DISCLAIMER: The following story is a fictional group of random thought particles from the recesses of my mind. The setting of the series is based off the works of Lurking Dragon's Rejuve Universe in accordance with his writer's guide. This random stream of semi-conscious thought depicts a judicial spanking of a rejuvenated child via a machine. If this offends your carefully cultured sensibilities, or you have yet to reach the rank of major in what you think is society, then please recycle these electrons to save bandwidth sooner than possible.
—Rogue (whose existence has yet to be disproved)
Science Fair
Monday, 1st of October 2773,
Part 10 of Pint-Sized Engineer
“Well it is finally here,” thought Rodger as the Gunny drove him to school in the hovercar. Yesterday had been Diaspora. But being that it had fallen on a Sunday—other than spending the day after church with playing HV games with his mom then watching a infotainment movie about the first voyages of New Frontiers, humanities first faster than light starship—the real celebration was today; the closest school day to September 29th. Which meant today was the science fair, and he had too much stuff to bring to school for him to risk going via hoverboard or hoverbike.
As they had been instructed the previous Friday, Rodger—with the Gunny's help—brough this project to his classroom like the rest of the class. Where after Mr. Johnson took attendance was taken, he and his class were given their assigned locations in the Gym for where they would setup their projects after assembly in the auditorium.
The students of Maiuchi Rejuve Elementary sat in the auditorium with the 1st graders in the front rows on the left side of the aisle with the second graders on the other side. This put Rodger's 3rd Grade class behind the 1st graders, and the 5th graders behind them, the 4th graders across the aisle from his class and the 6th graders behind them. The higher grades took up more room in the auditorium, not so much because they were bigger but their were more of them, their numbers being swelled by a large number of Voluntaras who rejuvenated into 4th though 6th grades. The students didn't fill the Auditorium though, as the school was built to grow with the colony.
Principle Clarke stood at the lectern on the stage and called for everyone to settle down. After a few house keeping messages he got to the main point.
“Today we celebrate Diaspora and, after the assembly, your hard work that you all put in will come to a head with our Science Fair. The Judges will be talking to each of you in turn. You will each be paged on your School PADDs when you are next up. When you receive your page, return to your own project, but until then you will be free to wander the fair.
“This afternoon will be our traditional field trip. This year you will be busing across town to Maiuchi Kindern High. Their science fair has a twist this year. Pay attention to what you see at their fair. For you will be voting for which of their projects that will be installed in the new Museum of Science and Technology; which should be ready to open by next Diaspora.
“You are to look for the project that best demonstrates a key science or technology covered in Kindern education which has been done in a fun and interesting way.”
Principle Clarke paused to let that sink in before he continued, “While you are there, the students of Maiuchi Kindern Jr High will be here to vote on the student choice ribbon for your own projects. They will be told to judge based on wither they find them fun and informative as well.
“Now for some of you this is your first Diaspora in a public rejuve elementary,” said Principle Clarke particularly looking at the the newer Jalaxian students. “Science Fairs, and Field trips are not the only traditional events. However as Shinho is currently enjoying a situation where we have no Penitatas. You might not be aware that Diaspora is a neigh universal Special Punishment Day for them; because if they are of school age then it happens at school. Yes that would mean if you had a Penny classmate, they would be having their special day today, not yesterday, while you were at the fairs. But this year we have an educational film for you all, so you don't miss out on the experience.”
At that last piece of news a low murmur escaped from the area where the 6th graders were seated. And one in particular, a human Voluntaras 6th grade boy—Richard Bachman—scrunched down and tried his best to meld into the bench seat and become invisible. For he just knew where this was going to come to. For it to happen during a full school assembly was worse than he feared.
“Settle down everyone,” Principle Clarke chided. He then said, “Lights, please.” And walked off the stage as the lectern retracted into the stage, and the holovid recording was projected onto the stage.
.oOo.
The clock on the courtroom wall placed the recording during early part of last December. Judge Tori Sturgeon was presided over a juvenile proceeding. And standing in front of her bench with what looked like a lawyer was Richard.
“Richard Bachman, you have be found guilty slicing with the intent of altering official records, and miss appropriation of public resources to do the aforementioned act,” intoned Judge Sturgeon. She continued, “in other words, you used the public library's net connection to slice into the school system in an attempt to change a failing grade in a non compulsory subject. Do you have anything you wish to say to the court before I pass sentience?”
“Only that I meant no harm, your Honor. I was merely trying to avoid an embarrassing conversation with my parents,” said a forlorn Richard.
“Very well young man. I concur with the prosecutor in that due to your current age, I would have preferred to refer this back to the school and parents. And if you had used your home or a school console to do so I could have. But as the Judaical A.I. ruled when charges were submitted, the fact you use a console in the public library to do so took it out of school jurisdiction. While you are a minor, you are not a Kindern. So you are not eligible for Juvenala Penitatas status, and I'm loathed to make you our first Penitatas over such a childish reason.
Therefore Richard Bachman it is the judgment of this court that you be sentenced to two Penitatas' Diaspora Special Day sessions, whose intensity setting to be determined by the Department of Corrections as if you were a Penitatas instead of a Voluntaras; though your actual status will not be changed. Furthermore the first session will be recorded and stored in the public record as an 'educational resource'. However I am suspending the second session pending that you successfully complete a hard time 'Ethical and Moral Behavior' class to be taken during your next school year. If you do well in it you will not have to do your second court ordered session with the SpankMaster 3500, so work hard and do your best.“
.oOo.
The scene changed to the interior of the SpankMaster 3500. Maiuchi's spanking machine was kept in an out of the way corner of the judicial plaza. But was still publicly accessible if a parent wanted to use it. And on stage a very nervous looking Richard entered the machine. As he was still dressed in the same boyish suit so it was probably latter the same day as the scene in courtroom.
“Subject: Bachman comma Richard – Age: 10 – remove all articles of clothing,” the impassionate machine intoned. A bench by the door glowed and it continued in its authoritative cadence, “and deposit them on the bench.”
Richard hesitated for a moment but began to comply before the command was repeated. For before entering the Bailiff had warned him that SpankMaster had his details entered as a penny. Any failure to comply with directions would automatically generate penalty spanks after the SpankMaster had delivered his court ordered special day level spanking. He would already be a sorry naughty little boy by then, there was no need to make it worse for himself.
Once he had stripped down to his birthday suit and placed his clothes on the bench, the bench stopped glowing, but a circle in the middle of the SpankMaster lit up.
“Subject, move into the circle and face the dot,” with that instruction an obvious glowing dot appeared on the back wall.
Richard went into the indicated area, and then the SpankMaster 3500 began a biometric scan. The SpankMaster line had received a major overhaul after the tampering incident back in 2748. Not only can the activity be observed from the outside an be recorded. But the SpankMaster 3500 also before it proceeded, it compared its subject with entered information to verify it's data.
“Biometric match confirmed.”
Two mechanical arms with padded restrains emerged from the walls at floor level and stopped by Richard's feet.
“Subject will place his ankles into the designated restraints.”
When Richard stepped into the loose ankle cuffs they constricted so that they firmly held him.
“Legs secured.”
Two more similar arms lowered from above to just above his head.
“Subject will place his wrists into the designated restraints.”
These likewise contracted with an “Arms secured” confirmation from the SpankMaster. Then the machine intoned, “Positioning...” and the circle vanished. The lower arms forced him to slide his feet apart. Then a bolster started to raised in front of him. When it reached knee height, the restraints on his arms pulled up and slightly forward so that he was forced to lean into the bolster as it continued to rise. The bolster began rolling up the front of thighs and continued up his to his hips, forcing he prepubescent boy tackle—the Kensington treatment he received as part of his rejuve of course meant puberty had not even started for him yet—to tuck itself between it and him.
In front of the the bolster a padded platform on a swivel raised from the floor until it was level with the bolster. His arms were pull forward then downwards forcing him to bend over the bolster and rest his hairless chest on the platform. The bolster began to rise again and the platform tilted forward, lifting his feet of the floor, and presented his bottom prominently.
“Subject is male. Verifying genital capture.”
Suddenly Richard's legs were being moved all over as the SpankMaster focused a scanner to make sure that in fact his boy parts were safely trapped out of the way.
“Verified. Ready to begin.”
Richard had been informed by his lawyer that a Diaspora Special Day entailed three spankings in a spanking machine each with an implement that matched to his age and offense level: A stiff implement which was a paddle like item, A flexible implement which was a strap like item, and A rod implement which was a cane like item. The order and the exact number of spanks were randomly determined by the machine. The range of possible choice were set by Department of Corrections based on Age of the subject, the crime, and the behavior report from the Penny's parents.
“Part 1: Forty swats with the Grade 5 Bumble Bee Paddle. Positioning...”
Richard's legs were pull down and and his feet were held at his hips distance apart. Then a padded bar was extended behind his knees, followed by his feet being lifted; forcing his knees to bend. Then from each side of the machine extend a new arm. They were tipped with clear lexan paddles longer than his bottom was wide, their beveled edge holes were easier to see than the paddles themselves. Alternatively they lined themselves up against his bottom.
“Computing...” the machine declared while it calculated where each swat would land to maximize both coverage and overlap, then randomizing their order.
Then it intoned, “Commencing...” The paddles raised up, then fell. They swung down one at a time with a precomputed force. And not necessary taking alternating turns, though each paddle fell twenty times. Sometimes the paddle landed across both hemispheres, sometimes the tip only reached Richard's center line. And not always on his bottom, his sit spots and upper thighs also got attention.
Richard had promised himself he would take the punishment as stoically as possible for who knew who would see the recording. But this wasn't like the spankings he had gotten from his teacher or his parents, these were much harder, not only were the designed for Penitatas, but for a Special Punishment day. The normal limits did not apply; these were much harder. So he was soon yelping just a few swats in, and crying a few more swats after that. The thing is, paddle holes don't only make the paddles travel faster by reducing air resistance. When using on the bare like this the skin welled up into them. As the paddles recovered reddened flesh, blisters began to form. And with his arms and legs so firmly held in places all he could do was to cry out. The SpankMaster was designed to ignore the content of his pleadings, but to monitor the stress levels in the tone instead. So whatever promises he minted they would not cause the machine to wavier in it's task.
When the forty deep thudding swats of the paddle were delivered Richard's red bottom and thighs were peppered with the white spots of fresh blisters. The SpankMaster only give Richard enough time to recover as it took to deposit the detachable paddles into the sanitizer unit. Before it announced:
“Part 2: Twenty stokes with the Junior School Cane. Positioning...”
The knee bar was removed and his legs were straighten and bought back together. The bolster was further raised, while the platform and his arms lowered so his jack-knifed over the bolster; his sore bottom pulled taunt.
The mechanical arms reappeared with two synthetic-rattan canes, 9mm in diameter.
Again the machine intoned, “Computing...” as it made sure of its aim. But this time it was not quite so random with its strokes. For when it said, “Commencing...” it started bringing down the cane, alternating on which side they came from. Ending each stroke with a precision timed flick in parallel lines randomly connecting the blisters with welts up and down Richard's backside. From nether cheek crest to where he's shorts' hem line left off into a deeper tan; but never crossing each other for the first ten strokes. The SpankMaster paused a calculated length between strokes so that each one was felt in its individual agonizing fullness. As horrible as Richard found this it on top of the deep thud of previous paddling, it got worse. For after ten strokes the arms turned the canes in opposite downwards angles, and proceeded to turn Richard's stripes into hash-marks. Deliberately crossing multiple welts with the new ones.
The SpankMaster continually evaluated Richard's vitals signs and howls to make sure they did not exceed acceptable levels of distress.
Twenty stokes having been delivered left only one part left. After the canes were placed in the now empty sanitizer unit. The SpankMaster declared, “Part 3: Forty licks with the Two-tailed Tawse. Positioning...”
Rodger's torso was lifted so he was only at a 45 degrees with the floor, with his arms brought forward. But his legs were also brought backwards to a similar angle and splayed apart. This time when the twin tawses were brought out they were calibrated not for the entirety of Richard chastised bottom, but so that their tips fell on the tender skin of the now parted valley between Richard's crimson orbs.
“Computing...” came like clockwork. Followed by “Commencing...” all too soon for Richard. And the tawse seemingly randomly came down, wrapping to match the contour of Richard well punished bottom. Sometimes it landed all the way across of his bottom, sometimes only half way. But either way the tips hit the tender sides of the bottom—both inside and out—where the stiffer implement just did not reach. But what was worse, was when they came down on a thigh. Not thighs plural, but singular for the machine did not try reach across to get the sprayed legs at the same time. For there the tawse went to work on the untouched inner thighs, with the tails of the tawse also landing slayed so each tip was like a separate impact. Not mention the thud from the body of the tawse on the already blistered and welted skin.
As much as Richard wanted for it to just end, he could do nothing but sob heartily as the machine ran it predetermine course.
Finally the licks stopped, and the SpankMaster 3500 declared, “Sequence completed.” It lowered the booster and released Richard's arms and legs where he was capable of standing on his own. While only putting one of the tawses into the sanitizer.
“Subject will now dress and vacate the machine.”
When after 5 seconds Richard had done nothing but lay there an cry, the tawse lashed down one more time on his bottom, for the Machine was still in Penny mode.
The Holovid faded out as Richard scrambled to his feet having gotten the message.
.oOo.
Principle Clarke retook the stage as the lectern reemerge before the entranced student body.
“You will now have half an hour to return to your classrooms to collect your projects, and assemble them at your assigned locations in the Gymnasium. Assembly dismissed.”
The student body began to find their tongues as the filed out of auditorium. Word spread down to the 3rd Grade class that Richard had not been allowed nano-lotion by his parents until his regular bed time, to make sure it was the equivalent to a penny special day he experienced. But no one teased Richard any more about only getting a Morning Recess on Fridays; they now knew what was at stake for him. For Ethical and Moral Behavior class were only held during morning breaks, two days a week for a soft-timer but four days for a hard-timer.
While Rodger was pouring water into the holding tank of his irrigation model of Mt. Soketto at his table in the Gym. Andy walk passed and jibed, “Careful there Murphie. You don't want to spill and be sent to the SpankMaster.”
Brian at the next table over gave Andy a stare worthy of a basilisk. Andy not wanting to risk a teacher catching them, made a hasty tactical withdrawal.
“Sorry about that,” Brian said to Rodger.
“What for?” Rodger said capping the tank.
“Well I'm pretty sure that was based on when I told the class that traditionalist get spanked like a red headed penny. I know you don't get spanked that bad.”
“Oh that. Never mind that. I know you meant it more in the standards that are not overlooked, than how hard the spankings are themselves. Andy is just being Andy, he would have found something else to make fun of. But man, Bachman got it bad; and all over a course that wouldn't even have send him to summer school for failing.”
“And then some. You know the order the machine randomly chose? It is the worst possible combo, according to some Pennies I've interviewed.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, the Paddle's deep thud, hurts for longer, and a blistering to boot. Then the welting surface sting of the cane make even more tender spots. Then over all that to get a strap. I'm just glad the rejuve mall hasn't gotten around to getting their own SpankMaster, it would be too tempting for my Parents when I get caught wandering off.”
“My mom would probably still do it herself even if one was there. Anyway I'm sure once the colony grows enough we will eventually have enough pennies that the mall will get one.”
Rodger stayed near his own project for most of the morning answering anyone's questions about his Inca inspired irrigation plan for Mt. Soketto. Demonstrating how the pumps varied their flow of either back up the dormant volcano, or into the river depending on how much rain their was. And how it can handle the heavy rain of the long wet season. Maiuchi of course being an equatorial capital didn't really have summer and winter like seasons, but instead had wet and dry seasons, and even the dry seasons was not without rain.
It was currently the short dry season, which ran from July though October. Making Hallowe'en a bit iffy for that was when the long wet season began and would last till December. Which was cool with Rodger. For the long dry season started just before the holiday season and lasted until May and the new school year did not year did start until February. Which left short wet season that would last though to the end of June.
After the judges were finished with Rodger's presentation, Rodger wandered the fair. He found that the science of the projects in general was a bit simplistic, but then even with the advance knowledge of rejuvenated student body, they were still working with a brain in the preteen state of development. The presentations themselves where not lacking though; as expected with the art focused culture.
After comparing notes with his friends over lunch they were bussed across town to the Kindern High School. With everyone with their PADDs out they were distributed around the High School's gym; making their rounds and rating each of the projects in turn.
Rodger was grouped with Brian, Melcome, Jackie and Eartha. Rodger was happy when they came across Karlara's project. Karlara had not stopped with just the electronic musical keyboard that he had been advising her on. In addition to her paper on sound waves and musical notes, she had hooked it into a monitor. So that the note would not only display on an oscilloscope representation, but would also modify a fractal; producing an animation effect.
Jackie made a few random key-presses to study the output, before she made a show of cracking her fingers, and began to play the ancient tune, Baby Elephant Walk. The upbeat jazzy tune kept the fractal pulsating as it danced on the monitor.
“Wow you're good,” purred Eartha; her tail twitching with the tune.
“Well, my parents have been keeping me at it to help with my retaining for fine manual dexterity. Music's math and patterns has a lot in common with my cartography,” Jackie said with a blush at the complement.
“Can you read that sheet music?” Brian asked pointing to the page Karlara had put out with her project.
“I can try, it looks a bit complicated. It ranges all over the place,” Jackie hedged.
“Karlara was going to choose a piece that would show off the range of the keyboard,” said Rodger.
“Well it deftly will do that,” Jackie confirmed. “Lets see now...” she trialed off as she began to play the piece.
“Zounds!” Eartha exclaimed. “That is a very traditional Jalaxian D'jetar tune, but there is not enough room here, to do the steps. For they too range all over the place.”
The groups was more than happy to give this project a high score.
.oOo.
When they were bussed back, and filed into the auditorium again for a final role call, and announcement of the results. Rodger was pleased, not only had he gotten the 3rd grade award, but he won the fair's ribbon. The Judges cited the fact his project showed a good forward thinking about public land use. But then isn't it traditional for a volcano project to win a science fair? Brian was also pleased with the respectable grade he received on his project, a personal best for a science fair project.
