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