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