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