,.-\=%&#@# #@#&%=\-.,
,.-\=%&&&& &&&&%=\-.,
,.-\===&## ##&===\-.,
,,,,,-\\%# #%\\-,,,,,
,.-\=%&### ###&%=\-.,
,,,,,-=%&@ 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. &=-.,,,,,,
,.-\=%&#@# #@#&%=\-.,
,.-\=%&#@# #@#&%=\-.,
,.-\=%&#@# #@#&%=\-.,
,.-\=%&#@@ @@#&%=\-.,
,.-\=%&##@ @##&%=\-.,