##...####.                                          ...###.#..
.#..#...##                                          ..#..###.#
##.##..#..                                          .##.#..###
.##.#.##.#                                          #.###.#...
#.####.##.                                          ##..###...
##...##.## 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.           ##.######.
#.#####.##                                          .##.....##
##....##.. ######################################## #.#....#..
.#...#.#.. #                                      # ###...##.#
##..####.# # #################################### # ..#..#.###
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...#.####. # # #                              # # # ##.#.##..#
..###...## # # #   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.              ##...#####
##.#.##...                                          .#..#....#
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