@%===~~~:. .:~~~===%@
#@%%==~... ...~==%%@#
##@&%$=~:. .:~=$%&@##
##@&%$=~:. .:~=$%&@##
@&$~::.... ....::~$&@
###@&%=~:. 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 .:~=$$$%%@
##@&%$=~:. STRAPPED THEMSELVES IN, AND .:~=$%&@##
##@&%$=~:. ARE LYING COMPLETELY STILL, .:~=$%&@##
&&$$$$=~:. LIKE CORPSES. .:~=$$$$&&
##@&%$=~:. .:~=$%&@##
@%$$=:.... ....:=$$%@
&%$$==:::. .:::==$$%&
#@&&%$=~:. .:~=$%&&@#
###@&%=~:. .:~=%&@###