##¶@@==-,, ,,-==@@¶##
###¶@@==-, ,-==@@¶###
##¶@@==-,, ,,-==@@¶##
#¶@@==-,,, ,,,-==@@¶#
##¶@@==-,, ,,-==@@¶##
###¶@@==-, 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. ,-==@@¶###
##¶@@==-,, ,,-==@@¶##
#¶@@==-,,, ,,,-==@@¶#
##¶@@==-,, ,,-==@@¶##
###¶@@==-, ,-==@@¶###
##¶@@==-,, ,,-==@@¶##