........:- -:........
.........: :.........
........:- -:........
.......:-† †-:.......
......:-†= =†-:......
.....:-†=& 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. :.........
........:- -:........
.......:-† †-:.......
......:-†= =†-:......
.....:-†=& &=†-:.....
....:-†=&@ @&=†-:....