###@%$=»,, ,,»=$%@###
##%$»,,,,, ,,,,,»$%##
###@%$=»,, ,,»=$%@###
###@%$=»,, ,,»=$%@###
###@%$=»,, ,,»=$%@###
###@%$=»,, GRAY SKIES, SWIRLING WITH SOOT. STONY ,,»=$%@###
#%=,,,,,,, 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 ,,»=$$$%%#
##@@%$=»,, STRAPPED THEMSELVES IN, AND ,,»=$%@@##
###@%$=»,, ARE LYING COMPLETELY STILL, ,,»=$%@###
###@%$=»,, LIKE CORPSES. ,,»=$%@###
###@%$=»,, ,,»=$%@###
@@@%$$=»,, ,,»=$$%@@@
###@%$=»,, ,,»=$%@###
###@%$=»,, ,,»=$%@###
@@%$»,,,,, ,,,,,»$%@@