###§*%†~,, ,,~†%*§###
##§*%†~,,, ,,,~†%*§##
###§*%†~,, ,,~†%*§###
##§*%†~,,, ,,,~†%*§##
###§*%†~,, ,,~†%*§###
##§*%†~,,, 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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