,,,,-=;$$@ @$$;=-,,,,
,,,,,-=;$$ $$;=-,,,,,
,,,,,,-=;$ $;=-,,,,,,
,,,,,-=;$$ $$;=-,,,,,
,,,,-=;$$@ @$$;=-,,,,
,,,-=;$$@# GRAY SKIES, SWIRLING WITH SOOT. STONY #@$$;=-,,,
,,-=;$$@## GROUND WITH NO HINTS OF VEGETATION. ##@$$;=-,,
,-=;$$@### ###@$$;=-,
,,-=;$$@## BELOW THE SURFACE ARE THE MINES, ##@$$;=-,,
,,,-=;$$@# SPIRALING DOWN INTO THE CRUST. SMALL #@$$;=-,,,
,,,,-=;$$@ COMPARED TO THE CAVERNS THEY EVENTUALLY @$$;=-,,,,
,,,,,-=;$$ REACH AND JOIN WITH. THE TEMPERATURE IS $$;=-,,,,,
,,,,,,-=;$ 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. - - - $;=-,,,,,,
,,,,,-=;$$ , , , , , , $$;=-,,,,,
,,,,-=;$$@ , , , THE ENGINES ARE BURNING HOT, , , , @$$;=-,,,,
,,,-=;$$@# AND THE SHIP ACCELERATES #@$$;=-,,,
,,-=;$$@## AWAY. THE ELVES HAVE ##@$$;=-,,
,-=;$$@### STRAPPED THEMSELVES IN, AND ###@$$;=-,
,,-=;$$@## ARE LYING COMPLETELY STILL, ##@$$;=-,,
,,,-=;$$@# LIKE CORPSES. #@$$;=-,,,
,,,,-=;$$@ @$$;=-,,,,
,,,,,-=;$$ $$;=-,,,,,
,,,,,,-=;$ $;=-,,,,,,
,,,,,-=;$$ $$;=-,,,,,
,,,,-=;$$@ @$$;=-,,,,