&&.&&.&.&. &.&.&.&&..
.&..&.&.&. &.&.&..&.&
.&.&&.&.&. &.&.&.&&.&
.&..&.&.&. &.&.&..&.&
.&.&&.&.&. &.&.&.&&.&
.&..&.&.&. 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. &.&.&..&.&
.&.&&.&.&. &.&.&.&&.&
.&..&.&.&. &.&.&..&.&
.&.&&.&.&. &.&.&.&&.&
.&..&.&.&. &.&.&..&.&
.&.&&.&.&. &.&.&.&&.&