,-«:§%&@@# #@@&%§:«-,
,,-«:§%&@@ @@&%§:«-,,
,,,-«:§%&@ @&%§:«-,,,
,,,,-«:§%& &%§:«-,,,,
,,,,,-«:§% %§:«-,,,,,
,,,,,,-«:§ 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. «-,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,-«: :«-,,,,,,,
,,,,,,-«:§ §:«-,,,,,,
,,,,,-«:§% %§:«-,,,,,
,,,,-«:§%& &%§:«-,,,,
,,,-«:§%&@ @&%§:«-,,,