#@@#@%:»-. .-»:%@#@@#
@@@#@%:»-. .-»:%@#@@@
#@@#@%:»-. .-»:%@#@@#
#@@#@%:»-. .-»:%@#@@#
@#%»»--... ...--»»%#@
#@:::-.... 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. .-»:%@#@@#
##%:-..... .....-:%##
@#%%%%:»-. .-»:%%%%#@
@#@:»..... .....»:@#@
@@@#@%:»-. .-»:%@#@@@
#%»-...... ......-»%#