,^«:*%§#@# #@#§%*:«^,
,,^«:*%§#@ @#§%*:«^,,
,,,^«:*%§# #§%*:«^,,,
,,^«:*%§#@ @#§%*:«^,,
,^«:*%§#@# #@#§%*:«^,
,,^«:*%§#@ 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. @#§%*:«^,,
,,,^«:*%§# #§%*:«^,,,
,,^«:*%§#@ @#§%*:«^,,
,^«:*%§#@# #@#§%*:«^,
,,^«:*%§#@ @#§%*:«^,,
,,,^«:*%§# #§%*:«^,,,