Another “ooohing” sound arose from the crowd.
Captain Shin had been waiting for that moment—Mahrree could see it in his small smile. She had no proof that her blob was actually “progressing” and not just some aggressive molds multiplying under ideal circumstances. She was just presenting a debate.
So was he.
Even though she’d seen the captain in the congregation at Rector Densal’s Holy Day services, after that second debate when he dismissed The Writings as a guide from another time, she still had many doubts about what he believed. Now she’d get to see just what he knew.
“Miss Peto,” the captain began, “and with all due respect to Rector Densal who selected this topic,” he nodded to him and his wife sitting on the front row, “the question of our origins shouldn’t even be a debate. None of us can prove any theory to be true. We each choose what to believe. So Miss Peto, if you truly want to believe your cooking will become something intelligent, which is its only hope since it’s clearly inedible,” he paused. “Probably always was, too,” he added as the crowd snickered, “I won’t argue your belief.”
“You’re quitting?” Mahrree exclaimed. “Not even going to try to offer a counter argument?”
“Oh, no—I’ll debate this matter. I’m just stating this is not actually debatable.”
Mahrree smirked. “You’re just afraid of my blob and what it may represent, aren’t you? Always wanted a brother?” She jiggled the table.
She didn’t anticipate the sudden rise of emotion in his face as he seemed to choke back a laugh. His eyes were so warm and bright Mahrree could feel their heat in her body.
“Slide your ‘blob’ over, Miss Peto. I’ve got my own little demonstration for the table.” He gave her an unexpected wink that only she could see, then turned and trotted down the front steps over to Rector Densal.
Mahrree turned away from the audience to slide her platter over to the side of the table, and so that no one would see the effect the captain’s wink had on her. She must have gone purple. She quickly composed herself and turned to see the captain coming to the top of the platform with a large, heavy crate in his arms which he easily carried.
Yes, girls, Mahrree thought. He’s as strong as an ox.
As a bull.
He set the box down with a thud on the table, and the blob quivered in fear. The captain shuddered at it.
“Can’t you cover that up or something?” he asked in a low voice and winked at her again.
Mahrree couldn’t have moved even if she wanted to.
Positioning himself behind the crate, Captain Shin turned to face the audience.
“Miss Peto, and each of you, can believe whatever you wish about where we came from. Cling to whatever theory or even ridiculous suggestion that brings you comfort as you struggle in this difficult existence. There’s no law to force you to believe—”
“Yet,” Mahrree interrupted coldly, just as she had at the second debate when he pointed out she was still free to speak her mind.
The captain gave her a studied look, then turned back to the crowd.
“Despite what I may have said at the second debate about The Writings, I do see them as a valuable work. And I choose to believe that the Creator brought our first five hundred families here 319 years ago. That gives me great comfort. And, I will suggest,” he emphasized in a nod to Mahrree, “it is the most reasonable belief.”
Mahrree craned her neck to see what was in the crate as he pulled off the top.
Dirt, and several different kinds of it.
She knew exactly what he was about to do, and tried desperately to think of a way to counter it. Someone had helped the captain with explanations about The Writings.
Captain Shin addressed the crowd again. “None of us knows exactly how we came to this world. Our first ancestors began to ask the same question we ask today. After the first year when babies began to be born, our first parents asked the Creator, ‘From where did we get our bodies?’ That’s been one of the questions ever since, hasn’t it?” He smiled. “The other being, ‘And what happens after we die?’ But that’s a topic for another debate.”
He paused and glanced back at the quivering mass.
“And, regarding where Miss Peto suggests life may come from, I’m not anxious to see her demonstration of what happens after we die. I might lose my appetite forever.”
The villagers laughed as Mahrree gave the idea a thoughtful look, followed by a mischievous grin.
Captain Shin shuddered dramatically before resuming a more serious stance. “When our ancestors asked those questions, they weren’t ready for the answers. Nor, even with all our progress and advancements, do I believe are we yet ready for the explanation of how we got here. Perhaps our ability to comprehend is still immature, or our faith is too weak to accept the truth. The answer may be a fantastic revelation that we would dismiss as bizarre as the idea that we emerged from Miss Peto’s blob.”