,,,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,@,,
@@@@@@@@@@                                          @@@@@@,,,@
@@@@@@@@@@                                          @@@@@,,@,,
,@@@@@@@@@                                          @@@@,,,,,,
,,@@@@@@@,                                          @@@,,@@@@@
,,,@@@@@,, 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.               @@@@@@@@@@
@,,@@,,,,@                                          ,@@@@@@@@@
,,,,,,@@,,                                          ,,@@@@@@@@
,@@@@,,,,@                                          ,,,@@@@@@,
,,@@,,@@,,                                          @@,,@@@@,,
@,,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,@@,,@