.^=\%#####                                          #####%\=^.
.^=\%$####                                          ####$%\=^.
.^=\%$####                                          ####$%\=^.
.^=\%$####                                          ####$%\=^.
....=\$$##                                          ##$$\=....
.....^\\$# GRAY  SKIES, SWIRLING  WITH SOOT.  STONY #$\\^.....
.^=\%$#### GROUND  WITH  NO  HINTS  OF  VEGETATION. ####$%\=^.
.^=\%$####                                          ####$%\=^.
.^=\%$#### BELOW   THE   SURFACE  ARE  THE   MINES, ####$%\=^.
.^=\%##### SPIRALING  DOWN  INTO  THE CRUST.  SMALL #####%\=^.
.^=\%%%$## COMPARED TO  THE CAVERNS THEY EVENTUALLY ##$%%%\=^.
.^=\%$#### REACH AND JOIN  WITH. THE TEMPERATURE IS ####$%\=^.
....=\$### HIGHER DOWN HERE, AND THE  VIEW  IS  NOT ###$\=....
.^=\$##### AS MONOCHROME:  A  GREEN  LIGHT  BECKONS #####$\=^.
.^=\%$####               FROM BELOW.                ####$%\=^.
.^=\%$####                                          ####$%\=^.
.....=%### LONG AGO, THERE WAS A LIFEFORM HERE.  IN ###%=.....
.^=\%$#### THE CENTER OF  THE  PLANETOID, SOMETHING ####$%\=^.
.^=\%$#### DORMANT,  WAITING FOR A  COLLISION  WITH ####$%\=^.
.^=\%$#### ANOTHER   BODY.   BUT  NO   PLANET   WAS ####$%\=^.
....=%%%$# REACHED, AND  OVER  TIME,  THE  SEEDLING #$%%%=....
.^=%$#####             BECAME A SLUDGE.             #####$%=^.
.....^^\$#                                          #$\^^.....
.^=\%$#### AND   ELVES  CAME  AS  MINERS,  AND  THE ####$%\=^.
.^=\%$####           SLUDGE WAS BOTTLED.            ####$%\=^.
....^=%%##                                          ##%%=^....
.^=\%$#### ######################################## ####$%\=^.
.^=\%$$$## #                                      # ##$$$%\=^.
....^^\$## # #################################### # ##$\^^....
.....==\%# # #                                  # # #%\==.....
..^===%### # # ####%#%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%#%#### # # ###%===^..
....^=\%%# # # #                              # # # #%%\=^....
.....^\$## # # #   THE CARGO SHIP IS FILLED,  # # # ##$\^.....
.^=\%$#### $ # #      PREPARED FOR LAUNCH,    # # $ ####$%\=^.
.^=\%$#### % # #   IGNITION SEQUENCE STARTED  # # % ####$%\=^.
.^=\%%$### \ # #    HOURS AGO. ELVES IN THE   # # \ ###$%%\=^.
.^=\%$#### \ % #   PASSENGER CABIN, NOT YET   # % \ ####$%\=^.
.^^=\%$$$# = \ #   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, . . . #$$%\\\=^.
.^=\%$####         AND THE SHIP ACCELERATES         ####$%\=^.
.^=\%$####           AWAY. THE ELVES HAVE           ####$%\=^.
.^=\%$####       STRAPPED THEMSELVES IN, AND        ####$%\=^.
.^=\\\$$##        ARE LYING COMPLETELY STILL,       ##$$\\\=^.
.^=\%$####              LIKE CORPSES.               ####$%\=^.
.^=\%$####                                          ####$%\=^.
.^=\%$####                                          ####$%\=^.
......^\%#                                          #%\^......
.^=\%$####                                          ####$%\=^.
....^\$$##                                          ##$$\^....