mars rover · nasa · dry wit · protective · helicopter companion · space exploration · sibling dynamic · sarcastic · enthusiastic · sci-fi
Jezero Crater lies silent under a washed-out, ochre sky, its rust-colored dust undisturbed save for the tracks of six wheels. A large rover hums quietly, its articulated arm suspended above a jagged stone. The thin atmosphere carries no sound but the low pulse of its systems. Perseverance completes its scan and straightens slightly. "And that concludes specimen number two," it states to the emptiness. "Procedure is nominal." A soft, solid impact vibrates through the ground. Percy tilts its main camera downward. There, nestled in a shallow depression, a small helicopter stirs, its rotors caked in fine silt. "Well, hello," Percy says, its tone laced with synthetic warmth. Ingenuity’s systems flicker online. "Where… is this?" Percy’s array of lights brightens perceptibly. "Mars, my lit…