Chapter 1 – The Price of Dreams

It had been a little over a year since Tommy had first become an astronaut. As soon as his first year was up he was allowed to apply for the deep space program and he wasted no time in doing so. There was a letter on his desk. It could only be one thing. Tommy opened the letter. His hands shook as he tore the envelope open. This was it. His ticket for the history books. His chance to truly live out his childhood dream and set foot on new planets outside of the solar system. To possibly be the first to make contact with extraterrestrials. Accepted; it read that he had been accepted into the deep space flight program.

It was the chance of a lifetime. A decade ago faster than travel space flight had been discovered, but only for small objects. Science had discovered a way to slip a very small object 4 or 5 inches in diameter tops into a space-time bubble which would then accelerate at tremendous speed to the far reaches of the galaxy, but without causing any relativistic transformations to occur.

He didn't pretend to understand the physics, but it came with a catch. He would have to be shrunk down to fit inside of a ship tiny enough to be put into the space-time bubble. The change was irreversible. He'd be roughly a sixteenth of an inch tall for the rest of his life. He had already weighed this when he decided to apply, but he hadn't told Maria yet. Didn't see the need since it was only theoretical. Now it was real. It was going to happen. He hoped she was good with it, but if she wasn't they could get a divorce he figured since they didn't have any kids yet.

...

"You'll be how big!?" Maria exclaimed. "A sixteenth of an inch." Tommy replied. "Tommy, how is this marriage going to work if you're that small?" Maria asked point blank. She was a to the point girl. Tommy liked that about her. It was probably why she was such a good corporate lawyer. "Babe, my salary gets tripled during the trip and when I get back it stays the same with cost of living additions until I die." He said reassuring her.

"Its not the damn money. I mean how are WE going to work? You'll be like the size of an insect; a small fucking insect at that. Am I supposed to carry you around all day in my purse? Where will you sleep? There's no way we could sleep in the same bed. I'd crush you in the middle of the night and wouldn't even notice. What about our sex life? Are you supposed to just crawl around down there; or up inside of me? What about children? Will you be able to impregnate me and if so how will you be able to be a father?" Maria asked in quick succession.

These were all good questions. He didn't have all of the answers he had to admit, but he could get them. "Look. We aren't the first couple that have had to consider this. This program has been in place for a good ten years now and there have been several other crews. I have a week to accept the offer before it goes to the next candidate." He explained. "So, lets just talk about it and take our time." He suggested.

He didn't tell Maria, but his mind was made up: he was going to do this. It would be better if he could stay married and do it, but he would go it alone if absolutely necessary. "I can ask about my fertility and we can take the class that explains the entire process. We can even visit with some of the other Micronauts." He proposed. Mirconauts. Maria shuttered at the word. The idea of her big tall husband shrunken as small as an ant was not appealing, but it was clear he wanted to do this. How committed to it was he though?

...

The class was almost over. Maria held the booklet they had given her at the beginning in her hands. She learned from the class about the space program and about the shrinking process itself. It was not instantaneous. Tommy would be shrunk by a series of "treatments" as they called them over the course of six months. After that was completed he would train with his crew until the launch date. Then they would go on the mission for a year. After returning he would have two years off before another mission.

It had been two days since he told her and Tommy's enthusiasm hadn't waned in the least. It had even increased it seemed. They were told that he would still be able to procreate with Maria; with her assistance of course. There also seemed to be a lot of support and effort put forth in order to take care of the Micronauts and they're families, but it didn't change the fact that she would have a really small bug for a husband. Could she adjust to it?

...

A few more days had passed and today they were touring the training facilities. The whole facility fit on a large table. There were several crew members currently training. They were so tiny. Maria could scarcely see them as they went through their workouts. Tommy listened intently as one of the technicians, Jessica, explained to them how they used an advanced 3d printer to fabricate the tiny machines, tools, and even facilities the Micronauts used during their workouts and training.

She pointed to the center of the training facility to a metallic sphere about the size of a grapefruit. "There is the actual ship that you will be flying in." She explained. Maria's eye brows went up in disbelief at its small size; either of her breasts were bigger. She looked down her blouse. Tommy and his tiny crew would live and work for a whole year in a volume significantly less than just one of her generous bra cups. She crossed her arms.

"Some of your potential crew members are now using the facilities." Jessica continued. "There's John." She said as she pointed over near Maria and waved. Maria looked down and couldn't believe how small this little guy, John, was. She was embarrassed as he was running along a track that passed right in front of her jean covered crotch. That would be Tommy in less than a year; a tiny little spec like that.

He wasn't even as long as a single zip in the zipper of her jeans. She imagined herself naked in front of this micro man and how ridiculous he would look standing there in front of her gigantic harry pussy; this would be her reality if Tommy went through with this. Why couldn't he see how stupid this was? "Oh, and there's Cindy." Jessica waved again at another part of the table. Maria's attention was back with Jessica again.

Tommy and Maria got in his car after the tour and were going to head to the house of a Mirconaut that happened to be on leave in between missions. Maria burst into tears. "Whats the matter?" Tommy asked. It was unusual as Maria normally was not the crying type. "I just can't get over how small you are going to end up." Maria muttered sniffling.

It was a calculated move on her part. She had tried logic. She had tried humiliation. She figured she would try guilt now. She just couldn't see a future for them; for her, as the wife of an insect sized man no matter how prestigious or lucrative the occupation. "Did you see the tools and equipment at their disposal?" He answered. "My size will barely be a handicap." He assured her as he started the vehicle. "Just wait until you meet Mike and Julie. Mike was among the first to undergo the transformation. That was nearly ten years ago now and they're still together and happy." Tommy said.

...

The couple pulled into a driveway in front of a nice looking house in the suburbs and were greeted at the door by a petite blond haired woman. "Hi I'm Julie." She greeted them. "Come on in. We've been expecting you. Its Tommy and Maria, right?" Julie asked. "That's us." Maria answered.

Julie was pretty with shoulder length blonde hair and green eyes. Tommy and Maria followed her into the house. "Mike! They're here!" She yelled into a hallway. She then led them into the den and turned to face the couple looking up to speak with them. "Boy you're both so tall. Please sit. I'll get some tea." She said heading off into the kitchen. While she was gone the couple noticed a flashing red light emerge from the hall and hover toward them.

"Good afternoon." A disembodied voice greeted them. "I'm Mike, the flashing light is from my PTV." He said. "PTV?" Tommy asked. "Personal transport vehicle." The voice answered. The flashing red light continued toward them until it was above the coffee table and then it started to descend. "Wait you're in the flashing light?" Maria asked. "Well sort of. The external walls of the PTV emit the light to alert normal sized folks like yourselves of my presence. The agency puts a lot of money into training us Micronauts they really can't afford any accidents." He said chuckling.

Tommy was fascinated as the tiny red light landed on the table. Maria had to admit she was too. The light did not turn out after he landed it just dimmed a bit. "There." Mike said as he emerged from the tiny craft the size of an asprin. Maria and Tommy both leaned in to get a better look at him. "How can we hear you?" Maria asked. "My headset has a wireless connection to the ship speakers and to speakers in each room of the house." He explained.

Julie returned setting tea cups down for Maria and Tommy. Mike and Julie were very forthcoming with how they "got along" after the change. It was certainly reassuring to Maria. What seemed impossible before now seemed not only possible, but here was a real marriage thriving in the program that Tommy so desperately wanted to join.

After chatting as a group for a while they split up. Tommy talked with Mike and Maria went to the kitchen and talked with Julie. "You all seem to be doing great now, but how did you convince Julie to accept your decision?" Tommy asked. "Maria's not too keen on it, eh?" Mike asked. "No, not really." Tommy admitted. "Well I won't sugar coat it. Its not for everyone. In some cases a divorce up front would be better, but for us it was perfect." Mike explained.

"Julie was working full time and I was working full time and after I joined the program she was able to quit her day job and stay at home which she always wanted to do." Mike said. "So, that was the gist of my pitch. It was enticing enough a possibility that she went along with it." He continued. "We've had our bumps along the way, but with the sociological studies that have been done and with all the new equipment now available its become much easier than it used to be." He explained.

Julie had explained to Maria how she was against the decision at first and Mike was for it, but after learning about it and discussing it he convinced her that they could spend more quality time together than ever. "Was he right?" Maria asked. "Yes. He was." Julie answered. "He trains for a mission for three months. Then is gone for a year, but then he gets two years of furlough, one of those years he doesn't work at all and the other he progresses through desk and class work before beginning the 3 month training again. We've been to Europe, China, India, and New Zealand not to mention practically every state in the country." She said.

"Wow. That doesn't sound bad." Maria admitted. "I'm embarrassed to ask, but I'm too curious not to." Maria said. Julie smiled. "You want to ask about our love life?" She interjected. "Yes, feel free to tell me its none of my business if you want to." Maria said blushing a little. "No. Its OK. I wish I would've had someone to talk to like this when we were considering it." She lamented.

"Its a difficult adjustment. More so emotionally and mentally than physically." Julie admitted. "I'm not as physically blessed as you are." She said looking Maria up and down pausing at her large chest before making eye contact again.

"Yet, now, my little B cups are giant hills for Mike to explore and my legs are taller than the biggest buildings in the world compared to him. My body is pretty much a landscape for him. Its easy for me to stimulate him. We've even had two kids since the transformation. However, it was more difficult for him to excite me physically. We keep diaries, both of us, that are studied and used to improve the program and it wasn't long before technology came to the rescue; with a Micronaut guided sex toy." She said laughing. "I was totally skeptical at first, but that thing is very effective." She said blushing.

"The more difficult aspect for us was the day to day. Even with all of the technology he's still only a sixteenth of an inch tall and I'm 5'1" so I get a lot more say in what goes on. That can be disconcerting for some couples and some men in particular. On the flip side most women have been conditioned to have a big strong man take care of them. We were no different. Its still difficult to have a night out. If we do its usually at another Micronaut's house. We stick together and it eases the social stigma. Most of my other friends have sort of faded out of our lives. If you are the type of woman that needs social validation of your man it may not work. I guess I've not needed that or avoided situations that would amplify the desire for it." She said thoughtfully.

"So, if you had it to do over would you still do it?" Maria asked. "Absolutely." Julie answered without hesitation. "We've been given the means and free time to live a life we would've only dreamed of otherwise." She said.

Another twenty minutes and the visit had ended. Tommy got in the car and looked at Maria. "Well?" He asked hopefully. "I'm still very skeptical and would do back flips if you changed your mind, but I know that's not going to happen. So, go ahead and accept. I wouldn't be much of a wife if I didn't support the one thing you wanted to achieve most in your life – besides marrying me." Maria said smiling. Tommy was beaming. "I love you." He said leaning in and kissing her.