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