.........,                                          ,.........
........,«                                          «,........
.......,«/                                          /«,.......
......,«/*                                          */«,......
.....,«/*$                                          $*/«,.....
....,«/*$& 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.               &$*/«,....
...,«/*$&@                                          @&$*/«,...
..,«/*$&@@                                          @@&$*/«,..
.,«/*$&@@#                                          #@@&$*/«,.
..,«/*$&@@                                          @@&$*/«,..
...,«/*$&@                                          @&$*/«,...