Hermes in the Stars

by KatarinaR

The Hermes crew was made famous after losing Mark Watney on Mars. But that's not all that they've done together! Meet our favorite crew and characters before, during, and after the Ares 4 mission! Beck/ Johanssen! T because I'm paranoid.

1. Chapter 1

Hermes in the Stars: Chapter 1

Coffee

Disclaimer: I wish I was Andy Weir.

Chris Beck couldn't sleep. He paced around his small room in NASA headquarters, his brain foggy from exhaustion, but his body refusing to relax. He wasn't normally a big worrier, but this was certainly an exception. Three weeks. three weeks until he and his five other crew mates were thrust in a 'tin can' to Mars. What if something went wrong? He needed coffee. It would clear his head.

He stumbled blearily to the kitchen which the soon-to-be astronauts shared with whatever NASA personnel passed through. He turned on the machine, then flopped down in a chair. He looked up when he heard someone giggle. The kitchen had been empty, hadn't it? The giggler scurried away, moved about near the counter-top, then came back. He recognized that face! Johanssen!

"Hey," he said. "'S funny?" Sleep-deprivation slurred his speech, and he put his head down on the cool metal table. He could just fall asleep there...

"You forgot your mug," Johanssen pointed out. He glanced towards the steaming machine and realized she was right. If it weren't for her quick actions, coffee would be pooling on the work surface by now. Oops.

"Thanks," he muttered. Johanssen got up, stirring something into the now-full cup. Milk, he thought weakly. Milk is good. It comes from cows, like Martinez's tacos. Yum.

The mug was slammed down in front of his face and he jumped to attention, which made Johanssen laugh evn harder, if that was possible. He took a sip, and immediatly felt better. It was only after he'd polished off the entire mug that he began to feel suspicious.

"What did you do?"

"What? Oh, um nothing," Johanssen said, blushing furiously.

He gave her his perfected 'Doctor Glare,' as Watney and Martinez called it, and she caved.

"Red Bull helps me think," she said defensively.

"What?" He jerked upright, his mind sharpening by the second. He'd hate to admit-it, but Johanssen's "coffee" was a good pick-me-up. "Do you have any idea-"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't doctor me! I'm a caffeine addict, I know that. Now let me code in peace."

Beck sat down again, leaning on her shoulder. "I'm sowry," he said, mimicking Watney's puppy eyes perfectly.

Johanssen laughed. "You idiot. I forgive you."

Commander Lewis walked in the next morning to find two of her crewmen snuggled up in front of Johanssen's computer. Even if the canoodling bit was an accident, she'd have to keep an eye on those two.