#@§%--,,,, ,,,,--%§@#
###@§%;-,, ,,-;%§@###
###@§%;-,, ,,-;%§@###
###@§%;-,, ,,-;%§@###
#§%-,,,,,, ,,,,,,-%§#
###@§%;-,, 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. ,,-;%§@###
###@§%;-,, ,,-;%§@###
@§§%;--,,, ,,,--;%§§@
###@§%;-,, ,,-;%§@###
###@§%;-,, ,,-;%§@###
@@@@§%;-,, ,,-;%§@@@@