,,,-=†^@##                                          ##@^†=-,,,
,,,,-=†^@#                                          #@^†=-,,,,
,,,,,-=†^@                                          @^†=-,,,,,
,,,,,,-=†^                                          ^†=-,,,,,,
,,,,,,,-=†                                          †=-,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,-= 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.               ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,-                                          -,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,-=                                          =-,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,-=†                                          †=-,,,,,,,
,,,,,,-=†^                                          ^†=-,,,,,,
,,,,,-=†^@                                          @^†=-,,,,,