,,,,,=%%@#                                          #@%%=,,,,,
,,,,,.=%$@                                          @$%=.,,,,,
,.=*%%%$$#                                          #$$%%%*=.,
,,,..*$@@@                                          @@@$*..,,,
,.=*%$@###                                          ###@$%*=.,
,.=*%$@### GRAY  SKIES,  SWIRLING  WITH SOOT. STONY ###@$%*=.,
,.=*%$@### GROUND  WITH  NO  HINTS  OF  VEGETATION. ###@$%*=.,
,,,,,.=%$#                                          #$%=.,,,,,
,,,,=%%%%@ 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        #@%**==,,,
,.=*%$@###        ARE LYING COMPLETELY STILL,       ###@$%*=.,
,.=*%$@###              LIKE CORPSES.               ###@$%*=.,
,.=*%$@###                                          ###@$%*=.,
,,,,..=*%@                                          @%*=..,,,,
,.=*%$@###                                          ###@$%*=.,
,.=*%$####                                          ####$%*=.,
,,,..*$@@#                                          #@@$*..,,,