Greg stepped out of his car, squinting against the bright morning sun. The parking lot of the small IT firm where he worked was unusually crowded, with several large trucks parked near the entrance. Workers were unloading sleek, high-tech equipment labeled with the name Holoform in bold, silver lettering.

“What the hell is going on?” Greg muttered to himself. He adjusted his tie, straightened his jacket, and walked toward the building.

Inside, he bumped into his friend and coworker, Jamal, who was staring out the window at the bustling activity outside.

“Morning, Jamal. You know what’s up with the trucks?” Greg asked, setting his coffee down on the desk.

Jamal turned, a grim expression on his face. “You haven’t checked your email yet, have you?”

Greg frowned. “No. Why?”

“We’ve been bought out,” Jamal said flatly. “By Monarch Investments.”

Greg blinked. Monarch Investments? He’d heard of them—one of the biggest female-standard conglomerates in the world. His stomach sank.

“What does that mean?” Greg asked cautiously.

“It means,” Jamal said, lowering his voice, “starting tomorrow, we’re all getting the Shift Standard. Everyone in the company is going female standard.”

Greg’s jaw dropped. “What?!”

Jamal shrugged. “Check your email. They sent the notice this morning. The shift is mandatory.”

Greg quickly opened his laptop and pulled up the email. Sure enough, there it was: a formal announcement from Monarch Investments detailing the acquisition and the mandatory transition to female standard for all employees. The shift was scheduled to begin the next day, with Holoform stations set up on-site for the procedure.

“This can’t be real,” Greg said, shaking his head. “I just got married, Jamal. We’re trying for a baby. How am I supposed to…” He trailed off, feeling the weight of the situation crash down on him.

Jamal clapped a hand on his shoulder. “I hear you, man. But there’s no way out of it. Monarch Investments doesn’t do exceptions. It’s part of their whole corporate culture.”

Greg slumped into his chair, his mind racing. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of heels clicking on the floor. A woman in a sharp, tailored suit entered the room, flanked by two equally professional-looking assistants. Her presence commanded attention, and the chatter in the office immediately died down.

“Good morning,” she said, her voice firm but pleasant. “I’m Francine Caldwell, a representative of Monarch Investments. As you all know by now, we have acquired your company. Congratulations—you’re now part of one of the most successful organizations in the world.”

There were murmurs of uncertainty among the employees. Francine’s smile didn’t waver.

“Let’s gather in the meeting room. I’ll explain everything,” she said, gesturing toward the hallway.

Greg and Jamal exchanged uneasy glances before following the crowd.

The meeting room was packed. Francine stood at the front, her assistants handing out pamphlets and USB drives to everyone.

“First,” Francine began, “let me reassure you that Monarch Investments values its employees. Starting today, your salaries will be tripled, and you’ll have access to the best medical and dental insurance available.”

There were a few murmurs of surprise at that.

“However,” she continued, “as part of joining our family, all employees will transition to female standard. This change will take place tomorrow, using the state-of-the-art Holoform stations being set up outside.”

Greg’s hand shot up. “Excuse me,” he said, his voice shaking slightly, “what if…what if someone isn’t comfortable with this?”

Francine’s smile faltered for the briefest moment. “I understand this may be an adjustment for some of you,” she said. “But this is non-negotiable. Monarch Investments has a commitment to efficiency and uniformity. Trust me, you’ll adapt quickly. And remember, you’ll be well-compensated for the transition.”

Beside him, Jamal muttered under his breath, “I hope those triple salaries come with therapy.”

Greg couldn’t help but notice something odd about the men standing near Francine. There were no visible bulges in their tailored pants. He leaned over to Jamal.

“Hey,” he whispered, “do you see that? No bulges.”

Jamal sighed. “Yeah. That’s gonna be us tomorrow.”

Greg’s stomach churned. The reality of the situation was beginning to sink in.

After the meeting, Greg and Jamal lingered in the hallway.

“This is insane,” Greg said. “I’ve never even thought about what it’s like to…you know.”

Jamal nodded. “Yeah, it’s a trip. I did it once, years ago, when I worked at another female-standard company. Took me forever to get back in shape after I quit. My wife and I had kids while I was standarded. I was the one who gave birth.”

Greg stared at him. “Seriously?”

“Yeah,” Jamal said, pointing to his hips. “Took me years of dieting and working out to lose these. Black guys like me—we’re prone to…let’s just say exaggerated curves. I’m not looking forward to seeing them come back.”

Greg let out a long sigh. “Do testosterone supplements help?”

Jamal shook his head. “Not for me. Only thing that worked was hard work and discipline. You might wanna prepare yourself, man. It’s not just about the…equipment. Your whole body could change in ways you don’t expect.”

Driving home that evening, Greg’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. How was he going to tell his wife, Rachel? They’d just started trying for a baby. Now this.

When he got home, Rachel greeted him with a smile that quickly turned to concern when she saw his expression.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Greg sat her down at the kitchen table and handed her the pamphlets and USB drive.

“We’ve been bought out,” he said. “By Monarch Investments. Starting tomorrow, everyone at work has to…transition to female standard.”

Rachel’s eyes widened. “What? That’s ridiculous! You took that job because it didn’t have a standard. Can’t you opt out?”

Greg shook his head. “It’s mandatory. Non-negotiable. But, hey, the pay increase means you can finally stay home, like you wanted.”

Rachel crossed her arms, her eyes brimming with tears. “Stay home and do what? Knit? I wanted to be a mother, Greg. Now Monarch Investments has taken that away from us.”

“We’ll figure something out,” Greg said, reaching for her hand.

She pulled away. “This isn’t fair. They’re turning you into…into something you’re not. How is that okay?”

Greg didn’t have an answer. All he could do was hold her as she cried, wondering how their lives would ever be the same again.