.-«**%§@@@ @@@§%**«-.
.-«**%§§@@ @@§§%**«-.
.-«***%§§@ @§§%***«-.
.-«**%§@## ##@§%**«-.
.-«**%§@## ##@§%**«-.
.-«**%§@## 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. §****----.
.-«**%§@## ##@§%**«-.
.-**%§@### ###@§%**-.
.-«**%§@## ##@§%**«-.
.-«**%@### ###@%**«-.
.-«**%§@## ##@§%**«-.