,~-*$%#@@# #@@#%$*-~,
,,,---*%%@ @%%*---,,,
,~-*$%#@## ##@#%$*-~,
,~---*%##@ @##%*---~,
,,~~-$$%#@ @#%$$-~~,,
,~-*$%#@@@ GRAY SKIES, SWIRLING WITH SOOT. STONY @@@#%$*-~,
,,,~--$$$# GROUND WITH NO HINTS OF VEGETATION. #$$$--~,,,
,~-*$%#@@# #@@#%$*-~,
,~-*$%#@@# BELOW THE SURFACE ARE THE MINES, #@@#%$*-~,
,,~~~***$# SPIRALING DOWN INTO THE CRUST. SMALL #$***~~~,,
,~-*$%##@@ COMPARED TO THE CAVERNS THEY EVENTUALLY @@##%$*-~,
,,,,~~~*%@ 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. ##@#%$*-~,
,~-*$%#@@@ @@@#%$*-~,
,,,--**$#@ @#$**--,,,
,~-*$%%%#@ @#%%%$*-~,
,~-*$#@@## ##@@#$*-~,
,,,,~--*%# #%*--~,,,,