.&.&&...&& .&.&.&..&&
.&..&..&.& .&.&.&.&.&
.&.&&.&&.& .&.&.&.&.&
.&..&..&.& .&.&.&.&.&
.&.&&.&&.& .&.&.&.&.&
.&..&..&.& 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. .&.&.&.&.&
.&.&&.&&.& .&.&.&.&.&
.&..&..&.& .&.&.&.&.&
.&.&&.&&.& .&.&.&.&.&
.&..&..&.& .&.&.&.&.&
.&.&&.&&.& .&.&.&.&.&