&.&..&.&.& .&&.&....&
&.&.&&.&.& &.&.&...&.
&.&..&.&.& &.&.&..&&.
&.&.&&.&.& &.&.&.&.&.
&.&..&.&.& &.&.&.&.&.
&.&.&&.&.& 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. &.&.&.&.&.
&.&..&.&.& &.&.&.&.&.
&.&.&&.&.& &.&.&.&.&.
&.&..&.&.& &.&.&.&.&.
&.&.&&.&.& &.&.&.&.&.
&.&..&.&.& &.&.&.&.&.