.......-~/                                          /~-.......
........-~                                          ~-........
.......-~/                                          /~-.......
......-~/%                                          %/~-......
.....-~/%&                                          &%/~-.....
....-~/%&& 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.              #@&&%/~-..
.-~/%&&@##                                          ##@&&%/~-.
..-~/%&&@#                                          #@&&%/~-..
...-~/%&&@                                          @&&%/~-...
....-~/%&&                                          &&%/~-....
.....-~/%&                                          &%/~-.....