.-~^†&@#@#                                          #@#@&†^~-.
..-~^†&@#@                                          @#@&†^~-..
.-~^†&@#@#                                          #@#@&†^~-.
..-~^†&@#@                                          @#@&†^~-..
.-~^†&@#@#                                          #@#@&†^~-.
..-~^†&@#@ 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.              @#@&†^~-..
.-~^†&@#@#                                          #@#@&†^~-.
..-~^†&@#@                                          @#@&†^~-..
.-~^†&@#@#                                          #@#@&†^~-.
..-~^†&@#@                                          @#@&†^~-..
.-~^†&@#@#                                          #@#@&†^~-.