*--....... .......--*
--........ ........--
*--....... .......--*
%*--...... ......--*%
%%*--..... .....--*%%
@%%*--.... 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. ..--*%%@##
###@%%*--. .--*%%@###
##@%%*--.. ..--*%%@##
#@%%*--... ...--*%%@#
@%%*--.... ....--*%%@
%%*--..... .....--*%%