...,=*§&@#                                          #@&§*=,...
....,=*§&@                                          @&§*=,....
.....,=*§&                                          &§*=,.....
......,=*§                                          §*=,......
.......,=*                                          *=,.......
........,= 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.               §*=,......
.....,=*§&                                          &§*=,.....
....,=*§&@                                          @&§*=,....
...,=*§&@#                                          #@&§*=,...
..,=*§&@##                                          ##@&§*=,..
.,=*§&@###                                          ###@&§*=,.