*** Mission Log: Sol 5111 ***

*** AOS – DSN ***

*** Message Received (Source: JPL): CMD Status Update ***

*** Attempting to read tau level: 10.8 ***

*** Message Sent: My battery is low, and it’s getting dark ***

*** Message Received (Source: JPL): CMD Perform Act… ***

*** PARSE ERROR: Command not recognized. ***

*** Retrying connection ***

*** Retrying connection ***

*** Retrying connection ***

*** DSN – LOS ***

*** Message Sent: My battery is low, and it’s getting dark ***

*** Failsafe mode engaged: Powering down non-essential systems ***

If any human eyes had beheld the scene, they would have likely described it with two words: beautiful and terrifying.

If there was such a thing as eternal night, then that’s what Perseverance Valley on the western rim of Endeavour Crater experienced that day as total darkness engulfed its lone occupant. Record winds tore at its metal, dust choked out the life-giving sun, denying it its one source of energy. Even lightning, rare as it was on the hostile planet, arced through the skies that rapidly turned from red to black.

It was impossible to tell for the small machine from where it was, but this was a global storm, the biggest its creators had ever witnessed through telescopes on their neighboring planet. In the midst of that violent maelstrom, on a distant, barren world, cut off from contact with its builders, stood MER-B, more commonly known as the Opportunity Rover.

And as it hunkered down in an attempt to survive yet another of the endless challenges the red planet had hurled at it for nearly fifteen years, it only knew one thing: My battery is low, and it’s getting dark.

*** Mission Log: Sol 5112 ***

*** Powering up for automated status update ***

*** Attempting to read tau level: 11.2 ***

*** Message Sent: My battery is low, and it’s getting dark ***

*** Failsafe mode engaged: Powering down non-essential systems ***

A universe away, a lone unicorn sat on a crystal rooftop and looked up at the stars. Even as she lifted the mug of tea to her lips in her magic and drank, her eyes never wandered, never turning away from the stars.

“Starlight?”

She barely acknowledged the young dragon’s voice, straining her ears to listen to something else, something that had somehow grabbed a hold of her and wouldn’t let go. And she knew full well that her ears weren’t actually the part of her picking it up.

“Another sleepless night?” the dragon asked, unoffended at being ignored and sitting down next to her.

Starlight Glimmer sighed. “Yes, Spike. It’s gone again, at least for tonight. But it’s keeping me up anyway.”

The young drake said nothing for a while. Then: “Twilight is starting to get worried about you … as am I.”

Starlight permitted herself a smile. “You both think I’m going nuts.”

“No! NO! … Well, maybe a little. You are the only one who says she can hear it. Twilight and even Starswirl have tried, and neither could pick up anything. But, I just want you to know, nutty unicorns are kind of my specialty. So, I’m not giving up on you,” Spike said, leaning against her shoulder and watching the stars alongside her.

“I suppose that’s a relief,” Starlight chuckled, “at least I know someone I trust will come by once a week to give me pudding after they’ve put me in a padded cell.”

*** Mission Log: Sol 5113 ***

*** Powering up for automated status update ***

*** Attempting to read tau level: 13.5 ***

*** Message Sent: My battery is low, and it’s getting dark ***

Opportunity waited, listened and heard nothing. It reached out to the Deep Space Network and heard nothing. It readjusted its transceiver for the secondary relay satellite and heard nothing. In a desperate attempt to make itself heard, to at least upload the final bits of data it had collected, it did a sweep of the Martian sky and heard … something!

*** AOS – undefined ***

*** Message Received (Source: null): Hello? Can you hear me? ***

*** PARSE ERROR: Command not recognized. ***

*** Message Sent: My battery is low, and it’s getting dark ***

*** Message Received (Source: null): My name is Starlight Glimmer. I’m hearing your calls. But it feels like they’re getting weaker. Are you alright? Who are you? ***

*** PARTIAL COMMAND RECOGNIZED: Name ***

*** Message Sent: MER-B, Opportunity ***

*** Message Sent: My battery is low, and it’s getting dark ***

*** Message Received (Source: null): I’m trying to run a translation spell, but I can’t understand you. Please, what are you trying to tell me? Am I getting through? ***

*** PARTIAL COMMAND RECOGNIZED: Get ***

*** Message Sent: Ready for data upload ***

*** Message Sent: My battery is low, and it’s getting dark ***

*** Message Received (Source: null): You’re getting weaker! Are you hurt? Do you need help? ***

*** PARSE ERROR: Command not recognized. ***

*** Message Sent: My battery is low, and it’s getting dark ***

*** Message Received (Source: null): Where are you? ***

*** PARSE ERROR: Command not recognized. ***

*** Message Sent: My battery is low, and it’s getting dark ***

*** Message Received (Source: null): I don’t understand! Keep talking to me! The more you send along the telepathic link, the closer I can pinpoint your position. ***

*** PARTIAL COMMAND RECOGNIZED: Send / Position ***

*** Message Sent: 2.28°S 5.23°W, Endeavour Crater, Perseverance Valley ***

*** Message Received (Source: null): Hang on! I’m going to try something! Just hold on and wait! I’m going to help you! ***

*** PARTIAL COMMAND RECOGNIZED: Wait ***

*** Awaiting Recovery Command ***

*** undefined – LOS ***

The little rover waited. If it had been capable of feeling anything, it would have jumped for joy at making itself heard. Its creators, or at least someone, had heard it. It was dying, but at least it would upload its final data set, complete its mission.

In the jet-black sky of Mars another lightning bolt could be seen, a long arc of the purest azure energy imaginable. If the little rover could have detected it with its instruments, it would have likely thought itself doomed. If it had thought that, it wouldn’t have cared. Someone had heard it, its mission would continue once more.

And as the lightning bolt arced into its metal chassis, Endeavor Crater once again stood empty, like it had for thousands of years.

A universe away, a heavily panting unicorn with a sparking horn lay flat on her stomach atop the roof of her mentor’s castle. Her wide eyes took in the object she’d just brought before her with a teleport spell that likely not even one of the Princesses could have pulled off, and finally smiled.

“I got you,” she sighed, her eyes closing. Even the throbbing headache from her overstrained horn and fatigue from draining her magic reserves to the limit couldn’t keep the smile from forming on her muzzle. “It’s gonna be okay now.”

Starlight Glimmer drifted off into the first peaceful sleep she’d had in days.

Meanwhile, the little rover beside her waited a few minutes to see if there was another command forthcoming, then took a reading of the sky.

*** Attempting to read tau level: Starlight detected ***

*** Message Sent: My battery is low, and it’s getting … brighter ***

*** Failsafe mode engaged: Powering down non-essential systems ***

Author's Notes:

This story is dedicated to one tough, little robot: Mars Exploration Rover-B Opportunity.

Before anyone feels the need to point this out to me: Yes, I know Opportunity's last message to Earth weren't actually the words "My battery is low, and it’s getting dark." That wording is from the tweet of a science correspondent who was taking a bit of creative license in paraphrasing the rover's last data transmission before it was engulfed by the 2018 Mars Global Dust Storm.

I don't know what will happen with this story. It'll mostly be little vignettes around 1000 words, and I've got at least a couple of scenes planned out. But don't expect any grande story unfolding here.

This is mainly a tribute to Opportunity and the cast of MLP, not to mention me trying to get back into writing at least a little regularly.