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