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..&......& 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... ###.###~@†~~::: &&&&&.&&..
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&..&.....& ::::::::::#::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: &....&&&..
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