...^«/†$@@                                          @@$†/«^...
....^«/†$@                                          @$†/«^....
.....^«/†$                                          $†/«^.....
......^«/†                                          †/«^......
.....^«/†$                                          $†/«^.....
....^«/†$@            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... ###.##@«@/««^^^ @@@$†/«^..
...^«/†$@@ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ @@$†/«^...
....^«/†$@ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ @$†/«^....
.....^«/†$ ^^^^^^^^^^#^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ $†/«^.....
......^«/†                                          †/«^......
.....^«/†$                                          $†/«^.....
....^«/†$@                                          @$†/«^....
...^«/†$@@                                          @@$†/«^...
..^«/†$@@@                                          @@@$†/«^..
.^«/†$@@@#                                          #@@@$†/«^.