The Misadventures of Samantha and Malcolm/Chapter 4 The Complicated Case of Mrs. Moley's Vase

[Disclaimer: this story features the punitive corporal punishment and humiliation of (physical) minors.

Alison affixed the red checked clip-on tie to her young charge, and then turned him around so he could see himself in the mirror. “Oh, aren’t you just adorable!” she squealed. Malcolm stared at himself, in a pastel blue coat and matching shorts, white shoes, light yellow shirt, and red bowtie. “All three primary colors represented. If Superman was going to a dinner party, this is what he would wear,” she said. Alison herself was wearing a long black cocktail dress with a red fringe on the strapless neckline. “I’m having trouble thinking of Superman in my position,” said Malcolm. “Oh right, he would never commit a crime,” said Alison. No, he would have just used his x-ray vision to see through the walls I was trying to get through, thought Malcolm. “The girl is ready,” said Jet, from the other side of the room. He produced Samantha in the ensemble her mother had chosen: a light green dress with a lilac sash around the waist, with black shoes, and orange hair ribbons. The dress itself was so short and loose, that just lifting her arms was enough to give the world a view of her pink panties. Jet was wearing his white suite with his dark green tie and brown scarf. “Is there a reason he’s in primary and I am in secondary,” asked Samantha. “I realized I had a theme going and I went with it,” said Alison. “I mean, why am I in secondary colors when I have seniority?” asked Samantha. “Well, if you disagree with my decision, you are free to remove your clothes and attend the dinner naked,” answered Alison.

*** 	Jet rang the doorbell. After a bit, Mrs. Tulip Moley opened the door. She was a rather severe woman (even by penny parent standards) with platinum blonde hair, her eyebrows slanted downward towards her nose, a nose that had a bit of an upturn, as if she was always looking down at whoever she was talking to. “Alison, Jet. So good to see you. Do come in. “The Martin family made their way into the opulent round foyer with a winding staircase that led upstairs. The house was expansive, and done in the “Classic Earth” style of wooden appointments and intricate wallpaper. The focus point of the room was a marble top table at the center proudly displaying an antique vase filled with local flora. 	Wow, a penny could get in real trouble for breaking anything in this house, thought Malcolm. “Welcome, guests!” declared Arthur Moley as he proudly strode into the room. He was a somewhat short man, with a rather wide countenance. His elderly face was wrinkled with the lines of thousands of good natured smiles. “Jet, my boy! So good to see you again. That fraud case finished yet?” asked Moley. “I cannot discuss…”started Jet. “Oh, of course! Quite right! Quite right, no need for shop talk here. And your good lady, Alisa.” “Alison,” she corrected. “Alison! Of course! Do forgive me,” he turned his eyes downward towards the child-convicts. “Ah, little Samantha, if I remember correctly, you made a rather obscene gesture to the prosecuting council,” he said. “Yes sir,” confessed Samantha. “Have you shown such disrespect to your parents recently?” Moley asked. “No sir,” Samantha answered. “That’s right! That’s how you make early parole,” said Moley. “And here’s little Malcolm.” Malcolm retreated a bit towards his mother’s legs. “The crime scene footage of your legs flailing in the air with the rest of you stuck in a wall got quite the laugh in the offices.” Malcolm let out a little whine. “You were the shortest sentence I have ever bestowed you know,” said Moley. “It feels longer from here sir,” said Malcolm. Moley let out a big laugh. “Yes, I imagine it does!” he guffawed. “You both know our own daughter, from school…Well where did she go?” he looked back and forth, finding nothing. “Oh there she is,” he gestured to his wife’s dress. Surly enough, there was a little girl with long brown hair and glasses clutching to the back of Mrs. Moley’s skirt. “Amber, you will greet our guests,” Mrs. Moley stated as she guided Amber in front of her with one hand. Amber complied. Malcolm heard the crinkle of a diaper beneath her skirt. The child walked up to Jet & Alison and gave a curtsy. “Hello Mr. And Mrs. Martin, we are pleased to receive you,” she said. “How long have you had her rehearsing that?” asked Alison. “All week,” said Mrs. Moley. “Same here,” said Alison. “I’ve spent all week instilling better table manners in my kids through the usual methods…” she shot a little glance at Sam and Mal, their hands flew instinctively to their bottoms. “You are the first to arrive,” said Moley as he guided them into the living room, “We are also expecting the Stevens, the Campbells, the Wilies, the Cummings, and my right honorable colleague Regina.” “You invited Judge Bullingham?” started Jet. Regina Bullingham was the judge less patient detectives wanted presiding over their cases; she had spectacular talent for undermining defense witnesses, overruling valid objections, and belittling defendants. She also had been overturned by the court of appeals more times than any sitting judge. When the downed trader ships had been brought in, the ensuing public panic and demand for action caused the higher ups to assign her to a special prosecutorial court to put the survivors on trial and keep citizens from getting forbidden technology. Jet was very sure that if Malcolm wasn’t so incompetent in his own crime he would have been before Bullingham instead of Moley. “Yes, I know that she long ago traded her milk for gall, but she did assign Amber to us. Oh! Have you met Terri here?” said Moley as a girl of about fourteen or fifteen years entered the living room, wearing her brown hair in a ponytail and a polka dot party dress. Malcolm and Samantha, trained to pay attention to hierarchy, studied her hands, finding the “C” of Completas. “Hello sir, ma’am” Terri said as she shook hands with the Martin parents. “I will be looking after your children for the night at the children’s table,” she gestured to a long, modular table in the center of the room, covered with a tablecloth and set with plates and sliver wear. The door bell rang. “Allow me,” said Mrs. Moley, as she strode back into the foyer. “Tonight,” said Terri to Malcolm and Samantha, “You will be dining on the highest quality liver and onions that the British cookbook can provide, and desert…” Hope rose in their little hearts. “…Well desert will be felt, not tasted.” Their heats fell to the ground. “I like to call it: Just Deserts,” she said. “Careful, girl,” said Mr. Moley, “Use every man after his desert, and who shall 'scape whipping?” he quoted. “Have you met the Martins?” Mrs. Moley asked the newly arrived guests: The Cummings Family. Jaydee and Natalie were wearing white and pink party dresses with short, puffy sleeves, with the waistline of the dress cut high so that the skirt started around the sternum, with the same extra high cut to the legs that Samantha had (subsequently, Malcolm would later notice their panties’ seats had two lines of ruffles across the seats). As the adults exchanged the usual pleasantries, Samantha rushed over to Jaydee and Natalie, and all three began an excited exchange of whispered information that seems to come so naturally to females. Malcolm stood there, wishing he could just go up and talk to Natalie…but he would feel like he was interrupting. He paced about the room, and then he paced in the adjoining hall for a bit getting up the courage, and then walked back into the room…only to find that none of the other pennies were in sight. A stray foot disappearing behind a sofa betrayed their location. He put his knees on the sofa and poked his head over the top to find Jaydee, Natalie, Samantha, and Amber crouching behind the cushions. “What’s going on?” he queried. “Shut up and HIDE!” whispered Jade. “SHE’S here.” “Who?” asked Malcolm. The hooked handle of a cane took him by the head and guided him off the couch and under the gaze of a woman in her early fifties with long rust brown hair and a vindictive gaze. She was wearing a two piece black pants suite and a blood colored shirt, with a black leather handbag. The cane she held in her right hand was solid ebony. “And you are?” she asked. “M…Malcolm Martin…Ma’am,” he stuttered. She placed the head of her cane under his chin and tilted his head up towards her face. “No points for partial answers, Malcolm.” she said. “Your sentence and crime come next.” “Ma’am, sorry Ma’am! Two to four ages six to twelve for criminal trespass!” he blurted out. “Sorry, very sorry.” “Judge Bullingham,” said Jet as he placed his hands on his boy’s shoulders, Bullingham removed her cane from Malcolm’s face, Malcolm was grateful. “That will be quite enough, my son will be suffering enough tonight.” “Detective Martin,” regarded Judge Bullingham. She turned her attention to the couch. “Any Penny behind this couch is getting a bare bottom paddling if they are not out b the time I count to oh…” all four girls were out in the open and lined up before she got to the numbers. “Ah, the Cummings children,” she loomed over Jaydee and Natalie. “You two require no introduction. I have some special implements I will be introducing to your bottoms tonight.” Tears were welling up in their eyes. “And Amber,” Bullingham said as she loomed over Amber Moley, “I assume that you have learned some self control since your trial under me.” Amber was frozen. “Well?” demanded the Judge. Amber shrieked a shriek that filled the room and the halls (and probably made an appearance on the driveway too). The shriek turned into a gargantuan sob: “WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I WEP MAAAAAAH PAAAAAAAAAANS! WAAAAAAAAAAAH!” she grabbed her diaper through her dress and collapsed to the floor. “Tulip,” said Judge Bullingham, her head buried in her left hand. “Do something with your child.” “Come here, Amber,” said Mrs. Moley as she scooped up the sobbing Amber and carried her towards the stairs. “I know, I know. But you must understand that my cousin, Regina, is the spawn of unholy forces.” That final comment was directed more at Regina than Amber. *** 	After Amber was dried, powdered, and placed in a new diaper, the other guests had all arrived. The adults had taken their place in the dining hall and Terri was minding the children in the living room. Malcolm had managed to get sat next to Natalie, and he still couldn’t work up the nerve to even speak to her. Come on man, it was so easy when she asked you about ships, heck it just flowed off of your tongue…SAY something, but not something stupid…okay, let’s think this out. What can I say…? “Malcolm,” said Natalie. “Yes!” blurted out Malcolm, taken by surprise. “Um, could you pass the rolls?” she said. Terri taped her hairbrush on the table. “Natalie, how should we say it?” she directed. “Oh! Um, Malcolm, would you please pass the rolls?” Natalie corrected herself. “Yes, I would,” he picked up the basket of dinner rolls and handed them to Natalie. “Thank you, Malcolm,” said Natalie. “You’re welcome, Natalie,” said Malcolm. “That’s much better,” said Terri. “Uh, Natalie…” said Malcolm. “Yes,” she said. “Um…how were you captured,” he asked. Natalie was actually willing to relate the details of her story. After a bit, though Malcolm got curious about a detail: “Wait, how did your ship’s cloaking device work?” he asked. “Well we mask our energy signature by refrigerating the armor and the engine signature is handled with a temporary heat sink. No need to actually make ourselves invisible because you have to be pretty close, in space terms, to actually see someone,” said Natalie. “At, but you still didn’t hide your mass from quantum scanners,” said Malcolm “Never heard of them,” she said. “Well, without going into too much of the technical specs, we figured out how to detect variations in space-time the way a fish would detect ripples in water,” Malcolm said, “the sensor itself can only detect miniscule fluctuations, but once the computer knows where to point a high power camera, it’s easy to spot intruders. Heat doesn’t enter into it. If you’ve got mass, we can find you.” “You could detect a ship that wasn’t much bigger than thirty meters?” asked Natalie. “Well, maybe not normally, but when a whole bunch of ships got brought down last year, everyone got a little extra paranoid and they buffed up the scanners.” “I think something is up,” Samantha whispered to Natalie. Malcolm silently cursed her for interrupting. “Why?” asked Natalie. “Terri’s slipping too much,” said Samantha. “She’s letting too many things slide. And when Steven spilled his grape juice on his suit, she got out a stain pen and erased it! “Maybe she’s just being nice,” said Jaydee. “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” “That’s what the Trojans said,” said Natalie. “I have a surprise for all of you!” announced Terri as she abandoned the table and tucked into the hall. “Look what I brought!” she produced a multiplayer foam dart targeting system. It was quite the rage with children, the projector created holographic targets in the desired space and the four guns provided were used to dispatch them. There was a murmur of excitement and enticement among the pennies. “I know you kids don’t get many breaks, so here you go, enjoy…” she let the kids circle round. “I don’t know,” cautioned Natalie, “there are a lot of…Jaydee, NO!” she kept her sister for reaching for a toy blaster. “We really should ask our parents first.” “I agree,” said Samantha “Same here,” said Malcolm. “I’m just gonna close these doors,” said Terri as she slid one of the two sliding doors to the foyer closed. “Come on, all the breakable stuff in this room is in display cases,” argued Jaydee. “Listen I’m just gonna go ask mom and dad if we can,” said Malcolm as he made his way to the hallway. “Right, that’s good you get DEEEE!” Natalie was interrupted when Jaydee got her in the butt with a foam dart. “Just ask!” Natalie went towards Jaydee, Malcolm went into the hallway. He made a turn and he stepped through a door into a full dining room, just in time to hear Judge Bullingham declaring: “They’re not citizens, they are enemy combatants! They are lucky they got a trail at all!” “Excuse me…” piped Malcolm. The adults turned their gaze towards him. “Yes, Malcolm?” said Alison. “Do you have something to say? Before he could answer, the sound of ceramics shattering drifted in from the hallway, followed by a chorus of childish shrieks. To look upon the faces of the adults gathered, was like looking upon a school of piranha that has just spotted a chunk of fresh meat. There was an immediate exodus from the dining room directly to the living room. They found Jaydee and Natalie, with their hands over the same blaster pointed towards the foyer and the rest of the pennies frozen in fear. Terri opened the closed sliding door to reveal the vase of the central table, shattered on the ground, and not far from it, an orange foam dart.

To be continued…

“This is gonna womp,” said Samantha. “That vase was an heirloom from my grandmother who brought it all the way from EARTH!” Mrs. Moley declared. “Mrs. Moley, I am so sorry,” said Terri. “It was my fault; I left them with a toy blaster for only a moment! But the dart ricocheted off the wall and hit the vase.” “A toy blaster in my house? What made you think bringing one of these…” she snatched the toy gun out of Jaydee’s hands, “…you provided them with this?” “I just thought they could use a break,” said Terri. “My vase is the one that broke!” said Mrs. Moley. “I will cover every expense of the repair,” said Terri. “I will take it to UR-mart right now, they have a repair station.” There were tears in her eyes. “Oh, Ur-mart’s a rip-off,” said Malcolm. “I used to work for a guy on Manchester Road, he could do a job like this for two hundred fifty.” “Only two fifty?” she asked. This news seemed to make her more emotional. “Can we stay on topic here?” demanded Bullingham. “It was clearly these two,” she gestured to Jaydee and Natalie with her cane, “that fired the offending shot!” Jaydee and Natalie collapsed to their knees and held on to each other. “Well! Account for yourselves!” she demanded. “I…I…was trying to get her to put it down…” started Natalie. “And my trigger finger slipped,” continued Jaydee. “I’ll take it from here,” interjected a somber Mr. Moley. “RJ, call up the video log of the living room.” “Right away, sir,” answered a computer’s voice. “I find it nearly inevitable that when you get at least 5 pennies in one place at least one of them does something to earn a spanking,” said Judge Moley. A painting on the central wall turned black and was replaced by a surveillance video of the pennies eating. Every onlooker saw Malcolm leave the room, Natalie talk to her sister, a struggle for the gun, and the single shot that went into the foyer, and the ricochet that vanished behind the half closed door, the crack of the vase shattering, and Terri’s scream. The screen went black. “That will be all RJ,” said Mr. Moley. “Very good sir,” said the computer. “Mister Martin,” the elderly judge addressed Malcolm. “Why did you leave the room?” “I wanted to ask permission to play with it,” said Malcolm with some worry. “That was the correct course of action,” said Moley as Malcolm allowed in some cautious hope. “I am very surprised that only one out of all of you behaved so well. Miss Cummings, Miss Cummings,” Mr. Moley addressed the girls, “destruction of property is very serious.” The girls’ sobs increased in volume. “Terri’s offer of financial remuneration mitigates your actions, but such negligence in penitatas simply cannot go unanswered. The only mercy I can offer you is that there will be no formal charge for this offence, and as such will not affect the length of your sentences.” Mrs. Cummings breathed a sigh of relief. “Every Penny who was in this room at the moment of the assault upon my wife’s property shall receive a very through paddling followed by sessions with your corner chairs.” The pennies whimpered in unison. “And the Cummings children, after suffering the same spanking and time out, shall receive twelve strokes of the cane each.” Jaydee and Natalie let out a wail. “Malcolm, you shall aid Terri in cleaning up the remains of the vase for the fabricator, then you both shall come up to the study and view the punishment of your comrades, where I hope their tears will impress the magnitude of this situation upon you. The Judges and Mrs. Moley guided the guilty pennies down the hall to the study. The parents went out to their cars to fetch the corner stools. Terri and Malcolm set to their work diligently with brooms and dust pans. “I wouldn’t expect this much powering,” said Malcolm as he struggled with that last line dust that refused to get into the pan. “Just be sure to get every last piece,” emphasised Terri. “Yeah sure I…” Malcolm stopped, picked up a piece of the vase, and studied it. This isn’t an antique, this is Styrestone, he thought. He started to pace the adjoining hallway as he analyzed the texture and break pattern. Terri gave no sign of noticing his neglect of duty. This is all wrong, his train of thought continued.'' There’s no way this cheap reproduction is worth more than twenty credits. Natalie and Jadyee are about to get the caning of a lifetime over twenty credits.'' “Malcolm, I’m off to Ur-mart,” called out Terri. “Yeah, whatever,” replied Malcolm absent-mindedly. I have to do something, his mind raced as he raced to the study. I mean this has to mean something, at least reduce the number of strokes-he turned the corner and found a frightening scene. Most of the Pennies were lined up against the opposing wall, every one of their bottoms exposed to the open: boys with dropped pants, girls holding their own skirts up. The adults were either seated upon one of two couches or standing behind said couches. Mr. Moley sat behind an ornate desk. Jaydee and Natalie had both been striped to their socks, Bullingham sat in a straight backed chair in the center of the room, Jaydee kneeled before her with her hands behind her head, Natalie was stretched out over Bullingham’s knees, her right arm pinned to her back, her left hand covering her face as she cried. Bullingham raised a small round, hole-drilled paddle and said: “Brace yourself.” Malcolm could not contain his rage as he screamed: “HANDS OFF!” Every eye in the room was on Malcolm. He thought it prudent to present his evidence before any of the adults had the chance break through the shock to admonish him. “It’s a fake,” he stated as he presented the palm sized fragment. “This ISN’T an antique! It’s a styrestone reproduction.” “It is so an antique,” said Mrs. Moley from her position on a couch. “You are painfully mistaken.” “Look closely,” said Malcolm as he drew closer to her. “You can see it in the cross section. See how porous the core is? Real ceramics are solid. And look at the layer of paint, barely even a millimeter thick, you can’t even see it in the cross section. What’s more the cracked vase itself was too fragmented and too powdery, finally the break pattern is too rounded, not nearly jagged enough to be real.” He handed the fragment to Mrs. Moley. “This is ridiculous!” declared Judge Bullingham. "Why, the boy is right,” said Mr. Moley having risen and now looking over his wife’s shoulder. “Remember the last time I broke this vase six months ago and Amber just fitted it all back together like a puzzle for the repair shop? Malcolm, where ever did you acquire this expertise?" “I worked as a fabricator’s apprentice to pay my way through grad school,” Malcolm said with pride. “It was a great opportunity to…” Mrs. Moley cut him off. “This is impossible,” said Mrs. Moley. “I had the thing appraised six months ago! By three separate agencies. All three agreed it was genuine!” “Well then they weren’t appraising this,” said Malcolm. “Because I wouldn’t take more than twenty creds for this thing. I mean given the circumstances, you could at least reduce-” “That is enough!” yelled Judge Bullingham. “The property in question is irrelevant, the reckless actions of these children are still-” “Hush up Regina,” interrupted Mr. Moley. “The court of appeals is now in session, and let the poor girl off your lap before you break her arm.” Bullingham looked down and realized she had been subconsciously twisting Natalie’s arm in her frustration. She let the girl go, and both the Cummings children retreated to their parents. Natalie buried her face in her father’s chest as he took her up into his lap. Bullingham abandoned the center stage. "Excuse me,” called out Samantha from the wall. “May I add my expertise to this discussion?" “The chair recognizes expert witness Samantha Martin,” said Judge Moley. “please take the stand. Oh, and until this matter is resolved, all pennies may feel free to restore their garments to their dignified states, for those of you who do not speak the King’s English, means yank up your knickers and trousers.” The pennies complied. “And come around and watch. It’ll be a good civics lesson.” He moved the straight chair to the side of his desk and bid Samantha to take a seat. He had successful set up a makeshift court. “Now,” he said. “Samantha, if you will give your testimony.” “Well,” said Samantha, “It occurs to me that if a piece of your property has gone missing and there were no broken lock or alarms set off, it means that it was an inside job.” “Amber!” accused Bullingham. “I convicted you of Art Forgery. What do you know about this?” Amber ducked behind a couch. “Don’t hide from me!” “Um, no, Amber wouldn’t have anything to do with this,” Samantha interjected. “How would you know?” asked Bullingham, in a rather accusatory tone of voice. “Because no one with half a brain cell would ever work with a penny,” laughed Samantha. “The common expression is: Never work with any penny you don’t want to go to school with. Pennies roll on everyone. I mean they…well…WE can’t help it. We get paddled once a day if we’re nice, of course we’re going to rat out anyone we work with.” Samantha crossed her legs and slouched into a more relaxed position. “For that matter, no one would ever be stupid enough to steal from a judge. I mean that is a whole new kind of attention.” “So,” said Judge Moley, “that narrows the field to an amateur thief with access to my house who is not connected to Amber. You wouldn’t happen to have any names?” “Gladly, I can say that I do not,” said Samantha. “Hm, Malcolm,” said the judge. “I don’t suppose you could narrow the field of shops that could do this kind of work.” “I’m afraid I cannot sir,” answered Malcolm. “This is the most common type of fabrication material used, easy to mold cheap to buy, and impossible to recycle. I mean you would have trouble finding a household that didn’t have at least one styrestone piece somewhere in it.” “Hm, that is a problem,” said the judge. “However…” offered Malcolm, “shops sometimes sign their work.” “Mal,” said Samantha, “it would be pretty far off to assume that this guy would sign his work.” “Well, it’s worth a shot,” argued Malcolm. “That it is,” agreed Judge Moley. “Where is Terri with those pieces of the vase?” A memory clicked in Malcolm’s head. He was so busy imagining the horrors being visited on Natalie he hadn’t thought about it at the moment. “Terri left with the other fragments,” said Malcolm, “she said she was taking them to Ur-mart.” Moley frowned “Malcolm,” said Judge Moley. Do you mean to tell me that the primary evidence in this case was spirited away by…” “By Terri Timson,” interjected Mrs. Moley. “Yeah, Terri’s been acting weird all night,” said Samantha. “How do you mean?” ask Judge Moley. Samantha related the minor infractions Terri had neglected to punish, and emphasized the fact that Terri not only provided them with the dart blaster, but had left them practically alone with it.” “I’m getting to the bottom of this,” declared Mrs. Moley as she marched over to the comm console with furious determination, Amber clinging to the back of her skirts. After applying the comm piece to her ear and a bit of fiddling, her entire attitude seemed to shift from anger to polite accommodation: “Terri! Where are you? You’re missing the punishment!” she grinned. “…Oh! You didn’t need to do that!...Oh well if it’s done, it’s done. But still come back! If you hurry you can still make the dessert course!...Alright, see you soon.” Once the link was severed her attitude returned to one of exacting conviction. “She’s on her way,” said Mrs. Moley. “Very good,” said Judge Moley. “Now Detective Martin,” he approached Jet, “I have some private schooling for you.”

To be concluded…

Terri zipped into the drive way on her scooter and tucked it next to the gathered cars. It’s okay, she assured herself. ''Everything is going to be okay. I’ll get some cake, I’ll talk some more, I’ll come back next week with the genuine article and everything will be over.'' She opened the front door herself, closing it after her. She turn about and realized that things were darker in this house than when she left, the only lights were on upstairs and-oh…Mrs. Moley was standing at the top of them. “Terri,” said Mrs. Moley, noticeably absent of the optimistic tone she had struck over the phone, “come upstairs.” SHE KNOWS, thought Terri as she ascended. She was led to the study, wherein she found the entire dinner party assembled, with no friendly found anywhere. Rinni stuck out her tongue at her. “Have a seat, Terri,” said Judge Moley from behind his desk. The Martin children were sitting in chairs He gestured to a straight back chair in the center of the room facing the desk. She complied. “Did everything go well at the repair shop?” asked the judge. “Um…Yes?” it was more of a guess than an answer. “I find that surprising since the equipment they have on hand would have extrapolated from the available pieces that there was one piece missing,” Judge Moley produced a palm sized fragment. “I…um…” Terri furiously searched her mind for some deception that would save her. None came. “The contents of the bag on her scooter,” announced Jet as he entered the room. Terri had been so busy looking at everyone else she hadn’t realized Jet was absent when she entered. Jet produced Mrs. Moley’s vase, complete and intact, and set it on the desk. Terri felt as if the floor was about to give out under her. “Terri, I’m afraid this is very serious,” said Judge Moley. “With this vase appraised at over two thousand credits, this qualifies as a Grand Larceny charge. Furthermore, you are a repeat offender, which will aggravate your sentence significantly. Terri, I am going to give you one opportunity to explain yourself.” She took some time to cry, then she finally replied. “I didn’t steal it,” she sobbed. “I was bringing it back after I broke it!” “So the Cummings children did not break it?” asked the Judge. “No, they broke the fake I had Ur-Mart make,” said Terri, the tears and snot flowing like rivers. “I broke the real one last week.” “When we had you water the plants while we were at our son’s wedding?” asked Mrs. Moley. “Yeeb,” sobbed Terri. “I waab gonna witch it back tonight *GASP* but then BWAAAAAAAH! I can’t go back! I don’t wann go back! I just didn’t wanna go baaaaaack!” As she sniffled, little Amber hopped out of her momma’s lap, fetched a tissue from a dispenser, and walked it over to Terri, who was grateful for at least this small show of affection. “It’s real,” she promised. “Thibbs one ibs da rea ona, yo gotta beleeeeeehaaa…” her voice transformed into one long incoherent gush. “Why, of course it’s the real one,” said Judge Moley. “A six year old child could tell this is the real one.” He turned to Malcolm. “Malcolm, is this the real one?” there was a slight chuckle from the crowd as Malcolm waddled off the couch he had been sitting on, carried a chair over to the desk and stood on it to examine the vase. He turned a lamp towards it, turned it on its side, handled it, looked inside and said: “No professional notations of any kind, appropriate weight, and differences in interior and exterior textures consistent with years of use. Seems genuine to me!” he placed the vase back on the desk (rather carefully, for an increased fear of breaking it himself). “Something does puzzle me, Terri,” said Judge Moley. “Why did you give the children the dart gun set?” “It was a distraction,” she sniffled. “I was gonna bowwow *sniff* my brother’s hologram vid dydtem, but that got a virus tobay *sniff* and I borrowed dat gun stuff intead.” Mrs. Moley smacked herself in the head. “Terri Timson,” Judge Moley rose form his seat. “The quality of mercy is not stained in my household. And given the consideration and financial remuneration you have provided, I see no reason to bring a formal charge upon you for this matter.” “OH TANK YOU!” Terri sobbed her hardest. The assembled pennies understood her gratitude. Repeat offenders were known to suffer worse punishments than their tender bottoms knew. “That is the only good news I can offer you,” said Judge Moley. “If you and the children will repair to the nursery, I am going to put in a call to your assigned parents, Terri. We will discuss your punishment with them.

Some minutes (and a good deal of trepidation) later, everyone was seated in the spacious living room on either couches or the chairs from the dining room. At the children’s table, each place was set with a single portion of banana pudding. Moley stood up. “Jaydee and Natalie Cummings, come before me,” he ordered. They complied. “Were it not for Terri’s ill fated efforts to cover up her crime, it appears that neither of you would have committed the crime you were charged with. Not only that, the property damaged was never my wife’s at all, but a cheap forgery. As such, you are both more sinned against than sinned, and I see no reason to torment you, or your comrades, further.” The pair took in a joyous gasp and grabbed each other’s hands in excitement. “Provided,” he added, “that your behavior is exemplary for the remainder of the night.” “Yes, sir,” the girls said in unison. “You may step down,” they both retreated to their parents laps. “Terri Timson, you will come up.” Having regained her composure (though retaining the redness in her eyes), she dutifully obeyed. “We have discussed it with your assigned parents and you will be given several very large punishments off the record, the first of which will happen tonight, by an arm in much better shape than mine. Judge Bullingham will punish you, and you will be working for her free of charge over the weekends for the next four weeks, she has some chores for you. Should she find you lax in any of the duties she assigns she will punish you further, and at the end of those four weeks this punishment will be repeated.” He turned to Bullingham. “Regina, the girl is yours.” Judge Bullingham rose, walked a chair to the center of the room and placed herself in it. “Down,” she commanded. Terri obediently placed herself over the judge’s knees. Bullingham pulled Terri’s Polka dot skirt out of the way, and yanked down her panties. Malcolm, sitting on his mother’s lap, felt his blood rise with excitement as he gazed upon her exposed skin. Bullingham pulled that wicked little paddle out of her pocket and set to work. It was hard and fast. The woman was merciless. Malcolm felt a shameful rush of pleasure as he watched Terri’s twin globes of girl-flesh dance under the blows. Her legs writhed, her teeth gritted as the harsh rhythm of wood upon flesh filled the room. Finally she began to speak. “I’m sooooooreeeee,” she whined. “I’ll make you sorry!” declared Bullingham as she continued without missing a beat. Terri’s bottom was hot pink by now, with irregular little bruises forming under the holes in the paddle. Malcolm’s initial excitement at watching an older girl get punished was slowly but surely being replaced with pity for the girl that was suffering under Bullingham’s brutal hand. Eventually it was over, leaving a crying Terri with a large pink and red bruise on each cheek. Bullingham guided the girl up, stood up, and bent her over the chair sideways. Terri didn’t have long to compose herself. Bullingham fetched her ebony cane. With a twist of the handle, she drew it forth from the shaft. Malcolm realized that, in the style of old gentlemen’s sword canes, Bullingham had been carrying a thin, synthecord cane in her ebony cane. The judge planted the tip of her cane in the middle of one of Terri’s bruises, drawing a gasp from the poor girl. “Brace yourself child,” she ordered, took two steps to Terri’s side and laid her cane down accros her bottom in full force. SWICK! “EEEEEE!” Terri cried. Malcolm hid his eyes behind his hands in shame and fear. But he could still hear the- SWICK! “EEEEAAAAA!” SWICK! Alison picked up on her charge’s anxiety. She hugged Malcolm close to her and started rocking slightly. She felt him relax a bit. SWICK! “EAAAAA!” SWICK! “PLEEEEAAA-!” SWICK! “GAAA!” Bullingham laid down her marks with precision, each on across both cheeks, not one crossing the other. Terri was grasping on to the legs of the chair for dear life. SWICK! Her legs kicked. SWICK! “NEVA AGAIN!” SWICK! “ILNEBADOITAGAIN!” SWICK! “BWAAAAAH” SWICK! SWICK! Terri’s sobs continued. “You are finished for tonight girl,” said Bullingham, dismissively. Terri slowly pushed herself off the chair, and pulled up her panties. “Come along, dear,” offered Mrs. Moley as she took the girl by the shoulders. “I have some nanolotion in the lavatory.” She guided the sobbing girl out of the room. Amber followed. “Well,” said Judge Moley, “now that that is out of the way. Malcolm and Samantha Martin, come before me.” The pair obeyed. “Malcolm,” he addressed the boy, “your studious eye caught miniscule evidence of wrongdoing, and what’s more you acted in the best interest of justice, blowing past the insolence of office to do it. How far you shine in this naughty world.” Malcolm felt ten feet tall. “And Samantha,” said the Judge. “Your insights guided us away from the innocent and straight to the real culprit. And you took the wind right out of Reggie’s sails.” Judge Bullingham snorted. “Well done both of you.” Malcolm and Samantha regarded each other’s smiling faces. “The pennies were to be eating a single portion of banana pudding each for desert. But in recognition of your service to my household, I see fit to award each of you one piece of red velvet cake from the adult’s table in addition.” He produced the said pieces and set them at their assigned places. “And so I declare this case closed.” The adults filed out to the main dining room. Alison volunteered to take her desert in the living room to fill the void that Terri had left. The pennies were awash with excitement and gratitude to the Martins. “Thanks Malcolm!” “Samantha, you rock!” “I’ve never gotten OUT of a spanking before!” “I thought Bullingham was going to gorge you!” The children all took up their deserts and scattered themselves around the room as they ate them. Malcolm took up his cake and started towards Natalie, only to be stopped by Amber grabbing on to his shirt. “Can I give your pudding to Terri?” she asked. “Samantha said no.” Malcolm considered. “Yeah, sure,” he answered. She’s had it rough enough anyway, he thought. Natalie was sitting in a cluster of four with Jaydee, Samantha, and Anthony. Malcolm walked over and waited until there was a lull in conversation to interject. “Um, Natalie,” he managed to fumble out of his mouth. Natalie turned her head up to look at him. “Yes?” she asked. “Do you wanna share my cake?” he asked. Well that gave Natalie pause. Anthony filled the void. “Hey can I have s-” Jaydee grabbed him by the mouth to silence him. “We’ll be over here,” she said. She grabbed Samantha and Anthony and pulled them away, leaving Malcolm and Natalie more or less alone. “Well?” asked Malcolm. “Oh, um…” it was Natalie’s turn to fumble. “Yes, yes I would.” Terri lay face down on the bed of the guest room, her head buried in the pillows in sorrow and shame. She had made several withdrawals from the tissues on the right side and deposits in the waste basket on the left. Someone poked her. She drew forth her head from the pillows and found little Amber standing on the side of the bed with two cups of pudding and a spoon in each, offering one to her. Terri started crying again. “Oh! Amber,” She hugged the little child. “You’re an angel.”



Malcolm and Natalie sat on the first step of the stairs in the foyer. Malcolm had been alternated putting bites of cake in his mouth and then in Natalie’s mouth as they talked about how troubling their individual siblings were. After he gave her the bite with the icing flower, she said: “Malcolm nobody has done anything like…that for me in a long time.” “Well, you deserved it,” he said. “I just…Thank you, so much,” she said. And she planted a quick kiss on his cheek. Warm blood charged over Malcolm’s face. Samantha’s blood did likewise as she withdrew, they had a few seconds to look each other in the eyes before Alison called from the living room. “Malcolm, Samantha, I want you where I can see you,” she ordered win a sing-song voice. They quickly returned to the living room and the eye of authority (much to their chagrin).

The pennies spent the remainder of the evening enthralled by the animated movie Alison rolled on the living room screen. One by one they all fell asleep until it was time to go. And so the goodbyes were said pleasantries were exchanged, and families were loaded into their respective vehicles and returned to their homes. Many agreed it was the most interesting dinner party they could remember.

(Consequently, Jet was a little more reluctant to punish his children over the next week)