.#.....#.#                                          #####..#.#
###....###                                          .....#.###
...#...#..                                          #....###..
...##..##.                                          .#...#..#.
...#.#.#.#                                          ###..##.##
#..####### 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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.##.###.## # @ @                              @ @ # ..###.#..#
##.##..##. # @ @   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.              ......###.
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