Rabbit Hole on Mars - Day 26 (Nov 26) 1028 words

Day 26

“Well, here we are at the entrance to the labyrinth,” Don said, “I've enjoyed our time together.”

“Don, listen to me,” Brian said.

“The time for me to listen is over. Now start your journey to the end.”

Opportunity slowly rolled forward. Before turning right, it looked down at the penny set in the 'heart space' of the labyrinth.

“Goddamn it,” Brian said as he stared at the penny.

“Looks familiar, Brian?” Don asked, “I remember when you handed that to me. I told you I could help fix the lag in communication time between earth and the rover. You smugly said, 'penny for your thoughts' and handed me that penny.”

Brian stood up straight. Everyone could see him realizing something to himself. He ran over to the table with all the high school group photos scattered across it.

Don continued, “I'm sure I'm not the only kid you did that too, but I know I'm the one you now regret. Time to get moving. You've got a long way to go in the labyrinth.”

Scott set Opportunity to move at half it's capable speed. This would buy some time for the rover and to hope for a miracle.

Brian began throwing photos onto the floor as he went through all of them again. His memory began to remember that conversation. Don was in one of those photos somewhere.

“We have a second Bluetooth connection requested,” Scott said.

Donna said, “It's the other rover.”

“Do not connect,” Don said calmly.

“Ha,” Brian laughed and looked up, “Well look who's concerned all of a sudden.”

“This isn't up for debate,” Don said more authoritatively, “Opening that link is a Pandora’s box you will not survive. Trust me.”

“Go ahead and connect, Scott,” Brian said.

Bluetooth connected. Scott created a separate chat for the other rover.

“Hello?” Brian asked, “Are you there?”

A teenage boy's voice said, “I understand Don has been giving you a lot of trouble. Well, I'm here to help take care of that trouble.”

Everyone in the Rover Control Room perked up and got excited. This might be their chance to fight back.

The voice reassured them again, “Take care of all of your troubles actually.”

“There's a download request from the other rover,” Scott said.

“Brian, Scott, DO NOT DOWNLOAD anything from that rover,” Don pleaded.

The voice chuckled, “Is that Don's voice I hear? Come on now, Don. Trouble is as trouble does. I'm here to put you down, before you try to put down Opportunity.”

The excitement was building in the NASA room. Was this really the miracle to save them from their final moments on Mars?

“Listen to me, Brian, you CANNOT download anything from him,” Don said in a loud voice.
“Now we're supposed to trust you, Don?” Brian asked, “No thanks. Download it, Scott.”

The file transferred. It was a song by Kr3ture entitled, 'Flying.'

“Quick question,” the voice said, “Who's running the Mars Reconnaissance Satellite for your team?”

Donna spoke up, “That would be me, Donna Regency.”

“Great. Donna, I'm getting near this playground Don built for you guys. What a waste of time that was. Could you take one last picture of us all for me?”

“Sure can...,” Donna snapped a photo, “Wait, what does that mean, one last picture?

“No worries,” the voice said casually, “I'll go ahead and play the song for you.”

Scott laughed, “How can you do that, I'm the one at the controls...”

The song started without and action from Scott.

Donna snapped another picture of the labyrinth area with all three rovers. She posted the image on screen two at the front of the room. It was clearly crooked. She took another picture. More crooked than before. Another photo. Half of what she was trying to capture was out of the image.

“What's the matter with the satellite imagery?” Brian asked.

“I don't know, unless satellite was adjusted,” Donna said.

“What would cause that except for the thrusters?”

“That's really the only way to...oh my god! The thrusters!” Donna set the camera to take time lapse photos a half second apart. Images came back of an upside down horizon on Mars. It was clear the Mars Reconnaissance Satellite was being pushed out of the sky.

The lyrics of the song started:

Feel as if you're flying,

What would that feel like?

To be very light in your body

Inhale and exhale.

At the point in the song where it skips a beat, the satellite began to pick up speed as it fell out of the sky.

Donna's mouth dropped open. Her eyes welled up. Shock struck her as she saw the satellite falling. First she began to sob. The sobbing became crying. One thing she hated was crying, but it was all her body knew what to do at that moment. Caring for the satellite, keeping it safe. Ensuring its usefulness. All of that hard work fell from the sky.

“Is there anything we can do to stop this?!” Brian asked in a panicked voice.

Donna shrugged her shoulders and wiped away some of her tears, “Impact in ten seconds.”

Everyone watched through Opportunity's eyes as the satellite continued to drop from the sky.

A shadow grew on the ground a few hundred meters from the labyrinth.

Donna looked away, but knew she had to watch the inevitable for herself. As the shadow grew bigger she held her eyes from blinking. Once the satellite smashed into surface of Mars and the pieces began to shatter from the impact, Donna closed her eyes. She never wanted to open them again. To be anywhere else on Earth at that moment other than the Rover Control Room.

When she opened her eyes, it was as if everyone else in the room had been turned to stone. No one else moved. Spoke. Blinked. Simply frozen, staring at the wreckage of Mars Reconnaissance Satellite.