..#.######                                          .##.#..##.
.###......                                          #.###.#.#.
#..#......                                          ##..#####.
#.##.....#                                          .#.#....##
##.#....#.                                          ####...#..
.###...### 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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