The Elephant Trials Synopsis

An elderly man with a deep scare down his cheek asks an auditorium filled with college students what they know about the last Great War. They relate the simple facts of how the United States interrupted a blockade by Eastern Canada which erupted into and three way, six country conflict. The old man turns angry and asks, “What about the elephants?” The students only offer puzzled facial expressions. He relates the story of how a herd of elephants in South Africa led to the outbreak of the war.

Dr. Julie Cake greets her fellow scientist Dr. Steve Miller and leads him to the center of the primitive village where he envisions the unbelievable sight of a small man (Bandi) surrounded and protected by three massive bull elephants.

A brain infection has given him the ability to communicate with the pachyderms and Bandi only speaks Xitoga. Steve is the only westerner who can translate for him.
The elephants claim the land is part of their migration route and has belonged to their clan for hundreds of generations.

Sergeant Ashton Wilson checks into the barracks of his new unit in Texas. He hears a newscast of the growing tensions between Eastern and Western Canada. They are both claiming rights to common territories on their border. His lieutenant briefs him that they will be shipping out in the morning for high altitude mountain training.

The Chief elephant (Gur) returns to the village and wants the humans to leave their land. Steve explains the humans have a justice system they must follow. Gur, insists the elephants be given the opportunity to make their claim before the human chiefs.

Judge Jonathan Kenda-Mantor finds the notion that the elephants can speak to Bandi as foolish. As he prepares to leave the proceedings, Gur relates a story of how he saved the judge, as a young boy, from a snake. Judge Kenda-Mantor relates as a child an elephant trampled a Black Mamba about to bite him. He agrees to hear the case.

Sergeant Ashton Wilson and his unit rappel down a cliff when three soldiers become entangled in the ropes. Ashton free climbs across the rock face to free the men.

With their appointed attorney (Winton Marshall), the elephants enter the outdoor court. Gur relates his lineage back to the time of the Mammoths.

In the savanna, with the elephants, Steve learns that several species of plains animals are threatening to go to war over the use of a watering hole. Gur is negotiating between the animals in order to maintain the balance. The lions and leopards have formed and alliance and pulled out of the talks.

Back in Texas, after a bar fight, Ashton and his unit demonstrate their adept skills when they break one of their men out of a city jail without detection. The next morning they learn Eastern Canada has sent troops to form a blockade along the border with Western Canada.

Dr. Cake in a panic wakes Steve and explains park rangers want to kill one of the elephants. They go to the compound and find Bandi yelling in his language at the park rangers.

One of the younger elephants killed a farmer and the rangers want to kill it as a rogue. Gur wants to subject him to their Judgment of the Chiefs. They all agree to let Judge Kenda-Mantor decide who’s legal system will prevail.

With Bandi an official member of the elephant’s clan, the trial focuses on the teenage elephant and his fate. Gur wants to deliver their punishment. He testifies that the teenager had recently joined his clan and had not been raised with elders and lost his sense of the herd.

That night the lions and leopards argue before Gur. The watering hole is in the land of the buffalos who will not allow the big cats access.

The next day, the teenage elephant testifies that the farmer had killed his mother. As Judge Kenda-Mantor rules in favor of the park rangers the brother of the murdered farmer insists on speaking. He narrates the story of how they killed a female elephant a few years ago. The judge changes his verdict and releases the teenage elephant back to the clan.

Out in the savanna, the hyenas have gone to war with the lions and leopards. Gur bands the baboons, Cape buffalo and cheetahs together. Out numbered the big cats end their aggression and agree to Gur’s terms for the watering hole.
The trial focuses on the elephant’s right to the land on their migration route. Bandi has trouble translating because of intensifying headaches. The institute funding Steve transfers him to Hudson Bay to count Beluga Whales.

While in Canada, Steve is taken prisoner by Eastern Canadian forces aboard his boat along with a Texas congressman. Under the clause, in the Bill of Rights, that each state has the right to protect itself, the governor of Texas sends his State Guard to Hudson Bay to free their elected official.

Bandi tries to explain to the Judge what the elephants are saying but no one can understand him.

In the savanna, Bandi relates to Gur that the judge cannot understand him without translation. He explains that Steve is on a great body of water counting whales. Gur sends a message to bring Steve back. It’s passed quickly from herd to herd until it reaches the ocean. A lone elephant relays the message to a whale off the shore.

In the darkness of night, Ashton and his unit quietly swim below the water’s surface toward the circle of boats when they’re cutoff by Killer Whales. Several Orcas ram the boats which ignites a firefight between the soldiers. During the battle Ashton receives a deep cut down his cheek. With help from the whales, he frees Steve and the congressman.

Gur and his elder elephants listen to Judge Kenda-Mantor rule in their favor but they have no idea what he is saying without Bandi there to translate. They determine they have lost the case and return to the savanna.

Sergeant Wilson escorts Steve all the way back to South Africa. They arrive in time to see the elephants caring for Bandi who dies in Steve’s arms. The elephants take him off to their graveyard.

The old man in front of the room full of college students explains, “The elephants never again used the migration trail thinking it was taken away from them. With Bandi gone, we had no way of communicating. The war overshadowed all other news for the next two years and the elephant trials were forgotten.”

If you would like to read the first three chapters of The Elephant Trials, send me an email to mgwallace64@gmail.com