####%§*=,. .,=*§%####
##§§§*,... ...,*§§§##
##%%%§*=,. .,=*§%%%##
####%§*=,. .,=*§%####
####%§*=,. .,=*§%####
###§§*,,,. 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. .,=*§%####
####%§*=,. .,=*§%####
####%§*=,. .,=*§%####
#%**=..... .....=**%#
####%§*=,. .,=*§%####
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