..^=:%&#@#                                          #@#&%:=^..
...^=:%&#@                                          @#&%:=^...
..^=:%&#@#                                          #@#&%:=^..
.^=:%&#@##                                          ##@#&%:=^.
..^=:%&#@#                                          #@#&%:=^..
...^=:%&#@ 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.              @#&%:=^...
..^=:%&#@#                                          #@#&%:=^..
.^=:%&#@##                                          ##@#&%:=^.
..^=:%&#@#                                          #@#&%:=^..
...^=:%&#@                                          @#&%:=^...
..^=:%&#@#                                          #@#&%:=^..