,.~^%&####                                          ####&%^~.,
,,.~^%&###                                          ###&%^~.,,
,,,.~^%&##                                          ##&%^~.,,,
,,,,.~^%&#                                          #&%^~.,,,,
,,,,,.~^%&                                          &%^~.,,,,,
,,,,,,.~^% 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.              ~.,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.~^                                          ^~.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,.~^%                                          %^~.,,,,,,
,,,,,.~^%&                                          &%^~.,,,,,
,,,,.~^%&#                                          #&%^~.,,,,
,,,.~^%&##                                          ##&%^~.,,,