((The year is 2010. Two scientists hunker over a large console.))
First scientist: After six years, Spirit is down, but Opportunity is still going strong.
Second scientist: Tough little rover.
((The year is 2015. Two scientists dialogue over radio while a tiny wheeled robot drives cheerfully across the martian surface.))
First scientist: Eleven years, wow.
Second scientist: Wasn't the original mission 90 days?
First scientist: This is starting to get weird.
((The year is 2023. Two nerds hunker over a sleek computer.))
First nerd: The battery is totally disconnected. How can it still be moving??
Second nerd: Given what it did to the mars 2020 rover, we may never know.
((The year is 2450. A planetary administrator stands with their child on a martian plateau, with a good view of a small city, some flying cars, and even some pyramids!))
Administrative god-king: Everything the light touches is our kingdom.
Future despoiler of worlds: What's that dark area?
Administrative god-king: That is Opportunity's half of the planet. We must never go there.
{{Title text: We all remember those famous first words spoken by an astronaut on the surface of Mars: "That's one small step fo- HOLY SHIT LOOK OUT IT'S GOT SOME KIND OF DRILL! Get back to the ... [unintelligible] ... [signal lost]"}}
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