..&....&&. .&.&.&&..&
&..&...&&& .....&&&..
.&..&..&.& &....&.&&.
..&..&...& .&.....&&&
&..&..&..& ..&....&.&
&&..&..&.. 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. ...&&&..&.
.....&.... &..&.&&..&
&.....&... .&...&&&..
.&.....&.. ..&..&.&&.
..&.....&. &..&...&&&
&..&.....& .&..&..&.&