,.«†*§§###                                          ###§§*†«.,
,,.«†*§§##                                          ##§§*†«.,,
,,,.«†*§§#                                          #§§*†«.,,,
,,,,.«†*§§                                          §§*†«.,,,,
,,,.«†*§§#                                          #§§*†«.,,,
,,.«†*§§## 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.              ##§§*†«.,,
,,,.«†*§§#                                          #§§*†«.,,,
,,,,.«†*§§                                          §§*†«.,,,,
,,,.«†*§§#                                          #§§*†«.,,,
,,.«†*§§##                                          ##§§*†«.,,
,.«†*§§###                                          ###§§*†«.,