.--;$$####                                          ####$$;--.
......-;$#                                          #$;-......
.--;$$####                                          ####$$;--.
.--;$$$###                                          ###$$$;--.
.--;$$####                                          ####$$;--.
.--;$$#### GRAY SKIES,  SWIRLING  WITH  SOOT. STONY ####$$;--.
.--;$$#### GROUND  WITH  NO  HINTS  OF  VEGETATION. ####$$;--.
.--;$$####                                          ####$$;--.
..---;$$## BELOW   THE  SURFACE   ARE  THE   MINES, ##$$;---..
.--$$##### SPIRALING  DOWN  INTO  THE CRUST.  SMALL #####$$--.
.--;$$#### COMPARED TO THE  CAVERNS THEY EVENTUALLY ####$$;--.
....-;$$## REACH AND JOIN  WITH. THE TEMPERATURE IS ##$$;-....
.--;;$$$## HIGHER DOWN HERE,  AND THE  VIEW IS  NOT ##$$$;;--.
.--;$$#### AS  MONOCHROME:  A GREEN  LIGHT  BECKONS ####$$;--.
.....-;$$#               FROM BELOW.                #$$;-.....
.--;$$####                                          ####$$;--.
....----$# LONG AGO,  THERE WAS A LIFEFORM HERE. IN #$----....
.--;$$#### THE CENTER OF  THE  PLANETOID, SOMETHING ####$$;--.
.---;;;$$# DORMANT,  WAITING  FOR A  COLLISION WITH #$$;;;---.
....--$$## ANOTHER  BODY.   BUT   NO   PLANET   WAS ##$$--....
.--;$$#### REACHED,  AND  OVER  TIME, THE  SEEDLING ####$$;--.
.....-$$$#             BECAME A SLUDGE.             #$$$-.....
.--;$$$###                                          ###$$$;--.
.-------$# AND  ELVES   CAME  AS  MINERS,  AND  THE #$-------.
.--;$$$$##           SLUDGE WAS BOTTLED.            ##$$$$;--.
.--;$$####                                          ####$$;--.
.--;$##### ######################################## #####$;--.
...--$$### #                                      # ###$$--...
.--;$##### # #################################### # #####$;--.
....--;;$# # #                                  # # #$;;--....
....--;$## # # ####$#$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$#$#### # # ##$;--....
....--;$## # # #                              # # # ##$;--....
.--;$$$### # # #   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.              #####$$;-.
.--;$$####                                          ####$$;--.
.....--;$#                                          #$;--.....
....--$$$#                                          #$$$--....
....-;$$##                                          ##$$;-....
.....-;$$#                                          #$$;-.....