,,,--:§§§# #§§§:--,,,
,.-:%§##@# #@##§%:-.,
,,,,,.--%# #%--.,,,,,
,.-:%§§§§# #§§§§%:-.,
,.-:::%§## ##§%:::-.,
,.-:%§#### 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. ##@#§%:-.,
,.-:%§##@# #@##§%:-.,
,.-:%§#@## ##@#§%:-.,
,,,..:%%%# #%%%:..,,,
,.-%§##@## ##@##§%-.,
,.-:%§###@ @###§%:-.,