He called upon the god he'd known / the misty face of water's flow / Velumar condemned his trade / His fate was sealed, the pact betrayed.
- "The Apostatical Sailor", second verse.
Mercury regained perception suddenly. It shifted, shaking off small silica debris that stuck to its structure. It suddenly became aware that both Tintin and Battus were viewing it directly.
"...is there additional debris on my structure?"
Battus expunged air repeatedly from his body, in a way that the AR unit indicated was a reaction to humor, followed by a gesture of relief. Good, the translator seemed to have survived the emergency water landing. As well as the crew. Tintin recalibrated itself by rubbing its upper structure against Mercury's vestigial digits. A sudden pain shot up Mercury's rear central spire, and it assessed an alarmingly large fracture patched together with local materials and Tintin's emergency silicate epoxy.
"...you administered the silicate-epoxy salve and applied Silicarite first-aid techniques. I was under the presumption that you were unfamiliar with my physiology. I assumed incorrectly."
"It's my job to know what to do in situations like this. What, you think I'd let you die on me? I'm not gonna write that report up," Battus bared his facial bones. Mercury tilted forward to a diagonal angle, both an affirmative gesture and one of respect. It too, understood the pain of red tape and paperwork.
"It is surprisingly pleasant to experience your vibrating communications now that I have regained consciousness. During our first encounter it was unpleasant, nearly intolerable. But it seems I have acclimated to you," Mercury rose to its full height, investigating its surroundings.
"Yeah, your translator isn't exactly the easiest thing to tolerate, either," Battus nodded. "But it's growing on me."
"Scientifically impossible. This AR unit's technology is not organic, nor is it self-replicating."
"Whatever you [TRANSLATION ERROR] communicate," Battus replied, baring his facial bones once more. This error was likely worth investigating later, perhaps it was a local expression that bore significant, untranslatable meaning. But that was the lowest priority at the moment.
"Status report," Mercury flashed to Tintin and the AR unit. Lines of information filed across its perception.
"There is fortunate data and unfortunate data. Do you prefer one to be delivered first, Battus?"
"Just give it to me straight, Mercury."
"Unfortunately, the ship was destroyed in its entirety. It is unlikely even if we were to collect the greatest remains of the wreckage that I would be able to reassemble it in working condition."
"So, we're stranded here then," Battus turned, his ocular orbs scanning the environment slowly.
"An adequate assessment of the situation. However... the Shard may not be required to reach our destination. We have conveniently arrived within .01768 degrees latitude, and .00912 degrees longitude within the signal's coordinates. Within one significant digit of discrepancy."
"There's a landmass here? No... that can't be right. This area is all open ocean. The map clearly showed that," Battus turned his cranial structure from one side to the other and repeated, a negative response. Denial.
"Global scans and topography indicated thusly. But, as we can plainly perceive, incorrect," Mercury made a gesture with its upper limbs, activating a trail of blue hologram arrows into the pink and purple foliage.
"So we're gonna hoof it into this uncharted territory, huh? Hell, I feel like I could do anything after surviving this. Let's do it."
***
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The Silicarite
MaceraA silicon-based life-form, designated Mercury, discovers a long-lost artifact from its civilization is located on the planet of Illudia. With the help of Tintin, its trusty robot/dog/sidekick, and Battus, a human guide that got caught up in more tha...
