by Paul Rix
"We are all explorers and we seek new challenges thanks to heroes such as yourselves who are willing to sacrifice so much for the advancement of mankind. I speak for all Americans and everyone in the free world when I say a sincere thank you. Good luck to you all. And God speed."
The message ended and Captain Winter spun round to face the crew. "Rousing stuff from the President. You all know what you need to do. I have absolute faith in every one of you. We'll commence entry procedures in six hours. I suggest you all get some rest and gather your thoughts. Are there any questions?" Winter paused for a few seconds and, when no one spoke up, said, "You know the world is watching and praying for our success. Let's get this thing done, guys."
The crew dispersed into smaller groups. Doctor Betts floated over to Winter and said, "Nice presidential speech. He's bound to get re-elected if we land and survive, and I never even voted for him. Typical politician, now he's trying to take credit for decisions made by his predecessors."
"It's been a long journey, Megan, and we're still not there. But we have every chance of pulling this off and establishing another level in our understanding of the universe."
"Sounds like you're channeling the President himself," Megan replied with a wry smile. "I hope you've planned what to say when you step onto Mars tomorrow. You know they will repeat your words for generations to come."
Winter looked exasperated. "Because my moment will be broadcast live, the PR guys have given me some suggestions. They're nervous I may screw it up. To be honest, I'm nervous I'll screw it up! They want me to be inclusive and to not offend anyone. But I have a few ideas of my own which I'll go with instead. I hope I don't upset anyone. Kristen would never forgive me if I did." Kristen had helped write his words before he left Earth. She had always been far better with language. And she knew to keep it simple enough for him to memorize.
Winter noticed that the galley had quickly emptied. He supposed that the crew was eager to send final messages to their loved ones back home before settling down to rest. But he had one other matter on his mind for the doctor. "On another subject, how's the patient?"
"Too early to tell, although I am worried about her. Georgia was subjected to a huge dose of radiation, so the nausea and vomiting doesn't come as a surprise. But thanks to your quick reactions, her exposure time was extremely brief. She tells me she's fit and able to work and I have no doubt that she'll do her duties tomorrow."
"Thanks, doctor. We need her computer skills. I'd hate to be a man down."
"You mean a person down," Megan corrected.
"You know what I mean. Each member of this crew is invaluable and has earned their own place on the mission. Georgia is no different, but I need you to assure me that she will be ready for re-entry. It's going to be a highly stressful time until touchdown."
"From what I've observed, I have no reason to believe she will perform anything other than to her optimum. She's not going to let you down, Liam."
"Thanks, Megan. That's all I need to know."
With that, Winter made his way to the flight deck, climbed into his command chair and sat alone, staring at the red planet that now dominated the view. He didn't know how long he stayed there but, as he looked at the familiar features, he was at peace with the decision to land. He knew they would succeed.
Chapter 11
Georgia slipped on her bright orange flight suit in her cabin. Shortly before leaving Earth orbit, she had mischievously started a debate among the crew why the flight suits were required. After all, if anything went wrong during the landing phase, who would rescue any survivors? Eden was the only ship equipped to mount a rescue attempt but would certainly not be allowed to do so for fear of losing both crews. It had surprised her when most of the Expedition Two crew threatened to boycott wearing the flight suits. In the end, however, Ground Control convinced them there was a public expectation that all safety measures be in place, even if some of them were a token gesture.
Her flight suit was looser than the last time she'd worn it almost three months earlier. Although it had been hard work, she was now grateful for the daily hours of exercise and running Megan had insisted upon to keep her in shape and prevent total muscle atrophy.
The doctor's medication had proved very effective. She'd slept for four hours and was feeling better than she had done in days. Although she still had no appetite, the nausea had gone, and she was fairly confident that she wouldn't throw up before touchdown. Instead, she could actually enjoy the experience and the excitement inside her was building.
Collecting her gloves and helmet she floated out of her cabin, through the hatch leading to the mid-deck containing the common room and galley before heading up to the flight deck to take her position sitting next to the chief and behind Mancuso. She viewed Mars out of the front windows, clearly being able to make out craters, mountains and valleys. There were also wisps of cloud. It looked so close she was convinced she could almost reach out and touch it.
After pulling the straps tightly to secure herself into her seat, Georgia secured her helmet with the visor still up. The captain and Mancuso were busy up front going through the long checklist required to make the ship ready for landing. The captain briefly glanced over his shoulder and gave Georgia an encouraging smile that she couldn't help but return. "Good to have you back, Pyke. How are you feeling?"
"Exhilarated! This will be the ride of a lifetime. I wouldn't be anywhere else." As Georgia said it, she knew it to be true. At that moment she was exactly where she wanted to be. It didn't matter what happened next, although failure was the furthest thing from her mind.
Chief Grant looked up briefly from his panel of instruments and simply nodded at her. Not one for many words, she thought. But then what was there to say when you were responsible for the rockets working correctly to take Endeavour in for a smooth landing?
***
The four of them worked in unison for the next forty-five minutes to complete all the tasks on the checklist. Having done this a hundred times in training, it was as if someone had choreographed their every move. With thirty minutes until they entered the Martian atmosphere, they were a few minutes ahead of where they needed to be.
Winter looked at Mancuso and asked, "Can you patch me into Eden, please?" Once the channel was open, the captain pressed the switch on his microphone. "Commander Anders, we're showing green lights across the board and all good to go. We'll try to put on a good display for you."
"Good luck, Liam," came the reply a few seconds later. "I expect a warm welcome when we join you."
"Thanks, Anders. You'll get one if you nail the landing. Endeavour out."
Winter took a moment to look around and noted that Megan and Grace had also quietly taken their places at the rear of the flight deck. Grace looked pale and sweaty, and she was staring down at her lap as if she didn't want to be there. Although Winter had some sympathy for her, there was no going back now even if they wanted. There wasn't enough fuel to escape Mars' gravity. He tried to lighten the tone and in his most formal voice said, "This is your captain speaking. Can everyone please return their seats to the upright position, fold their trays and stow any loose luggage in the overhead compartments."
Grace raised her eyes and gave him a nervous grin to confirm that she was okay.
Mancuso joined in by commenting, "I was waiting for the drinks trolley. Have I missed it?"
He'd broken the tension that was running though everyone. But, all too soon, the computer warned them that Endeavour was about to enter the upper atmosphere and the crew were focused once more on tracking the various readouts in front of them.
***
Strong vibrations ran through the deck plates as soon as Endeavour began to encounter Mars' upper atmosphere. It wasn't long before the intensity increased, causing the fixtures to shake and rattle.
"Oxygen to primary and visors locked," commanded Winter and, the staccato sound of latches locking in place, was enough to tell him everyone had complied.
The computer was now controlling entry, with Mancuso paying close attention in case the captain ordered him to switch to manual. Small thrusters fore and aft fired to turn Endeavour around, so it was now flying tail first. With Mars now behind and below them, they could see only the blackness of space through the main windows.
"Distance three fifty," Mancuso called out as the main engines fired for a ninety second de-orbit burn, reducing the speed by three thousand miles per hour. The sudden deceleration slammed the crew hard into their seats at the same time as the deafening roar from the rocket motors reached the flight deck. Breathing became a struggle and Georgia found it easier to take short rapid breaths until she began to feel light-headed. It was a relief when the engines cut out.
"Engine status, chief?" Winter queried, concerned for the next phase.
"Nominal. All pressures where they need to be," came the immediate reply from behind him.
Thrusters fired again to orient Endeavour so that the vast belly of the ship, covered in an adaptive heatshield coating, was facing the oncoming planet.
Georgia could see plasma dancing across the nose of Endeavour as the ship's speed caused gases at this altitude to ionize. While mesmerizing, the plasma meant they were now entering the most dangerous part of the mission, and the point where Enterprise had failed. Pushing that thought swiftly from her mind she paid close attention to her console for any heat spikes that would be the first warning the heat shield was not up to the job. As Endeavour swooped ever closer to the planet's surface, she spotted that two sensors were showing the aft port fin was getting hotter. Within fifteen seconds, the temperature was creeping toward the red line.
Calmly, she called out, "Captain, we have thermal issues on the port fin. Another ten seconds to structural integrity being compromised. All other temps are normal."
Winter switched the view on his monitor to confirm Georgia's readings. "Shit!" he muttered. "Joe, can you adjust the flight profile to reduce stress on the port side?"
Mancuso reacted before the captain had completed his order. He deftly moved the small joystick in front of him and Endeavour slowly twisted. It was now crabbing into the upper atmosphere, but the effect on the affected fin was almost instant. Georgia saw the temperatures return to normal as Endeavour continued to bleed off speed.
"Thanks, Joe," she said.
Velocity had reduced by eighty percent by the time the rim of the Hellas crater came into view on the horizon. Altitude was still twenty-eight miles when, once again Endeavour returned to its tail first orientation for its final series of burns. The engines re-fired, sounding much louder this time and with a greater jolt. By now, the vibrations were too much for Georgia to read the data on her screens. The force from the rapid deceleration meant that she couldn't move her head or arms anyway. All she could now was look past Mancuso's helmet at the ever-brightening Martian sky and wait for the pain to stop.
Endeavour touched down with a slight jolt three seconds early and within ten feet of its target. The roar of the engines disappeared to be replaced by creaking sounds as Endeavour swayed and then settled into its new location. As the crew lay in their seats, absorbing the fact they had landed, there was an eager wait for engine shutdown confirmation. The chief, looking up from his instruments for the first time, gave a thumbs-up to let everyone know the ship was okay.
The crew were now effectively laid on their backs in their seats. There was complete silence as each of them absorbed what they had just achieved. Against all odds they had landed safely on Mars. Georgia smiled to herself and lifted her arms to experience the odd sensation of Martian gravity on her body.
Winter broke the silence. "Congratulations, everyone. I can confirm that we have safely arrived. You can now remove your flight suits and resume your duties to make the ship safe. But first, let's all meet in the galley in five minutes for a small celebration."
By the time Georgia had struggled out of her seat and climbed down the central ladder to the crew quarters, she was breathless. Her body was heavy and sluggish. Despite Mars' gravity being roughly forty percent that of Earth's it was a struggle to walk after three months of weightlessness. Maybe I'm not as fit as I thought, she mused.
Chapter 12
Captain Winter was back in his cabin, viewing the latest message from Earth. The Vice President of the United States was standing next to General Stockton, each holding a glass of champagne. From the expression on their faces, these weren't their first drinks and Winter could hear the raucous sounds of celebrations in the background.
"An absolutely astounding job, Captain Winter," exclaimed the vice president, slightly slurring his words. "The nation is so proud of you and your crew. This is another glorious day in the history of American spaceflight. And yet again we've shown those Russians how to get things done. The general tells me that you don't have any alcohol to toast this momentous occasion. That's very sad but you can rest assured that we're more than making up for it here." The vice president held his glass up to toast the moment before continuing. "You've already demonstrated the best of mankind and will be an inspiration for generations to come. We're now all eager to watch as you plant your American boot on Martian soil for the first time. I have a surprise guest who wants to say something." The vice president looked to his left and motioned someone to enter the screenshot. It was Kristen, and it looked like she'd been crying. Even after thirty years of marriage Liam couldn't tell if they were tears of joy.
"Hello, my darling," she said softly. Her blue eyes looked watery, but her make-up remained immaculate. As always, she looked gorgeous and Winter had a sudden urge to hold her in his arms. "I'm sorry for the tears. You know that I always worry for you. I can't tell you how relieved I am that you landed safely. The VP and his wife invited me and Maisie to watch the landing with them here at the Cape. Everyone is being very kind. You won't believe the press coverage you're getting. Maisie sends her love and wants me to tell you you're going to become a grandpa. I've only just found out myself. She and Roger are expecting a boy in the spring. I'm so proud of both of you. Keep safe. I love you."
The camera panned back to the vice president who was holding a freshly filled glass of champagne. Winter paused the message before the vice president could say anything else. He was too overcome with emotion to pay any attention and tears started to roll down his cheeks. Surprised at himself, he wiped the tears away. The news that his only daughter was pregnant put landing on Mars into perspective. Now he could look forward to meeting his first grandchild when he returned home.
He pressed play to finish watching the message but by now he wasn't listening to the platitudes that the vice president continued to shower on him and the rest of Expedition Two. He was already thinking about what it would mean to arrive back on Earth to his loving family.
Chapter 13
It was a fitful sleep for everyone as they re-adjusted to the effects of gravity on their bodies. Georgia, in particular, was struggling to sleep even though completing the post-landing checks had exhausted her far more than she had expected. Her legs were heavy and fatigued as every step she took was like wading through treacle. Lying down in her bunk was not helping. The thin mattress was hard and unforgiving. She told herself that it was reassuring to have gravity again and to know which way was up. But it was a painful experience. After thirty minutes she swallowed a sleeping tablet, but that still took time to have the desired effect.
Lying in the darkness of her cabin, she listened to the familiar sounds of the life support system circulating and processing the air, as well as the steady hum of the three computers in her room. But she was aware of a new eerie sound. The creaking of Endeavour as the metal hull continued to cool and contract from the fiery re-entry. It was disconcerting and she could imagine the ship cracking and causing her to be sucked out into the thin Martian atmosphere. She finally drifted to sleep, dreaming of a large hand peeling the skin off the ship as if it was a banana.
***
The following morning, their f
irst full day on Mars, the Endeavour crew were awoken just before dawn. Georgia was sluggish from the poor night's sleep and the constant drag of the Martian gravity. She considered how she would cope when she went home to Earth. At least her own bed in Miami had a thick, comfortable mattress.
She sat up and swung her feet out of her bunk to stand but was immediately overpowered by a wave of nausea and dizziness. Waiting a couple of minutes for it to pass, she tried again with more success. Still nauseous, she put on a clean tee shirt and shorts, opened her cabin door and climbed the steps to the galley area.
The smell of fresh coffee would normally have been welcoming, but it did nothing to ease her nausea. She poured herself a mug of black coffee from the machine, anyway, taking some pleasure out of the ability to drink from a mug rather than sucking through a straw. Feeling invigorated from the first few sips, she was more prepared to face the world. But only just.
The rest of the crew were already standing on the observation deck, taking their first real opportunity to look outside at the strange and barren landscape that was now their home until they returned to Earth. They were lost in their own thoughts as Georgia joined them. She doubted any of them noticed she was there. Looking out of the ten-foot-wide circular window, she could understand why.
The sun was rising over the eastern horizon in the far distance, casting long shadows across Hellas Planitia. While the base of the crater looked flat from space, the sun's low angle betrayed the many humps and valleys and the many rocks and boulders that littered the ground in all directions. It was a mesmerizing view, far exceeding what she could have ever imagined. Georgia forgot all her aches and pains as she tried to take in the vista. It was surreal to be standing here and not in a simulation inside a warehouse in the Californian desert.
Her eyes followed the rim of the crater around to her right. Their landing site was only four miles from the twenty-six-thousand-foot cliff on the northwestern side of the crater. The near vertical cliff loomed ominously over Endeavour, and Georgia had to lean in close to the window and crook her neck to look up at the cliff face. That will be an interesting challenge to climb, she thought.
