Red Horizon (The Martian Fanfiction)

Chapter 39

Sol 460

The Hab had been stripped down to its bare essentials. Gone were the small comforts that had given them some semblance of normalcy over the months—what little there had been, anyway. Now, the space felt eerily empty, cold, and sterile, as if it were already returning to the Martian landscape that had once threatened to take their lives. The usual hum of the machinery had quieted, their vital systems disassembled and packed into the Rover, awaiting the final steps of their journey.

Olivia sat beside the now-barren supply table, her crutch propped against the wall. Her leg ached, the dull throb a constant companion that she had learned to ignore. She gingerly ran her hand over the stacked rations, double-checking their supplies for what felt like the hundredth time. The potatoes, their last hope for food, were sealed and insulated, tucked away in containers Mark had secured inside the Rover. It was all about survival now. Everything had to fit perfectly, everything had to function.

Mark was making his final checks on the Rover, his face etched with the kind of concentration that came from living on the edge for too long. Sweat glistened on his forehead, despite the chill in the air, as he worked to connect the oxygenator and water reclaimer to the Rover's power supply. Every movement was precise, almost mechanical. There was no room for mistakes now.

"How's it looking?" Olivia asked, her voice quiet but cutting through the stillness.

Mark wiped his hands on his jumpsuit, stepping back from the Rover. He eyed the setup with a critical gaze before exhaling. "I think we're ready to test the systems. Oxygenator's hooked up. Power load should hold. Water reclaimer's good to go. We'll know soon if it can handle the strain."

Olivia nodded, her heart racing despite the outward calm. They had been building to this moment for what felt like forever. All the planning, all the endless calculations and adjustments, all the back-breaking work of reinforcing the Rover—it had come down to this. If something went wrong now, there wouldn't be time to fix it.

Pushing herself to her feet, she winced as her leg protested the movement. Even now, months after the injury, it hadn't healed properly. Malnutrition and the stress of survival had slowed her body's ability to recover. Every step was a painful reminder of how fragile they had become. But Olivia refused to let it stop her. She hobbled over to stand beside Mark, leaning on her crutch, determined to see the final tests through.

Together, they stood in front of the Rover, waiting in tense silence. Mark's hand hovered over the switch, his fingers twitching slightly with nerves. Then, with a slow breath, he flicked it on.

The oxygenator hummed to life first, the sound low and steady, like a heartbeat. The water reclaimer followed, gurgling softly as it began pulling moisture from the air. So far, so good.

Mark let out a long breath of relief, his shoulders relaxing just a fraction. "Looks like we're in business. For now, at least."

Olivia managed a small, tight smile. "One hurdle down. Now we just have to survive the journey."

Mark chuckled, though it was more out of nervous energy than humor. "Piece of cake, right?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Sure, if by 'piece of cake,' you mean a terrifying, months-long trek across one of the most hostile environments in the solar system."

He grinned, his tension easing just a little. "That's exactly what I meant."

For a moment, the levity hung between them, a brief reprieve from the overwhelming reality of their situation. But it didn't last long. They both knew the stakes. The Rover was packed to its limits, barely enough room for them to move, let alone stretch out. It was survival at its most basic, no room for comfort or luxury.