##@@**†~~, ,~~†**@@##
#@@**†~~,, ,,~~†**@@#
@@**†~~,,, ,,,~~†**@@
#@@**†~~,, ,,~~†**@@#
##@@**†~~, ,~~†**@@##
#@@**†~~,, 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. ,,~~†**@@#
@@**†~~,,, ,,,~~†**@@
#@@**†~~,, ,,~~†**@@#
##@@**†~~, ,~~†**@@##
#@@**†~~,, ,,~~†**@@#
@@**†~~,,, ,,,~~†**@@