Streams - Book 1

Chapter 19

A jumper you are.

"Is everyone alright?" Morathi asked as the damaged ceiling rained dirt and sand down on the group.

"Yes." Ausso replied as he used his wrist device to scan the other council members. However, he declared, "All this dust and debris is making the air hazardous. We should leave as quickly as possible."

Morathi signaled for the guards as more of the ceiling crumbled around the room. Jenni, who had ducked under the table with Aakil, stood up as the armored guards came to a stop in front of Morathi. "Guards, go up top and see if you can find out what happened. Then prepare the troops to move out. It seems we won't be safe from the battle down here after all." The guards bowed and rushed from the room, probably eager to find out what caused the ceiling to all but collapse.

Morathi turned back to the council members, who had picked themselves up and were brushing off the worst of the debris. "I'm also afraid we are going to have to call this meeting to an end. Dear, if you would call the vote for the records please."

Lilly, who had been taking the minutes of the meeting, rose from her chair. "On the charges of entering our stream intentionally to cause harm or gather information for a future invasion by the human race, how does the council vote?" Jenni, shocked, turned to Lilly to protest; she hadn't realized that she was on trial. But before she could speak, Morathi raised his voice.

"By show of hands, who votes not guilty?" Jenni took in all the hands in the air, with a sigh of relief. "Looks like we have a unanimous vote." Morathi nodded as he finished counting the hands.

"I didn't mean to alarm you dear, but we need the records to show that the council is in agreement." Lilly whispered to Jenni.

"On the matter discussed prior to the meeting? All in favor?" Morathi looked around the room and smiled as everyone on the council raised their hands. He and Lilly stepped in front of Jenni and motioned for her to stand. "I had hoped to do this a little more ceremoniously," Morathi apologized. "The council feels that you have shown the characteristics to become the first Jumper and Council member from the human stream."

He handed Jenni a small package and motioned for her to put it in her backpack. "You can look at that later when there's more time." Jenni nodded and stashed the package in a small compartment in her backpack.

She turned back to Morathi as he climbed onto a nearby chair. He waved her forward and pulled out a necklace with a heavy-looking pendant. He held the necklace up and Jenni hastily ducked her head so he could place it around her neck. "This is the symbol of the Council of the Streams." She looked down at the pendant. The circular charm was inscribed with a jagged triangle with the symbol of the Trinity (I'm not sure this is a clear image. Not everyone knows what this looks like. I think you'd be better off describing this Trinity symbol) the center of which was marked with a single dot.

"It's beautiful," Jenni said. She flipped the charm over and on the other side was a design showing a human with a series of strange squiggly lines rising from its head. She wondered what the symbols meant. They must be important. She looked up at Morathi to ask about them, but he was already starting to speak again.

"If you show this to a supporter of the Council, it will grant you food, shelter, and safe passage. It will also mark you a representative of the council, here and in other streams." Morathi wanted to impress the seriousness of the position on Jenni. There were advantages, but it was still a responsibility. He then motioned for Rogan and Tlaloc to join him at the head of the table. They started a whispered conversation, while Lilly and Aakil gathered around Jenni to offer their congratulations. There was a brief moment of quiet and then two Gnome guards rushed into the chambers.