Natty Stories/Page1

I Become a Penitatas
"Natalie Bates, you are convicted of first-degree murder. Your sentence is 10 times 3 to 8. Due to the (cough) extenuating circumstances, your sentence is much shorter than usual. Be grateful for that."

I bowed my head, trying not to show my true feelings. Honestly! She was dying. She wanted to die. Her life wasn't worth living when the disease caused constant pain. But in a world of immortals, no one believes in euthanasia anymore. And so I am a murderess.

"However, as a violent offender, you will receive six Special Punishment Days. As you are Christian, Easter and Christmas are standard. Your birthday and Diaspora are the norm for all Penitatas. Thanksgiving is the normal choice for violent offenders and…bailiff, let me see the defendant's file. Ah! Valentine's day. Court is dismissed."

Taken from the judicial chamber, I am placed in a small room to enjoy my last few hours as an adult, before my life also becomes one of constant pain. For I am sentenced to a childhood of fifty years. And for the first fifteen, at the very least, I will be subject to daily spankings.

Lord. Constant, absolutely wanton cruelty is supposed to reform me? Yeah. They will not make me sorry. I have no illusions that they can and will turn me into a squalling, begging little girl. But I will not repent what I have done. A doctor always does what is best for her patients. No matter what.

At least they let me have a nice Last Meal. I suppose this will be an interesting contrast when I am choking down whatever horrible food my new "parents" will be having me eat. I contemplate my future over a delicious plate of fettucini.

There are some pluses. I was going to have to rejuvenate soon anyway, and now I don't have to pay for it. And I was thinking of going into medical research. There are a ton of chemistry, biology and medical history classes I will have to take. Not to mention the fact that they will make me take a buttload of ethical classes before they let me anywhere near a patient again. Oops. I can't swear any more. Geeze, I'm going to get spanked a lot for that.

As a small child, I will have the flexibility needed to learn a great deal. But it will be three years before I can go to school. I hope my new parents are willing to help me learn. If they are willing to get me the texts, I can study on my own. If. They'll probably try all kinds of headtricks, not letting me have things just because I want them.

I may be getting spanked and controlled, but I will get to play. A lot. That will be nice. And maybe, just maybe - no, they won't let me become a Junior Vaulter. I'll just have to resign myself to it. I was a pole vaulter well into my thirties, until the combination of an aging body and being a very busy rejuvenation specialist forced me to quit.

But while the Junior Vaulter clubs aren't that expensive, I'm sure they are non-Penitatas. Sigh.

I suppose I should sleep. But I can't. Part of me wants to savor adulthood for the last time. And part of me is just too scared to sleep.

. ..

"Wake up!" Funny, it seems I slept after all. Well, here we go.

I obediently change into the rejuvenation gown brought by my scowling jailer. He could turn around! "Let's go."

My arm is roughly grabbed and I am marched towards my doom. Somebody teach that guard some manners towards little old ladies! I don't protest, though. Not much of a point.

We enter the rejuvenation chamber and I quietly lie down on the table. Restraints are clicked around my wrists and ankles. Oh, really! Where would I go!

I feel a hypospray enter my arm. "I'm just sedating you for the rejuvenation," explains the nurse. "Don't worr…"

And everything is blackness.

Slowly, I struggle back to consciousness, despite a conviction that I really don't want to be there. For a moment, I cannot understand where I am. Everything looks so strange!

I lie still, trying to get my bearings. Never make a move until you've sussed out the area and know the rules. Oh, yes. I'm rejuvenated. Soon I will be examined and then turned over to my new parents, who will dress me and take me home. And beat the Hell..um, heck out of me.

"Hello, there, Natalie." I guess I've been watched. A huge man bends over me. "I'm Doctor Stevens and I'm going to examine you. How do you feel?"

I give an exploratory wriggle. All parts seem to be present and correct. "Fine, sir." Never hurts to be polite. In fact, in my new life, it will probably hurt seriously if I am NOT polite.

"Good. Let me scan you, then." I lie still, thankful that "proper" Penitatas examinations will not begin taking place until the next time I need to see a doctor. For now, I am being "gently" eased into the routine of my new life.

Everything is so big! Doctor Stevens is probably not that large, really. That's going to take some getting used to. While my new body practically leaps (or wants to) with energy, I can feel that much of my hard-earned muscle tone and reflexes are gone. Along with muscle memory. Great.

"Everything's fine, dear. Here," and I fight not to resist as I am scooped up. "I'll take you to your parents."

I breathe slowly, trying to calm myself. We enter a small chamber off the rejuvenation room and I see my parents for the first time.

At first glance, things seem promising. They are young, and have smile lines. The woman is blond, while the man is a redhead like me.

"Here she is!" said Doctor Stevens. "Natalie, these are your new parents, Charles and Sarah Williams."

I am transferred into Sarah's arms. "Hello, sweetie," she chirps. "Now remember, call me Mommy!"

Mommy helps me change into a really adorable blue dress. The pigtails are a nasty touch, but they will keep my hair from getting tangled. And I do have a lot of hair.

I try to be helpful, but soon discover that I will be dressed. "Hold still, dear," says Sar…Mommy, punctuating this with a swat that makes me jump.

I'm going to have to get used to having things done for me. I am allowed to put on my socks and slip on my shoes, but Mommy buckles them.

"Now take my hand," says Daddy. I bet anything this will become a standard practice. No walking alone for me!

We are shown out the building. "Daddy?" I ask, hoping to get a few things settled before we reach home and my life of pain starts.

"Yes, Natty?" Oh. I've always hated that shortening of my name. But I'd better get used to it.

"Can I do some studying? I want to work on my researcher's degree, and child flexibility is supposed.."

"Slow down, child," chuckles Mommy. "Yes, I imagine you can. When we go shopping for your clothes, we can get some study materials. But you know, you're going to need to work on the moral side of that, too." She and Daddy laugh, and I know how they intend to help.

"Yes, Mommy, I know, so if we could get the Medical Ethical and Moral Behavior text, I could get to work on that." We have reached the hovercar by now, and I am buckled into my booster seat. Arrgh.

"Certainly, Natty," says Daddy, "but remember that as a small child, concentrating for a long time will be harder."

"Yes, Daddy." I don't bother to restrain my sigh as we take off and reach our cruising height. "Do you know what I did?"

"Yes, Natty, we know just how naughty a little girl you were." Mommy and Daddy laugh and I hold onto my temper. I just know it will get me spanked a bunch.

"What I mean is, do you know why I did it?" I want to impress on them that I am not just a murderer for the heck of it.

"Yes," says Mommy, growing serious, "and we hope to help you see the error of your ways."

Danielle's face, distorted with pain, flashes before my eyes and I fight for control. "By our society's standards, what I did was very wrong, but I believe that I was right. But that aside, my point is that I am basically a decent person."

Mommy's eyes flash. "You are a Penitatas now because you killed that poor woman. And no matter what your convictions are, you will be paying for your crime."

I have to force myself to unclench my teeth. "I know. I just wanted to tell you that I will do my very best to obey you and be a good girl."

"Oh." Mommy sits back and considers this.

"Mommy, you didn't see that poor woman." I deliberately use her phrasing. "She was in so much pain, and no one was even researching the disease. It's too rare and she was too poor. No one cared. She was going to die inside of three months. She asked me to help her die. And being Christian, I truly believe she's better off now."

Mommy tries to interject something, but I rush on. "Right or wrong, please understand that I did what I thought was best."

Daddy speaks without looking away from his driving. "Fine. Our job is to change your mind about that. And it's about to start. Here's home."

And we land, cruising at low altitude through the streets to a two story with a huge lawn. With a pad. A pole vault pad. "Yyyyyou vault?" I cry with joy.

"Both of us. It's a lot of fun. Maybe you'd like to try it."

"I vaulted for twenty five years, but I didn't start till I was ten. I didn't know you could start this young."

"With a very small pole. You won't go very high, of course. We've got other things to talk about now, though."