The Martians
Chapter 25
"Mr. and Mrs. Watney? If you will come with me, we have a private video room so you can talk to your son" the docent smiled.
"Come with us Kay Kay, he will want to see you too" Mrs. Watney said to the near exhausted girl, "if your parents don't mind."
"Oh, no, of course but don't you want to...,"
"All Mark talks about is his crew and Kay Kay. He can talk to his crew anytime he wants now. Kay Kay is flying home in a few days. Come on Kay Kay, it's okay." Mrs. Watney smiled.
The Watneys were accustomed to sending video messages to Mark and knew the routine; film it from their end, send it, and once they saw Mark on their screen, he was listening to it. His response would arrive almost immediately, but there would be another long wait between messages, so it was best to say all they wanted the first time. The medical staff suggested they be brief as it was unknown how effected he was by the pain medication he had received.
Both parents talked of how happy and proud they were and asked him to thank every member of the crew for them. Kay Kay talked about how she hoped she wasn't too annoying earlier, but that she meant everything she said, and how lucky she felt to have been asked. She explained that NASA wanted her to talk so he would have something to focus on, but she ran out of things to say, but she really did want his help picking a college and the Cubs were having a lame spring. She also repeated that she was going to Orlando when they came back to Florida and hoped that Mark and his parents and the crew could visit it with her but understood if they couldn't.
While the Watney's were talking to the camera, Annie was wrapping up the press briefing and the interested part of the world, which was anyone with electronic media, breathed a sigh of relief. Teddy and Venkat were waiting for her backstage.
"Good briefing."
"It's what I do" Annie smiled.
"What is your impression of Watney now?" Teddy asked.
"Well I just heard what he said replying to Kay Kay and Hermes, but right now I want to stay away from using him. He is either hurting too bad or too doped up for press time."
"Bad optics?" Vincent asked.
"Very bad. He would get a lot of sympathy, sure, but people love him and would hate us for him being injured. Better to have the rest of the crew now and just say he's resting for the time being."
"I agree. Next question. Kay Kay, how much did you hear?" Teddy asked.
"Most of it, I was standing right beside her until I had the briefing."
"And?"
"Well you heard the doctor, she kept him calm."
"We owe her, and I think we can kill two birds with one stone. How are her ratings?" Teddy said.
"Better than the crews, except for Watney and Park. We scored a real hit there. Aside from payback, what's the other stone?" Annie asked.
"Getting Watney to stop calling himself the King of Mars. Everyone thinks it's funny now, but ESA, Russia, and CNSA are going to go apeshit eventually."
"I think he likes that joke too much. You have an idea we haven't tried already?" Annie replied.
"Yes. Bribery. Here's what I want to do..."
Teddy explained his idea to Montrose, who quickly agreed to script it. Mitch and Vincent had already approved, and Mitch was already making calls, which Teddy followed up on. Over the next few hours it was finalized, and the outline sent to Watney, who was asleep when it arrived on his private channel.
When he woke nine hours later, he replied his complete agreement. He was surprised that NASA, in spite of its beadlement status most days, had actually grown a heart.
The evening before though, a dreary eyed astronaut, in a morphine induced stupor, was replying to his parents and biggest fan, heaped adoration on all, and occasionally falling asleep. Chris woke him up enough to finish, then explained to all three that his medical condition was no longer threatening and what they were seeing was the aftermath of pain, stress and pain medication.
Just before Mark fell asleep again, he told Kay Kay "next time you are wondering what it feels like to be a hero, just look in the mirror and ask yourself."
The next day Mark was far more presentable. Chris and Dana had him up and moving around with crutches and a walking boot, but the new weight made him miserable. His first order of business was apologizing to Dana, but she assured him she had seen pain before and tried to make it clear she was writing off the episode to that. They knew each other too well and neither believed it, but neither would ever speak of it again. Mark was alive and after a late-night thruster burn (a ship can't break orbit on ion drive alone), on his way home. Once the trajectory was established the rest of the crew began rotating down time so they could recover from what was essentially a 36-hour work day.
First though, they had a film to make.
Kay Kay and her parents had spent the night in Houston and were not scheduled to leave for a couple more days. Annie arranged for a behind the scenes tour that went well beyond the public visitor center one to spend the day, but it wasn't very interesting to see the various work areas if you didn't know what was going on. Nothing was set up for tourists, although most of the staff recognized her and were happy to show her around. The sensitive areas of military research and integration were avoided due to her and her parents lacking anywhere near the security clearance to see it, but most of the facility they visited. Her father was particularly interested in the long-range space based telescopic research so they spent quite a bit of time there.
Around three the docent brought them back to the main conference center where a press briefing was scheduled, but when they arrived only a few of the reporter's seats had anyone in them, and of the three cameras two were on stage and were staffed by what were clearly NASA employees. The one in the press area was too, but that wasn't as obvious.
Before the trio could think much about it, Annie swooped in.
"Oh good, you're here! Kay Kay, why don't you sit here, Director Sanders will be in the center to your right, and your parents to your left. Come on, we must hurry before the press arrives" She smiled to the confused girl.
"Press conference? But... I don't know what to say" Kay Kay replied, clearly startled by this development.
"Oh, with Director Sanders and Director Kapoor here no one is likely to ask you anything. If they do, I can help you answer, but you'll be fine. Come on, have a seat."
Kay Kay shrugged and with her somewhat bewildered parents, sat in front of the large dark screen that dominated the stage. Looking around she saw that the people in the press gallery were all staring at their phones and seemed to have no interest in her.
"Oh good, you made it" Teddy Sanders said as he walked in from across the stage, with Mitch and Vincent on his heels. Technicians began clipping microphones to everyone, Kay Kay and her parents included. "Dr Akina, and Dr Akina, it is a pleasure to meet you both. I know we were standing five feet from each other last night, but let me introduce myself, Teddy Sanders, Director of NASA. Your daughter has been a big help to us, especially yesterday. Thank you, Kay Kay," he said as he shook both hands and the smiles of Kay Kay's parents.
"You must be proud" Vincent added.
"Oh, we are. When she showed us her project, well, we never thought it would take her this far. We just hope she stays focused and keeps her grades up. She has a bright future if she does" her mother replied, beaming at her embarrassed daughter.
"She's going to be fine. I wish my grandkids had her school and work ethic, I'm proud of them though, don't get me wrong" Mitch added.
Mitch saying "wrong" was the cue to the technician to start the film. As Teddy sat down, Kay Kay heard a voice behind her.
"Psst! Kay Kay, over here"
It was so quiet at first Kay Kay thought she must have imagined it as she looked around and saw no one, then it came louder.
"I'm right behind you!"
Mark's face filled the screen and the camera zoomed back to show the crew as well, with Rick and Beth at their workstations and the rest seated around Mark in the green room behind the com. Mark's leg was elevated onto a pillow atop the break table, it had been a challenge just to get him up to the room from the med bay, but once his need for IV's was over the gravity was again cut, just for this occasion. The film had been attempted in the med bay, but there was not enough room for all there.
"Hi Kay Kay, we're on the Hermes now, and we owe you big. Thanks for talking Mark through it" Mindy smiled.
"And thanks for keeping the faith" Missy added.
"So, here's the thing Kay Kay, NASA is wanting me to stop calling myself the King of Mars. It's silly, I know, I mean, I colonized it and I was the last human there so... well apparently, they think even the Canadian Space Agency will get mad about it... and they don't get mad about anything. So, I've agreed to tone it down, but first, we have to get some things straight." Mark grinned.
"Watney, we've been over this" Teddy said on cue.
"Yes" Mark replied after an awkward pause, "and it is good that you have agreed to my more than reasonable demands"
"Not demands Mark" Chris said.
"My more than reasonable suggestions" Mark smiled.
"First, in keeping with my duties as King of Mars and Protector of all that is Martian, with the advice and consent of the Royal Parliament... I said with the advice and consent of the Royal Parliament,"
"Here Here!" the crew all said in reply.
"I do hereby name you 'Princess Kalani Kay Kay Akina, Princess of Mars, Duchess of Schiaparelli, Defender of the Faith, and Martian Ambassador to Earth' and with it all the rights, powers and privileges thereof. Which honestly, aren't a lot, but we're going to get the media department to print you up a nice certificate suitable for framing. Also, this date on the Martian calendar will forever be 'Princess Kay Kay Day."
"Awww thanks Mark" Kay Kay replied, then felt silly as he was quite a few minutes away. The crew had expected some reaction and waited a few moments before the film began again.
"What say yea all Royal Parliament?"
"Here here!" the crew agreed laughing.
The seriousness of the film, and there never was much, decayed rapidly after that. Teddy had gone all out to create a package even Watney would be impressed with. Following her being named a princess, one of the Disney princesses, Belle as the crew considered her to be the most academic minded, and one of the actors who play Rey at the Star Wars section of the park, came on the screen from Orlando to invite Kay Kay and the crew to Orlando when the Hermes returned. Mark demanded that as ambassador of the Martian people Kay Kay be allowed to establish a Martian Embassy at whatever University she decided to attend, and Teddy announced that the "reporters" in the audience were actually reps of the crew's alma maters who were anxious to meet Kay Kay and her parents, invite her to apply and set up campus visits for that summer.
Mark said he would make sure Kay Kay and her family could attend, but the CEO of Space X, which operated Discovery Station, stood and offered a corporate jet and to cover the costs of travel. He also mentioned that he could have rescued Mark faster, but no one really believed him given that his heavy launch vehicles were all used for the Hermes restock and upgrades.
The screen cut in half with a star pitcher from the Cubs inviting Kay Kay up to Chicago that weekend to throw out the first pitch so that some of the amazing luck that Ares III and Victoria I had gotten from her might rub off on the team. Truthfully, they weren't doing all that bad and the season was still young, but the owners of the Cubs knew good PR when they saw it and were quick to respond affirmatively to a request from Mitch.
Mark concluded the phony press conference on film by stating that he would allow further visits from "Earthicans" to Mars, provided they supported the rights of the indigenous Martian people, and made proper application for visas via the Martian people's representative, Kay Kay. Finally, he said that in honor of this occasion and Kay Kay's becoming a princess, that a coronation ball be held upon the crew's return and was to be at least partially catered by Giordano's or Uno's of Chicago, or preferably both.
Teddy agreed that this could be arranged.
This has been scripted and true to his word Watney never called himself the "King of Mars" again publicly. To him, the joke had worn old anyway, but it was nice to use it one last time to thank the crew's biggest fan.
Mark just had to leave the script though and added a final demand that field promotions of Martian Lord Rick Martinez and Lady Anna Washburn, as elevated by Lady Lewis of the Royal Court of Mars, to the ranks of Commander be ratified by NASA. Teddy knew nothing about this as Lewis had yet to give her full report of the last two days, so Missy quickly explained the situations and asked that the promotions be adopted. She was a bit irate at Mark for bringing it up and hoped all that would be edited out.
Teddy was irate as well as it wasn't part of the script, but he was fast on his feet.
"Well Mark, both Lt Colonel Martinez and Major Washburn are Air Force on loan to NASA, but as far as NASA goes, we concur. Both are worthy and have earned it. The titles we can give, the rest is up to their employer, but I'll push for it."
Missy stayed pissed until the reply came, but finally found the humor in it all and realized Mark had done her job for her, probably because he was lightheaded from pain medication and euphoric on being alive. She couldn't stay mad at Mark, even if he did seem to go out of his way to avoid proper channels and protocols at times.
Following the fake press conference, a real one was held. Annie had sent questions in advance during the night which the crew took turns reading, and the reporters present were also able to ask the NASA team on stage questions directly. Kay Kay and her parents met with the school reps to schedule visits all summer and every school was interested in helping her get in. All thought she had the academic ability to succeed, and privately thought it would be a PR boon to them as well. Teddy left the conference just long enough to give Kay Kay and her parents a contract to look over that extended her broadcast appearances for the next 18 months, and advised they have their family attorney look it over. Kay Kay had been appearing on an ad hoc basis that paid more than any other after school job, but this paid quite well and would go far to covering her school expenses that scholarships would not.
With that, Teddy returned to the conference and had not missed much as the crew were still on video answering the questions that had been sent up earlier. These were the same sterile "All American" questions usually asked, with the same by gosh awesome canned answers given. All had a chance to thank everyone at home as usual, and it would have been a complete snooze fest except for one of the last ones asked to Mark.
Annie had included it to relieve the intellectual curiosity of Satcom and the media that had covered the Morse code messages. then later wished she had not.
"So, Mark" Anna asked, reading from a card "Reuters wants to know, they have figured out all your rock pile messages except the one you left on the third day of your overland trip. It is just the letters 'KT', care to fill us in what that means?"
"Uh" Mark grunted, clearly stunned and not expecting the question, "Uh, no. That one is personal. Sorry. That one I'm keeping. The people that need to know already do."
"Sorry Mark, but you gotta answer, that's the rules!" Mindy joked, then realized Mark's eyes were tearing up.
"Uh... my leg is really hurting; I should wrap it up. Thanks everyone" Mark said as he slowly stood to leave, gingerly lifting the cast from the table. Dana and Chris came to assist their friend and it was all broadcast back home until Beth aimed the camera at Missy and rolled her fingers to tell her to keep talking.
"Sorry folks, Mark is fine but still in quite a bit of pain from his leg injury so we're going to let him rest now. Who has the next question?"
Rick read off something simple and they all took turns answering it until Mark had cleared the room, then they ran through a few more until the doctors returned, each shrugging so the crew would know they were just as in the dark as they were as to the cause of Mark's distress.
The crew squeezed in together for a smiling group shot, then the conference from space was over.
Mrs. Watney was immediately asked by the first reporter to stand if she knew what 'KT' meant.
"Yes."
"Could you explain it for our viewers?"
"Yes, but Mark said it was personal, so I won't. Please don't ask again."
"Uh but..."
"NASA takes the privacy of its crews and their families very seriously and we won't be taking any more questions on that subject. Mark will explain it when he is ready to and not before. Mr. and Mrs. Watney are here at our invitation, but owe the media, or NASA, nothing. So please, let's move on" Annie commanded.
Annie thought that was just about the worst possible way to address the question, but she had nothing better. She too was surprised by Mark's reaction and would contact Lewis and Watney as soon as the conference was over so she could handle it more appropriately.
What followed was a half hour of boring questions regarding the ship's status, expected ETA to Earth and how the medical and psychological staff accessed the crew's current fitness.
"Overall very good all things considered, and the crew is certainly able to complete their mission. You must remember that all have been in space a long time but with the added personnel, work shifts will be shorter and down time for rest longer. Obviously, Dr Watney's injury is a concern but he could not be in the care of two more skilled physicians." Kapoor answered.
"What about his mental health? He seemed distressed."
"Well I wouldn't read too much into that. He said his leg was hurting and I imagine it is. Weightlessness allows things to wander around, including the parts of his leg that were injured" the ground physician said.
With that the conference ended with a whimper instead of a bang, but everyone in the room was wondering "What the hell is a KT?"