&&.&.&.... &.&&.&&...
.&.&.&.... &..&..&..&
.&.&.&.... &.&&.&&.&&
.&.&.&.... &..&..&..&
.&.&.&.... &.&&.&&.&&
.&.&.&...& 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. &..&..&..&
.&.&.&.&.& &.&&.&&.&&
.&.&.&.&.& &..&..&..&
.&.&.&.&.& &.&&.&&.&&
.&.&.&.&.& &..&..&..&
.&.&.&.&.& &.&&.&&.&&