,,-==*&&## ##&&*==-,,
,-==*&&### ###&&*==-,
,,-==*&&## ##&&*==-,,
,,,-==*&&# #&&*==-,,,
,,,,-==*&& &&*==-,,,,
,,,,,-==*& 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. ###&&*==-,
,,-==*&&## ##&&*==-,,
,,,-==*&&# #&&*==-,,,
,,,,-==*&& &&*==-,,,,
,,,,,-==*& &*==-,,,,,
,,,,,,-==* *==-,,,,,,