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