@,@,@,@,@@                                          @,,@,@,,,@
@,@,@,@,,@                                          @,@@,@,,@,
@,@,@,@,@@                                          @,,@,@,@@,
@,@,@,@,,@                                          @,@@,@,,@,
@,@,@,@,@@                                          @,,@,@,@@,
@,@,@,@,,@ 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.              @,@@,@,,@,
@,@,@,@,@@                                          @,,@,@,@@,
@,@,@,@,,@                                          @,@@,@,,@,
@,@,@,@,@@                                          @,,@,@,@@,
@,@,@,@,,@                                          @,@@,@,,@,
@,@,@,@,@@                                          @,,@,@,@@,