&&.....&.& &.&&.&&.&.
.&....&&.. &..&..&.&.
&&...&.&.& &.&&.&&.&.
.&..&&.&.& &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& A#...~~~~~~~~...# &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& ####.~~ FERMI'S PARADOX ~~.#### &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& #...~~~~~~~~...# &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& THERE'S TOO LITTLE APPARENT LIFE IN THE &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& UNIVERSE#...~~~~~~~~...# &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& ####.~~ OMEGA POINT ~~.#### &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& #...~~~~~~~~...# IT'&&&-A &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& THER## &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& #...~~~~~~~~THERE'S PROBABLY A POINT &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& (THEY TELL ME SO; THE ONES I TALK TO, &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& THE ONES UNTOUCHED BY OUR MORTAL &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& EMPTINESS) &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& THERE'S PROBABLY A POINT WHERE WE TRY &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& TOO MUCH. THE FEY ARE CURIOUS LIKE US, &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& OR MOR£#^ A "KILLER FACT", SOMETHING &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& THAT A SPECIES THAT ISN'T CURIOUS WILL &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& NEVER FIND &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& BUT SOMETHING THAT A SPECIES THAT IS &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& CURIOUS IS BOUND (IN THE FEY SENSE) TO &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& EXPLORE &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& THE KEYWORD HERE IS ~SAFETY MARGIN~~# - &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& IT WILL LOOK LIKE ANY OTHER FORCE, IT &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& WILL FIT IN THE PUZZLE, SAFE TO BEND - &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& BUT IT WONT BE, AND THE SECOND THEY &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& TRY... &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& AND SO.##~~~~~~~T &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& HEY LOOK AT US AND OUR PLANET AND THEY &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& ~LAU~H~ &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& ~~~AUSE WE'~RE NE~X~T... ###.###~#/~~~~~ &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& ~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& &.&&.&&.&.
.&.&.&.&.& &..&..&.&.
&&.&.&.&.& &.&&.&&.&.