,,,,,,-«*& &*«-,,,,,,
,-«/**&£@# #@£&**/«-,
,,----/*&£ £&*/----,,
,-«/**&£## ##£&**/«-,
,,,,,-/*&£ £&*/-,,,,,
,-«/**&£@# 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. £££&**/«-,
,-«/*****& &*****/«-,
,-«/*****& &*****/«-,
,-«/**&£@# #@£&**/«-,
,-«/**&£## ##£&**/«-,
,,,,-/**&@ @&**/-,,,,