###@§%*»-, ,-»*%§@###
##@§%*»-,, ,,-»*%§@##
#@§%*»-,,, ,,,-»*%§@#
##@§%*»-,, ,,-»*%§@##
###@§%*»-, ,-»*%§@###
##@§%*»-,, 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. ,,-»*%§@##
#@§%*»-,,, ,,,-»*%§@#
##@§%*»-,, ,,-»*%§@##
###@§%*»-, ,-»*%§@###
##@§%*»-,, ,,-»*%§@##
#@§%*»-,,, ,,,-»*%§@#