....~-*%@#                                          #@%*-~....
...~-*%@#¶                                          ¶#@%*-~...
..~-*%@#¶#                                          #¶#@%*-~..
.~-*%@#¶##                                          ##¶#@%*-~.
..~-*%@#¶#                                          #¶#@%*-~..
...~-*%@#¶ 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.              @%*-~.....
....~-*%@#                                          #@%*-~....
...~-*%@#¶                                          ¶#@%*-~...
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