At the time the council of the judges convened, the proposal was to have one judge for each of the five boroughs. However the population in the island of Manhattan – particularly in the northeast, near where Lux lived – was dense enough that one judge couldn’t be expected to look out for the welfare of all of them. A proposal was made to have two judges for Manhattan.
Additionally, the population living in the airports and in the surrounding nature preserves was large enough to justify an extra judge as well. The borough of Queens, it seemed, would also need an additional carekeeper.
Rather than split two of the boroughs, it was proposed that the northern half of Manhattan be separated into an independent state, and that the airports, too, be given unique designation. Rather than tamper with the original boroughs, the resulting seven geographical areas were called ‘jurisdictions.’ A mouthful for the common man, these areas are referred to as jds, as in, “I am a citizen of the first jd.”
The first jd was called Staten Island. Athought least heavily populated, the quality of life in Staten Island was the highest, with rich vegetable gardens supplementing nearly every residence and almost no population living underground.
Sadly, five years after the convention of the council, on July 4, a festive bonfire was left unattended. It is widely believed – though there is no way to know for sure – that the hosts were intoxicated and fell asleep. The fire spread from the heart of the residential areas and tore into the abandoned ruins. Those who could be were evacuated – most died. If Staten Island hadn’t been so well insultated – even if the wind had blown wrong that day – it is possible that the rest of humanity would have been wiped out that day. As it is, the first jd stands vacant as a reminder of how precious our lives are and how easily they could still be wiped from the earth.