Making sense of Darwin

In the beginning of The Ark Lords, Rome and Rei were quite innocent and had absolutely no suspicions about The Great Dying and who was behind it. The very first element of doubt came when Bukky mentioned Darwin to Rome. At the time, neither of them knew its significance. Rome did not lose sight of this fact. She figured she would ask Rei when the opportunity came:

     In a borrowed Vuduri flying cart, Rei flew himself, Rome and Aason toward the south and east in the direction of the site of Rome’s library. Along the way, Rome described to Rei her adventure within the Deucadon underground city. She also told him about the memory stick and the invisibility cloaks.
     “Why did they think we might need them?” Rei asked, a puzzled look on his face.
     “Bukky didn’t actually say we would need them,” replied Rome. “He said they were the only things they had to give as a gift. So I just accepted them in the spirit offered. But there is something else I need to ask you which is even more confusing.”
     “What’s that?” Rei asked.
     “Do you know what the word darwin means?”
     “Darwin? As in Charles Darwin?” Rei asked, looking at her.
     “I don’t know,” Rome replied. “Bukky didn’t know either. I thought it might be a thing. It never occurred to me that it would be a person. Who was this Charles Darwin?”
     “He was a scientist who lived in the 19th century. My 19th century. He was the first to propose the doctrine of evolution by natural selection. Survival of the fittest and all that.”
     Rome shook her head. “What does that mean, survival of the fittest?”
     “It means that whatever is best suited to a particular environment is more likely to reproduce and propagate those traits to the next generation. Weaker animals or plants give way. It’s how all the various species arose on Earth or anywhere else, I guess.”
     “So how would that apply to the Deucadons? From what Bukky told me, it caused a great conflict,” Rome observed.
     “I don’t know,” Rei said, “Let me think about it. On the surface, it doesn’t make any sense but we’ll have time to talk about it later. We’re just about there.”
     While she was recounting her story, Rome had not been paying much attention to where they were going. She looked around and saw they were nearly at the site of her library. Rei was following the paved road MINIMCOM created along the southern edge of the campus. When he got to the break in the trees, he turned right. In front of them was a structure that Rome did not recognize.

The seed has been planted. The idea of Darwin and the concept of survival of the fittest has been discussed. Very soon it will take on a life of its own. Meanwhile, you know Rei and his surprises. What do you think is waiting for Rome?