing her for weeks, could expose her completely. But, she feels that now is the right time to see how far this relationship can go, assuming he is having the same feelings I am.

“Wow, that is a loaded question, my dear. I do forget you are from the other side of the planet, where your country has not accepted all of our customs. Quite frankly, I believe all of the countries are doing as us, except for yours.” Taking a long sip of his drink, he continues, “Our planetary history has been one of violence for as long as we have recorded it. And we have nearly wiped ourselves off this planet more than once, and each time, we made changes to ensure that it would not happen again. But within a few generations, war was happening again on a global scale.” He pauses for a bite of food, then continues, “Then are forefathers had this idea, what we needed was something drastic...more drastic than laws and lines and technology. So, they made a country-wide gender separation. Every man will eat and drink a man-only chemical, while women will do the same, only with a female-only chemical. The male chemical made us softer, emotionally...giving us a greater appreciation of the world around us...and its beauty.” He says 'beauty' while holding out his glass to Danica in a mock toast. She smiles back at him and returns the toast with her glass. “The women became more aggressive yet also more dependent on the men. The basic idea was to get men to love what was around them so much, that they would not fight for what others have, as it might damage the beauty they see. And the women were given a stronger physical body to match their inner spirit, yet it would be tethered to the men more tightly.” Chuckling softly, Delvin finishes, “Nobody thought it would work, and history says the first ones to suggest it were ridiculed. But in a mocking gesture, they tried it...and, it worked. There has not been a global war on our planet in nearly two centuries. Before now, we had never gone more than a few decades without some type of global conflict. So, it must obviously work.”

Danica absorbed all this information, allowing herself to finally come to grips with what has been happening to her. All the changes physically were real and not made up in her head. And all of the mental shifts have been the same. She has been conditioned, like everyone else to be just what the genetic engineers wanted. “So, what of your business? It seems conflict driven.” Danica asks. Delvin smiles and replies calmly, “Well, no one said we wouldn't disagree or fight. We just don't do it on a large scale. Don't worry about me, there will be plenty of room for my organization in the future.” Nodding her reply, Danica says, “And my country did not do this, which is why we are in civil war...all the time.” Delvin finishes his last bite with, “All the time. To be fair, your country tried this years ago, like the rest of the world. I believe it was the physical alterations of the gender-separation that kept them from sticking to this ideal. As I understand it, you have gender problems both physically and mentally.”

Danica has no real basis for that statement, but she figures that if they tried some type of “gender fix” or “alteration”, that might explain why the women have two hanging items from their chests to go with the single hanging item below their waist. If the entire country did not go along with this, you would have both men and women wearing the same hardware yet be incompatible, even though they are of the opposite sex. Sheesh, she reasons, no wonder they are always at each others' throats...the whole place is a big confused mess. “So,” he continues during her thoughtful silence, “Since your people have no one to fight but yourselves, you do. I know the United Planet Group wants to bring your people in...again, but the talks have been slow and fruitless.” Shrugging his shoulders, he adds, “One day...maybe.”

Olga17, who had been standing there the whole time, says, “Master, Olga17 will clear the table if he is through with breakfast. Master Baxter has nothing on the calendar today.” Delvin nods and hands his plate to her, as does Danica. They both sit in silence, thinking of how far they have come to get here, and what the future might hold. The prospect of leaving this place for the unknown seems stupid, Danica thinks to herself. Why would I leave a place and a person that has offered me so much? The question is: would he want me to stay longer than the arranged time?

“Since you brought up this topic, might I press you a bit for something more personal?” Delvin seems uncomfortable in asking, which seems strange to Danica. His desire for her background, she assumes, would have made her just as awkward when she first got here. But now, she almost feels ready to reveal herself and be done with the deception. Her long pause as she considers his question, prompts him to stand and motion to the couches, “Perhaps a more comfortable place?”

Sitting close to each other on the couch, he says, “You don't have to...I just wanted to...understand who you might be in a hurry to get back to...or perhaps what...” Danica, still contemplating what she should say, takes another sip of her drink. Delvin trying to give her space does the same. Danica finally cuts the silence with, “There is no one that I am rushing home to.” Delvin's shoulders seem to visibly relax, not realizing how tense he really was. “And as to the what,” she continues, “I'm sure my job is long gone and my future is grave,” literally...she tells herself. “I have only known my home and nothing more, so I was in a hurry to return, not realizing how much more was outside of my home.”

Delvin seems to take all this in, getting answers to questions he had no time or desire to ask openly. “Would you then,” he begins, “Consider staying on longer than the time for your ID card to come in? I can use someone I trust to help me, and right now, there is no one I trust more than you.” She smiles to break some of the tension that is rising again and notes, “And it is clear by all that I have done for you...you need lots of help.” They both chuckle at that, but grow quiet again. He ventures one more probe into this idea of his, “I can offer you a moderate means of safety and security, while providing aid to someone who needs it.” Taking her hand in his, he adds, “I need your help, and more importantly, I want your help.” Danica is not sure what a marriage proposal looks like on this planet, but this certainly feels like one. She wants to throw her arms around him and say 'yes', but there is still a part of her that screams 'caution'. Knowing though, that she will never get a better offer than this one here, she replies softly, “I will stay as long as I am wanted.” They both lean in to seal the deal with a kiss, while Olga17 looks on from the kitchen, recording the conversation. If she could show emotion, her programming would have had her smile and say something along the lines of: “everything is going according to plan.”

Epilogue
Almost a month later, Danica's ID card arrives, appearing mysteriously on the kitchen table, even though Olga17 said that no one had entered the apartment this morning. Danica has been doing more as a person with Delvin and his organization, finding herself learning the trade as he moves forwards. She wants to be more than arm-candy, and she has continued to prove herself invaluable. She occasionally has to be a mannequin or android for various deals, but it is becoming much more rare. Olga17 has proven to be all that he or she really needs to maintain the large apartment. The exciting news of the ID arriving has both Danica and Delvin hugging...they can now go on their honeymoon offworld after their planned wedding next month.