@@,,@@,@,@                                          @@@@@@,@,,
,@,@,@,@,@                                          ,@@@@@,@,@
,@,@,@,@,@                                          @,@@@@,@,@
,@,@,@,@,@                                          @,,@@@,@,@
,@,@,@,@,@                                          @,@,@@,@,@
,@,@,@,@,@ 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.              @,@,,@,@,@
,@,@,@,@,@                                          @,@,@@,@,@
,@,@,@,@,@                                          @,@,,@,@,@
,@,@,@,@,@                                          @,@,@@,@,@
,@,@,@,@,@                                          @,@,,@,@,@
,@,@,@,@,@                                          @,@,@@,@,@