,,,~\*%@#@ @#@%*\~,,,
,,,,~\*%@# #@%*\~,,,,
,,,~\*%@#@ @#@%*\~,,,
,,~\*%@#@# #@#@%*\~,,
,,,~\*%@#@ @#@%*\~,,,
,,,,~\*%@# 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. #@%*\~,,,,
,,,~\*%@#@ @#@%*\~,,,
,,~\*%@#@# #@#@%*\~,,
,,,~\*%@#@ @#@%*\~,,,
,,,,~\*%@# #@%*\~,,,,
,,,~\*%@#@ @#@%*\~,,,