SOL 786
"Seriously, that's the one thing you're surprised about?" Olivia spoke, lips curling into a grin as she turned herself towards her partner.
"You never told me."
"You never asked!"
Liv turned to face him, eyebrows raised. "I could have sworn that I mentioned it!"
"Whoa whoa you two," The oh so familiar voice of Martinez came over the com.
"Martinez, surprised they let you back. Miss us that much didn't you?"
Mark nudged her shoulder as Martinez's response came in, if not anything but choked up.
"More than anything you guys."
The commander cleared her through a smile on her face. "As much as I would love for this to happen, we have limited time before we need to head to our base. "
It didn't take long to get everything packed and the two of them in the seats that somehow fit into the MDV. It took them about three and a half hours to get to the new base site. The ride over was spent catching them up with what they were to do once everything got all set up. Apparently they were to be resting and working on getting their weight up before they would be allowed to do anything. It would be like that for a couple weeks and they would be allowed to do small things here and there if they got cleared by both Everly and NASA.
Mark had scoffed at that, and Liv had elbowed him slightly.
"They know what's best for us."
Once landed, Astoria, their SYSOP was the first out to start powering up the HAB for the first time. The others, sans Mark, Liv and Rick started to get belongings down from the storage space on the MDV. Olivia unstrapped herself and was almost instantly pulled into a tight hug from Rick.
She felt tears of her own start to stream down her face. Her body shuddered with silent sobs as Martinez just held her tightly. " I never thought I would see you again," She whispered over the com link, willing herself to stop the flow of tears.
"But now you're stuck with me and the crew for the next year!" His response came, a waver she could detect.
"God have mercy on the rest of the crew. The three of us together again, they might want to leave us here."
"We are never going to leave you here again." Martinez spoke, holding her tighter. She let out a shaky breath as they pulled apart. Mark just pressed his helmet against hers, squeezing her hand in his.
A little while later saw the HAB fully working and everything moved and Martinez were talking softly amongst themselves. Astra was making quick work of making sure everything was all set inside the HAB. Thalia and Andrea were starting to unpack all the belongings and Rylan was setting up his bunk already. Liv quickly removed her suit with the help of her sister. She gagged slightly at the smell that came off her. Hopefully a shower will be in her near future.
"You look absolutely horrible." Everly spoke as she helped Liv sit down onto a table. She pulled her ipad closer and started to grab everything needed for her assessment.
"Are you saying that as my sister or as my doctor?" Liv quipped as she rested her hands against the table, letting out a breath.
"Both. But as your sister, you've always looked horrible." Laughter spilled out of her mouth, and she kicked her foot out at her sister. Everly grinned as she pulled on a pair of gloves, setting her device on the table next to her.
It was a long evaluation, and Olivia was glad that it was her sister doing it for her. An hour later, she was herded off into the shower with a handful of clean clothes and a warning to call for any of them if she got dizzy. Of course she did get dizzy but she held herself against the wall as soon as the doors shut to the shower. Blowing out a breath, she turned the shower on, and rejoiced in her first shower in a year and a half.
Drying her hair off as best as she could with the towel, she exited the bathroom, body finally relaxing and she could feel the strains that she had been ignoring for three years make their notice again. Thalia and Everly were talking to each other softly, faces grim. Mark and Martinez were watching a movie on the couch that somehow had gotten allowed.
Astoria was over working on something with the computers, Andrea and Rylan were finishing putting all their items away and were starting to go through everything Liv and Mark brought. A smile made its way onto her face as she glanced around the HAB.
It was nice.
After getting her bunk chosen out and set up, she let out a breath. It was going to be okay
She could see her sister motioning for her and she twisted her fingers together as she made her way over. Thalia nodded at her as she vacated the seat and took the one next to Everly.
"How badly has Mars fucked me over?"
"It's not that good. Your bone density is shot, your immune system could have been worse if not for the shots they gave you. Your heart has sustained some damage, you both got enough radiation to last a lifetime and that's just the tip of the physical part. I can't imagine how Irene is going to feel with the two of you once we get back Earthside."
"We're both doing better than we were months ago mentally. Let me tell you, having to be restrained and kept on a watch was not fun." She shrugged. "It would have been a lot worse if Mark hadn't been with me. He's the reason I'm still alive."
"That's what he said about you."
"God he's such a sap."
"When were you going to tell us that y'all were a thing?" Everly rested her elbow on her knees, eyes locked onto her sister.
"Surprise?"
"You're lucky we're related and that you're in the state that you're in or I would have hit you."
"I'd say to not let this get in the way of the mission but fuck the mission. It's going off what we knew and for once I'm okay with that."
"What's the plan then?" Olivia asked as she accepted the meal pouch from her sister.
"You two are on direct orders from NASA to, and I quote, don't look at me like that. To quote. "Sit and fucking rest. We sent plenty of data sticks with their stuff on it to keep them occupied. Just for the love of god make sure they listen."
"Fucking NASA." Liv let out a laugh, but winced as pain radiated through her. "Resting I can do. I hope there's more seasons of Doctor Who on there."
"There is, and your parents and some others have sent things as well." Thalia told her as she excused herself.
"God I miss mom and dad." She dug her fork into the food. "They're okay?"
"I mean once you get past the fact that their daughter died and then undied. They're okay. Like I said, you're grounded forever."
"Eh," she shrugged her shoulders once more, pushing hair out of her face. "I sort of figured they would do that. I'm sorry though, for all the strain it had to have caused. And you! You're not even supposed to be on this mission. How in the everloving fuck did you manage that?"
"Original doctor had to step away from the mission to get cancer treatment. Instead of pulling a new person they chose me since I was already training."
"I'm proud of you." Liv said as she gleaned at her sister, tears welling in her eyes. "And I am so fucking glad that youre here."
"You and I both. And I'll do everything in me to make sure you recover from this."
"I can't wait to get off this fucking planet."
A bit later saw her in her new bunk, curled around Mark as she started to drift off.
"thirty more sols and we're out of here." Mark whispered to her and she glanced up at him.
"eleven months on the Hermes and then we'll be home. God we're probably rich at this point. Could we sue NASA?"
"We'll find a way to sue them or at least, get them to give us more money."
"They can pay for our therapy."
can they sue nasa?
you bet their asses they will.
welcome to another chapter loves! I started writing this chapter four months ago back in november. ive worked on it from time to time but writers block has been an utter bitch. luckily, i turned on the martian about an hour and a half ago and got inspiration to finish the chapter! so here it is! i might go more into depth about how mars has impacted the both of them in a later chapter but theyre one step closer to home.
the next few chapters will be about their time on mars with the ares 4 crew and getting more sibling and crew bonding.
leave yalls thoughts in the reviews
-nyx