..##..#...                                          ######...#
.#.#.##..#                                          .....#..##
#####.#.##                                          ....##.#.#
....####.#                                          ...#.####.
...#...##.                                          ..###...#.
..##..#.## 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.              ..#.......
.#.###.#.#                                          .##.......
###..####.                                          #.#.......
..#.#...##                                          ###......#
.####..#..                                          ..#.....##
#...#.##.#                                          .##....#.#