Reduction & Relocation - Lori Warren

Chapter 2 - The Right Price

[August 19th, 2005]

Lori: Hello?

Dr. Walker: Good evening, is this Lori Warren?

Lori: …..oh!

Dr. Walker: …..?

Lori Warren: ….Shhh..its okay, girls; don’t pause it.

Dr. Walker: Pardon?

Lori Warren: No, it’s alright, Bella. Let the movie play; I have to take this.

Lori Warren: ………..

Dr. Walker: …..hello?

Lori Warren: Yes, I’m so sorry. I had to step outside.  My daughters and I were watching a movie.  This is Lori.

Dr. Walker: Oh, it's no problem.  Good evening, Mrs. Warren.  This is Dr. Katie Walker with RR Laboratories.  I am calling in response to the phone interview & screening appointment you scheduled.

Lori: ….okay?

Dr. Walker: Let me just take a look here….I just have to see which intern was responsible for our awareness campaign out west.  Okay, I see her paperwork here.  Okay Mrs. Warren, I’d just like to confirm the information that you’ve provided us…..let’s see………Spelling is W-A-R-R-E-N, correct?

Lori: Yes, that’s right. And its Ms. not Mrs….in case that matters.

Dr. Walker: Oh, thank you for letting me know, Ms. Warren.  Home state is Washington?

Lori: In Seattle, yes.

Dr. Walker: Age is 37 years old?

Lori: Correct.

Dr. Walker: And you indicated in your response that you considered your backside to be large?

Lori: …..

Dr. Walker: Ms. Warren?

Lori: ….I’m sorry, it's just a little…embarrassing--umm…..Why..umm…why do you need to know? Or why is that important? I’m sorry, it's just—

Dr. Walker: It’s quite alright, Ms. Warren. I understand that it is a somewhat uncomfortable and peculiar question.  I assure you that it is relevant and important to this experiment, and we are very invested in the comfort and dignity of both our subjects and Participants.  In fact, it is one of the most important components of the experiment itself.  I am very happy to go over the specifics with you on why that particular…. attribute is important once we get through a few more items here.

Lori:  Okay….well…yes, I would consider it to be…large.

Dr. Walker: Wonderful!  And I understand that the advertisement you saw specified that travel may be required from time to time but on an infrequent basis and always at the expense of R&R, correct?

Lori: Yes, I recall seeing that and I am okay with that.  I have to travel for work sometimes so I am used to it.

Dr. Walker: Does your work ever require you to travel outside of the US?

Lori: No, we do not do international business so everything is stateside.

Dr. Walker: Okay great, let me just jot a few things down here…..

Dr. Walker:  ……….

Dr. Walker: ….Okay.  Now let's get right into it.  Ms. Warren, let me tell you a little bit about what we do at RR Laboratories.  How familiar are you with size reduction?

Lori:  …Ummm…I don’t know. Is that referring to ummm….finance? Like overhead?  I don’t really understand.

Dr. Walker: When I say “size reduction”, I am speaking literally of the reduction in size of physical objects.

Lori: Shrinking?

Dr. Walker: Correct!  One aspect of RR Laboratories  is the REDUCTION in size of objects.  We spent years perfecting the reduction processes of inorganic material and in recent times have confidently crossed the threshold into reducing organic material.

Lori: Oh my goodness, I didn’t know that was even possible!

Dr. Walker: Oh yes, what was impossible yesterday becomes possible today, and effortless tomorrow! We spent several more years testing and ultimately perfecting the reduction process on mice and various human cell samples such as skin and blood cells.  We conducted our first successful reduction back in the year 2000. Now, we have pioneered and closely perfected a relatively standardized process that we call “Reduction Therapy”, which is aimed at the uniform size reduction of living, breathing human beings.

Lori: That’s very interesting.  Although I’m not sure how comfortable I would be with being shrunken; I don’t—

Dr. Walker: --Oh, not to worry Ms. Warren.  We are in no shortage of Reduction Therapy subjects. What we are looking for, however, are women willing to assist us in the second aspect of this continuing experiment.

Lori: What would that be?

Dr. Walker: Relocation…or to put it another way…housing.

Lori:  Relocation? Housing? …I’m sorry, I’m not sure what you mean by that.

Dr. Walker: Well, once our size-reduced individuals, which we commonly refer to as “subjects”, complete Reduction Therapy, there is much we can learn from their new status. However, as you might imagine, subjects in a reduced state experience a significantly amplified vulnerability to normal, every-day situations and encounters you and I might not even think twice about.

Lori: That….makes sense, I suppose.  I imagine it would be dangerous for a little man or woman like that to be walking around on the sidewalk.

Dr. Walker: Exactly!  It would be irresponsible of us as scientists and researchers to permit a size reduced individual to put himself in dangerous situations.

Lori: Sure, I agree.  I noticed you said himself?  Not herself?

Dr. Walker: Oh heavens no!  We determined early on that Reduction Therapy sessions conducted on females only met the “Target Reduction in Stature”, or TRiS for short, 17% of the time.  The remaining 83% were completely unaffected by Reduction Therapy.

Lori: Oh, wow; I wonder why that is.

Dr. Walker: We would be getting quite deep into chromosomal genetics and biology, but I can summarize by saying our studies and testing revealed that it is most certainly a gender issue.  A little over 98% of males who underwent trial Reduction Therapy sessions were within a ±2% acceptable tolerance range of the TRiS.  100% met or surpassed it, which empirically proved that males have a far greater susceptibility to Reduction Therapy. At that point, it really is just about energy efficiency and wear-and-tear on our technology.  After all, Reduction Therapy requires a substantial amount of power and coordination.

Lori: Oh, I see. I was a little confused though because you said 98% of men but then you said 100%?.

Dr. Walker:  Depending on several dynamically changing factors, we typically define our TRIS’s within 1-3 inches in final height. We do have situations that call for extremes on either end of that spectrum, mind you, but I digress.  Anyway, 100% of the males who underwent reduction therapy met the TRiS.  Less than 2%, however, continued significantly beyond the TRiS.

Lori: …Umm…you mean..?

Dr. Walker: They were reduced to a size much smaller than the TRiS.

Lori:  Just out of curiosity, how much smaller?

Dr. Walker: Difficult to say.  Reduction Runaway Events are quite unpredictable. Several orders of magnitude smaller in most cases.  They were well beyond recognition with the naked eye.

Lori: Oh, my goodness!

Dr. Walker: Please don’t worry, Ms. Warren!  This was during our trial sessions; we have improved the reduction therapy success rates to over 99.5% TRiS accuracy rates. Additionally, I have a small team of very intelligent women on payroll whose only job is to increase that percentage.

Lori: Well, that’s good I suppose…I wonder though, what happens to the ones that are too small to even—

Dr. Walker: --oh I’m sorry, we got somewhat off topic, my apologies.  I have a habit of getting carried away!  I had mentioned before our detour that it would be irresponsible of us to permit size reduced individuals to put themselves in dangerous situations.

Lori: …oh yes.

Dr. Walker: One great example you mentioned was out on the sidewalk.  I completely agree with you.  The problem is, if I gave you enough time, I’m sure you could think of one hundred others…and even then you would not have a fully comprehensive list! Especially for those that are reduced significantly beyond our Subject Registry average!

Lori: You have a point, doctor.

Dr. Walker: For example, and mind you all subjects present with different reactions and conditions, but one commonly occurring consequence of size reduction seems to be a diminished capability of regulating one’s body temperature.

Lori: Oh, that sounds like it could be a big problem

Dr. Walker: In most cases, it doesn’t present as fatal.  But the discomfort experienced seems to range from mildly uncomfortable to agonizing.  It is imperative that the subject have access to an environment that is constantly warm.

Lori: Right, like those heat lamps for reptile cages. My daughter has…ermm….well…used to have a lizard.

Dr. Walker: Exactly! We make use of heat lamps here at the lab too, but they only serve as a temporary means of warmth until we can assign the subject to a Participant.

Lori: And then the Participant is responsible for keeping them warm?

Dr. Walker: She’s responsible for keeping him warm, yes…and protected.  Remember the dangers we discussed earlier? Reduction Therapy, we’ve discovered, imparts a certain degree of heightened durability in the subjects, but they are still very vulnerable.  It's necessary that they are kept in an environment that is sufficiently soft and cushioned such that they are protected from both the cruelties of humanity and nature.

Lori: Okay, so keep them in a cage with the heat lamp and……what….I guess put in thick velvet pillows? Plush cushions?  I suppose that makes sense but hopefully the pillows wouldn’t get too hot or goodness..catch fire!  I do remember those lamps can get quite hot. Maybe a special kind of fabric could—

Dr. Walker: --Ms. Warren, if I may...

Lori: Oh, I’m sorry.

Dr. Walker:  The Participant protocol does not call for storing the subject in cages, at least not primarily.

Lori: So then how are the Participants expected to keep them safe and warm?

Dr. Walker: ….Do you remember the question that you had asked at the start of our conversation?  The one that was left unanswered?

Lori:  Umm….oh..yes?  I had asked why you needed to know how big my behind was...

Dr. Walker:  ..Correct.

Lori:  …okay? so I guess that means you’re going to answer that now?

Dr. Walker: ….Ms. Warren, I believe I just did.

Lori: …….!

Dr. Walker: Hm hm hm.  Please excuse me. I will take that gasp as your understanding of the requirements now.

Lori: …no…no, doctor you’ve got to be kidding me. You….you expect the other women…..you expect me…..to keep them in……..my rear end?

Dr. Walker: As unusual as it may sound, you are correct, Ms. Warren.  In order to achieve the level of cushion, softness, and warmth necessary for our subjects to survive, we expect you to insert the subject deep between your buttocks and house them there for an extended period of time.

Lori: …I’m sorry, Dr. Walker…but I’m having a very difficult time understanding how—What, Vicky? ……not right now, we’re saving them for after dinner…..yes, for dessert…..Victoria Grace, I am not arguing with you about this right now! Do you see that I’m on the phone?

Dr. Walker: …

Lori: …..it's not your business!  I’m going to count to 3.  Victoria!  1…..2……..

Dr. Walker: …

Lori:I’m terribly sorry, Dr. Walker.

Dr. Walker: That’s quite alright Ms. Warren.

Lori: Okay where was I…goodness…Dr. Walker, I’m having a very difficult time understanding why keeping them….there…is necessary.

Dr. Walker: Well, I did mention that they are especially vulnerable to physical and natural events.

Lori:Yes, of course.

Dr. Walker: Humanity escaped the food chain centuries and centuries ago. So long as we wield our greatest achievements, we will always surpass or at least rival any apex predator.  However, if you were to strip a human of community and technology, it is laughably inferior. Would you agree?

Lori: Yes

Dr. Walker: Thus, I have no issue with ascribing that same status of inferiority to the subjects, as they have effectively been stripped of a community, at least those of respective parity, and they are incapable of utilizing technology.  Even a human being of typical size and strength would be utterly hopeless in the wild. But the size reduced individual’s inferiority expands so much further than that of a typical human being.   Think about it, Ms. Warren.  Could a 6-inch tall human being hold its own against…say…a house cat?  What about a 2-inch tall human being?  I doubt he could defend himself from a pigeon.  How about the footfall of an unknowing businesswoman on her cellular phone walking to work?  It’s a dangerous world out there, and it would be unrealistic to expect a size-reduced subject to exist and thrive under the cruel and uncaring rule of Mother Nature.

Lori: I guess that makes sense.

Dr. Walker: It even goes beyond co-existing with other species and natural events.  Look at humanity itself.  Last week, a young woman accidentally collided with me at the supermarket.  Her shoulder had connected with my chest and she had stepped on my shoe.  Now, she had not struck me particularly hard.  It did not hurt me, and she was very apologetic.  But had it been a size reduced subject in her path, it's likely he would have been fatally compressed beneath her sandal.

Lori: It’s a dreadful thought.

Dr. Walker: I couldn’t agree more.  As I admitted earlier, testing has revealed that Reduction Therapy imparts in the subjects an increased durability, but not enough to withstand the full weight of that distracted teenager or anyone else. It should be obvious that the subjects simply cannot be left alone.  Their aptitude for independent survival is just too low.  Nearly zero, in fact.

Lori: I think I agree with you on that. But…let’s say that I was…participating?  Is that what you called it?

Dr. Walker: Yes.

Lori: Okay. Let’s say I was participating….and taking care of the little man.  Why couldn’t I just…keep him in a cage at home?  I mean, our hamsters and lizard were always content.

Dr. Walker: Well, I don’t think I have to point out that there are some substantial differences between those animals and human beings!

Lori: Oh sure, of course Doctor; I understand that. I wasn’t trying to offend anyone.

Dr. Walker: It's not a bad question at all, Ms. Warren.  Enclosure confinement COULD be viable under certain very specific conditions, but this experiment explicitly calls for confinement of the subject on the Participant’s person. I understand that may not be a satisfactory answer, but to be perfectly honest, there are aspects of this experiment that you do not yet understand…conditions of which you have not been made aware…goals that are currently confidential and may remain so.

Lori:  I see…….

Dr. Walker: …You know, I have conducted enough of these interviews and screenings to know when I’ve lost someone.  I assume that I’ve lost you, Ms. Warren?

Lori: …I’m sorry Dr. Walker.  You seem friendly enough, but I am just not comfortable with this. It just seems so strange…the idea of keeping a shrunken person between my…I mean, I have trouble even saying it!  …and the secrecy is a red flag for me.

Dr. Walker: If I could point out something: only CERTAIN goals are confidential at the moment, and it does not necessarily have to do with secrecy for the sake of it, but more so to preserve the integrity and the results of the experiment. If our Participants know too much too soon, it could influence their decisions such that the experiment suffers.  It is difficult to explain now but I assure you there is a reason for it.

Lori:  I hear what you’re saying, Dr. Walker.  I’m sorry but I have to decline.

Dr. Walker: I understand, Ms. Warren.  Before I let you go though, let me just say if I haven’t said already that we offer very generous compensation for Participation.

Lori: I’m sorry Dr. Walker. Goodbye.

Click...

...3 minutes and 17 seconds later

Dr. Walker: RR Laboratories, Dr. Walker speaking.

Lori: Dr. Walker, it's Lori again. I’m sorry for hanging up so abruptly.  Can you……tell me about the compensation?

Dr. Walker: Oh, it's alright Ms. Warren. This is a big decision and I understand your hesitation.  For Participation that meets all R&R requirements, we offer a flat rate of $200 for one week.

Lori: Oh my goodness.  Just for one week? And during this week, what exactly would I need to do to….?

Dr. Walker: It is one week of confining the subject between your buttocks.

Lori: …..you would really pay me $200 to keep a shrunken man between my….cheeks?

Dr. Walker: That’s right!

Lori: And what else would I have to do?

Dr. Walker:  What else?  That’s it, Ms. Warren.  You would be responsible for housing him in your rear for each day.

Lori: How long would I have to keep him down there? Would that be one of the R&R requirements you mentioned?

Dr. Walker:  We typically have our new Participants confine their subjects within their rears for at the very least 6 hours per day …to start.

Lori: Oh my, that’s a long time!

Dr. Walker: Oh trust me, if you end up Participating for longer than that you’ll see that the time really does start to fly! This is the consensus I’ve received from our other Participants.

Lori: How many others are there?

Dr. Walker:  I’m uncomfortable assigning a specific number, but we have quite a few...I would imagine more than you might expect!

Lori:  Okay…that kind of makes me feel better.  Anyway…okay….so…6 hours a day, but you said, “to start”?

Dr. Walker:  Yes, we have something called the DDM, or “Dynamic Daily Minimum”, which is essentially a minimum daily housing requirement that adjusts as time passes. More detailed information on the DDM and everything else related to rear-housing will be provided to you during installation.

Lori: Installation?

Dr. Walker: When the subject is installed in your rear end.

Lori: Oh, I never would have thought of it like that…wow.  Installation.

Dr. Walker: Yes, we can go over the more nuanced requirements of the experiment later. I will tell you now though, and this along with everything else will be covered in the RR Labs Rear Housing Guide, that the subject has been equipped with a variety of simple nanomachines.  These nanomachines help us triangulate the location of the subject were he to be reported missing.  Additionally, they communicate a variety of the subjects’ conditions back to us…examples include things like body temperature, heart rate, health, et cetera.  Most recently, we’ve established links between certain brain activity and the olfactory system.  To put it simply, through machine learning, our systems can “learn” what it is our subjects are smelling, feeling, hearing, and tasting

Lori: Wow that’s fascinating. So is vision too difficult?

Dr. Walker: Oh, certainly not!  Truth be told, we haven’t put the funds into learning what our subjects see since…well…they often don’t see much!  Between pants, undergarments, and not to mention the dense flesh of the Participant’s glutes, light has a bit of a hard time getting to them.

Lori: Oh okay, I guess their vision really wouldn’t be that important. Sounds difficult for them to be in the dark though.

Dr. Walker: Right; it's not crucial in creating that image of the kinds of environments the Participant is exposing her subject to.

Lori: Environments?  Isn’t it just the one?  Wouldn’t I have to keep him in my behind and that’s it?

Dr. Walker:  That would be the ideal scenario.  Of course, we would prefer that you confine him to your rear end indefinitely for as long as possible each day. However, we understand that exclusive rear confinement is something to be worked up to, if ever accomplished at all.  As I said in the beginning, we would ask that you confine him between your buttocks for at least 6 hours per day every day.  The locations he occupies and his assigned duties for the remaining 18 hours of permitted non-rear activity time is completely up to you.

Lori:  So….6 hours a day in my butt..and I’m not required to do anything else with him for the rest of the time? And you’ll pay me $200 for just a week?

Dr. Walker: That’s correct!

Lori: Wow…that is so much more than I had thought it would be. Honestly, any figure would be a lot more than I would have thought it would be for something like this.

Dr. Walker: Well, Ms. Warren…you might be interested to know that, excluding the unpaid daily commitment, the weekly flat rate is actually the lowest rate we offer.

Lori: Oh?

Dr. Walker: That’s right.  If the Participant commits to a full month, the compensation increases.

Lori: Really?  More than $200?

Dr. Walker: Indeed.  Compensation rates increase to $350 every week for the entire month.

Lori: My goodness…and that’s for a full month, huh? A full month of keeping someone back there…its hard to even imagine!

Dr. Walker: Well, one important aspect of the experiment is to understand how the subject adapts to this new environment over time. Naturally, longer-term participation is valued higher and therefore we aim to incentivize!

Lori: I’d say so!  Is that the highest it goes?

Dr. Walker: Oh, no not at all.  If a Participant commits to housing a subject in her rear for 6 months, she is entitled to $500 per week  Annual commitments raise the weekly compensation even higher to an impressive $800 per week.

Lori: Good heavens! That’s almost as much as I make!

Dr. Walker: As I said, the longer the commitment, the more valuable the Participant!  In fact, our ideal Participant would commit to a lifetime term of housing the subject.

Lori: ….lifetime?

~