And Eternity Part 23

"I think that was a yes," Orlene said after a moment.

"I agree. That certainly is progress. We must see if we can make it flash again."

"I had a ring once," Orlene said. "I gave it to my lover Norton, who named it Sning. Sning would answer questions by squeezing once for yes, twice for no, and three times if neither answer was appropriate. Do you think the crystal reacts similarly?"

"I don't think so, because it didn't flash at all before, when we were evidently not doing what the Incarnation wished. I suspect it merely remains inert unless triggered by our progress toward Nox's goal. But this remains useful; no reaction is an indication that we are not making progress."

"And when you said that our att.i.tude was the key, it flashed," she agreed. "Does that mean we shall have to change our att.i.tudes on-"

The globe had flashed again.

"I believe we do have the key!" Roque said. "Now we shall have to determine to which att.i.tudes it is attuned. Legal? Social? Political?" There was no flash.

"Ethical?" Orlene supplied, with no better success.

"Practical? Mathematical?"

s.e.xual? Vita thought.

"Vocational?" Orlene inquired.

Religious? Jolie thought.

The globe flashed.

They looked at each other. "That was Jolie," Orlene said. "She suggested 'Religious.' That seems to be it."

"Surely she does not expect us to change our religions!"

There was no flash. "Nox is from the old order, from the dawn of time," Orlene said. "I don't think religion means much to her. Maybe the subject just happens to offer the key to what she wants us to understand.'' And the globe flashed.

You're getting warm! Vita thought, her interest quickening. And that bulb can hear Jolie and me too; it's pretty smart. Want me to think about how I don't think much of G.o.d because of what He let me get into? I mean, that sure didn't help my mother any, or Luna with her research, and that research was to support G.o.d!

"The crystal didn't flash," Orlene said. "It must be looking for something else."

Should I think about how the world was made in six days? Jolie thought.

The globe flashed.

"Jolie thought of the Biblical creation of the universe," Orlene explained to Roque. "So that must be-"

That's c.r.a.p! Vita thought. It took millions, maybe billions of years to make the world!

The globe flashed again.

"Don't tell me, let me guess!" Roque said, growing animated. "Vita thought of science! And what Nox seeks is a resolution of the debate between Creationism and Evolution!"

The globe flickered. "You may be warm, but I think not quite there," Orlene said.

"Then let's make it broader. Does Nox seek our exploration into the nature of ultimate reality?"

This time the flash was almost blinding. He had nailed it.

"But why?" Orlene asked. "Why should Nox care what we think? She has seen it all, long since!"

"Why should anyone care what anyone else thinks?" Roque asked in return. "Why should the Incarnations care which way souls go, or whether they are separated at all? Why should G.o.d care, or Satan? I think we just have to accept as given that ent.i.ties of all types do care, and that Nox is normal in this respect. She now wishes us to explore the matter of reality and come to a conclusion. Perhaps she is aware of some interesting complication that this exploration will engender, and which will amuse her. So let's start by arguing the case of Evolution. Who will support that?"

"I support it, of course," Orlene said. "Don't you?" He smiled. "You forget: I am a judge. I try to be impartial. I am not certain that the verdict is in, and in any event, it is not mine to make."

How can he be uncertain about Evolution? Vita demanded. Everyone knows it's so!

That's not true at all! Jolie protested. G.o.d created the world in six days!

"Our components disagree," Orlene said. "Vita says Evolution, while Jolie says Creation."

"Then we have our opposing views, "Roque said. "We shall have to make trial of them. When we make a decision on the matter, Nox will let us return home."

The globe flashed.

"Let me be the narrator," Roque said. "I have a fair familiarity with both theories. I suspect that since you are the one, Orlene, who wishes a favor of Nox, you must make the decisions, after hearing the arguments." The globe flashed again. "So, in effect, I am the judge who keeps order. Vita is the apologist for Evolution, Jolie is the apologist for Creationism, and you are the jury who must come to a conclusion. The faster we complete the process, the faster we shall return."

"But I'm really not an objective jury!" Orlene protested. "I already believe in Evolution!"

' 'But can you honestly consider the evidence for another view? Are you able to change your mind if the preponderance of the evidence suggests that you should?"

"Well, yes, of course. But I really can't see that Creationism could-"

"That's enough," Roque said. "Reserve your conclusion until you have seen the evidence from both sides." He looked at the globe. "Now, as I make it, we are at the initial stage of the universe, the void, where all is chaos. What does Creationism have to say of the first stage?"

In the beginning G.o.d created the Heaven and the Earth, Jolie thought.

What do you mean. G.o.d? Vita retorted. Where the h.e.l.l did G.o.d come from? Who created G.o.d?

Roque smiled. "I can see by your expression that your advocates are already mixing it up. I wonder whether we can get them to manifest separately, so that I can see and hear them, and so keep proper order?" As he spoke, the globe flashed.

We can do that? Vita asked. We can take separate form?

Apparently so, here, Jolie agreed.

But it's my body! How can I exist apart from it?

Like this. Jolie withdrew her spirit from the body. She appeared as a ghost, clarifying her form. "Now you do likewise. Vita."

I don't know if I can! But she tried-and succeeded. She emerged as a diaphanous form, translucent and vague. Gee . . .

"Concentrate on your form," Jolie said. "Remember, this isn't a true situation; it took me decades to master ghost form, but you should be able to do it immediately, in this vision."

The form squeezed together and a.s.sumed human outline. The mouth opened. "And can I talk too?"

"Yes, in this situation," Jolie agreed. "It's probably just your thought, but we can hear it."

"But what about my real body? I mean, how can I-"

"Perhaps Orlene can a.s.sume a different form, for this," Roque put in.

"I'll try," Orlene said, surprised. "It is strange, being the only soul in this host!" Her form changed, becoming similar to her living one.

Before long the three of them were settled, each looking and sounding like herself, even though Orlene was actually using Vita's physical body. "It's weird!" Vita exclaimed. "Knowing I'm a ghost, and that Orlene is really my body!"

"That is not the least of the weirdness," Roque said. "But let us proceed with our business. Suppose I put questions to each advocate in turn, conducting this exploration in an orderly manner. Jolie, how does Creationism describe the beginning?"

"In the beginning G.o.d created the Heaven and the Earth," Jolie replied promptly.

"And I want to know just who created G.o.d, then?" Vita said.

Roque shook his head. "That remark is out of order. You must give the Evolutionist version of the beginning."

"Well, it-gee, I've got to remember stuff I forgot in school! But it's something like how the universe formed in a big bang about fifteen or twenty billion years ago, and-"

"Who created the big bang?" Jolie asked.

Vita looked nettled. "Well, I don't know, it just sort of-hey, isn't that out of order?"

"Yes, unless you wish to permit direct debate. For the sake of order, I will direct the question to each in turn.

Jolie, who created G.o.d?"

"No one. He always existed. He is the Eternal."

"And who created the big bang?" he asked Vita. Vita had evidently used the reprieve for some quick thinking. "I don't know how it started. But if it's okay for G.o.d to be eternal, then it's okay for the universe to be eternal too. So maybe it cycles, getting big and then squeezing together, and what we call the big bang is just this explosion, We can't go back and see, but we do know it's here, so why not accept that it's here, no matter how it started?"

Roque glanced at Orlene. "Have you been persuaded by either advocate?"

"I really can't choose between them," Orlene said, surprised. "Either G.o.d began and the universe began, or both are eternal. There really doesn't seem to be a conflict there."

The globe flashed-and their surroundings changed. Vita was startled. "You mean that was it? The right answer was not making up her mind?"

"Or keeping her mind open, in the face of insufficient evidence," Roque said.

Jolie peered at the crystal. "I think we are closer to home! The specks aren't as far apart as they were."

"But still pretty far," Orlene said. "I see lightness and darkness, but it is still chaotic." She was breathing rapidly, trying to get air.

"Because this must be the second day," Jolie said. "When G.o.d made the sky to divide the waters from the waters." As she spoke, the scene seemed to separate into a portion above and a portion below.

"What are you talking about?" Vita demanded. "It doesn't make sense to divide water from water!"

"What is your version?" Roque inquired. "I must advise you that we of the flesh are finding this realm inhospitable, so a quick discussion would be appreciated." Indeed, he looked as uncomfortable as Orlene did.

"The Earth formed out of dust and gas and debris circling the Sun. The water was part of it, though I think at first it was mostly hot rock. So any water was mostly steam, then."

The scene around them changed, becoming red, molten rock, with clouds of vapor above. They hovered just above the surface, sinking slowly toward it. The heat was stifling.

"Say-it's showing what we describe!" Vita said. "That helps. You can see that this wasn't made in a day!"

"Certainly it was!" Jolie replied. "The day of the separation of the waters from the waters."

"What waters from what waters?"

"The waters which were above the firmament from the waters which were below the firmament. The waters of the deep universe from the waters of the Earth." As she spoke, the scene around them became one of deep night sky above and deep ocean below. The heat abated; now they were cold.

"And all this in just one little day? A billion years is more like it! I mean, molten rock doesn't cool overnight, you know."

Jolie shrugged. "Yes, that day could have been a billion years long."

"Oh, you don't mean one of our days!"

"The word 'day' means different things. A day of Creation means the whole stage, taking just as long as G.o.d needs to do it His way."

"There doesn't seem to be much difference between them, then," Orlene remarked. "I see no inherent conflict, merely ways of looking at it."

It was the right comment. The globe flashed.

"Then let's get on to the third day," Jolie said. "G.o.d gathered the waters together in one place, in seas, and made the dry land appear."

The scene shifted again. Now there was land rising from the ocean, jagged and dark. It buckled and cracked, making great folds that were mountains. Storms raged, dumping water on the mountains, which wore them down. New ranges formed, in a constant, restless process.

"Well, maybe so," Vita said. "I mean, naturally the water settled to the lowest place, and what was left was high and dry. I say a billion years, you say you call that a day, so okay. But let's get some life here! I figure it started in the ocean-they call it the primeval soup or something-and after a while it crawled up on the land, the plants first."

"Yes," Jolie said. "G.o.d said let the Earth bring forth gra.s.s, and herbs, and fruit trees, each yielding fruit after its kind." As she spoke, a green carpet formed across the land and trees sprouted, grew, flowered, and put forth many types of fruit.

"And this day could have been another billion years long?" Vita asked, trying for irony.

"Yes." The girl shook her head, bemused. "I can go with that."

"So can I," Orlene said. The globe flashed.

"And on the fourth day," Jolie said, "G.o.d made two great lights, the greater to rule the day and the lesser to rule the night." The Sun and Moon appeared, their light forging through the mists that had shrouded them before.

"Hey, wait!" Vita cried. "There were three days before there was any sun? Plants grew before-"

"There was light," Jolie said. "It just wasn't the Sun's light, until G.o.d decided that it should be so."

"Or until the Earth orbit stabilized. You do know that the Earth orbits the Sun, not the other way around?"

Jolie smiled. "I suppose if you stood on the Sun, and watched the Earth, it would look that way. But we're standing on the Earth and looking at the Sun, and we can see that the Sun goes around the Earth."

"There is a case to be made," Roque said with a smile. "Technically, bodies in s.p.a.ce orbit each other."