###@@**=,. .,=**@@###
###@@**=,. .,=**@@###
###@@**=,. .,=**@@###
@*==...... ......==*@
@@@*=,.... ....,=*@@@
###@@**=,. 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. ..,,,==**@
#@**=..... .....=**@#
###@@**=,. .,=**@@###
###@@**=,. .,=**@@###
@*=,,..... .....,,=*@
#@@*==.... ....==*@@#