Disclaimer: see chapter one. Also don't own 'Man on the Moon- REM' either.

AN: Just to make this chapter easier understand, this is set about four days after the ending of the last chapter.

Chapter Seven- Houston, We've Had a Problem.

Jeff unstrapped himself from the wall, and swam through the air towards the Command Module. "How're we going, Nick?"

"Pretty good. We should be landing on the moon in a few hours."

"Excellent." Jeff pulled the portable video camera off the wall. "Jack," he hollered. "Get in here. We're about to broadcast."

NASA's public relations department thought it was a good idea to show live broadcasts of the space mission and its crew to keep people interested.

"Alright, alright." Jack grumbled, wiping sleepy-dust out of his eyes. "Whoever said 'in space, no-one can scream' was wrong." Jack shot daggers at Jeff. "I heard you loud and clear."

Jeff cleared his throat to maintain some form of dignity. "I wasn't screaming. I was talking very, very loudly. Anyway, are you ready?"

Jack nodded. "MP3 plugged in and ready to go."

"All set here, Jeff." Nick settled back into his chair.

Jeff raised his microphone to his mouth. "Houston, we are ready to roll."

"Roger that, Orbita, you can start the broadcast at any time."

"Orbita's beginning broadcast now."

Scott's hand shot out of his bed covers as his alarm clock went off. He threw off the covers and stumbled down the stairs in semi darkness, being careful not to wake the sleeping members of his family, who had returned from Cape Canaveral the night before.

To his surprise, John, Josie and Virgil were already sitting on the sofa, watching the TV in the dark.

"There you are." Josie looked up and smiled as Scott walked into the room. "I was beginning to think you'd sleep through this."

"Yeah, well, in Scott's old age, he needs his beauty sleep." John quipped, causing Virgil to crack up laughing.

"Oh, very funny." Scott yawned, while sitting heavily on John in revenge.

"Boys, stop it!" Josie scolded. "Scott, get off your brother; you'll hurt him."

Reluctantly, Scott stood up, and lay sprawled out on the floorboards.

"The person that sang 'he ain't heavy, he's my brother,' obviously never met you." John grumbled, massaging his ribs.

With a roar of outrage, Scott sprag up into a sitting position, ready to retaliate.

"Boys! I won't tell you again! I can always run into the kitchen and find my rolling pin." Josie's voice cut through the air like a knife would cut through butter. "Now shush, the broadcast is about to start, and I for one, would like to listen to it."

All eyes were trained on the screen.

"Hello there," Jeff's static, crackled voice came through the speakers, followed by a flaky image. "This is Orbita 13, with Commander Jeff Tracy commentating. For your enjoyment, we have a soundtrack prepared for you, as we tour the shuttle."

The camera focused on Jack, who began to play the MP3, and twisted it so it had a continual 360 degree rotation.

Jeff groaned as the guitar introduction of 'Man on the Moon' echoed round the tin chamber. "I thought we had our official soundtrack in the MP3 player, but apparently we don't."

"Hey," Jack called out indignantly. "What's wrong with Man on the Moon? It's kind of fitting considering our task."

"Sorry Jeff. I'd have to agree." Nick shrugged with a smile.

Jeff visibly rolled his eyes, which made Virgil, John and Scott laugh.

"Right," the camera shifted as Jeff turned out of the Command Module and skittled towards the Lunar Landing Capsule. "This is our Lunar Landing Capsule, also known as the LLC. This is what Jack and I will be landing on the moon. Impressive, isn't it?" Jeff gestured wildly with one arm. "Over here is our life support system, and next to that on the right is our data analysis machine." He momentarily let go of the portable camera, as he forward rolled with ease and dragged himself up the tube connecting the LLC and Command Module. "Any messages you want to send home?" Jeff asked, focusing the camera on his colleagues.

Jack nodded. "To my lovely wife, I'll be back with you and our baby boy soon, don't worry about me, I'm fine and I love you."

"Nick, what about you?" Jeff swivelled to him

"Just a hi to my family and friends and see you when I get out of quarantine."

Behind the astronauts, a gentle constant beep could be heard. "Looks like that's our cue. See you when we get back. This is Orbita 13, signing off."

Alan bounced on the carpeted floor of his classroom. All classes in Alan and Gordon's school had been cancelled to see the crew of Orbita land on the moon's surface.

The chatter that had been floating round the classroom died down as everyone watched the screen.

First, one shadowy foot appeared on the screen, then another. The torso, dressed in a padded, shiny, white suit came into focus. Finally the head, covered with a helmet and visor emerged on the screen.

"Houston, we have touchdown on the moon."

A huge cheer rang around the room. Alan's cheer was the loudest, and he clapped his hands together. "Daddy's going to bring me back the largest moon rock he can find."

The teacher smiled at Alan and his obvious enthusiasm. That kid, she thought, was a chip of the old block. He was destined for astronaut training, at the very least.

Virgil ran through the corridors, leaving Gordon behind, weaving in and out of the high school students that towered over him. "John!" He cried out over the din after glimpsing peroxide blond hair. "JOHN!"

Surprised, John turned around and faced Virgil. "Virgil? What are you doing here?"

"He landed. Dad landed safely on the moon." Virgil nodded to affirm his statement as John did a double take. "Does Scott know?"

John shook his head, peroxide locks falling across his face like a barrier.

"Can I tell him?" Virgil was almost jumping up and down through excitement and relief.

John shook his head again. "He's in the middle of his assessment task. You won't be allowed into the room."

"But this is important!" Gordon persisted, finally catching up to John and Virgil.

"So's his assessment task." John replied evenly. "Even if they did let you into the room, do you honestly think Scott would be receptive to that news?"

Virgil squirmed, as the bell rang.

"Exactly." John continued. "Don't worry. I'll let him know as soon as he comes out. Now skedaddle, before you get into trouble."

"OK." Gordon and Virgil scampered back to their part of the school.

Nick settled back into his seat, and fired up the engines. "Houston, lunar lander crew have just returned. Is there anything you'd like us to do?"

"Yes, Orbita. Get the LLC up into space, and then give all the tanks a bit of a stir."

"Orbita up into the air, and stir all tanks." Nick repeated. "Roger that, Houston. Orbita 13 out."

Jeff pulled off his helmet, and grinned at Jack in the LLC. "Whew! Never thought I'd live to see the day where one-on-one basketball was played on the moon, let alone me being one of the players."

Jack grinned back. "There's a first time for everything, you know. Still, Alan Shepard must be annoyed. Now, everyone's playing sport on the moon."

"It's easier to win on the moon." Jeff smirked. "Anyway, Shepard played golf, not basketball. We're the first of a kind."

Jack opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, the warning alarms echoed through the craft.

Jeff shot Jack a warning glance. "Doesn't sound too good." He hauled himself up the tube, only to see Nick panicking information down to Houston.

"Sorry, Orbita, we didn't quite catch that. Please repeat."

Jeff looked out of the window. He could feel his blood turn to ice. No, that wasn't good at all. Raising his microphone to his mouth, he began to respond. "Houston, we've had a problem…"

AN: please review.