~:........ ........:~
:......... .........:
.......... ..........
.......... ..........
.......... ..........
:......... 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. .....:~\*¤
&¤*\~:.... ....:~\*¤&
@&¤*\~:... ...:~\*¤&@
#@&¤*\~:.. ..:~\*¤&@#
##@&¤*\~:. .:~\*¤&@##
#@&¤*\~:.. ..:~\*¤&@#