@&$$$~~... ...~~$$$&@
&&$=~~~~,. .,~~~~=$&&
##@&$$=~,. .,~=$$&@##
#@@&$$=~,. .,~=$$&@@#
@@@&$$=~,. .,~=$$&@@@
##@@&$$=~, GRAY SKIES, SWIRLING WITH SOOT. STONY ,~=$$&@@##
&$$$~~,... GROUND WITH NO HINTS OF VEGETATION. ...,~~$$$&
#@@&$$=~,. .,~=$$&@@#
@&&$$$=~,. BELOW THE SURFACE ARE THE MINES, .,~=$$$&&@
@@@&$$=~,. SPIRALING DOWN INTO THE CRUST. SMALL .,~=$$&@@@
&$=~~,.... COMPARED TO THE CAVERNS THEY EVENTUALLY ....,~~=$&
&$$$$$=~,. REACH AND JOIN WITH. THE TEMPERATURE IS .,~=$$$$$&
@@&$$$=~,. 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. .,~=$$&@@#
##@&$$=~,. .,~=$$&@##
@@@&$$=~,. .,~=$$&@@@
@@&$$$=~,. .,~=$$$&@@
&$=~...... ......~=$&
##@&$$=~,. .,~=$$&@##