All That Glitters Ch. 48

"We felt the summons and responded to it and both of us walked down the beach to see what was what. We saw a growing crowd, then we felt Junelliya's response to the summons. My, that was something else!

"We noted a growing crowd of people, some of whom we both recognized, including Grace Holloway, and Guinevere Soulange. Grace, Guinevere, and three young empaths were rather angry with a young male empath who seemed to be under arrest.

"Petronellaya arrived with several people in tow, including GME Clarrisiya, Hanalei, Junelliya, and their two young children. The children surprised us when they decided to answer the summons."

Many of the Councillors had not been on the beach the day before and were surprised to hear confirmation of the fact that the children were active empaths. They looked to Petronellaya who nodded in confirmation.

Dr. Maya continued...

"Petronellaya gave William an angry speech, telling him he was going away for some serious time as there was nothing the Council of Empaths could do to keep him out of going before a court of law.

"Junelliya then stated that she might be able to help with that. She touched William's head and a few moments later, he started to panic yelling out 'what have you done?'. Apparently, she had blocked his access to his power. I had no idea that anyone could do that.

"Willian fell into a near catatonic state on the beach. A few moments later the two nurses, Silliya and Katanya, came forward with a float bed.

"Petronellaya asked me, as a psychiatrist, to take charge of the very frightened William. Heyya followed us to the clinic out of medical curiosity, as did William's parents, Petronellaya, Elliya, and Junelliya's husband, Fayad Piscium. I requested the presence of Tougrate and Malnad, two Toolend that I have worked with before.

"They asked for permission to look into William's mind and determined that Junelliya had indeed blocked access to his power. They stated that they had never seen this mechanism used before. They also stated that they could reverse the effects but would not as it had been imposed as a punishment.

"They further informed us that William would have transgressed again as he believed himself to be above the regulations set down by the Council of Empaths. Regulations that all of us follow. I had been linked to the Toolend as they viewed William's mind. They are correct, he would have transgressed again. Not only that, he had been actively gathering his power to help him escape the situation. All that he could think of, when he had any lucid thoughts, was how to get away from there without the use of his powers.

"His other thoughts were how to get revenge on some of the key players in this instance, GME Violletiya, GME Clarrisiya, Cnslr. Petronellaya, and, of course, Junelliya. He had no thoughts of accepting any punishments. He simply did not believe he deserved any.

"That concludes my witness."

"Thank-you. Are there any questions?" There were none. He called Dr. Heyya to the witness box.

"Before you speak, Dr. Heyya, I would ask if you have anything different to add to Dr. Maya's testimony?" Petronellaya asked.

"No, Petronellaya, I do not," Heyya admitted. "Not having any telepathic ability, I was only a neutral observer to events."

"Then, if there are no objections, I would ask that you not give your witness but will ask that you remain in case there are other questions to be asked later," Petronellaya said. Heyya nodded and stepped down.

"I call upon First Medical Officer Tougrate and Third Medical Officer Malnad of the Toolend to step into the witness box." Mertanyea ordered.

The pair stepped into the box and started their testimony.

"Dr. Maya contacted us via a telepathic link for an emergency consultation at the clinic. When we arrived, we saw William and immediately knew he had an issue. The situation was explained to us and Malnad and I asked for permission to enter William's mind to see what had been done by Junelliya, with Dr. Maya in tow as an observer. William's parents gave us permission to scan his mind.

"We quickly discovered that William had been blocked from using his power by a rather simple method that we had never thought to use before. A check showed that his power was still there, simply blocked from his conscious ability to use it.

"We were asked if we could remove the block. The answer is yes. However, we saw immediately that if we had, William would transgress and use his power to influence those around him in order to escape justice and seek revenge on those he believed had wrongfully harmed him.

"We told Petronellaya this and refused to amend his access to his power. This angered his parents. It was, however, the right thing to do at the time.

"We also informed Petronellaya that, now that we understood the method, we could employ it ourselves, remove it as required, or make the situation permanent should William not amend his ways," Tougrate informed them.

"William would not have listened to any counsel but his own. He thinks that his power gives him the right to do as he pleases," Malnad indicated. "He now knows that this is not the case, that he is not truly as powerful as he believed he was, and that he will now suffer real consequences for his actions. These are things that he does not want to believe and would actively work against if he had the use of his abilities.

"We will show the Elders of the Order what Junelliya has done, as it might help lesser members of the Order achieve higher standings," Tougrate stated, receiving surprise from the Elders.

"Is this truly possible, Tougrate," Sr. Elder Fordrat demanded.

"It is, Elder Fordrat. Junelliya has found a simple solution to a rather complex problem that we have been working on. The methodology she used to block William's access to his powers, will also allow us to do the reverse and allow struggling members of the Order to achieve parity faster," Tougrate stated.

"It is a pity that we cannot test this here, as there are only established Telepaths at Denders," Fordrat stated.

"That is not true, Elder Fordrat. Dr. Maya would make a good test subject. She is struggling to achieve parity and could be helped by this technique. As she has been an observer with us on many occasions, our two minds are the only ones she can contact at a distance. If the technique works as expected, she would benefit greatly from the new method," Tougrate said.

"In addition," Malnad took over. "Once she learns to make use of this technique, she might be able to provide the Toolend with access to Empathic abilities. We could expand the network of Empaths and Telepaths into a twin ability instead of separate abilities."

That got the interest of all the Toolend and many of the empaths.

Petronellaya stood up. "Very well, we will end the debate on that particular issue as, for the moment, it is a 'What if' situation," Petronellaya stated firmly.

"Are there any others who wish to add a statement as a witness?" Petronellaya demanded. No one spoke. She nodded to Mertanyea, who thanked and dismissed the two Toolend.

"Dame Junelliya Atohan Herlan, step into the witness box." Mertanyea ordered.

"In your own words, please give your testimony in regards to this event."

"I felt the compulsion that William had tried to use against Guinevere and Grace. At the time, I did not understand what I had felt, though I did know that was something that was being used to influence another.

"Clarrisiya, Violletiya, and Petronellaya, reacted to the pulse and I understood that they had been involved with this person before. Violletiya volunteered to go down to see what had happened.

"A few minutes later, I felt the summons. It was from the same person. While his summons was strong, it lacked finesse. I felt the people answering the summons and waited to the end before I responded. I felt the surprise coming from all around at my answer to it." That caused a murmur to ripple through the watchers. They all remembered the power that Junelliya had displayed in her response.

"When Petronellaya and Clarrisiya went down the beach, I followed, along with, my husband, my mate Hanalei, and our children. I heard the exasperation in Petronellaya's voice when she made the speech on William's behavior. She was telling him how he would be going to jail for some time. William was beginning to panic.

"I noted that William was building up his power, probably to block the Councillors and to form a compulsion to allow his own escape. I could not allow that. So I stepped forward and touched his mind."

Councillor Elliya rose and Petronellaya temporarily stopped Junelliya's testimony.

"Yes, Councillor?" Petronellaya asked.

"If I may ask a question of a previous witnesses, First Medical Officer Tougrate and Third Medical Officer Malnad. Is what Junelliya is saying valid? Did William have the ability to block significantly powerful members of the Council?" Elliya asked.

The two Toolend touched tentacles and conferred for a moment. It was Malnad who answered.

"We cannot accurately assess if he could block a Councillor, however, William has much more power available to him than most empaths, including many of the empaths sitting here as Councillors. He might not have been able to block those with skill training or multiple Councillors, but he is powerful enough to have caused you some problems."

"Thank-you, Malnad" Petronellaya replied. "Dame Junelliya, please continue."

"I was looking for something to help Petronellaya. She was not happy with having to potentially send William away for many years. I remembered something that my daughter Zarrenia had done, yesterday. She touched another person who had hurt someone. She wanted that person to feel the hurt she had done, so she pushed the pain of that sadness from the other into the bully.

"I wanted to do something the same, to show William that he should not abuse his power. As I reviewed his mind, a thought occurred to me and I followed the link deeper. I found where his conscious mind worked with his unconscious mind to allow access to and control his abilities, and simply blocked it there. I basically stopped his brain from completing the link to his abilities.

"It is not permanent, though the Toolend say that they can make it permanent. I personally would not like to be the person who would impose such a permanent block on another.

"At this point, William realized that he could no longer access his abilities. He collapsed in the sand in panic. I told Petronellaya what I had done. She was not pleased with me. However, I had given her a real option to help with William's attitude over the next year or so and not require the Council to have to hand William over for trial in a court of law, the outcome of which would mean William would go away for quite some time. Not something that a seventeen year old should be contemplating.

"That concludes my testimony."

"Are there any questions?" Mertanyea demanded.

One of the Councillors rose. "What gives you the right to..." he started but Petronellaya shut him down.

"Junelliya will face her own disciplinary hearing shortly, Councillor. You can ask that question then. For now, keep your questions to the facts pertinent to this case."

When no one else rose for questions, Mertanyea had Junelliya step down.

"William Chartrin and guardians, step into the witness box." Mertanyea ordered. "Do you have anything to say on your behalf, William Chartrin, or do you, his guardians, have anything to say on behalf of your son?"

William wisely chose not to say anything. The testimonies had been damning. He shook his head no.

His mother once more reiterated her statement that William was basically a good boy who had been tempted with too much power too soon in his life. It had irrevocably changed him.

Mertanyea ordered everyone to rise as the Councillors and the Elders left their desks and moved to a location behind the theater, where they deliberated on the outcome of William's hearing.

Less than fifteen minutes later, they returned.

"The accused and his guardians shall rise and face the Council." Mertanyea thundered.

Petronellaya rose and spoke. "William Chartrin, also known as Chartrinyea, you have been accused of using your empathic abilities to force a compulsion on three other members of the Council of Empaths and attempting to do the same against two non members of the Council, one of whom is a student of our sister group, the Order of Telepaths, the other is none other than the daughter of the President of the Union.

"This Compulsion was sexual in nature and was aimed at five underage girls. While the age of consent on Hollander's World is sixteen, it is the age of CONSENT, Mr. Chartrin.

"No woman should be forced to do something that is against their nature or their will. That is the description of Mind Rape, a conviction of which will result in some serious time in prison.

"However, even if you were sent to prison, we would still have to deal with your empathic abilities, which are formidable. That would mean a constant dose of drugs to suppress your abilities while in jail. Over the time period that you would be in jail, the drugs would eventually fail, leaving you at risk of escape.

"Those who can read your mind have indicated that you were not ready to reform, that you would have used your gift to force people to allow you to escape justice and that you were contemplating how to use your powers for revenge on those who you believed wrongfully wanted to incarcerate you.

"Both Empaths and Telepaths share a sense of duty to our fellow sentients and have worked out a set of laws for working among those who do not share our power. The reason we have done this is that those who do not share our abilities have acted out of fear to suppress us in the past, often violently. On many planets, they still do.

"We voluntarily follow the tenants of our respective groups in order for the members of these two groups to be able to move freely within the Greater Community. When one, or more of the members of our groups do not follow the tenants and abuse their gifts in front of those who do not have said gifts, they put the remainder of us at risk.

"We cannot allow this. In the past, in extreme cases, we have executed those who have severely abused their abilities. You are quickly making yourself a target of the Council of Empaths, so much so that there is a real possibility that some time in the future, you might have to be executed in order to protect the Council and its members.

"Junelliya has indeed given us another option. Blocking you from accessing your abilities, instead of potentially having to execute you.

"It is a scary thing, isn't it William?" Petronellaya asked of the boy, seeing him shaking at the prospect of execution. "I would not like to have to order the execution of one so young. But we cannot have you continuing to flaunt the tenants of the Council and risk bringing attacks against empaths out of fear and retribution for your actions.

"It is the decision of this Disciplinary Hearing that the block you currently have will remain in place until it naturally dissolves, in an estimated year's time. During this time, we will work to amend your attitude toward the tenants of the Council of Empaths.

"We will request the presence of the Toolend at the end of your punishment time to look through your mind to determine if you have indeed reformed.

"Should you fail to make those changes, you will have your abilities blocked permanently. The risk you pose to the Greater Community, to the Council of Empaths and its members is far too great to allow you free access to your abilities if you have not amended your sense of duty and respect of the regulations.

"You are to remain under house arrest in the clinic, where the medical staff can observe you. Security has been engaged to ensure that you remain in the clinic. You are not free to enjoy the amenities at Denders Resort. Any attempt by you, or others on your behalf, to escape the clinic will result in the permanent removal of your abilities.

"You are dismissed." Petronellaya signalled and a small security team came forward and took the now weeping boy back to the clinic, with orders to bring him back for Junelliya's hearing.

"We will retire until 11:00 hours. When we reconvene, we will conduct the Disciplinary Hearing for Junelliya." Petronellaya banged her gavel and left the stage.

************

Junelliya's hearing started right on time. As Petronellaya had been more intimately involved the day before in this issue than with William's situation, she could not preside over the hearing. That duty was given to Councillor Shylmiya.

Mertanyea was again working as the Desk Clerk. "This disciplinary hearing is the first of its kind, being the first time that a person who is both a Member of the Council of Empaths and the Order of Telepaths will answer for a transgression.

"Dame Junelliya Atohan Herlan, step forward," Mertanyea ordered. She showed her where he wanted her to stand.

"Dame Junelliya Atohan Herlan, you are accused of acting against the tenants of both the Council of Empaths, of which you are a full member, and the Order of Telepaths, of which you are not yet a full member but are sufficiently versed in the tenants of the Order to know that what you have done is wrong.

"On or about 14:35, on the eighth of July 2487, you willfully and knowingly, entered the mind of William Chartrin, also known as Chartrinyea, without his permission nor the permission of his guardians nor with proper authority, and altered his mind by blocking his access to his empathic abilities, again without the permission of his guardians, or a proper authority."

Cnslr. Shylmiya rose. "Lady Junelliya, how do you plead?"

"Guilty, Councillor. I knew what I was doing in this incident and I did it," Junelliya told the Councillors and Elders, causing a ruckus in the watching crowd.

Shylmiya gavelled that down.

"Very well, the accused has entered a plea of guilty in her case. We will now review the facts.

"As the facts in this case are a follow-on to the previous disciplinary hearing against William Chartrinyea. That incident will be included in this hearing so that those witnesses and victims will not need to repeat themselves again. Councillor Mertanyea, please continue."

"The following people are summoned as witnesses to this event: Councillor Petronellaya, Head of the Council of Empaths of Hollander's World. Dr. Maya GME, Psychologist, employed at the Liramor-23 Hospital. First Medical Officer Tougrate of the Toolend, employed at the Liramor-23 Hospital and a member of the Order of Telepaths. Third Medical Officer Malnad of the Toolend, also employed at the Liramor-23 Hospital and also a member of the Order of Telepaths.

"Please note that a First Medical Officer is the Union equivalent to a senior doctor, while a Third Medical Officer is equivalent to a senior nurse, the equivalent of a Nurse Practitioner.

"The victim in this case is Ordinary Member William Chartrin, also known as Chartrinyea, who was blocked from the use of his empathic abilities for an estimated period of a year by Junelliya.

"William Chartrin, also known as Chartrinyea, and guardians, please step into the witness box," Mertanyea ordered.

A security guard came with William and placed him in the box, standing near him, while his parents came to stand with their son.

"The victim will note that you were found guilty in your own hearing. We understand that you are not pleased with the accused, with Councillor Petronellaya, those who were witnesses against you during your hearing, with the Councillors of the Council of Empaths, and with the Elders of the Order of Telepaths who presided over your hearing.