,~-^=@@### ###@@=^-~,
,,~-^=@@## ##@@=^-~,,
,,,~-^=@@# #@@=^-~,,,
,,,,~-^=@@ @@=^-~,,,,
,,,,,~-^=@ @=^-~,,,,,
,,,,~-^=@@ 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. ##@@=^-~,,
,,,~-^=@@# #@@=^-~,,,
,,,,~-^=@@ @@=^-~,,,,
,,,,,~-^=@ @=^-~,,,,,
,,,,~-^=@@ @@=^-~,,,,
,,,~-^=@@# #@@=^-~,,,