,,,,..«*@#                                          #@*«..,,,,
,,.....†*#                                          #*†.....,,
,,,,,«*@@@                                          @@@*«,,,,,
,.«†*@#@##                                          ##@#@*†«.,
,,,,,«†@##                                          ##@†«,,,,,
,.«†*@#@## 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.              @@@†«««,,,
,.«†***##@                                          @##***†«.,
,,,,«†**#@                                          @#**†«,,,,
,,,.««**##                                          ##**««.,,,
,.«†*@#@##                                          ##@#@*†«.,
,,,..†**@#                                          #@**†..,,,