Penalty Swats

Summary: A student at the Academy tries to file a complaint against one of his instructors. Warning: discussion of spanking of adults. Don't like? Don't read.

Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just play with them.

A/N: This one is pretty unrealistic, even by my standards... but I suspect there are other educators out there who have days when they wish this was an option! I mean no disrespect to anyone affiliated with the US Naval Academy, or to students who take their studies seriously. This is not part of my 'Lessons' series and bears no relationship to the larger plot arc developed there, but it does assume a universe in which Gibbs routinely uses corporal punishment with his team.

Warning: this story contains discussion about the spanking of adults. If you have a problem with that, click on that 'back' button now. You've been warned.

Gibbs glanced over at his senior agent. Tony was fielding a call that had come in, the main desk having forwarded the call to a major case team on the basis of the information initially provided. The encouraging 'uh-huh's and 'and then what happened?'s seemed to have been going on for an unusually long time, however. Usually, DiNozzo would either mobilise the team to head out and start investigating, or redirect the concern to some other, more appropriate part of the Agency.

Finally, he pushed the mute button and met Gibbs's eyes across the bullpen.

'Hey, Boss... do you know a Lt.-Cmdr. Galloway at the Academy? Teaches the history of modern warfare?'

'No.'

'Ok. Well, I've got one of his students on the phone. Third-year midshipman. He wants to file an assault charge against the Commander.'

'The guy hit one of his students?'

'Well... sort of.'

'It's usually a yes or no question, DiNozzo!'

'Ok, yes, technically he hit him.'

Gibbs raised one eyebrow at the 'technically' but didn't press the issue.

'Ok. So why doesn't he just take it to Commandant?'

'He did. Got told to suck it up.'

Gibbs's eyebrow shot up again, but Tony continued before he could ask.

'It was more your kind of hitting than the firing a teacher or putting an officer in jail kind of hitting.'

'The kid's complaining to NCIS because one of his teachers smacked him upside the head?!'

'Well, no... it's not that kind of your kind of hitting...'

'DiNozzo! Would you just tell me what the hell happened?!'

'Ok, so, apparently this midshipman turned in his first term paper late, along with about half the class. Seems nobody actually cares what kind of grade they get in a history course, because they don't see it as the kind of subject that actually matters for anything they want to do with their careers. So the late penalty wasn't much of a reason to get the papers in on time – a few percentage points knocked off the grade didn't matter all that much.'

Gibbs gave him a 'get to the point' look.

'So this guy Galloway gets fed up, and changes the policy on late penalties this term. He brings in an old paddle, and says anyone who doesn't get their work in on time gets one stroke for every day it's late.'

Gibbs broke out in an uncharacteristic grin.

'Only this kid on the phone didn't believe him, until he turned in his paper...'

'How late was it?'

'Nineteen days.'

Gibbs rolled his eyes.

'And this midshipman doesn't think he deserved to be paddled?'

'Nope. Wants his professor court-martialled.'

Gibbs reached for his phone.

'Line 2, Boss,' Tony called, then tried unsuccessfully not to laugh at the vehemence with which his boss stabbed at the appropriate button.

'Son, I don't know how you managed to get to your third year and still think it's ok to hand in work nearly three weeks late, but it's high time someone taught you something about responsibility. As far as I'm concerned, the only problem with your professor's approach, is that you obviously need more than one lesson for the message to sink in!'

As usual, Gibbs hung up without saying goodbye. The bullpen was quiet for a few minutes before he called out, 'Hey, DiNozzo! Where's that report on the Petrovich case?'

'Already on your desk, Boss! It's in that folder you've got your coffee on.'

'Good. Considering that it was due yesterday.'

'Oh, don't go getting any ideas... Boss? Boss?!'