##.##...#.                                          .....#....
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.#.#...##.                                          .#...###.#
####..#.## 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.           #.##...##.
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.####.#### $ @ @      PREPARED FOR LAUNCH,    @ @ $ .#####..#.
#...##.... † @ @   IGNITION SEQUENCE STARTED  @ @ † #....#.##.
#..#.#...# / # @    HOURS AGO. ELVES IN THE   @ # / #...###.##
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##...#.### ~ / #   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.              #....#..#.
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