...~=\$§#£                                          £#§$\=~...
..~=\$§#£@                                          @£#§$\=~..
.~=\$§#£@#                                          #@£#§$\=~.
..~=\$§#£@                                          @£#§$\=~..
...~=\$§#£                                          £#§$\=~...
....~=\$§# GRAY  SKIES,  SWIRLING WITH  SOOT. STONY #§$\=~....
.....~=\$§ 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.               =~........
.........~                                          ~.........
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.........~                                          ~.........