The tug is brought back to the station, the owners are told what happened, but are not angry at the kids, like Oz, is only greatly disappointed. However, the kids must face consequences for their behavior, and the parents are going to get a SERIOUS lesson in child-care, and a long talking-to.
https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-03565-i276-avast-ye -- Lessons
It's universally agreed that eight and under is a bit young for Grand Theft Space Tug. There was going to be a full inquisition, starting with why none of these kids had Safety Bracelets or Anklets on their persons.
The parents were a united community who had chosen "moral reasons" to opt out of the relatively new Safety Bracelet Program. Things like this always happened when stations became part of Alliance Territory. They used to be able to do as they pleased on the Edge, but the rules were there for a reason and many parents can be completely unreasonable.
"We are not tracking our babies like animals," was one argument. "I refuse to let The Man know where and when my child is vulnerable to their paid assaulters[1]," was another. There were many, many more.
It explained a lot. Including the fact that generations of residents had "played pirates" in their youth. They universally viewed the shutdown of such as "stealing childhoods" from the next generation.
It's amazing how some people can become Dereggers without actually being Dereggers.
Framing the bracelets as essential for child safety didn't work. These parentals didn't want their children being tracked.
The ultimate convincing tool became a combination of gossip and popular media.
Shows about likable children nearly coming to bad ends because their parents didn't know where they were. Rumours about how someone's kid died because the peers playing pirates put them in an unsecured airlock. Concerned citizens on the local media stations wondering about the security and saying how easily a small child could get into the dangerous machinery on board.
It took six months, but every child on that station got one bracelet at minimum.
The parents also willingly attended public lectures regarding the bracelets and what they really did.
[1] When in doubt, accuse the enemy of doing something both vile and troublesome to disprove.
[Image by Nasim Keshmiri on Unsplash]
If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me. Or share them with your friends!
Send me a prompt [55 remaining prompts!]