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