,.=*%@@@## ##@@@%*=.,
,,.=*%@@@# #@@@%*=.,,
,,,.=*%@@@ @@@%*=.,,,
,,,,.=*%@@ @@%*=.,,,,
,,,,,.=*%@ @%*=.,,,,,
,,,,,,.=*% 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. #@@@%*=.,,
,,,.=*%@@@ @@@%*=.,,,
,,,,.=*%@@ @@%*=.,,,,
,,,,,.=*%@ @%*=.,,,,,
,,,,,,.=*% %*=.,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.=* *=.,,,,,,,