@¤¤***::.. ..::***¤¤@
#@§¤*==::. .::==*¤§@#
#@§¤**==:. .:==**¤§@#
@@@§¤%*=:. .:=*%¤§@@@
##@§¤%*=:. .:=*%¤§@##
##@§¤%*=:. 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. .:=*%¤§@##
##@§¤%*=:. .:=*%¤§@##
#§§%*:.... ....:*%§§#
##@§¤%*=:. .:=*%¤§@##
##@§¤%*=:. .:=*%¤§@##
##@§¤%*=:. .:=*%¤§@##