....&.&&.& &.&&...&&.
......&&.. ..&&&..&&&
&.....&&&. ..&.&&.&.&
&&....&.&& ....&&...&
.&&.....&& ....&&&..&
.&&&....&. GRAY SKIES, SWIRLING WITH SOOT. STONY &...&.&&..
.&.&&..... GROUND WITH NO HINTS OF VEGETATION. .&....&&&.
...&&&.... ..&...&.&&
&..&.&&... BELOW THE SURFACE ARE THE MINES, &..&....&&
&&...&&&.. SPIRALING DOWN INTO THE CRUST. SMALL .&..&...&.
&&&..&.&&. COMPARED TO THE CAVERNS THEY EVENTUALLY ..&..&....
&.&&...&&& REACH AND JOIN WITH. THE TEMPERATURE IS &..&..&...
..&&&..&.& HIGHER DOWN HERE, AND THE VIEW IS NOT .&..&..&..
..&.&&...& AS MONOCHROME: A GREEN LIGHT BECKONS ..&..&..&.
....&&&..& FROM BELOW. ...&..&..&
&...&.&&.. ....&..&..
.&....&&&. LONG AGO, THERE WAS A LIFEFORM HERE. IN &....&..&.
..&...&.&& THE CENTER OF THE PLANETOID, SOMETHING .&....&..&
&..&....&& DORMANT, WAITING FOR A COLLISION WITH ..&....&..
.&..&...&. ANOTHER BODY. BUT NO PLANET WAS &..&....&.
..&..&.... REACHED, AND OVER TIME, THE SEEDLING &&..&....&
&..&..&... BECAME A SLUDGE. .&&..&....
.&..&..&.. .&&&..&...
..&..&..&. AND ELVES CAME AS MINERS, AND THE .&.&&..&..
...&..&..& SLUDGE WAS BOTTLED. ...&&&..&.
....&..&.. &..&.&&..&
&....&..&. ######################################## &&...&&&..
.&....&..& # # .&&..&.&&.
..&....&.. # #@#@@@&@&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&@&@@@#@# # .&&&...&&&
&..&....&. # @ @ # .&.&&..&.&
&&..&....& @ @ @@@&=&====================&=&@@@ @ @ ...&&&...&
.&&..&.... @ @ @ @ @ @ ...&.&&..&
.&&&..&... @ @ @ THE CARGO SHIP IS FILLED, @ @ @ .....&&&..
.&.&&..&.. $ @ @ PREPARED FOR LAUNCH, @ @ $ .....&.&&.
...&&&..&. = @ @ IGNITION SEQUENCE STARTED @ @ = .......&&&
&..&.&&..& : & @ HOURS AGO. ELVES IN THE @ & : &......&.&
&&...&&&.. : = & PASSENGER CABIN, NOT YET & = : .&.......&
.&&..&.&&. » : & SEATED. BUT SOMETHING IS & : » ..&......&
.&&&...&&& » » $ WRONG. THERE IS SOMETHING $ » » ...&......
.&.&&..&.& ^ ^ = GREEN AROUND THEIR MOUTHS. = ^ ^ ....&.....
...&&&...& ^ ^ : THE SLUDGE HAS BEEN SAMPLED, : ^ ^ &....&....
...&.&&..& ^ ^ » ENTERTAINED, AND THEN » ^ ^ .&....&...
.....&&&.. ^ ^ ^ FINALLY BINGED ON. ^ ^ ^ ..&....&..
.....&.&&. . . . . . . &..&....&.
.......&&& . . . THE ENGINES ARE BURNING HOT, . . . .&..&....&
&......&.& AND THE SHIP ACCELERATES ..&..&....
.&.......& AWAY. THE ELVES HAVE &..&..&...
..&......& STRAPPED THEMSELVES IN, AND &&..&..&..
...&...... ARE LYING COMPLETELY STILL, &&&..&..&.
....&..... LIKE CORPSES. &.&&..&..&
&....&.... ..&&&..&..
.&....&... ..&.&&..&.
..&....&.. ....&&&..&
&..&....&. ....&.&&..
.&..&....& &.....&&&.