Once upon a time, there was a boy.

There will always be a time, and there will always be boys. But this time, and this boy, were both a little special.

This time, Civilization and indeed all living things (except the roaches; for very little bothers them) lay on one side of the mighty Scales of Fate. And in the other pan, four individuals were placed by a hand who judged them to be, not only the world's best hope, but its only hope.

The owner of that hand was, unfortunately, also the owner of a rather peculiar sense of humor and a tendency to gamble. The four individuals, who had very little say in the beginning but rather a great deal to say in the end, eventually came to appreciate that fact.

By then, of course, it was too late.

Fortunately, everyone involved made the correct choices, or at least those that resulted in the world not being destroyed.

And where was the boy, in all this?

Why, in the middle, of course.