@*%:»,.... ....,»:%*@
*%:»,..... .....,»:%*
@*%:»,.... ....,»:%*@
#@*%:»,... ...,»:%*@#
##@*%:»,.. ..,»:%*@##
###@*%:»,. 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. .....,»:%*
@*%:»,.... ....,»:%*@
#@*%:»,... ...,»:%*@#
##@*%:»,.. ..,»:%*@##
###@*%:»,. .,»:%*@###
##@*%:»,.. ..,»:%*@##