##@§%=\~:, ,:~\=%§@##
#@§%=\~:,, ,,:~\=%§@#
##@§%=\~:, ,:~\=%§@##
#@§%=\~:,, ,,:~\=%§@#
##@§%=\~:, ,:~\=%§@##
#@§%=\~:,, 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. ,,:~\=%§@#
##@§%=\~:, ,:~\=%§@##
#@§%=\~:,, ,,:~\=%§@#
##@§%=\~:, ,:~\=%§@##
#@§%=\~:,, ,,:~\=%§@#
##@§%=\~:, ,:~\=%§@##