EARTH
EXT. ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY - DAY
Teddy spoke before a memorial. A somber crowd listened in silence. "Our nation was blessed to have Mark and Darcie serving in our space program. Their losses will be deeply felt, but the men and women of NASA will soldier forth, onward and upward, unbroken in the mission of their agency. In doing so, they honor the legacy Mark and Darcie leave behind, and they ensure their sacrifices will not be in vain."
EXT. NASA - DAY
A man walked past the NASA logo greeting visitors at the gate.
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, HOUSTON, TX
INT. NASA - DAY
The man entered the main lobby.
VINCENT KAPOOR, DIRECTOR OF MARS MISSIONS, NASA
Guards glanced up from the television and nodded hello. Vincent walked through security.
A CNN title read: "President Speaks At Watney and Beck Memorial."
INT. NASA - VARIOUS - DAY
As Vincent made his way through NASA, everyone in the building was watching news reports of the Watney and Beck service.
On the screens, a female astronaut floating in zero-g eulogized Mark and Darcie.
INT. NASA - TEDDY'S OFFICE - DAY
A man sat at his desk, staring out the window.
TEDDY SANDERS, DIRECTOR OF NASA
On the television, Teddy shook hands with the President at the service.
Vincent gave it a passing glance as he entered and said, "I thought you gave a lovely speech, by the way."
Not one for small talk, Teddy gestured for Vincent to hand him the request form he was holding.
Vincent continued. "I need you to authorize my satellite time."
Teddy gave it a quick glance and shook his head. "It's not gonna happen."
"We're funded for five Ares missions. I think I can get Congress to authorize a sixth."
"No."
"They evac'd after eighteen sols. There's half a mission worth of supplies up there. I can sell another mission at a fraction of the cost. I just need to know what's left of our assets."
"And?"
"You're not the only one who needs satellite time. We've got the Ares 4 supply missions coming up. We should be focusing on the Schiaparelli Crater."
"I'm talking about securing us another mission. We have twelve satellites in orbit, we can surely spare a few hours-"
"It's not about the satellite time, Vince."
Vincent shrugged. "Then what is it?"
"We're a public domain organization. We have to be transparent about this. The second we point the satellites at the Hab... I broadcast pictures of Mark Watney and Darcie Beck's dead bodies to the world."
Vincent said in a tone of disbelief, "You're afraid of a PR problem?"
"Of course I'm afraid of a PR problem. Another mission? Congress won't reimburse us for a paper clip if we put a dead astronaut on the cover of The Washington Post."
"So... what do we do? They're not going to decompose. They'll be there forever."
"Meteorology estimates they'll be covered in sand from normal weather activity within a year."
YOU ARE READING
Space Odyssey
Science FictionDarcie is chosen for and sent on a mission, alongside others, for, what feels to her, as a once in a lifetime opportunity. While she and her husband don't want to leave their young son behind, they know he's in good hands. But when the mission goe...
