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