Tony was the first to wake up this time. He saw smoke coming from outside, so he got in his spacesuit and went outside. The first thing he saw was the red ground he was standing on and everywhere else. It was similar to the Moon with many craters but similar to earth in looks; Sort of as if earth's life forms disappeared completely. Tony went to where the smoke was coming from and began diagnosing the problem. Unfortunately, he found that the part that was broken was irreplaceable and couldn't find a spare. He started cussing up a storm and looking around.
"Calling lab...calling lab...call failed."
"Oh hey, Call Lab," Tony said, "we've got a problem."
"I know, that's why I'm trying to call Lab," the robot said with an annoyed tone.
"Listen here, you little shit," Tony said, "you've been busting my balls and I can only take so much from you, Joey, and Jae. Enough's enough! Now, help me search this joint for a replacement part."
"And what if I don't?" Call Lab asked sassily.
"Or you will be using parts," Tony threatened the rover.
Call Lab quickly went searching for spare parts on the planet while Tony searched in the opposite direction. He picked up samples of the planet in between his search.
"Searching...searching...found!" Call Lab dinged as he came at the edge of a crater.
Call Lab went down into the crater and turned on his flashlight. He looked around and found another rover that looked similar to him but with Russian flag colors instead of American colors. He whistled and suddenly the rover that appeared to be dead started working once more.
"Engineer...awake," the robot said with a feminine and Russian accent.
"Hello, Engineer," Call Lab said, "I am Call Lab."
"Hello, Call Lab," Engineer chirped.
"How do we get out?" Call Lab asked as he tried to get out with her.
"We don't," Engineer said, "I tried exactly 456 times."
"Oh," Call Lab said, "initiating an emergency alarm."
Call Lab blared his alarm which caused Joey and Jae to jolt up awake.
"Where's Tony?" Joey asked as he searched the ship.
Jae checked the spacesuit closet, "his suit is missing too and the exterior of the ship is damaged."
Joey checked all of the meters, "we are extremely low on oxygen. 20% left. As much as I want to go out and search for Tony or stay awake until he returns, we may need to conserve oxygen by sleeping more."
"That's all we've been doing for 689 days on this god forsaken mission!" Jane snapped.
"I know you're frustrated, but there's no need to say the Lord's name in vain," Joey said.
Jae rolled her eyes and started outside in her spacesuit in search of Tony.
Tony had just arrived at the crater after hearing the alarm, "you found a replacement?"
"Yes, I think it's in Engineer," Call Lab said.
"I don't think the replacement part is in me, Call Lab," Tony said confused.
"Not you, idiot," Call Lab said, "This Russian rover is named Engineer. Engineer, meet the human engineer named Tony."
"Privet," Engineer said, "I am Engineer of Mother Russia. Inzhener."
"Nice to meet you, Engineer," Tony said as he slowly climbed down into the crater, sliding most of the way.
Tony hoisted the two robots one at a time out of the crater but struggled to get outside himself.
"Help me out of here," Tony said.
The two rovers tried pulling him out of the crater but couldn't support his weight.
"He's too heavy," Engineer said, "how'd he pass the physical exam?"
"Are you really calling me fat?" Tony said, getting annoyed.
"I think I'm in love," Call Lab said.
The two rovers chirped and beeped among each other.
"Enough of the lovey-dovey talk! Help me get out!" Tony said.
"You're too fat!" The robots said in unison.
"Tony! Why the heck did you leave the ship!?" Joey asked as he started pulling Tony out of the crater.
Jae came soon after and assisted them. With teamwork, they got Tony out of the crater.
"Now then. Let's head back to the ship and fix it with the replacement part," Tony said.
"So that's why you left the ship," Jae said.
"Good job, engineer," Joey said to Tony, "that was very thoughtful of you to search for a solution without a single thought for your safety. That was very selfless and brave. But now is not the time for mushy stuff. We need to go back to the ship and fix it quickly. Then we need to set our course back to earth and conserve oxygen as much as we can. We are at 17% now."
"You're welcome," Engineer said.
"What?" Jae asked.
"My name is Engineer," the Russian Mars rover said.
"Time to get a move on," Tony said.
The ragtag band of astronauts and rovers arrived back to the ship. Jae and Joey were instructed to go back to sleep while Tony fixed the ship. He checked Engineer for the part needed, but it was the same thing that gave her life.
"No! You can't give that part!" Call Lab protested.
"I lived a good life," Engineer said, "please send samples to mother Russia when you get home."
"I love you," the two robots said in unison.
Tony teared up as he fixed the ship with the parts that Engineer sacrificed. All he could think about was his family and how they are now.
On earth, there was a memorial going on for Tony since it had been a year and 10 months since the spaceship went missing. 6 year old Nicholas was looking out a window after the ceremony. He was deep in thought.
"What's going on, sweetie?" Sharon kneeled down to him.
Nicholas refused to look away from the window.
"Nicholas? Are you looking at the pretty stars?" Sharon asked.
"I'm looking for daddy," Nicholas said.
"Your daddy is gone, Nicholas," Sharon teared up.
Nicholas shook his head, "Daddy is in space."
Back on Mars, Tony was just finishing up installing the new replacement part when he discovered there was another part needed. Before he could start cussing up a storm, Call Lab carefully took the part out of himself and gave it to Tony.
"Call Lab..." Tony looked at him.
"I...had...a...good...life," Call Lab said as he shut down.
Tony took the part and installed it quickly. He grabbed both robots and put them in the ship's cargo room. Then he went up to sit with Joey and Jae and tapped on Joey's shoulder, "hey, the rocket's fixed. We can go now."
Joey yawned and started up the rocket and the 5% oxygen alert blared on. The three fell asleep in a hurry as the rocket headed back to earth. This would take them another seven months.
YOU ARE READING
Fly Me to the Moon
Ficção Científica(Any and all events except for one is a work of fiction, clearly! Discretion is Advised!) It's 1955 and the start of the Space Race. A college grad, a convict mechanic, and a young prodigy are chosen to go to the moon. What will happen when this rag...
