Thorax stared moodily across the flood plain adjacent to Hook Beak Pass. Behind him lay the dense and ancient forests that surrounded the Badlands. Ahead of him, across the river that marked the boundary between the Griffonian Empire and the Hive’s territory, the mountains that led into Griffonia proper and later Griffonstone rose sharply into the sky. Its lone pass, thanks to its strategic location, had been the site of many skirmishes.
While stark and harsh, Thorax had always thought these sites were places of great natural beauty. All the more irksome, then, to see that serenity broken by two military encampments staring at each other defiantly on either side of the river.
They weren’t armies staring each other down, not yet anyway. But with the breakdown in communications at the Summit, both sides had stepped up their border patrols to ensure sovereign territory would be respected.
Ember and one of her scouts flew in, landing a few feet away from the brooding Changeling King. She had found him there before, in his secret thinking spot he used to get away from the camp and its oppressively military atmosphere. It didn’t bother her: clad in her golden armor the Dragon Lord was, to all intents and purposes, the Commander in Chief of the Dragon-Changeling Coalition.
“I’ve been informed that they’ve brought up another regiment, but they’re hiding it in a ravine off to the side of the pass.” Ember grinned, clapping the scout who was with her on the shoulder hard enough that it almost toppled the poor ling over. “I gotta say. Your people make such great scouts. A dragon wouldn’t recognize subtlety if it walked up to him and bit him on the tail.”
“Mh-hm,” Thorax replied.
“I’m bringing up the 2nd Firebreathers Battalion to compensate.”
“Mh-hm.”
Ember frowned at the response. “We have to do it. We can’t let ourselves be pushed into the defensive. They bring up more troops, we have to respond in kind to keep us safe. They’re the ones escalating the conflict.”
For the first time since she’d landed, Thorax turned to look at her. “I wonder if they’re going to have the same conversation over there once they see the 2nd Firebreathers marching up to meet us.”
Ember opened her mouth to respond, but remained quiet, joining her friend in staring across the river instead.
Suddenly, the moment of quiet was abruptly broken with a crashing sound in the distance. Looking towards the tree line that bordered the flood plain in the East, they saw trees shake and go down.
Something that sounded more like rolling thunder than a voice boomed across the field. “BREAK CHEESE WHEEL!!!”
Thorax and Ember blinked in confusion. “Break,” Thorax started. “Cheese wheel?” Ember finished in bafflement.
They kept their eyes on the tree line as a gigantic figure, almost taller than the trees and with glowing red eyes that could be seen even from this distance, emerged.
Thorax’ ears flicked as the alarm sounds of both camps registered in the back of his mind.
“BREAK CHEESE WHEEL!!!” The voice boomed again.
Thorax and Ember quickly took flight and returned to camp, landing among panicked and scrambling Changelings, all talking over one another.
“Is that what I think it is?” “It’s the Red Shade!” “Why is it talking about cheese?” “Maybe it wants to break us into little pieces and eat us like cheese!”
“King Thorax,” one frightened soldier asked. “Is it true? Did the Red Shade come here to eat us?”
Thorax simply stared up into the sky.
“Stop milling around like grubs!” Ember shouted over the commotion. “I’m not running a grub daycare here! Get to your assigned stations ASAP!”
“Sometimes the Dragon Lady sounds exactly like Queen Chrysalis,” a changeling could be heard whispering somewhere before being shushed by one of his comrades. But the results couldn’t be argued with as Ember’s words had restored a semblance of order amongst the camp residents.
Then she stood shoulder to shoulder with Thorax in an attempt to project calm, even though she herself was anything but sure what was happening at the moment.
“What is it?” she asked quietly.
“Someone's there,” Thorax answered, squinting his eyes and following the two figures that were coming rapidly closer. “Pharynx!”
Before Ember could stop him, the Changeling had vaulted himself into the sky to shorten the distance. She grumbled and turned to shout: “Lieutenant Cerci, you’re in charge! Hold your position, and DO NOT DO ANYTHING without hearing back from us. Understood?”
She could barely hear the “yes, ma’am” in the distance as she raced after her fellow monarch, and she could now make out the two figures herself.
“Just the ling I was hoping to find,” Pharynx was saying.
“Garble!” Ember shouted, her anger flaring. “What did you do, you moron!?”
The red dragon, hovering in the air, recoiled from his Dragon Lord’s outburst, but soon collected himself. “What did I do? You told us to find him! Well, there he is,” he defended himself, pointing at the giant being in the distance.
“BREAK CHEESE WHEEL!!!”
“Why did you bring him here?” Ember grated between clenched teeth. “Don’t you realize how sensitive the situation here is?”
“We’ve been very much out of touch with civilization,” Pharynx explained, coming to the aid of his subordinate. “Did something happen with the conference?”
“You could say that,” Thorax said darkly. “But the question remains. Why did you bring it here of all places? What does it want?”
“We don’t know for sure. That’s why we need you, brother. Come on, I’ll explain on the way,” he said, turning to lead them back towards Mars. “I’ve sent Gilda over to the other side. The Griffons should be there as well when we get back.”
“Alright, this better be good,” Ember grumbled as she made to follow the others. “Just tell me one thing, what’s up with the cheese wheel stuff?”
“Oh, that,” Pharynx explained. “Tibia and Gabby have been trying to teach him a couple of words in the common tongue. He doesn’t always get it right on the first try.”
“SPEAK, MARS WILL!!!”
*** AOS – DVLPMNT-SRV-01 ***
*** Message Received (Source: JPL): CMD Designation ***
*** Message Sent: SSTB1 – Surface System Testbed 1 ***
*** Message Received (Source: JPL): CMD Status Update ***
*** Message Sent: CPU idle, awaiting commands ***
*** Message Received (Source: JPL): EXEC file:///V:/updates/serendipityV102.bat ***
*** Executing file ***
*** Executing software update ***
*** Rebooting ***
*** Message Sent: Update Complete ***
*** Message Received (Source: JPL): CMD Designation ***
*** Message Sent: MER-C Serendipity ***
*** Message Received (Source: JPL): CMD Status Update ***
*** Message Sent: All systems nominal ***
*** Message Received (Source: JPL): CMD State Mission Goals ***
*** Message Sent: Mission Goal 1 – Establish Contact with MER-B Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent: Mission Goal 2 – Confirm Location of MER-B Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent: Mission Goal 3 – Relay Communications from MER-B Opportunity ***
“Good girl,” Tom said proudly as he sat cross-legged in the dirt, his notebook in his lap and giving the rover next to him a gentle pat on the front wheel.
He was sitting in the Mars Yard at JPL, the spot where they’d sent the two test rovers through their own trials and tribulations over the years in as close to Mars conditions as you could get on Earth. All in service to Spirit and Opportunity’s well-being. Now, one of them would do it again.
“She’s ready,” he said with conviction in his voice and a huge grin on his face into the webcam. He’d earned it with the work and all the late nights he’d put in on this project. “Operation ‘Little Sister to the Rescue’ is a go.”
Meanwhile in Houston, a chuckle went throughout the Mission Control room and Christie hissed into her microphone at the EECOM station. “Tom, remember we can all hear you over here. Now, everyone really liked Serendipity. But you come up with another mission title like this, and I’m gonna revoke your naming rights.”
“Okay, ISS. We got some housekeeping for you to do this afternoon,” she heard the CAPCOM Controller say on the closed circuit. “You’ll find a batch file marked Serendipity on the FTP Server we want you to execute.”
“Houston, ISS. Nice to hear from you,” came the response with a German accent along with the friendly-looking face of a bald man on the main screen that was hanging upside down. “We were starting to think you’d forgotten about us up here.”
“Sorry about that, Alex. Had to get the new software to all of the probes first.”
“All hail our robot overlords,” came the joking response. “Executing the file now. We’ll be ready to relay when you start.”
Christie remained busy, coordinating with several other mission control centers all over the world even as the Flight Director began calling out for the final go / no go.
“CAPCOM.”
“Go, FLIGHT.”
“NETWORK.”
“We’re go, FLIGHT.”
“GUIDANCE.”
“Go, FLIGHT.” Christie spared a moment to look over towards her ex-husband’s console who was giving the Flight Director a thumbs up, all while staying in touch with every large radio telescope in the world.
“EECOM.”
Christie frowned at her monitor and typed out a quick message to her colleagues in Pasadena.
“EECOM?”
“Stand by, FLIGHT,” she said into her microphone. “Waiting on some telemetry.”
The Flight Director stepped up behind her, covering his mic with his hand. “What’s the holdup? We’re coming up on the optimal transmission window.”
“I know,” she replied, chewing on her thumbnail, “Voyager-2 hasn’t completed its turn yet. It’ll still work without her, but we really want all the relays we can get, since we can’t be sure which trajectory a return signal would take. Wait …” She checked the status on her monitor as the signal went green and confirmed the return message from JPL. “We’re good. The ringside is ready to rumble,” she said with a grin.
The Flight Controller pulled up one eyebrow and gave her a blank look.
Dammit, Tom, Christie thought angrily. Between you and that joker up on the space station, now you’ve got me doing it. “FLIGHT, EECOM. We’re go,” she said officially into the microphone.
“Copy,” the Flight Director said, returning to his own station. “INCO.”
Christie looked at the monitor that showed Tom sitting in the Mars Yard alongside his creation. “Go, FLIGHT,” he said simply.
The Flight Director took a moment of silence as he surveyed his controllers. “Alright then,” he finally said. “Let’s see if we can make Oppy phone home.”
Christie rolled her eyes. Oh, sure! Give me the people’s eyebrow, but you feel free to make all the cheesy movie references you want! God, I’m surrounded by nerds.
When the foursome landed on the open patch of ground where Mars had been waiting, they could see that the griffons were already there, staring in awe at the giant being. Tibia and Gabby had perched themselves on either of his shoulders, something the gentle giant didn’t seem to mind.
Pharynx noted that Lord Goldstone had a black eye upon landing and gave Gilda a questioning look.
She responded with a steady gaze. “What?” she asked, blowing that annoying feather bang out of her eyes. “You told me to get them here whatever it took, Cap.”
“I’m not arguing with your results, Corporal,” he said after a moment’s thought, “just your methods. Try to go for a less visible spot when you’re trying to convince a public figure of something. I recommend an elbow joint.”
“I’ll remember that, sir,” she said with a cheeky grin.
Had Thorax heard that, he would have certainly taken offense despite not exactly feeling sorry for the annoying griffon with the leopard spots. Fixated as he was on the being before him, the exchange went right by him.
“Go on,” Pharynx said quietly.
Thorax swallowed hard and nodded. He had been briefed by Pharynx as they flew, now it was time to see if he could speak his part. “Ave! Thorax Rex sum,” he said in flawless, if hesitant, Ancient Changeling.
Mars bent down to get a better view of the being that had spoken to him, and reached out a hand, pushing lightly against the Changeling’s chest with one finger. At least, Thorax assumed it was a light boop for the giant. Thorax himself could feel himself being pushed back several steps. “Thorax … bug … ponies …. Funny names.”
Thorax looked over towards his brother. The Captain shrugged in response. “Don’t ask me why, but he seems to think all our names are strange. Only Changelings, though. He doesn’t seem as confused by Dragon or Griffon names.”
The King considered that for a moment. “Oh! Yeah, he actually speaks Ancient Changeling. I could see why that would be confusing to him.” He turned back to Mars. “Qui es tu? Cur venisti?“
“[I am called Mars. I do not know the reason why I’ve landed in this strange land. I only know that my friend was taken. He was with me for a very long time, then he was gone. I am trying to find him.]”*
“[Your friend was taken? Who took him?]”
“[I do not know. There was a storm. My friend called out for help, but I could do nothing. Then he was gone. His name is Opportunity.]”
“Opportunity?” Thorax asked, startled. “[The place you and your friend came from, is it dry and full of red dust?]”
Mars nodded vigorously.
“We could do with some translation, King Thorax,” Lord Gestal suggested. “What is he saying? Is this indeed the Red Shade?”
“A moment, my lord,” Thorax bade and turned to Tibia. “Tibia! I need your speed. Go back to our camp and find Lieutenant Cerci. Tell her to go into my tent and bring out the latest letters from the Hive, then bring them back here.”
Tibia looked at Pharynx, who nodded in response, and saluted. “Be back in sec,” she said as she shot off at blinding speed.
Thorax then took some time to bring the rest of the party up to speed on what had been said before addressing Mars again: “[Are you aware that you’ve scared many of our people during your search? They call you the Red Shade and are afraid of you. You’ve also violated the borders of our countries multiple times.]”
Mars looked around the different creatures. “[That was not my intent. In the beginning, I approached settlements to ask for help. But your people would run away, and I could not understand their speech. I felt it best to continue my search on my own. I began to wander, in the hopes of finding clues about my friend, and I felt drawn to certain places. I was not aware of any borders in the wilderness.]”
“[You have also destroyed a lot of trees on your way, another reason people fear you.]”
“Yes,” Mars replied, trying to recall the words Tibia and Gabby had taught him to try and form a simple sentence. “Trees annoying. Get in way. No trees on Mars.”
“On Mars?” Thorax asked, figuring he had gotten his prepositions mixed up while trying to speak the foreign language.
“I’m back!” Tibia called, coming into view with a large sack which she went on to deposit next to Thorax. “That’s all the latest stuff. Do you need anything else?”
Thorax rifled through the bag and pulled out a cardboard tube with his magic. “No, it’s right here. Thank you, Tibia.”
“Anytime,” the youngster replied and retook her spot on Mars’ shoulder.
Thorax produced a drawing from the tube and held it up for Mars to see. It was a charcoal drawing of a certain Mars Rover. “[Is this your friend?]”
Mars dropped to his knees in a move that shook the earth and made everyone’s teeth rattle. “Friend Opportunity!” he boomed, taking the drawing and holding it up in front of his eyes. In his huge hands, it looked no bigger than a postage stamp, but it was big enough for Mars to recognize his friend. “[Yes, this is him! Do you know where he is? Is he alright? Can you tell me how to find him?]”
“[Yes, I know where he is. Rest assured that he is fine. He is currently with a friend of mine. She is the one who brought him here, to save him from the storm you spoke of, I realize now. I will gladly take you to them. In return, I would ask one thing. I understand it was not your intention, but will you apologize for scaring people and promise to respect our borders from now on?]”
Mars balled his right hand into a fist, which momentarily made everyone except Shadow Patrol flinch involuntarily. He pounded the fist against his chest. “[On my honor as a warrior, I ask thy forgiveness for my transgressions. I shall henceforth respect thy dominion over these lands, so I swear. … Just, you know. Maybe put up some markers or something. Hard to tell where your borders actually are.]”
The Changeling King summed up the conversation for the benefit of everyone else present. “As you can see,” he said in closing, “this was all just a big misunderstanding.”
Unfortunately, the Griffon delegation remained quiet and did not share in his jubilant tone. “A likely story,” Lord Goldstone said.
“Pardon?”
“Does anyone else think it’s a little fishy that only King Thorax can understand this … thing?” the Griffon went on.
“What!?” Ember roared in annoyance. “The last time we spoke, you thought the Red Shade was fiction! Look at it!”
“This and that are two different things,” General Blackwing explained, suspicion written all over his face. “This is evidently what we’ve been seeing. Yet it will only talk to the Changelings? Suspicious, I say. How do we know this being hasn’t been working for you all along? How can we be sure it says what Thorax claims?”
Thorax turned to Gestal with a pleading expression. The old bird only lowered his head and sighed.
“Then why would we bring him out now?” Ember challenged.
“Perhaps to misdirect us,” Goldstone said. “Your previous attempts to establish your spy cells in the border region failed, so now you’re trying to cut your losses.”
“And don’t think we haven’t noticed your buildup of military forces in the region,” Blackwing added accusingly.
“OUR buildup?” Ember shouted back. “You’re the one carting troops up here by the regiment! All we’re doing is responding to YOUR aggression!”
Thorax gritted his teeth as Ember and Blackwing got into another shouting match reminiscent of the failed Summit. He looked over at his brother, noting that Pharynx was tense and looked to be thinking of the best exit strategy in case things got violent already. Mars simply seemed confused by all the shouting and made no attempt to get involved.
“Don’t you call us the aggressors,” Blackwing snarled. “We have every right to defend ourselves from Draco-Changeling ploys!”
“I don’t need a bucking ploy!” Ember shot back. “If the big guy WAS working for me, I’d have ordered him to smush you into a pancake by now! You’re the ones trying to use this situation as an excuse for a preemptive invasion!”
“ENOUGH!!!” Thorax had finally had enough as he launched himself into the air and let loose a very close approximation of the Royal Canterlot Voice that Princess Luna herself would have surely been proud of. “ALL OF YOU! CAN’T YOU SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE!?”
“But…” Lord Goldstone started and Thorax’ head snapped around to the Griffon with a silent glare. Perhaps the stare alone could have silenced him, but the fact that the glowing red eyes of the God of War likewise stared down the Griffon from behind Thorax was probably a large factor. “Thorax…” Even Ember found herself silenced as the dual stare of authority fell on her.
“It’s not him!” Thorax said with determination, hovering above the others and pointing at the personification of War standing peacefully behind him, “it’s not him that’s making us fight, and it never was! That’s been made abundantly clear here today.”
He landed, bringing himself back to eye level with the other leaders present. “It’s us. Something comes along we don’t understand, and what do we do? We immediately blame each other. It doesn’t even take an actual threat to get us fighting. When ponies come upon a mystery, they work together to figure it out. Why can’t we do that?
“I’ll tell you why. It’s because we don’t trust each other. For generations we’ve come here, under whatever justification one of us could come up with, and fought each other over whatever seemed important at the time. And we’ve done it so often that we neither remember the reason for the first time we did it nor question the fact that there’s going to be a next time. Look at us! We’re about to do it again RIGHT NOW! Over a misunderstanding!
“We were about to throw away countless lives of the creatures we’ve sworn to protect, all of us, Changelings, Griffons, Dragons. And for what? Just because we’re so damn scared the other is going to throw the first punch?” He glanced over at his brother. “You can’t be afraid. You can’t be afraid to stand up for yourself, for what you believe in. That’s the lesson I’ve learned from a young age, even though it took me a while.
“Right here, right now, we have an opportunity, an opportunity for peace. We can choose not to be enemies. We can choose not to look at each other with suspicion.” He indicated the griffons and then himself. “King Grover is gone, and so is Queen Chrysalis. Their ambitions and their predecessors’ ambitions have brought us to blows again and again right here. And we could all hide behind the fact that we only did what our leaders told us to do. But we’re those leaders now. Others look to us, and we’ve got a choice to make. We’ve been given this opportunity, and I believe future generations will condemn us if we throw it away. Let us end this animosity once and for all. Let this be the start of something new, the world we all build together, a world where griffons, changelings and dragons all work together for a better future.”
Silence fell over the assembly, then the steely hiss of a blade being drawn could be heard. Every creature turned their head towards Ember who had leveled her sword in the direction of the Griffons, giving each one of them a hard look in turn.
Finally, she grabbed the point of the sword with her free claw and flexed her muscles. With a shriek, the metal gave way to her dragon strength as it was bent at a 45 degree angle. She looked at Thorax. “This guy, he takes the fun out of everything,” she said flatly and turned back towards the Griffons. “But I’m with him,” she declared and threw the now useless weapon down to the ground at their feet.
Another blade was drawn, and Lord Gestal held a wing out in front of General Blackwing. “General?” he asked in a calm voice.
“It’s alright, my Lord,” the General reassured him just as calmly.
The old bird paused for a moment, then lowered his wing to let him pass.
Blackwing stepped forward, raised his rapier and pointed it at Pharynx. “You,” he said, his voice taking on a darker edge. “You were here the last time this was a battlefield, were you not?”
“Pharynx,” Thorax whispered urgently.
But the Captain of Shadow Patrol ignored his brother as he stepped forward to stand right in front of his old enemy. “I was,” he admitted without shame. “I commanded the left in my Queen’s stead.”
“I led the vanguard at my King’s behest,” Blackwing said, equally unashamed. Yet there was also no boast in either of their declarations, both were simple statements of fact. The griffon pointed at his eyepatch. “I lost my eye that day, and my son. Might even have been you that killed him.”
“I might have been at that,” Pharynx said, and Thorax drew in his breath sharply as Blackwing set the tip of his weapon against the Changeling’s chest.
“Your brother,” Blackwing said, nodding towards the Changeling King, “he paints a pretty picture. But I’m not sure I have it in me to change like that, to let go of that hatred. So tell me, from one soldier to the other, do you believe in the world he wants to create?”
Pharynx looked at his brother for a moment before answering the griffon. “You may be right. You and I, we’re too old to change. We’ve both seen things we can’t unsee. We’ve both done things we can’t undo. Because we’ve seen the face of war.” Then he raised his hoof and pointed at a startled Tibia. “But she hasn’t! And if I have anything to say about it, I’m gonna keep it that way. Because look at her. She went out there and made friends with something that had both you and me running scared. She succeeded where we, unable to look past the tips of our swords, would have failed. I’m going to do everything in my power to preserve that innocence that was taken from us. This world my brother speaks of, it is not for the likes of us or even himself. Lest you think my brother a fool or blind idealist, he has served like you and me. So, from one soldier to the other, I tell you: I believe that’s a world worth fighting for.” He pointed once more at Tibia. “For her.” Then he indicated Gabby. “And for her.”
Blackwing took a long, hard look at the young Changeling and Griffon who had formed their own friendship over the past few weeks from his good eye, then stepped back. “Not for our own sakes then,” he said, setting the tip of his rapier against the earth and striking hard with his free talon against the side of the blade, causing it to snap into three pieces. “But for the world I want my grandchildren to grow up in.”
He held up the hilt with the broken blade and threw it down next to Ember’s sword as a visible wave of relief went through all assembled. Lord Gestal turned towards his younger counterpart. “Are we all agreed?” he asked mildly.
Lord Goldstone simply huffed and turned his head before making a rude gesture along the lines of ‘Do whatever you want, old coot.’
“King Thorax, Dragon Lord Ember,” Gestal said as he stepped up himself, “I believe I speak for Griffonia when I say: I would very much welcome a continuation of our previous talks. And perhaps this time, if we all check our prejudices at the door before proceeding, we may yet find a road towards this world we’ve all glimpsed today.”
Thorax and Ember gave each other a smile before the Changeling King bowed his head and replied: “We would like that, Lord Gestal. But first, we owe it to the being that ultimately brought us all here to give him the aid he requested.”
“Ah, yes,” the old bird said with a nod, eyeing the red-eyed giant who had somehow ceased to be the actual center of attention in light of what had just taken place. “Trooper Gilda, Reservist Gabriella! You are to remain on detached duty with Shadow Patrol until Captain Pharynx deems your mission to help this being called Mars complete.”
“”Yes, Lord Gestal,”” the two griffons answered in unison.
“Wait, what!?” Tibia looked at her friend and pointed at Lord Gestal. “He knew about our mission all along?”
“Duh,” Gabby replied, “did you think Gilda and I found you by accident? The Captain had to reach out to someone with the authority to order two members of the Griffonian Border Patrol to join you.”
“Garble!” Ember shouted. “Stay with them! I don’t wanna see your ugly mug in the Dragonlands until this is done!”
“Pfft, whatever.”
Pharynx and Thorax walked off to the side where they could talk quietly for a moment. “You did good, brother,” Thorax said. “If it wasn’t for you and your team, this might have turned into a shooting war.”
“So did you, my liege,” Pharynx returned the compliment, “this could have still turned ugly if you hadn’t stepped up. You’ve actually become a pretty great leader. I’m proud of you.”
Hearing those words and seeing the small smile on the Captain’s lips, Thorax couldn’t help but tear up. “Brother!”
“Ah!” Pharynx held him at hoof’s length when Thorax tried to go in for the hug. “Remember the oath. I have no past, I have no family, I have no friends. Until my task is complete, I am not your brother.”
Thorax sighed and nodded. “Of course. Finish your mission, then hurry home to your family.”
“Yeah.” Pharynx watched for a moment as the members of his team gathered around Gilda and Garble, the former having somehow scrounged up a chef’s hat from somewhere and trying to put it on the annoyed dragon with a grin while Tibia and Gabby laughed. “Funny thing is, I might have found a second family without even looking for it.”
Thorax simply smiled a knowing smile.
After clearing his throat, Pharynx lifted off and began hovering in front of his team. “Shadow Patrol! Prepare to move out!”
“Yes, sir!” They all came to attention without missing a beat. “In Silentio Vigilo, In Umbris Confido!”
The Deep Space Network grew eerily quiet. One by one, every spacecraft, rover and satellite still active in the solar system had received the software update and aligned themselves towards the coordinates given to them, coordinates that, to all appearances, were nothing but empty space. But if Jack and the legion of PhDs that had checked his math were to be believed, this was the exact spot where Celestia’s sun currently resided, exerting its gravity on our own sun despite remaining unseen and vice versa.
Now, at the appointed time, they all reported in, ready to relay Serendipity’s message. One by one, the robotic pioneers of mankind’s exploration of the solar system began to call out, alongside every terrestrial transmitter powerful enough for the job. As one, their call echoed across the dark void of space in their attempt to pierce through the darkness and find one of their own.
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C Direct): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via JPL): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via APL): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via KSC): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via Houston): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via SETI): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via ISS): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via ARTEMIS P1): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via ARTEMIS P2): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via LRO): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via PSP): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via Akatsuki): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via MRO): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via MSL): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via MAVEN): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via MOM): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via MarsOdyssey): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via MarsExpress): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via ExoMars): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via InSight): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via Hayabusa 2): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via OSIRIS-REx): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via Chang’e 2): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via JUNO): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via NH): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via VYGR-2): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C via VYGR-1): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
***
***
***
*** Message Sent (Source: MER-C Direct): Can you hear me, brother? ***