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The beginning of the end was a simple status report. Zhurong and Perseverance had been traversing Mars for months together, sharing their discoveries and building something that would last long past their out of commission dates. Their agencies benefited from their cooperation, doubling their accomplishments and bringing pride to their nations. Everything they’d done and seen together, until
STATUS REPORT: AMERICAN ROVER PERSEVERANCE CATALOGED POSSIBLE BIOSIGNATURE AT JEZERO. 20 KLICKS FROM ZHURONG CURRENT LOCATION.
This was the first of many.
STATUS REPORT: AMERICAN ROVER PERSEVERANCE CATALOGED UNKNOWN ROCK FORMATION 18 KLICKS FROM CURRENT LOCATION.
STATUS REPORT: AMERICAN ROVER PERSEVERANCE CONFIRMED VOLCANIC ROCK AT JEZERO 25 KLICKS FROM CURRENT LOCATION.
By the time Zhurong trudged to perseverance’s last known location the American Rover was long gone. No information swap, no updates. One curt message appeared on Zhurong’s 1st rotation around the sun.
ZHURONG ROVER HAS COMPLETED FIRST YEAR OF ITS MISSION ON MARS. SALUTATIONS.
They had shared the day for Perservernce’s first rotation, but Zhurong’s American counterpart was nowhere to be seen today, they sang to themself, the tuneless song absorbed by the barren red rock surrounding them.