,^»†*$&#@# #@#&$*†»^,
,,^»†*$&#@ @#&$*†»^,,
,,,^»†*$&# #&$*†»^,,,
,,,,^»†*$& &$*†»^,,,,
,,,,,^»†*$ $*†»^,,,,,
,,,,,,^»†* GRAY SKIES, SWIRLING WITH SOOT. STONY *†»^,,,,,,
,,,,,^»†*$ 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. @#&$*†»^,,
,^»†*$&#@# #@#&$*†»^,
,,^»†*$&#@ @#&$*†»^,,
,,,^»†*$&# #&$*†»^,,,
,,,,^»†*$& &$*†»^,,,,
,,,,,^»†*$ $*†»^,,,,,