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