#@##%**~~. .~~**%##@#
##*~~..... .....~~*##
@###%**~~. .~~**%###@
##%**~.... ....~**%##
##**~..... .....~**##
####%**~~. 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. ....~***##
#*~~~..... .....~~~*#
@@##%**~~. .~~**%##@@
###%*~.... ....~*%###
#@##%**~~. .~~**%##@#
#@##%**~~. .~~**%##@#