,,,,,,,.~*                                          *~.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,.~                                          ~.,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,.                                          .,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,.~                                          ~.,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.~*                                          *~.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,.~*= 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.              ~.,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,.                                          .,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,.~                                          ~.,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.~*                                          *~.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,.~*=                                          =*~.,,,,,,
,,,,,.~*=@                                          @=*~.,,,,,