#.#....#.#                                          .........#
#..#.....#                                          .........#
##..#....#                                          #........#
.##..#...#                                          .#.......#
.###..#..#                                          ..#.......
.#.##..#.. 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.              .#.##...##
##.....#.#                                          ...###..#.
###......#                                          ...#.##...
#.##.....#                                          .....###..
..###.....                                          #....#.##.
..#.##....                                          ##.....###