A/N There is a little known piece of legislation that exists within International Rescue which allows for strict yet controversial and painful punishments. It is something Jeff Tracy introduced in part to help its members develop a tolerance for extreme pain just in case they are ever kidnapped and tortured. It is not used often, but when it is...

Name: Gordon Cooper Tracy
DOB: 14th February 2043
Date of Offense: 16th September 2060
Age at time of offense: 17
Offense: Gross Misconduct
Accusing officer: Scott Tracy
Note Taker: Hiram K Hackenbacker
Suggested sentence: 12 strokes of the cane and two weeks in the Island jail.
Brief synopsis of accusation: While on a mission in the Pacific, the accused deliberately disobeyed a direct order which nearly cost four innocent lives and his own.

*TB*

Gordon knows as soon as he made the choice to investigate the underwater town during the mission he messed up. But the curiosity got the better of him, his impulsiveness took over and he was caught up in a sea quake which nearly crushed both thunderbird four and himself, and even worse four innocent bystanders.

The broken-down submarine, whose crew he had been tasked with rescuing, came within a minute or two of running out of air, before he finally made his way out of his own danger zone and into his. Scott and Virgil were furious with him, and he knows that in their position he would have felt the same way. but gross insubordination is pushing it a bit far he thinks as he nervously paces up and down his room, to which he was banished to the minute he entered the lounge, where Scott is preparing for the inevitable disciplinary hearing.

Gordon knows that his only choice is a guilty plea and the hopes that this Grandma and brothers see that his remorse is genuine and that they will then talk Scott into a lesser sentence. The contract he signed when he became a fully-fledged member of International Rescue leaves him in no doubt that he will be caned, and that sitting is going to be a very uncomfortable experience for a few days, but maybe is he admits fault he won't be locked away. Locked up without his beloved pool or sunlight is a much worse punishment for the nature loving blonde, and he would rather be caned every day for a month than locked away for a single day.

*TB*

Out in the main office, his brothers are discussing his crime with their grandma, trying to agree on an appropriate punishment now he has pleaded guilty.

"Scott, we don't have a jail!" Virgil reminds him gently, reading through the notes. He knows that his elder brother is angry, and when he gets this angry then he can not be reasoned with, all he can do is protect Gordon from the worst of Scott's wrath.

"Fine then he can spend two weeks in his room" Scott replies harshly, "While I build him a jail!"

"Scott, please don't do that to him. Gordon won't cope being locked up" Alan pleads with him. "There has to be a compromise".

Scott isn't prepared to listen to reason, Gordon cannot be trusted and deserves whatever he gets. If this was up to Scott, Gordon would no longer be a member of international rescue.

In the end it is Grandma who makes the decision, overruling Scott's request to keep him locked up for two weeks. Agreeing with Virgil and Alan that is it cruel to keep him locked away for longer than twenty-four hours. Signing off on Gordons sentence, Grandma asks Alan to fetch him from his room.

Gordon follows Alan out to the office, sitting down in the designated chair that has been pointed out to him. He is clearly nervous, and his fingers are shaking as they grip the arms of the chair.

"Gordon Tracy, you have pleaded guilty to one charge of gross misconduct. Do you have anything to say before we pronounce judgement?" Scott asks, eyeing up his little brother with disdain.

Gordon looks at the identical looks of disappointment in his brothers faces, and he can't stand It. "I-I-I'm So-so-sorry" He sobs through his tears, which a flowing freely down his cheeks. He was only trying to help, but he has made everything worse. How is he ever going to regain his brothers trust? He would rather be anywhere else than in this room right now, and the urge to run from the room and into the waiting ocean is growing stronger by the minute.

"It's okay Gordon" Virgil tells him, but no one moves to comfort him. He hasn't earned it.

"Gordon, I have no choice other than an immediate custodial sentence of twenty-four hours. You will spend your confinement in your room, your meals will be provided and you are grounded from missions for a week, you don't use the pool and you don't leave the Island under any circumstances. Furthermore you will receive six strokes of the cane. I will be administering your caning shortly. Alan return him to his room" Scott announces.

Gordon doesn't wait for Alan to escort him before fleeing the room. Knowing that was the best he could have hoped for.

To his relief, Scott doesn't keep him waiting long. Pushing open the door Scott finds him lying on his bed wearing pyjamas and his old cuddly squid hugged tight to his chest.

Gordon blanches inwardly at the thin crooked cane in his eldest brothers' hands. It is three feet in length and a quarter inch thick. They have all experienced its bite at some point, some brothers more than others and it never gets easier. The irony of Gordon telling Scott to "bite him" during the mission isn't lost on him!

They all signed the contract, and they all know the consequences and they all accepted it.

Scott doesn't bother with small talk; he wants to get this over with as quickly as possible. As soon as the decision was made, Scott's anger vanished replaced by a determined resolve to deal with this quickly and professionally. "Okay Gordon, you know the drill. Get up off the bed pull your underwear and pyjamas down to your ankles and bend over the bed"

Gordon obeys without hesitating, leaping up from the bed and onto his feet, before finding himself half naked and in position over the end of the bed, his arms stretched out just about able to reach the sides of his bed with his fingertips. He too just wants to get this over and done with, and get on with his life.

"You will remain in that position throughout the duration of your punishment. Failure to do so will result in additional strokes being applied. If you get up twice without my permission, I will have Virgil come in and hold you down and your punishment will begin again. You are to count the strokes aloud and repeat the line "thank you Sir" after each one. Again get your line wrong or fail to count and I will add additional strokes. Do you understand?" Scott asks, going through the agreed punishment etiquette for the disgraced seventeen-year-old.

"Uh huh" Gordon replies.

"NO. Do you understand. You reply, "Yes Sir!" Scott demands.

"Yes Sir" Gordon squeaks, just wishing Scott would get on with it and beat him, so he can get dressed and try to forget the embarrassment of being half naked in front of his eldest brother.

"Better" Scott tells him.

The next thing Gordon feels is a gentle tap on his buttocks before there is a whooshing sound followed by an audible CRACK as Scott lands his first stroke.

There is a brief break between the impact and a line of sizzling, fiery pain which shoots up his spine. "JESUS CHRIST THAT FUCKING HURT!" Gordon thinks, but he doesn't cry out in pain and is just about able to call out "one thank you, Sir"

Hoping that Scott does at lease give him time to compose himself before…

CRACK!

The second stroke lands just below the first.

TWO THANK YOU SIR!" Gordon cries as quickly as possible not wanting to give Scott further reason to beat him.

CRACK!

This time tears spring to Gordons eyes and he has difficulty squeaking the required "THREE THANK YOU SIR!"

Scott notes the tremble behind his behind his words and allows himself a small smile at both the tears and the three raised evenly distributed welts across the aquanaut's backside.

CRACK!

A small audible cry escapes from Gordons lips. "Good I am getting through to him" Scott thinks as a stuttered "FOUR, TH-TH-THANK YOU S-S-SIR!" can clearly be heard as Scott raises the cane once more.

CRACK!

The cane lands on the last part of Gordons backside before his thighs. This gets the job done as Gordon abandons his attempt to take his caning with dignity and howls, but to his credit remains in position and even manages to squeak "FIVE, THANK YOU SIR"

"Last one Gordon, but after I want you to remain where you are until I tell you to get up" Scott informs him.

Gordon doesn't bother to reply, he only grips the edges of his mattress tighter, as he braces himself for the final impact.

CRACK!

The cane bites down one final time, and it feels like it is eating his flesh and the cry of "S-S-SIX THANK Y-Y-YOU SIR" comes out as a gasp as he sobs into the blanket just relieved that he is not going to be beaten again.

Scott leaves him alone to calm down, and Gordon knows better than to move until he is given consent. Right now he would never disobey a direct order again.

Scott returns after ten minutes, not wanting to leave him for long, but wanting to give him the time he needs to get his emotions together. "Okay Gords, you can get up now" He tells him, rubbing his hand on his back.

Gordon slowly gets to his feet, his face is devoid of colour and his cheeks are streaked with tears. His eyes are large and bloodshot and so full of remorse that Scott can't stand it.

Opening his arms for his brother, Gordon doesn't hesitate to throw himself into them and just sobs harder. "I'M SORRY SCOTTY" he wails desperately, his voice is pure misery.

"It's okay Squid" Scott tells him, reverting to his nickname. "You broke the rules and have suffered the consequences. Do you have any idea how terrified I was when we couldn't get hold of you? We have lost mom and dad and I can't lose you too"

Gordon never thought of it like this, he was only thinking of himself when he tried to explore that trench, and he nearly died, taking four innocent lives with him. "I am not going anywhere Scott" Gordon tells him sincerely.

"Well not for the next twenty-four hours you aren't! and you can thank Virgil for that, I wanted to lock you up for two weeks, and double your beating" Scott tells him with a grin. "Now lie down and I will pop some soothing cream on these welts."

Gordon would do anything Scott asks him too right now, and they both know that will not last! The cream is soothing his hot and irritated skin, and Gordon finds himself relaxing and the pain receding as long as he lies still.

"All done" Scott tells him, his hand gently massaging his brothers back. "Now you are confined to your room for the next twenty-four hours. You will be provided meals but no dessert. You are not to watch television or play video games, and I am taking your tablet. If you are caught breaking the restrictions then your confinement time increases. Upon your release, you will sign a disciplinary action note which will remain on your file for twelve months. Any further incidences within that time frame and I will make sure you get the maximum penalty applicable. Understand?" Scott asks, his voice serious again now.

"I understand Scott" Gordon replies, still lying as still as possible on his stomach, as Scott stands up from his spot on the floor where he has been kneeling next to the bed.

"Try and get some sleep Gordo" Scott tells him, giving his back one last rub before turning to leave.

"Scott?" Gordon calls as he gets to the door.

"Yes" Scott asks, turning round.

"Thank you" Gordon tells him sincerely. "For everything"

"It's okay Gordo. That is the best thing about trust, it can be won back. Now get some sleep and I will see you this time tomorrow" Scott replies, before exiting the room and ensuring that it is locked behind him. He knows that Gordon would not disobey him, but Alan and Virgil might in their roles as Gordons closest brothers to check on him.

*TB*

It is raining the following afternoon when Scott goes to release Gordon. Finding his brother sitting on the window seat, his head resting against the windowpane, the old cuddly squid sitting on his knee looking out the window with him. Still in his pyjamas, with his duvet pulled up to his chin.

"Hey, you can come out now" Scott tells him, "Grandma baked you a cake!"

"I thought you said my punishment was over!" Gordon replies with a grin, but makes no attempt to move from his spot.

"It is the cake was imported from Paris. I would never want to poison you Squid!" Scott says. "You just have to sign the note for your file, and remember you are not to leave the Island for a week. I know missing out on missions may seem cruel but it is necessary to teach you"

"Scott, I get it, just get me some cake!" Gordon tells him grinning.

"I love you Gordon, never forget that"

"Do you?" Gordon asks, there is thinly disguised hope in his voice.

Scott sits down on the bed, leaning back against the headboard and plucking one of the plush sea creatures that Gordon has collected over the years from besides the pillow, recognising it as the dolphin he was given for his fifth birthday. "Come here" Scott tells him.

Gordon winces slightly, as he jumps down from the windowsill and makes his way over to the bed where Scott envelopes him in a Virgil-esque hug, resting his chin on the top of Gordon's head. "You have no idea how much I love you. You terrified me; in fact, you have been terrifying me since the day you were born!"

Gordon allows Scott to continue cuddling him, without interrupting his speech.

"You know you, Virgil, John and Alan are lucky you have to answer to me when you screw up." Scott tells him. "If that had been me, I would have dealt with by Grandma. Are you ready for cake?"

"I love you too, and I am always ready for cake!" Gordon confirms, and he means it. He knows that it doesn't matter what happens in the future, his brothers all love him and only ever want what is best for him.

"If I have to do this again, I am going to build that Island jail I threatened you with!" Scott tells him.

*TB*

Name: Gordon Cooper Tracy
DOB: 14th February 2043
Date of Offense: 16th September 2060
Age at time of offense: 17
Offense: Gross misconduct
Accusing officer: Scott Tracy
Note Taker: Hiram K Hackenbacker
Suggested sentence: twelve strokes of the cane and two weeks in the Island jail.
Brief synopsis of accusation: While on a mission in the Pacific, the accused deliberately disobeyed a direct order which nearly cost four innocent lives and his own.
Plea: Guilty
Sentence: six strokes of the cane and twenty-four hours confinement. Sentence reduced following guilty plea and remorse shown.