,,,,,,~**§ §**~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,;@§ §@;,,,,,,,
,,~;;;**§§ §§**;;;~,,
,,~;*@§@## ##@§@*;~,,
,,~;*@§@## ##@§@*;~,,
,,,,,,,;@§ 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. #§@@;;,,,,
,,~;*@§@## ##@§@*;~,,
,,,,,,~*@@ @@*~,,,,,,
,,~;*@§@## ##@§@*;~,,
,,~;*@§@## ##@§@*;~,,
,,~;*@§@## ##@§@*;~,,