16. Destiny Calling
*** Mission Log: Sol 5212 ***
*** AOS – undefined ***
*** Message Received (Source: undefined): S.r.nd…t. …l… .p….n.ty, C… .., ……..ty ***
Opportunity stopped abruptly and listened. The strange signal seemed familiar somehow, but it had been way too garbled to make out properly.
Scanning the area with his panoramic and navigational cameras, there was little in the way of landmarks to be made out. On all sides, Opportunity was surrounded by only trees and darkness.
He noticed a small drop of water hitting his solar panel and checked his status. The Everfree Forest seemed to be in a perpetual gloom, and with the threatening, low-hanging clouds, there was little difference between day and night. Only the mission clock proved that Oppy had been driving for almost a full day.
*** Status: My battery is low, and it’s getting dark ***
Between the setting sun and the gathering storm, there was little point in driving on. This was as good a place as Oppy could think of: Remote, completely off the beaten path even for the Everfree and unlikely to be discovered by chance.
Still, it would not do to have anyone or anything come across the dangerous material by accident, should the most unlikely scenario occur. Oppy had been doing the calculations while driving. The Martian soil would be the least problematic part. Rain would wash it out and dilute it to harmless levels over time, getting rid of what little radiation clung to it, and the bacteria and plants of the Everfree would break down the perchlorate salts.
Opportunity looked at his arm and thrust it into the earth, beginning to dig a trench. The actual radiation sources would be more of a problem, but he’d come up with a plan. The gamma ray source that had made Starlight sick was only dangerous when in extremely close contact to living organisms for an extended time.
He didn’t know who to thank for the decision to use that particular isotope of Cobalt in the instrument, but he would be eternally grateful. The relatively short half-life coupled with 15 years of degradation had taken the metal from deadly within hours to manageable risk. For Starlight, it had meant the difference between death and just enough time to save her. Shielding the source with a container made from the scrap metal and buried under a few inches of Everfree soil, it wouldn’t be a danger to any creature until it had naturally broken down.
Rain began to fall, making the brown dirt soft and loamy. Opportunity continued to dig.
*** AOS – undefined ***
*** Message Received (Source: undefined): ……….. .alling ..…...., C… in, Op..tunity ***
Still with no way to make out the strange signal, Opportunity continued to dig, and the rain began to fall, coming faster and with heavier drops as time went on. The Curium alpha particle source from the APXS was another matter. It remained in Oppy’s instrument arm for the moment. Thankfully, alpha particles by their very nature were only dangerous at very close range, rarely traveling farther than a few centimeters at best and easily shielded. The same handling as the Cobalt would suffice. While it would take longer to decay into harmless materials, the shielding and the soil would hopefully prevent it from harming anyone.
Opportunity continued to dig as the rain came down in sheets and a lightning bolt illuminated the sizeable hole he’d made. The rover unloaded the bin and opened the lid, putting the arm the ponies had so lovingly rebuilt to good use as it made a container for Starlight’s necklace from the scrap metal.
He took one last look at the gift he’d given his friend, the gift with which he’d hoped to show her how much he cared, the gift that had almost killed her. This time, what little light reflected off it had a sinister sheen to it in Oppy’s eyes. Nonetheless, it had meant a great deal to both him and Starlight, so he set it down slowly and reverently into its little makeshift coffin which was then covered up and placed in the hole along with the rest of the scrap metal.
*** AOS – undefined ***
*** Message Received (Source: undefined): Seren….. .alling ..…tunity, Co.. in, Op..tunity ***
With the most delicate operations done, Opportunity resolutely picked out an ancient, sturdy looking oak tree in the vicinity and drove up to it. He raised his arm and slammed it against the trunk. The hollow sound it made was less than satisfying. A couple more hits made for no better results.
The rover drove a few meters back, extended the arm out at his side, gritted his metaphorical teeth and gunned it, charging the tree like a medieval knight in a jousting match. The sound of the impact was much more crunchy this time as the arm impacted and spun Oppy in a half-circle around the tree. But as he looked down, the arm was apparently no worse for wear.
In an irrational moment, the rover cursed the perfectionist alicorn for building such a sturdy limb replacement out of the kindness of her heart. Oppy backed up double the distance from the tree, drove forward at top speed and tried again.
This time joints and thin metal sheets creaked in protest, the sounds echoing throughout the lonely forest. Again and again, Opportunity threw himself at speed against the immovable tree trunk, his arm hanging limply at his side, more connections coming apart with every blow.
One more time, and this time the impact tore Oppy’s arm clear off its hinges. A howl in the distance seemed to respond to the sound of sheering metal. He looked at the severed arm and positioned himself, pushing it forward and towards the hole he’d made. He would have liked to bury the arm as gently as the necklace instead of just dropping it unceremoniously amidst the scrap. Twilight Sparkle had made it for him, after all. He’d have to be content with the knowledge that she, Starlight and everypony else would be safe from the danger contained within.
The rover drove against the bin that held the Martian soil, tipping it over to spill its contents into the hole. Then, he dropped the bin itself into the opening for good measure. He wouldn’t take any chances. Oppy went around the grave site in several spots, locking down five of his six wheels and spinning the final one to shovel dirt back into it.
Another howl could be heard in the distance while rain continued to pour and the occasional combination of thunder and lightning struck, the interval between them getting shorter. The heart of the storm was getting closer. Amidst the cacophony of sounds that remained unheard by the rover, Oppy drove over the backfilled hole several times to compact the dirt. Hopefully, it would be enough to keep everyone safe.
Suddenly he stopped, finally locking onto that annoying signal that had tried to distract him the entire time while he’d been trying to save Starlight’s life.
*** AOS – DSN ***
*** Message Received (Source MER-C via MSL): Serendipity calling Opportunity, Come in, Opportunity ***
*** Message Received (Source: MER-C via MSL): Can you hear me, brother? ***
*** Message Sent: Sister? ***
Shocked into immobility at the unexpected call from home, Oppy stood still to listen, amidst the rain, the thunder, and the approaching howls.
“We’re here!” Sunset called, almost stumbling as she walked into Starlight Glimmer’s bedroom, followed by the human-turned-unicorn Twilight Sparkle and kept from falling over by Sunburst who was at her side.
Twilight’s attitude was no-nonsense. “Where is it?”
“Right here,” Spike answered, pointing at the jewelry box that had been moved to the furthest corner of the room.
She unholstered a strange machine that was emitting quiet clacking noises and began waving a part of it over the container, quietly berating herself under her breath. “Stupid. Should have realized it sooner.”
Meanwhile, Sunset turned her attention to Starlight who was sitting upright in her bed. She was glad to see the unicorn looking alert and awake, and a quick scanning spell confirmed that her thaumic channels were clear and her reservoir slowly starting to fill up on ambient magic. Full recovery would take time, but there was clear and immediate improvement. Trixie sat silently at her bedside, holding a cup of tea at the ready for her.
“We came as soon as we saw Spike’s message in the Journal,” Sunset said. “Are you alright? How are you feeling?”
“Said the pony who almost passed out twice on the way here,” Sunburst grumbled, always seemingly hovering within hoof’s reach to catch her if need be. “Your own reservoir still needs time to recover.”
“I’m fine,” Starlight insisted, even though that statement was punctuated by a series of coughs. “More importantly, we need to find Oppy.”
“Let’s make sure you’re okay first,” Sunset replied. “Twilight, are we sure we’ve confirmed the reason?”
“Yes,” SciTwi replied in disgust. “It’s radiation, alright. I should have figured it out much sooner.”
“Are we safe?”
“I’ll go through the workshop with the Geiger counter to check all the boxes, but yes,” Twilight confirmed. “It looks like Oppy removed all of the actual radiation sources from the castle. What’s left is probably just residual. I’m going to make sure it’s all collected and decontaminated to be on the safe side. I’ll coordinate with my counterpart as soon as she gets back here with Star Swirl and Mage Meadowbrook.”
Sunset nodded and looked at the laptop that had been moved to Starlight’s room. It was still displaying Oppy’s final message. “So he really did figure it out.” From the corner of her eye, Sunset caught Trixie glancing at the message as well, fixating on one line in particular – Trixie right, all Opportunity fault.
When Trixie noticed Sunset looking at her, she averted her eyes, but said nothing.
“We have to get him,” Starlight said, struggling to get out of bed. “He’s all alone out there.”
“Easy there,” Sunset said. “You’re still weak. You can’t go out there. We don’t even know where to look.”
“I do,” a gruff voice said from the door. The ponies turned to see a donkey standing in the frame, next to Spike and Maud Pie. “I’d bet my adventuring hat that he took off for the Everfree Forest,” Cranky said.
Spike stepped forward. “You’re in no condition to go look for him, Starlight. Not in the Everfree. We’ll go. All of us, we’re Opi’s friends too, you know.”
“That’s right,” Cranky said. “We’re all just as motivated to find the kid. You rest up and leave this to us.”
Maud simply nodded her assent to what had been said.
Starlight shook her head. “You need me. Twilight isn’t here and you need a unicorn with you who can operate the Binary Sparkle Network to find the trail.”
“I’m sure somepony else can do it,” Spike argued. “You’re not the only one who knows how the BSN works, right? Somepony else can come along to help us find Opi.”
Trixie met his eyes. The blue magician’s lips parted, then she looked away in shame without saying anything.
“I’ll do it,” Sunset offered, taking a step forward and almost stumbling again. “I’ve got a good enough grasp of the system.”
“No, you won’t!” Sunburst insisted, catching her and setting her down on her haunches before pointing towards Starlight. “You’re as bad as her! I can handle it, so I’ll go.”
“But …”
“No buts,” he said with finality. “You magic geniuses are all the same. Because everything always comes easy to you, you’re totally incapable of seeing your own limits. Well, I’m someone who has been painfully aware of his own limitations his entire life. So I know this is something I can do while the two of you get the rest you need.”
Sunset blinked and opened her mouth to respond, but when she saw the look in Sunburst’s eye as he resolutely took possession of the laptop, she simply said: “Alright.”
“I’m not going to argue this any further! I’m going in your place, and that is … wait, what? What did you say?”
“I said you’re right.” She looked up at him with a rueful smile while remaining seated. “We’d just slow you down. I’ll stay here and help Mage Meadowbrook administer the antibiotics and radiation cures we’ve brought from the human world.”
“No.” Everyone turned to look at the growling Starlight, her refusal punctuated by the sound of thunder in the distance. “I’m coming. Don’t you dare leave me out of this.”
“It would be better if you stayed here to rest,” Maud said in a factual tone.
“Well, I don’t care!” Starlight was getting worked up now, getting ready to leave the bed and join the search party, despite her still weakened state that was obvious to anyone but her. “I’m the best chance you have at finding the trail.”
“You don’t even have enough magic left to operate the BSN, much less maintain a spell to search for Oppy,” Sunburst reasoned.
But Starlight wouldn’t have it, no matter how much sense his argument made. She shook her head. “I’m not staying behind. I’ll find a way. I’m coming with you. I’m … ngh!?” There was a look of utter betrayal on her face as she looked at Trixie whose horn was still glowing. Starlight sunk back down into the bed. Her eyelids fell despite her struggle to keep them open, and her breathing became slow and regular after a few moments.
Nobody said anything, but all eyes were on Trixie while she wordlessly tucked her friend back into her bedsheets and rested her hoof for a moment on Sunset’s shoulder. Sunset understood and silently took Trixie’s spot at Starlight’s side to watch over her recovery with a nod.
“What?” the magician asked, finally addressing the rest of the crowd as she levitated her hat and cape over to herself to ward herself against the coming chill of the stormy night. “Star Swirl the Bearded isn’t the only pony capable of knocking someone out for their own good, you know. Now let’s go find our friend.”
Spike gave her a smile and put his claw out. One by one, Maud, Cranky, Sunburst and finally Trixie piled their hooves on top of the dragon claw. “For Oppy, and for Starlight.”
*** Message Received (Source: MER-C via Akatsuki): CMD Status Update ***
*** Message Received (Source: MER-C via VYGR-1): CMD Send Position ***
*** Message Received (Source: MER-C via JUNO): CMD Transfer Logs ***
*** Message Received (Source: MER-C via MAVEN): CMD Upload Science Data ***
Opportunity’s sister turned out to be quite the little chatterbox. After the first sixteen-minute roundtrip message to Earth, she was now bombarding her wayward brother with a number of requests at once, all repeated ad nauseum by every craft which had managed to hone in on the correct trajectory.
Given different circumstances, Oppy would have loved to take as much time as he could to get to know his new sibling. Unfortunately, the rover was quite preoccupied at the moment. Family, as it turned out, had a habit of calling you up at the worst possible times.
*** Warning: Obstruction detected Wheel 6 ***
Oppy turned his camera to look at the timberwolf who had caught one of his rear wheels in its powerful jaw. The rover shook itself back and forth to get free. What ultimately caused the beast to let go, however, was another of its kind swiping at Oppy’s sides, leaving deep scratches on his chassis and breaking off the edge of a solar panel.
The rover gunned its engine, but was slow to proceed in his flight. The persistent downpour had turned the forest floor to mud, and now he could feel the wheel that had been in the wolf jaws stop responding to commands. Checking the rear HazCam, Oppy realized that he was dragging the stuck wheel behind himself and creating a furrow in the ground, much like Spirit had done before getting stuck forever at Troy.
Another swipe came in from the right, and Oppy tried to raise his missing arm to ward off the blow instinctively.
*** Error: IDS unresponsive ***
Another wheel broke under the onslaught of his attackers, and Oppy’s progress further slowed to fits and starts across the muddy terrain as the remaining wheels taxed the drive built by the Cutie Mark Crusaders to its limits in order to get to safety. To be fair, it likely was doing much better than his original drive which would have gotten him stuck by now.
Still, there was no escape. As another lightning strike momentarily illuminated the dark forest, Oppy’s cameras counted six timberwolves easily keeping pace with him. They weren’t even trying at this point. They weren’t hunting so much as they were toying with him.
One of the beasts crashed into him with its sheer body weight, sending the rover careening down a wet slope and crashing into a boulder at the bottom of the hill, causing even more damage to sensitive equipment inside and outside. Oppy turned to see the wolves pause only momentarily before descending down the slope after him as the alarm bells continued to go off in his head.
*** Warning: Drive System unresponsive ***
*** Error: Solar panels disconnected from Main BUS B ***
*** Warning: NavCam 2 unresponsive ***
*** Error: Lense obstruction detected in HazCam 1 ***
*** Error: Comms undervoltage fault ***
Another swipe of a claw hit the rover, and another set of jaws locked themselves around a wheel, tearing away at the part, and Opportunity desperately tried to at least answer the call in his final moments. Just like Sol 5111 over three months ago, he at least wanted to let his creators know what had happened in his final moments.
*** John Aaron Protocol Activated ***
*** SCE to AUX ***
*** Comm System Partially restored ***
*** Disable Parity Check on RAM memory, prepare for data upload ***
*** Warning: Flash Memory fault detected, system reset may result in memory loss ***
*** Warning: Data upload with unstable connection and power may result in data loss ***
*** Proceed ***
*** Message Sent: Beginning Upload of Mission Logs ***
*** Message Sent: Beginning Upload of Science Data ***
*** Upload Proceeding ***
*** Warning; Parity check disabled, unable to confirm successful upload ***
*** Message Sent: Status Update – My battery is low, and it’s getting dark ***
*** Message Sent: Location – Everfree Forest, adjacent Ponyville, Principality of Equestria, Planet Equus, coordinates uncertain ***
*** … ***
*** Message Sent: Sister? Can you still hear me? ***
*** … ***
*** Message Sent: My battery is low, and it’s getting dark. ***
*** … ***
*** Message Sent: I can’t see. I’m alone. I’m afraid. … I’m dying. ***
*** … ***
*** Message Sent: I tried my best. Starlight safe. Friends safe. ***
*** … ***
*** Message Sent: Sister, … was I a good rover? ***
*** … ***
*** DSN – LOS ***
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No...
Please say the next update won't take long.
We need Starlight to make an amazingly quick recovery so she can swoop in and deliver Divine retribution on these blasted Timberwolves and rescue Oppy.
Nobody hurts her friend and gets away with it. 
@Naughty_Ranko
ARRGG!!! That Ending was just so EVIL JUST
d19mncec7m2zbr.cloudfront.net/content/medias/2018/09/2/5b8bf2064cd2a-eden-fine-art-david-kracov-argh-1.jpg
media1.tenor.com/images/045c578b4524097f0364220162fc6332/tenor.gif?itemid=5516282
Back at Houston, the doors didnt reopen for a long time.
mars is going to have a stern talking with those wolfs.
9799855
The next chapter is already half written. Assuming no nuclear detonations at work, I'm hoping to get it out sometime over the course of next week.
9799856
the god of war is going to be mad....wait mars was war god right?
I really don't know why wooden wolves would care to harass a robot in the middle of nowhere, but they became a common plot device to add tension to the story.
9799975
Wolves are pretty territorial creatures, and Oppy was making a ruckus that drew their attention. I know it's not the most original plot point, but I think it makes internal sense at least.
"Did I do a good job?"
9799962
Yes, Mars is the roman god of war
9799962
You're correct.
9799855
Better yet Mars.
9800031
Better yet, Mars adopts Starlight and she becomes Alicorn Princess of planet Mars.
I predict either Mars or Zecora swooping in for the rescue
Oh no....
9799945
I got 2 things to say to that response Update soon please
media1.tenor.com/images/32227702f034df3c4ea90affe760190c/tenor.gif?itemid=3782206
and my response your feed off my pain and Rage over that ending
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At least these stories are good.
They really f**led up the season 9 finale. They Game of Thronesd it.
I got no words this is sad as hell, rest in peace our friend
The Feels! quickmeme.com/img/a9/a99ed243a27bccb44bc2ae60b5c85e6fef9df50d017e02e2d197a87ae81d2b54.jpg
I don't recall timber wolves being that strong in the show. ;) But holy crap, that cliffhanger. I hope it updates ASAP!
*** Message Sent: Sister, … was I a good rover? ***
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9800269
Fuck you for the spoiler alert asshole
9800734
For what? Nothing about the episodes are mentioned. Never said why I think they are bad. Saying whether you think something was good or bad without saying why is not spoiling anything. It's just a vague opinion with no context. Maybe you'll like what happens in them. All I said was that I don't. And that I am proffering this story.
What I said as about as spoilery as saying there are ponies in it.
Oh God that ending was a direct hit in the feels
Oh wow....that...that hurt.
as someone who bulds computers, I can say that the most important part is not aculy the CPU,
it is the HDD or Hard Drive Disk, this is where everything is stored, as in you can take out the HDD from one computer and stick it inside another computer and have that computer run what is on the HDD, the point is that if Opertunity's OS drive has not been damaged by a bunch of wooden teeth, you could just rebuild him.
No, Oppy. You were the best.
Damn you, Ranko. Damn you and your ability to destroy my feels
9800617
i.imgur.com/vPJzvUr.png
Darn you, you made me feel the feelings I felt back in feburary but now worse
While I don't condone animal abuse I just have to say,
"TRIXIE, KICK THOSE FLEA BIDDEN MUTTS TAILS SO HARD THAT THEY SHATTER PLUTO'S DOMAIN!!"
Somehow this was even more gouging than reading a living character death, because with living characters I expect some kind of magic healing in these settings, but I don't know if they can FIX Opportunity with all his fine instruments! D; AAAAAAAAA PLEASE DON'T DIE OPPY
Nice NASA history reference with the "John Aaron Protocol" first used on Apollo 12.
9800970
Honestly, his core components may weather this fairly well, it's not like he can bleed out or anything...
9799984
Oh. No, it's fine. It's not like I needed my heart, or anything. You just carry on tearing open my chest...
...Fuckin' dick.
What a horrible cliffhanger ending
9801055
it just depends on the hardware
Ah the Timberwolves the completely pointless creatures that I still have no clue WHY Celly or the like haven not tried to get rid of such an infestation. They aren't even animals just violent spirits, as evident of what they doing to Oppy. An animal would mostly ignore a robot since...it isn't food after they gnawed on it enough to figure it out.
Ah well here's hoping someone finds a way to vaporize the things in the next chapter, since we all know breaking their bodies doesn't do jack.
SCE to AUX. Nice Apollo 12 reference.
No. I’m told you were the best.
9801016
In this case it would be termite biten wood crate, but the sentiment is mutchal.
This has been the superior story to read on my current list. It has the sense of wonder such as a child might experience in similar conditions. It starts with a cry in the consuming darkness and so far ends in a more terrible darkness for a simple being doing the best it can. At the tearing teeth that cannot know reason, only instict and hunger.
At least he knew no pain, but having pieces torn off while performing a vital task may be equally horrific to anything any of us reading these words could imagine. If there is survival beyond this moment, our intrepid hero may evidence some PTSD in the presence of any canine. Or possibly chilling robot efficiency in "canceling" a perceived threat if a dog so much as barks at someone he considers a friend. Let the scientists and programmers explain that.
Not again!
And it will get even worse...
Anyway, good chapter!
I can't wait for the next part.
I’m kind of confused why wolves would even care about a machine. it’s not like it smells like food Opportunity is isn’t even organic so why do they care to attack.
It felt kind of force for The sake of drama to happen.
No.
I am told you were the best.
9802349
he smells of ponies
The timberwolves could have used a bit more in-story justification, but aside from that, wonderfully heart-wrenching chapter. Eagerly looking forward to more.
9802349 Agreed.
9802791
So? That’s like saying a pair were suddenly randomly attack your jeep because you Honked a horn
9805615
if they attack sound maybe