Own nothing. A TRIO DEDICATED TO DARWIN! Apparently Doctor Barlow's real name was Emma Nora. She also bred a type of columbine and led a Girl Guide group! She had several children and would have had been married with children during the book. In fact, she would have had a son during Leviathan. Even in the book, she has a married surname. Also, does anyone have anything they would like to see written? And Leviathan South Pacific- yes or no?

.

.

.

"Right," began Dylan, sitting down next to Alek in his room. "You are finally learning Darwinist science."

"Must I?"

"Well, you love the ship, don't you?" he continued with a touch of annoyance. "Right. So, Darwin's theory of natural selection by means of evolution."

"What are you, a school teacher?" Alek rolled his eyes, and Dylan crossed his arms.

"It's bloody interesting, or at least it will be if you let me continue. I'll start with an example. What animal do you like? And not a fabricated beastie."

"An animal?" For a second, he almost blurted, "Stormwalker!" "A cat, I guess."

"How original. Anyway, so a cat has babies. A litter, so there are more chances of survival. That's overproduction. There are big ones, small ones, different colors, aye?" He rapidly sketched several kittens, all slightly varied. "That's variation."

"Makes sense," agreed Alek.

"So which ones survive?"

"The larger and stronger ones." Dylan nodded, and crossed off all but one kitten. "You can't just cross them out like that."

"It's nature! Survival of the fittest. This is competition." He drew the remaining kitten as an adult cat.

"I'll say."

"Enough out of you. So this one has kittens with another strong survivor cat. Reproduction. And all the cats of that litter are big and strong, like their parents."

"That's it?" Looking a the kittens, it didn't seem particularly devilish or even illogical.

"That's it."

"And the theory with the apes and humans?" He was still uneasy about that, but Dylan grinned.

"Have you not seen a dinosaur fossil?"

"At a museum, once. I was quite young." In fact, Alek had been convinced it was a dragon skeleton at the time. "But what does that have to do with evolution? The dinosaurs are long dead."

"Not quite. They look a bit like birds, don't they?"

.

.

.

"Mr. Sharp?" she asked the boy as he strode past her door.

"Aye?"

"Send this letter for me."

"Alright. Who's it for?"

"Can you not read?" she sighed. Sharp looked at the envelope and blinked.

"You're sending a document to yourself? But why would you-"

"Look closer."

"Doctor T. Barlow. But who..." It dawned on him. "You're married?"

"With children."

"But you haven't ever mentioned it!"

"No one ever asked." Silly, how boys never consider polite questions about family.

"Oh, well... Congratulations!" he blurted, looking astounded. Did she really seem like such a spinster?

"Thank you," Nora said icily. "Now the letter. Mail it, will you?"

.

.

.

She dodged hurtful comments about him every day. Liar. Charlatan. Disgraceful. Godless. Insane. Disturbed. Damned. Wicked. Sinful.

But to her, he would always be Grandfather.

You wouldn't believe the kinds of things they said about his granddaughter. Shameful. Impudent. Unfeminine. Embarrassing. Ungrateful.

But to him, she would always be Nora.