###§$=;~-. .-~;=$§###
###§$=;~-. .-~;=$§###
####§$;~-. .-~;$§####
###§$=;~-. .-~;=$§###
###§$=;~-. .-~;=$§###
###§$=;~-. GRAY SKIES, SWIRLING WITH SOOT. STONY .-~;=$§###
#$$$=~.... GROUND WITH NO HINTS OF VEGETATION. ....~=$$$#
#$;;-..... .....-;;$#
#§==;;~-.. 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. .......~=§
#$;;;~-... ...-~;;;$#
#§$;-..... .....-;$§#
##$==;-... ...-;==$##
###§$=;~-. .-~;=$§###
#$===;~--. .--~;===$#