###@%*/»:, ,:»/*%@###
##%*»»»»:, ,:»»»»*%##
###@%*/»:, ,:»/*%@###
###@%*/»:, ,:»/*%@###
###@%*/»:, ,:»/*%@###
###@%*/»:, 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. ,:»/*%@###
###@%*/»:, ,:»/*%@###
@%*»,,,,,, ,,,,,,»*%@
###@%*/»:, ,:»/*%@###
####@%*/:, ,:/*%@####
###@%*/»:, ,:»/*%@###