##&%**~.,, ,,.~**%&##
###&%**~., ,.~**%&###
##&%**~.,, ,,.~**%&##
#&%**~.,,, ,,,.~**%&#
##&%**~.,, ,,.~**%&##
###&%**~., 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. ,.~**%&###
##&%**~.,, ,,.~**%&##
#&%**~.,,, ,,,.~**%&#
##&%**~.,, ,,.~**%&##
###&%**~., ,.~**%&###
##&%**~.,, ,,.~**%&##