##§$:-,,,, ,,,,-:$§##
@##$$::»-, ,-»::$$##@
#§§:::-,,, ,,,-:::§§#
##@#§$:»-, ,-»:$§#@##
##@#§$:»-, ,-»:$§#@##
###@§$:»-, GRAY SKIES, SWIRLING WITH SOOT. STONY ,-»:$§@###
##@#§$:»-, GROUND WITH NO HINTS OF VEGETATION. ,-»:$§#@##
##@#§$:»-, ,-»:$§#@##
#§§§:»,,,, 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 ,,,,-:§§##
##@#§$:»-, SLUDGE WAS BOTTLED. ,-»:$§#@##
##@#§$:»-, ,-»:$§#@##
#$:--,,,,, ######################################## ,,,,,--:$#
@@@#§$:»-, # # ,-»:$§#@@@
@§§:--,,,, # #################################### # ,,,,--:§§@
#$»»--,,,, # # # # ,,,,--»»$#
##$:-,,,,, # # #@@#$#$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$#$#@@# # # ,,,,,-:$##
####§$:»-, @ # # # # @ ,-»:$§####
@@§§§$:»-, @ # # THE CARGO SHIP IS FILLED, # # @ ,-»:$§§§@@
@@§:--,,,, § # @ PREPARED FOR LAUNCH, @ # § ,,,,--:§@@
##$:»,,,,, $ @ @ IGNITION SEQUENCE STARTED @ @ $ ,,,,,»:$##
##@#§$:»-, : # @ HOURS AGO. ELVES IN THE @ # : ,-»:$§#@##
##@#§$:»-, : $ # PASSENGER CABIN, NOT YET # $ : ,-»:$§#@##
##§:-,,,,, » : # SEATED. BUT SOMETHING IS # : » ,,,,,-:§##
##@#§$:»-, » » § WRONG. THERE IS SOMETHING § » » ,-»:$§#@##
####§$:»-, - - $ GREEN AROUND THEIR MOUTHS. $ - - ,-»:$§####
##§$»-,,,, - - : THE SLUDGE HAS BEEN SAMPLED, : - - ,,,,-»$§##
@#§$:»-,,, - - » ENTERTAINED, AND THEN » - - ,,,-»:$§#@
@@§§§$:»-, - - - FINALLY BINGED ON. - - - ,-»:$§§§@@
##@#§$:»-, , , , , , , ,-»:$§#@##
#§§::»,,,, , , , THE ENGINES ARE BURNING HOT, , , , ,,,,»::§§#
##@#§$:»-, AND THE SHIP ACCELERATES ,-»:$§#@##
##@#§$:»-, AWAY. THE ELVES HAVE ,-»:$§#@##
##@#§$:»-, STRAPPED THEMSELVES IN, AND ,-»:$§#@##
#@@#§$:»-, ARE LYING COMPLETELY STILL, ,-»:$§#@@#
##§§:-,,,, LIKE CORPSES. ,,,,-:§§##
##@#§$:»-, ,-»:$§#@##
##@#§$:»-, ,-»:$§#@##
##§::»,,,, ,,,,»::§##
##@#§$:»-, ,-»:$§#@##
###$$$:»-, ,-»:$$$###