#opprotunity

I wasn’t just crying about the tributes for her, the fact that she passed as everyone’s putting it, and NASA sending her that song. I also wasn’t just crying about her last transmission to us.

I was mostly crying because of how I pictured her passing, which hopefully was peaceful. I hate myself so much for this...

~~~~~~~

My battery is low, and it’s getting dark.

She sends home. Hopefully her family hears in time, before the storm and when her battery eventually depletes.

In the meantime she’ll continue to roam, sending as much data she can until, the storm hits. Until she falls asleep.

Until they hopefully bring her home.

If they remember her still, when they get here.

She feels the unsuspected incoming transmission enter her systems. A message from home she didn’t expect. She sees the storm enter the horizon, the light slightly and slowly starting to fade from the dust obstructing her sensors starting to be kicked up.

She must interpret the message. No. She wants to. She opens the file, it’s much larger than the ones usually received. It even has an attachment at the bottom of the transmission.

Great job Oppy. Mission complete. You can rest now.

(Audio attachment: Billie Holiday “I’ll be seeing you.”)

She initiates the audio playback. She looks up at the sky, what’s left of it that she can still see.

I'll be seeing you

In all the old familiar places

That this heart of mine embraces

All day and through

In that small cafe

The park across the way

The children's carousel

The chestnut trees

The wishing well

She refocuses her lenses towards the horizon. The storm is closer now.

I'll be seeing you

In every lovely summer's day

In everything that's light and gay

I'll always think of you that way

I'll find you in the morning sun

And when the night is new

I'll be looking at the moon

But I'll be seeing you

The storm is almost upon her. Yet she doesn’t look away. She’s not what the humans call afraid. She’s accepted it.

I'll be seeing you

In every lovely summer's day

In everything that's light and gay

I'll always think of you that way

No she’s not accepting death, or an end. The storm is upon her now. It’s dark. It’s cold. Her battery is low.

I'll find you in the morning sun

And when the night is new

I'll be looking at the moon

Even though the music and light is fading, it’s somewhere in the distance now. No she’s not afraid, she’s at peace. She has accepted, that her people, that her family she wants to say. Will coming bring her home one day.