So, I've really gotten into The Martian lately (film not the book). I do plan to read the book soon. Just thought I'd try my hand at a story. I really enjoy the Beck/Johanssen relationship in the movie, even if it doesn't get much screen time at all.

It starts with quite a bit of fluff, but there will be drama, survival, and some surprises - both happy and sad.

Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think.

And if you're here because you're wondering if I've abandoned my other works, I have not! I took a break from writing for a while. This got me going again and kind've recharged me, so I'm now working on updating multiple stories. So stay tuned if you're fans of my other work!

UPDATE 5/11/18: Update coming soon!

The Ends of Mars

Chapter 1

Sol 18

The storm was worse than any of them, even NASA, had expected or could have predicted. Commander Lewis had ordered them to abort. After rushing to gather what they could and shut things down, it was time to go. There wasn't even time to gather their personal belongings. They all gave a sad farewell to the hab that they had called home for the past several weeks, sad that their time was over already, but orders were orders and none of them could deny the power of the storm that was already raging just outside the hab.

"Alright guys, everyone stay close," Lewis said as they prepared to leave.

The doors opened, and they were all taken aback by the fierceness of the winds. Surely, this was what it must feel like to be in the middle of a tornado. The sky was completely darkened, and dust whipped around them so ferociously that visibility was reduced to only a couple of feet in front of them.

"Visibility is almost zero. If you get separated, try to hone in on my signal," Lewis ordered and then stepped out of the door and into the maelstrom of the Martian storm.

Johanssen came out last and with Beck's help worked at pulling the door shut. Once the locks clicked into place, Beck gave her a thumbs up and they turned to join the others. In single file they began a slow, agonizing march towards the MAV.

"Commander, you guys need to get up here quick. We're getting some strong gusts," Martinez said over the radio.

"Roger that, Martinez. We're on our way," Lewis replied.

They struggled through the blinding dirt, keeping their eyes on the flashing lights of the MAV.

"Look out! Debris!" Lewis shouted as a dish from the communications array snapped loose and came flying towards them.

They scrambled to get out of the path of the dish. Vogel leaped forward, grabbing Lewis and throwing her to the ground with him, while Beck dropped to his stomach and Watney dove to the side. A scream pierced their earpieces as the dish slammed into Johanssen and sent her flying back into the impenetrable blackness of the storm.

"Johanssen's hit!" Beck shouted, quickly scrambling to his feet. "Johanssen, can you read me? Beth?"

"Come in, Johanssen!" Lewis shouted as he Vogel helped her up.

"Beck, how long can she survive if her suit is breached?" Vogel asked.

"Less than a minute," he replied. "We have to find her now." Not waiting for a response, Beck began to head in the direction he believed she had been thrown.

"Hold up, Beck," Lewis ordered, but he continued on.

"Where is she?" Watney asked. "Which way?"

"Commander, we are running out of time," Martinez said. "We are close to tipping point."

"All of you back to the ship. I'm going to keep looking," Lewis said.

Vogel and Watney looked at each other uncertainly.

"That's an order, gentlemen," she snapped.

Vogel and Watney nodded and turned to head toward the MAV.

"On the MAV, Beck. Now," she said.

"Can't do that, Commander," he replied simply. "Let's just get to it and start looking."

"Damn you, Beck, alright," she replied.

"Commander," Martinez said, "Johanssen's bio-monitor has gone offline, Commander," Martinez informed her.

"Noted," she replied and joined Beck in the search, but within thirty seconds they were out of sight of each other.

"Commander, we have to go now or not at all," Martinez informed her. "If the MAV tips over we'll never be able to get it upright, and we'll be stranded here."

"If it tips, then you launch!"

"We're not going without you two," Martinez scoffed.

"That's an order, Martinez."

"You got anything, Beck?" Lewis asked after another minute of searching. There was no response.

"Commander, Johanssen is dead. You and Beck need to get back here now," Watney said as he and Vogel strapped themselves into their seats aboard the MAV.

"Beck, we have to go," Lewis said. "Back to the MAV." There was still no response.

"Beck!" Watney shouted again, then his voice softened. "She's gone, man. You have to leave her."

"Beck? Can you hear me?" Lewis asked desperation in her voice. Only garbled static came back through her earpiece. "Martinez, do you have anything on Beck?"

Martinez glanced at the screens, looking for any scrap of a signal he could find. "No communication, and his bio-monitor just went offline. He's gone, Commander. I got nothing. He could be dead, or it could be storm interference. There's no way to know."

Lewis' head pounded with indecision. How could she leave two people behind? But how could she endanger the lives of three others?

"Beck?!" Watney shouted. "Can you read us?"

"We either need to get off the MAV or launch, Commander," Martinez said with a tone of finality.

Lewis took one last look around her, seeing only the blackness of the storm and the blinking lights of the MAV. Her heart fell. She had to admit defeat to save the lives of her crew. "I'm on my way. Be ready to launch."

"Roger that, Commander."

The storm refused to abate, making each step towards the MAV a struggle. While she made the trek, the others on the MAV continued to call out to Beck, hoping to catch some sort of signal, though having no idea what they could do if they did get one.

Lewis reached the MAV and began up the ladder. Each step up the rungs was heavier than the last. Each step took her further away from two of her crew – the people she was here to lead and protect, and she had failed them. She pushed herself through it; she could not fail the rest of the crew. Not now.

Once strapped into her seat, Martinez began the launch sequence.

"Ready for launch, Commander."

Lewis just stared at the console in front of her.

"Commander, I need verbal authorization."

"Launch," she replied.

With a blaze of fire that lit up the swirling storm clouds, the MAV lifted off. As it vanished into the sky, the storm filled back into the void and total darkness returned.

"Johanssen!" Beck shouted as he struggled through the storm. He could barely see anything. A bright flash of light illuminated the area around him for just a moment, and he turned to see the MAV engines firing up. He knew, he was stuck here now, but he couldn't worry about that at that moment. The light lasted just long enough for him to make out Johanssen's prone shape just ahead.

His muscles burned as he pushed to get to her as quickly as he could. "Johanssen!" He shouted as he knelt down beside her. He gave her a quick look over and found a narrow metal rod had pierced her side. He lifted her in his arms. Relief flooded him when a staticky, but a clearly pained groan came through his earpiece. "I got ya. I got ya, Beth."

With a struggle he was able to stand and began towards the hab, hoping that he'd kept the general direction straight in his head through all the wind and dust whipping about. After several grueling minutes, he glimpsed the hab ahead. "Yeah, this is gonna be ok," he said, as much to himself as to her. "We're going to be ok."

As soon as he made it inside the hab, he collapsed to his knees and let Johanssen slip to the floor. Sweat was streaming down his face, and his entire body was on fire. Carrying her through the storm had been like to trying to run in water. Only the rush of adrenaline had allowed him to push through. He forced himself up and slammed the door shut, grateful that the howling of the wind was at least slightly diminished. He then dragged Johanssen to the lab. Quickly, he removed his helmet and his gloves and managed to get her up on a table.

"Beth?" he asked her, his voice desperate, as he touched a hand to her face. She groaned, and he smiled. "Yes, yes. You're gonna be ok. I promise."