,~~=*$&#@# #@#&$*=~~,
,~~=*$&#@# #@#&$*=~~,
,,,,,,~=*& &*=~,,,,,,
,~~~~==$#@ @#$==~~~~,
,~~=*$&#@# #@#&$*=~~,
,~~=*$&&#@ GRAY SKIES, SWIRLING WITH SOOT. STONY @#&&$*=~~,
,,,,~***$& GROUND WITH NO HINTS OF VEGETATION. &$***~,,,,
,~~=*$$$$& &$$$$*=~~,
,~~=*$&&&# BELOW THE SURFACE ARE THE MINES, #&&&$*=~~,
,,,,~==$&# SPIRALING DOWN INTO THE CRUST. SMALL #&$==~,,,,
,~~=*$&#@# COMPARED TO THE CAVERNS THEY EVENTUALLY #@#&$*=~~,
,~~=*$&##@ REACH AND JOIN WITH. THE TEMPERATURE IS @##&$*=~~,
,,,,,,~=$# HIGHER DOWN HERE, AND THE VIEW IS NOT #$=~,,,,,,
,~~=*$&### AS MONOCHROME: A GREEN LIGHT BECKONS ###&$*=~~,
,,,,,~=**& FROM BELOW. &**=~,,,,,
,,,,,~=$&& &&$=~,,,,,
,~~=*$&#@# LONG AGO, THERE WAS A LIFEFORM HERE. IN #@#&$*=~~,
,~~=*$$&&# 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, &*=~,,,,,,
,~~=*$&#@# LIKE CORPSES. #@#&$*=~~,
,,,,,,~=*& &*=~,,,,,,
,~~=*$&#@# #@#&$*=~~,
,~~=*$&&&@ @&&&$*=~~,
,~~=*$&#@# #@#&$*=~~,
,~~~~*$&&# #&&$*~~~~,