The Useless Bugbreeders

** "The Useless Bugbreeders" by James Stamers follows an intergalactic courtroom battle as a lawyer named Mr. Jones champions the rights of a strange alien species, the Bugbreeders, against the Space Council in the 1960s. Set against a backdrop of human expansion, the story pokes fun at the idea of worth and purpose when dealing with vastly different alien civilizations. Mr. Jones attempts to prove that the Bugbreeders' unique ability to create food and shelter justifies their claim to an asteroid that the Space Council wants to use for space travel. What starts as a comical defense turns serious when demonstrations of their abilities lead to humorous destruction and an unexpected discovery about the Bugbreeders' biology, which could challenge humanity's understanding of life itself and possibly unlock the secrets of immortality. **