,.===§####                                          ####§===.,
,,.===§###                                          ###§===.,,
,,,.===§##                                          ##§===.,,,
,,,,.===§#                                          #§===.,,,,
,,,,,.===§                                          §===.,,,,,
,,,,,,.=== 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.              ###§===.,,
,.===§####                                          ####§===.,
,,.===§###                                          ###§===.,,
,,,.===§##                                          ##§===.,,,
,,,,.===§#                                          #§===.,,,,
,,,,,.===§                                          §===.,,,,,