,,.=*%##@#                                          #@##%*=.,,
,.=*%##@##                                          ##@##%*=.,
,,.=*%##@#                                          #@##%*=.,,
,,,.=*%##@                                          @##%*=.,,,
,,,,.=*%##                                          ##%*=.,,,,
,,,,,.=*%# 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.              ##@##%*=.,
,,.=*%##@#                                          #@##%*=.,,
,,,.=*%##@                                          @##%*=.,,,
,,,,.=*%##                                          ##%*=.,,,,
,,,,,.=*%#                                          #%*=.,,,,,
,,,,,,.=*%                                          %*=.,,,,,,