#..#..#.##                                          .#.#..#..#
#.##.##..#                                          .#.#.##.#.
#..#..#.##                                          .#.#..#.#.
#.##.##..#                                          .#.#.##.#.
#..#..#.##                                          .#.#..#.#.
#.##.##..# 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.               .#.#.##.#.
#..#..#.##                                          .#.#..#.#.
#.##.##..#                                          .#.#.##.#.
#..#..#.##                                          .#.#..#.#.
#.##.##..#                                          .#.#.##.#.
#..#..#.##                                          .#.#..#.#.