It was a surprise then, after seventeen of the trebly-long Wesker days, he found a delegation at his doorstep when he emerged after breakfast. Itin was their spokesman, and his mouth was opened slightly. Many of the other Weskers had their mouths open as well, one even appeared to be yawning, clearly revealing the double row of sharp teeth and the purple-black throat. The mouths impressed Garth as to the seriousness of the meeting: this was the one Wesker expression he had learned to recognize. An open mouth indicated some strong emotion; happiness, sadness, anger, he could never be really sure which. The Weskers were normally placid and he had never seen enough open mouths to tell what was causing them. But he was surrounded by them now.
"Will you help us, Garth, " Itin said. "We have a question. "
"I'll answer any questions you ask, " Garth said, with more than a hint of misgiving. "What is it?"
"Is there a God?"
"What do you mean by 'God'?" Garth asked in turn. What should he tell them? What had been going on in their minds that they should come to him with this question?
"God is our Father in Heaven, who made us all and protects us. Whom we pray to for aid, and if we are Saved will find a place… "
"That's enough, " Garth said. "There is no God. "
All of them had their mouths open now, even Itin, as they looked at Garth and thought about his answer. The rows of pink teeth would have been frightening if he hadn't known these creatures so well. For one instant he wondered if perhaps they had been already indoctrinated and looked upon him as a heretic, but he brushed the thought away.
"Thank you, " Itin said, and they turned and left.
Though the morning was still cool Garth noticed that he was sweating, and he wondered why.
The reaction was not long in coming. Itin returned that same afternoon. "Will you come to the church?" he asked. "Many of the things that we study are difficult to learn, but none as difficult as this. We need your help because we must hear you and Father Mark talk together. This is because he says one thing is true and you say another is true and both cannot be true at the same time. We must find out what is true. "
"I'll come, of course, " Garth said, trying to hide the sudden feeling of elation. He had done nothing, but the Weskers had come to him anyway. There could still be grounds for hope that they might yet be free.
It was hot inside the church, and Garth was surprised at the number of Weskers who were there, more than he had seen gathered at any one time before. There were many open mouths. Father Mark sat at a table covered with books. He looked unhappy but didn't say anything when Garth came in. Garth spoke first.
"I hope you realize this is their idea — that they came to me of their own free will and asked me to come here?"
"I know that, " the priest said resignedly. "At times they can be very difficult. But they are learning and want to believe, and that is what is important. "
"Father Mark, Trader Garth, we need your help, " Itin said. "You both know many things that we do not know. You must help us come to religion, which is not an easy thing to do. " Garth started to say something, then changed his mind. Itin went on. "We have read the Bibles and all the books that Father Mark gave us, and one thing is clear. We have discussed this and we are all agreed. These books are very different from the ones that Trader Garth gave us. In Trader Garth's books there is a universe which we have not seen, and it goes on without God, for He is mentioned nowhere, we have searched very carefully. In Father Mark's books He is everywhere and nothing can go on without Him. One of these must be right and the other must be wrong. We do not know how this can be, but after we find out which is right perhaps we will know. If God does not exist… "
"Of course He exists, my children, " Father Mark said in a voice of heartfelt intensity. "He is our Father in Heaven who has created us all…. "
"Who created God?" Itin asked, and the murmur ceased and every one of the Weskers watched Father Mark intensely. He recoiled a bit under the impact of their eyes, then smiled.
"Nothing created God, since He is the Creator. He always was… "
"If He always was in existence — why cannot the universe have always been in existence? Without having a creator?" Itin broke in with a rush of words. The importance of the question was obvious. The priest answered slowly, with infinite patience.
"Would that the answers were that simple, my children. But even the scientists do not agree about the creation of the universe. While they doubt — we who have seen the light know. We can see the miracle of creation all about us. And how can there be creation without a creator? That is He, Our Father, Our God in Heaven. I know that you have doubts and that is because you have souls and free will. Still the answer is simple. Have faith, that is all you need. Just believe. "
"How can we believe without proof?"
"If you cannot see that this world itself is proof of His existence, then I say to you that belief needs no proof — if you have faith!"
A babble of voices arose in the room and more of the Wesker mouths were open now as they tried to force their thoughts through the tangled skein of words and separate the thread of truth.
"Can you tell us, Garth?" Itin asked, and the sound of his voice quieted the hubbub.
"I can tell you to use the scientific method which can examine all things — including itself — and give you answers that can prove the truth or falsity of any statement. "
"That is what we must do. " Itin said. "We had reached the same conclusion. " He held a thick book before him, and a ripple of nods ran across the watchers. "We have been studying the Bible as Father Mark told us to do, and we have found the answer. God will make a miracle for us, thereby proving that He is watching us. And by this sign we will know Him and we will go to Him. "
"This is a sign of false pride, " Father Mark said. "God needs no miracle to prove his existence. "
"But we need a miracle!" Itin shouted, and though he wasn't human there was still the cry of need in his voice. "We have read here of many smaller miracles, loaves, fishes, wine, snakes — many of them, for much smaller reasons. Now all He need do is make a miracle and He will bring us all to Him — the wonder of an entire new world worshipping at His throne, as you have told us, Father Mark. And you have told us how important this is. We have discussed this and find that there is only one miracle that is best for this kind of thing. "
His boredom and amused interest in the incessant theological wrangling drained from Garth in a single instant. He had not been really thinking or he would have seen where all this was leading. By turning slightly he could see the illustration in the Bible where Itin held it open, and knew in advance what picture he would see. He rose slowly from his chair, as if stretching, and turned to the priest behind him.
"Get ready!" he whispered. "Get out the back and get to the ship, I'll keep them busy here. I don't think they'll harm—"
"What do you mean…?" Father Mark asked, blinking in surprise.
"Get out, you fool!" Garth hissed. "What miracle do you think they mean? What miracle is supposed to have converted the world to Christianity?"
"No, " Father Mark said, "it cannot be. It just cannot—"
"GET MOVING!" Garth shouted, dragging the priest from the chair and hurling him toward the rear wall. Father Mark stumbled to a halt, turned back. Garth leaped for him, but it was already too late. The amphibians were small, but there were so many of them. Garth lashed out and his fist struck Itin, hurling him back into the crowd. The others came on as he fought his way toward the priest. He beat at them but it was like struggling against the waves. The furry, musky bodies washed over and engulfed him. He struggled until they tied him, and he still struggled until they beat on his head until he stopped. Then they pulled him outside, where he could only lie in the rain and curse and watch.