##..#####. ..#....##.
#.#.#....# #.##...#.#
.#####...# .##.#..###
##....#..# ##.###.#..
#.#...##.# #.##..###.
####..#.## 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. ..##.#.###
####.##### ..#.####..
#...##.... #.###...#.
##..#.#... .##..#..##
..#.####.. .#.#.##.#.
..###...#. .#####.###