,:=\**¤@## ##@¤**\=:,
,,:=\**¤@# #@¤**\=:,,
,,,:=\**¤@ @¤**\=:,,,
,,,,:=\**¤ ¤**\=:,,,,
,,,,,:=\** **\=:,,,,,
,,,,,,:=\* 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. #@¤**\=:,,
,,,:=\**¤@ @¤**\=:,,,
,,,,:=\**¤ ¤**\=:,,,,
,,,,,:=\** **\=:,,,,,
,,,,,,:=\* *\=:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=\ \=:,,,,,,,