###@&*:»-, ,-»:*&@###
@@&*»»,,,, ,,,,»»*&@@
#@#@&*:»-, ,-»:*&@#@#
###@&*:»-, ,-»:*&@###
#@#@&*:»-, ,-»:*&@#@#
@@***»-,,, 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. ,-»:*&@#@#
@@@&::--,, ,,--::&@@@
###@&*:»-, ,-»:*&@###
@@#@&*:»-, ,-»:*&@#@@
#@#@&*:»-, ,-»:*&@#@#
##@#@*:»-, ,-»:*@#@##