Life on Mars // Chris Beck

XII. Sols 187-219

INT. NASA - MISSION CONTROL - DAY

SATELLITE VIEW: Mark and Melina made their way to the Rover.

"They've been doing EVAs throughout the day," Mindy said as Vincent hovered over her station. "There's a pattern to them. They go out three hundred meters. Then stop. Three hundred more meters. Then stop."

"And nobody gave them instructions?" Vincent asked. "Did JPL schedule something?"

Mindy shook her head. "They're at the Rover." She noticed something. "We're receiving a transmission." She pulled it up on the screen and frowned. It was a jumble of numbers and data. ""Chem analysis... sample batch 1A-7C...""

Vincent was the first to figure it out. "Commander Lewis' geo-compositing
experiments."

Mindy continued frowning. "I'm sorry, what?"

Vincent looked at the screens with admiration in his eyes. "They're finishing the mission."

INT. HAB - NIGHT

Mark addressed camera while he and Melina worked at the experiment table, diligently crushing the rock samples and testing them with his chemistry set. They were still somber, but working.

Mark said, "We evac'd eighteen sols into a thirty-one sol mission... Which means we've got thirteen sols of experiment and research schedules. For each of us. So. Commander Lewis... your work's in good hands. Beck -- I'll be honest with you, I don't understand chemolithotrophic detection. At all. But I'm doing my best. Melina unsurprisingly understands it better. And don't worry, I'm not making moves on your future girl. I'm not that much of a dick. Johanssen, I know you don't like it when Melina and I touch the ChemCam, but guess what? We're touching the ChemCam. Vogel, I think I've got a new cataloguing system for the core samples that I've titled "Das Core Samples" out of respect for the Fatherland. And Martinez... Melina and I still don't know what it is you do. Why did we bring you? No idea." He continued after a moment. "We're trying to keep everything documented and organized. I know that's not exactly my strong suit, but I want it all to make sense, in case... you know. Maybe you can teach it in class someday. The Watney Syllabus. "How to Make a Bathtub Using NASA Tubing and an Old RTG." "How to Cook a Potato Six-Thousand Different Ways." "How to Make Water Out of Rocket Fuel. To Keep You Alive. For Just A Little Longer.""

Melina gave a small smile. "You should consider being a professor."

INT. HERMES - FLIGHT DECK - SPACE

From his computer, Vogel ran a diagnostic check on the ship's engines. As he finished his work for the day, he turned his attention to his email. He frowned when he saw: "Subject: Unsere Kinder"

(Our children)

He tried to open the attachment, but it was unreadable.

INT. HERMES GYM - SPACE

Vogel glided along passage to the Rec Room. Johannsen jogged within the rotating drum.

Vogel approached and said, "I have a problem."

INT. HERMES GYM - SPACE

Johanssen lead Vogel into the gym.

Vogel continued. "It's an email from my wife. The subject line says "Our Children," but the computer won't open the attachment."

"Let's take a look," Johanssen replied. As she worked, she said, "Huh. This isn't a jpg. It's a plain ASCII text file. Looks like... I don't know what this looks like. Math equations. Does this make any sense to you?"

Vogel read what was in the email. ""Rich Purnell Maneuver." Ja. It is a course maneuver for the Hermes..." As Vogel tried to make sense of what he was looking at, one phrase in particular stood out on the screen: 'SOL 561.' "Mein Gott."