.&..&&.&.& .&..&.&..&
.&.&.&.&.& .&.&&.&.&&
.&.&.&.&.& .&..&.&..&
.&.&.&.&.& .&.&&.&.&&
.&.&.&.&.& .&..&.&..&
.&.&.&.&.& 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. .&.&&.&.&&
.&.&.&.&.& .&..&.&..&
.&.&.&.&.& .&.&&.&.&&
.&.&.&.&.& .&..&.&..&
.&.&.&.&.& .&.&&.&.&&
.&.&.&.&.& .&..&.&..&