INT. HERMES - VIDEO BOOTH - REC ROOM - SPACE
Martinez spoke to his wife, Marissa, on a screen in the video booth. She was upset with him.
"Five hundred and thirty-three days
longer?" Marissa said. "And you said yes to this?"
"I did," Martinez replied. "They would have done the same for me. You know that."
"And you think I'm gonna forgive you?"
"I do."
After a moment, she held her hand up to the screen and he did the same.
INT. JPL - WHITE ROOM - DAY
Bruce and his team oversaw the Iris 2 Probe as it was loaded into shipping containers.
A few Chinese members of the CNSA, dressed in protective gear, watched as well.
INT. HERMES - VIDEO BOOTH - REC ROOM - SPACE
Lewis, floating due to the lack of centripetal gravity, talked on the computer to her husband, Robert.
"I found it at the flea market," Robert said. "Original. Pressing." He held up a vintage 1973 copy Abba's Greatest Hits album.
Lewis squealed when she saw it and clapped with delight.
EXT. LAUNCH PAD - CHINA - DAY
The Iris 2 Probe was attached to the booster.
INT. CNSA - DAY
Mitch engaged in a heated argument with the Chinese Flight Director. "All due respect to your CNSA protocol, we haven't done things that way since Apollo 9-"
The translator tried to translate his words. Zhu raised his eyebrows and glanced at Teddy.
Teddy shook his head and shrugged.
EXT. HAB - DAY
Mark and Mackenzie sealed the tent to the roof of Rover 2, then pressurized it. They checked for leaks. It was like a hot-air balloon.
INT. NASA - WORK ROOM
Vincent and his engineers were doing the exact same thing -- they had a mirrored set of Mark and Mackenzie's equipment. They tried to figure out how to fit the Oxygenator into the pop tent.
INT. HERMES FLIGHT DECK - SPACE
Vogel entertained his wife and their young children. He flipped from a low-G area into a non-G area. On the screen, the kids laughed and laughed.
INT. CNSA - DAY
The Taiyang Shen launched. Mitch, Teddy, and the Chinese scientists all clapped and shook hands.
EXT. MARS - DAY - MONTAGE
"He told us not to blow it 'Cause he knows it's all worthwhile..."
Mark and Mackenzie bopped their heads to the music as they drove Rover 2 across the dunes.
EXT. IRIS 2 PROBE - DAY (STOCK)
The Iris 2 probe separated from its booster rocket.
INT. HERMES FLIGHT DECK
Martinez took control of the probe. He piloted it towards the Hermes.
EXT. HERMES - SPACE - MONTAGE
The probe approached the Hermes as the docking procedure began.
EXT. MARS
Silence was held on a little longer than usual.
INT. HERMES - AIRLOCK 3 - SPACE
YOU ARE READING
Til the Stars Turn Blue // Chris Beck
Science FictionMackenzie and Chris are newly married when they embark on a journey to the stars. But a coming storm makes one fear the worst and one, once finding out the truth, vows to rescue their significant other no matter what it takes. *I don't own The Mar...
