....^-**%@                                          @%**-^....
...^-**%@#                                          #@%**-^...
..^-**%@##                                          ##@%**-^..
.^-**%@###                                          ###@%**-^.
..^-**%@##                                          ##@%**-^..
...^-**%@# 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.              %**-^.....
......^-**                                          **-^......
.......^-*                                          *-^.......
........^-                                          -^........
.......^-*                                          *-^.......
......^-**                                          **-^......