,,,,,,^=^=                                          =^=^,,,,,,
,,,,,^=^=*                                          *=^=^,,,,,
,,,,^=^=*§                                          §*=^=^,,,,
,,,^=^=*§@                                          @§*=^=^,,,
,,^=^=*§@@                                          @@§*=^=^,,
,^=^=*§@@# 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.              *=^=^,,,,,
,,,,^=^=*§                                          §*=^=^,,,,
,,,^=^=*§@                                          @§*=^=^,,,
,,^=^=*§@@                                          @@§*=^=^,,
,^=^=*§@@#                                          #@@§*=^=^,
,,^=^=*§@@                                          @@§*=^=^,,