When we were young, we speculated about intelligent life in the universe and stared into the cold abyss, not realizing the serenity of our innocence. Then one day, we woke up and found hordes of advanced civilizations busy establishing embassies and consulates all over our world. Most of our petty disputes were put aside, at least temporarily, as we staggered to regain our balance.

The I first time I saw the Bug, he was on the porch of a cabin in the backwoods. If ugly were not already a word, I would have invented there on the spot. The only association I could make to a civilized intellect was his wearing of faded blue jeans, although the effect was both frightening and humorous at the same time.

Ever wonder what it would be like to be immortal? I asked the Bug this question and this was his answer.

As it is always, a stranger with a controversial idea is seen as intriguing, but a family member with a controversial idea is seen as heretical. So it was at the beginning of the longest war that I know actually occurred. In a very early age, long before virtually all of the known galactic civilizations even had the light of consciousness, there existed a perfect world and a magnificent race that was born there. They have a proper name, but I prefer to call them The Souls of the Dawn. Few planets have the resources to support more than a few million sentient entities, but this world held billions without want. Having virtually everything they needed, they lived in ageless peace. They had few rivalries and built a great civilization that spanned to the nearby stars.

Ever wonder how a civilization could move a star? I asked The Bug this question and this was his answer.

Once there existed an advanced sentient race built on chaos without any true justice. After centuries of war and devastation, they dedicated their intellectual and technical communities on the great work of creating an arbitrator that could be fair and just for all disputes. After decades of work, it came to be and there was joy in the populace as all manner of arguments from petty to international were settled by the arbitrator. Some even came to call the arbitrator the Great Arbitrator.

We silently entered the chamber one by one to face our judgment. Being the least important of the Council of Elders, an Archivist, I was the last. I watched in total fear as our greatest minds took their places before the unseen interrogators to plead our case.

He was known as The Sun, because of his radiant smile. She was known as The Moon, because she was pale and cold. Her expression never changed as she went about her life.