The Insect Trials: A Tale of Bug Justice

By Herb Hamblen

A bizzare scientific experiment goes terribly wrong and the world is taken over by insects who seek revenge on humans for atrocities committed against them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jun 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781483531984

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9781483531984

Introduction

In the year 2081 man began genetic experiments using the DNA of flower pollen crossed with the DNA of human geniuses. The intent was to produce a new type of honey that would allow infants to quickly acquire the intellectual prowess of college graduates. The experiment was referred to as: The Smart from the Start Program.

In the beginning, the results looked promising; but then, things went terribly wrong. The honeybees selected for the experiment soon became more intelligent than their masters. They rebelled. Escape proved to be child’s play, and once loosed into the environment the bees began pollinated flowers at random. As a result, the genetic material was spread at an exponential rate throughout the entire food chain. By the time twenty years had passed the entire insect world had a grasp of higher learning as never before.

Man, now outsmarted and outnumbered, was forced to capitulate to the six-legged creatures. The insects, with their newly acquired college degrees, sought to hold the humans accountable for the atrocities committed against them. These proceedings were known simply as: "The Insect Trials."

I

The Insect Trials

This court is now in session, all rise! trumpeted Bailiff Beetletusk, who, as his name and demeanor might suggest was no ordinary beetle. He was an elephant stag-beetle of gargantuan proportions whose thunderous voice was so powerful he could literally level an ant hill just by yelling at it. Today his announcement had caused huge cracks to form in all thirteen stained-glass windows surrounding the courtroom.

It should also be noted that as the command all rise was being given several insects sitting near Bailiff Beetletusk came to their feet with such force that they ended up launching themselves into the ceiling insulation. Sadly, many would remain stuck there for the duration of the trial.

Certainly, it was true that Bailiff Beetletusk had a deep resonating voice, but he also possessed something else …a pair of antler-like jaws that were nothing less than abominable. These uniquely shaped mandibles had gained the dubious distinction of having scared the guano out of every known insect species on the face of the planet, and now, every bug with an eye, had that eye glued squarely upon him.

Admittedly, this much attention over a single individual would have been overwhelming, but these days being stared at like some sort of freak rarely bothered him. In fact, he had almost grown accustomed to it. But, like any other bug under the magnifying glass, he hoped the star of the show would make his way onto the stage as soon as possible.

Suddenly, the door to the judge’s chambers swung wide open. Into the courtroom came a brown pea-sized spider wearing a pair of black horn-rimmed glasses that were nearly as large as he was. The awkward looking spectacles fit squarely upon his round face giving him a sense of orderliness and dignity a spider his size desperately needed in order to be taken seriously in a court of law such as this.

Several of the courtroom cameras zoomed in on his tiny torso, enlarging it over three-hundred times for the forty-four in-house monitors, five-hundred and fifty-three million street monitors, seventy-seven trillion television sets, and the four hundred million googols of smart phones of the known insect world.

Judge Longlegs, as he was best known by the insect world, rested upon the twelve law books that had been pre-positioned by the court room staff on the seat of his tall black leather-bound chair. Once comfortable he let his eight needle-thin legs droop down beside him for just a moment; then, he raised his right front leg in the air and brought it down in one swift movement. The digitized sound of a gavel could be heard slamming home.

This court is now in session, he said. You may be seated. The insects jostled against one another as they settled into their cramped seats. I am the honorable Judge Longlegs, and I’ll be presiding for the duration of this trial, he declared.

Objection your Honor, your suitability as judge in these proceedings has not yet been established, stated the prosecutor, a vicious looking praying mantis with bulging green eyes. Ironically, the only thing that kept Judge Longlegs from leaping off his chair and fleeing the courtroom was the fact that the huge green mantis appeared to be praying.

Overruled, said Judge Longlegs in a squeamish, barely audible tone.

Excuse me, your Honor. Could you repeat that? I didn’t quite hear you, replied Miss Mantis, in her naturally intimidating voice.

I said overruled!

Judge Longlegs, I cannot be overruled in this matter. I’m the district attorney. I represent the entire insect world.

Stop right there! You represent this insect district alone, not the nation, not the world, and I don’t understand the problem here, said Judge Longlegs. I was duly appointed to adjudicate this case last week after a mutual agreement was reached between the public attorney, Gopher Tortoise over there, and the prosecutor, Sir Roach Nastivo. Speaking of which …where is that roach?

I’m afraid he’s expired, your Honor, replied the prayerful Mantis.

You mean dead? asked Judge Longlegs.

I’m afraid so, your Honor. Life expectancy in his family is very short.

Judge Longlegs raised and lowered his right front leg many times in rapid succession and each time he did the digitized sound of a gavel was broadcast. Order, order, order, we agreed that we would have order in this court. We are not to refer to kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, or species, only order here. All other classifications are forbidden …order, order, order!

Miss Mantis shook her head. Your Honor …what in a salamander’s eye are you talking about?

I’m speaking of taxonomy, said Judge Longlegs.

…Tax on what your Honor?

"Not tax on what