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