.,,,--††*#                                          #*††--,,,.
......,†*@                                          @*†,......
.,-†=*@###                                          ###@*=†-,.
..,,,†==#@                                          @#==†,,,..
.,-†=*#@##                                          ##@#*=†-,.
.,-†*#@### 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.               ##@#*=†-,.
.,-†=*#@##                                          ##@#*=†-,.
.,-†=*####                                          ####*=†-,.
...,,††=##                                          ##=††,,...
......-†*#                                          #*†-......
.,-†=*#@##                                          ##@#*=†-,.