"The tank-like doka bug wheeled over the snaking roots and loose soil of Planet Orn with an air of pomposity. Its heavily-armoured body easily bulldozed through the rough terrain – rough for a centimeter-long beetle-like insect anyway. Unlike an Earth beetle, the doka bug had evolved specialized appendages that acted as toothed wheels surrounded by a membranous tread, allowing it to plow easily through the Ornian landscape. Its exoskeleton consisted of several layers of chitinous plates, which offered nearly perfect protection against predation. Because of this, the doka bug roamed around with complete confidence – some might even say arrogance. True, it was blessed with evolutionary gifts that rendered it highly adapted to the natural environment on Planet Orn. However, the environment had changed dramatically in recent years, and perhaps the doka was not quite as well-evolved as it thought. In fact, there was a distinct possibility that its inflated ego was no longer merited. Oblivious to this notion, the doka bug trundled along, hoping to happen upon a suitable mate. It had been trundling for quite some time – forty-two days to be exact – nearly the entire life expectancy of the tiny creature, and in all that time it had not come across a single specimen of its own genus, let alone its own species. It was running out of time to pass on its superior genes to a brood of lucky offspring. Of course, the doka bug’s simple nervous system did not enable it to form such complex thoughts, but its instincts hinted at a vague sense of urgency."