,,:~;%*&#@ @#&*%;~:,,
,:~;%*&#@# #@#&*%;~:,
,,:~;%*&#@ @#&*%;~:,,
,,,:~;%*&# #&*%;~:,,,
,,:~;%*&#@ @#&*%;~:,,
,:~;%*&#@# 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. #@#&*%;~:,
,,:~;%*&#@ @#&*%;~:,,
,,,:~;%*&# #&*%;~:,,,
,,:~;%*&#@ @#&*%;~:,,
,:~;%*&#@# #@#&*%;~:,
,,:~;%*&#@ @#&*%;~:,,