..##..#...                                          #.....###.
..###..#..                                          .#....#.##
#.#.##..#.                                          ..#.....##
#...###..#                                          #..#....#.
.#..#.##..                                          .#..#.....
..#...###. 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.           .#.##...##
##...###..                                          ...###..#.
###..#.##. ######################################## #..#.##...
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.##...###. # @ @   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.              #..#....#.
###..#.##.                                          ##..#.....
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