Chapter One: Re-Entry Trouble

(Chapter Notes: The Martian was published in 2011. The movie was released in 2015. Believe it or not, the years since have been the most progressive that spaceflight has seen in decades. Even set in the 2030's, a lot of The Martian is all but obsolete now.

Politics has been a major obstacle to space exploration since Apollo ended. I played with that in my last story. Spaceflight has more or less been entirely the work of the private sector for the last ten years. But NASA puts four Mars missions together by the 2030's? What about the Moon? Every plan to make Mars a priority has the Moon involved, but there was no mention of it in the book or movie. They were scrambling to pull together a supply probe to feed Mark; and SpaceX's work in the last eighteen months alone makes that probe 'blowing up on launch' an all but obsolete concern.

So this story is going to spend some time making the continuity fit together with the real world a bit. Probably not enough. It will also give me a chance to play out more of what happened between Mark's Rescue, and the credits scenes of the movie.)

Melissa Lewis had been an honors student, a PhD, a two-time Triathlete; a career Naval Officer in the submarine corps, and finally an astronaut in the most talked about space mission since Artemis returned to the moon. Her career was distinguished in a number of directions; and it had ended the moment she set foot back on Earth.

Commander Lewis was too young to retire. This was a fact.

A lot of astronauts had trouble with post-mission life. Being Earthbound was a vacation for the first few days. It was a second honeymoon for herself and her husband for the first two weeks. And then he had gone back to work and she realized she had nothing to do for the first time since the age of about twelve.

Melissa Lewis was not suited to inactivity. This was a fact.

As much as she hated to admit it, she was turning out like her grandfather, filling up her usual 'work time' with 'worry about the kids' time. Except in her case, 'the kids' meant her crew.

Mark's recovery was 'high-stakes'. The 'Watney Report' had suddenly run out of relevant news, and was winding down, but they were milking it as best as they could, fighting for details of his recovery and return to life on earth.

NASA, of course, was determined that Mark be given his best chance of returning to normal life. Approximately two hundred different lawyers had offered to help Mark sue the Government for damages. Another two hundred wanted to represent him in the inevitable hearings. There were three dozen psychiatric papers being prepared on the effects of being alone on a planet for an extended period, only two of which were from doctors that had actually met Mark.

With so many people falling over each other to help Watney, Lewis focused on the others. Apart from the human race for years, most of the Crew had promptly caught the flu, their immune systems all three years behind the curve. Martinez had been 'radio silent' since going home to his family. Mark's parents were based in Chicago, but Mark was staying 'on Campus' at NASA until the media frenzy died down. Vogel had returned to Germany, though he kept in touch as much as she did. Beck lived in Connecticut, and Johanssen in Silicon Valley, but neither of them had gone public with their relationship yet, so they stayed in Houston, to make it less obvious that they were only there for each other.

The Hearings were a week away, and Lewis, Watney, and Teddy had all received their subpoenas to appear before the committee. They were the only ones asked to appear in person. There had been hundreds of interviews, most of them unremarkable. Almost everyone in mission control, plus a few at JPL had been deposed. But now, the public half of the hearings were finally getting ready to strike.

Annie had called them all into NASA for more prep. It had been the first time they'd all been in a room together for a while.

Teddy was still the Director of NASA, but Annie was running the meeting, even if he was there. "I'm sorry, guys. We had hoped it was sorted."

Mark scowled. "I thought this was sorted. The legal problems would all 'go through on the nod', according to you."

Annie nodded. "The players changed on us. Nobody wanted to investigate the Ares Crew for political gain, since you made it clear there wouldn't be any. But a few weeks ago, the legal 'precedents' were outlined for debate in the international courts."

Mark blinked. "I have no idea what that means."

"The Private Sector beat NASA back to the Moon, and started making a profit on spaceflight. NASA got to train astronauts and do mad science, but we were passengers. Possession is 9/10ths of the law…" Annie explained, bringing up a map of the moon. The claimed areas and permanent habitations were all marked in multi-colors. One for every company or nation. "There are five permanent bases on the Moon now. One of them is science and exploration, four of them are commercial. We lost the moonshot. The only thing NASA gets from the moon now is a fueling station; and even for that we're last in line."

"That's why they moved up production on the 'Ion Drive' for Hermes. Legally, Mars is international waters, just like the Moon." Teddy nodded. "But corporations aren't subject to the same territorial laws as governments, and Mars is the one spot that's gone unclaimed, until…"

"Until i planted those potatoes and officially 'colonized' it." Mark finished.

"We've all had a big laugh about how the laws might have to be changed now that there's a legally recognized Martian Colonist." Annie nodded. "But for all the people looking at Mars for a 'gold rush', it's not so funny; because Mark is a threat to their plans to 'claim' their own Martian land."

Lewis nodded, understanding. "So the megacorporation's have whistled for their pet politicians to… what? Revoke our claim to landing?"

"The Hearings were meant to investigate the accident. With the revelations about Pioneer Aviation, plus China's involvement, we pretty much rubber stamped them. But now it's a race for profit." Teddy said seriously. "The Hearings will be stacked with people who have a financial interest in slowing down our Mars Program; so that the Corporations can get first dibs."

Lewis nodded. "But they can't come out and say that, so instead they will paint NASA as incompetent failures, and thus not the best people to pursue goals in space."

Teddy nodded. "Yup."

"NASA and China are using Ares 4 as a 'pilot program'." Vincent explained. "If we can get the two major superpowers to treat Mars as Neutral Territory, shared to everyone… And a joint exploration venture, no less? If we can get that written down as Law..."

"We came in peace for all mankind." Mark said softly.

Sentimental moment. Those words were left at the landing site of Apollo 11, when the first footprints were put on the Moon. A hundred years later, the Corporations had more Lunar influence than all the space-faring governments combined.

"A Tychonaut on an American Flight, with financial, scientific, technical, and even political cooperation between America and China?" Teddy said seriously. "The Cold War is what got us to the moon so fast, but it was a tense, high stakes showdown between two nuclear powers. We have a real shot to do things right with Mars."

"If Mars is going to be anything other than a theme park, or a strip mine, we've got to stop it in the courtrooms first." Teddy summed up. "And the hearings are the first courtroom we'll be facing."

"So the hearings just became 'fate of NASA' again." Mark summed up, sinking into his chair.

"How did nobody see this coming?" Lewis demanded.

"We were working on it, but Mark threw all our timetables out on this. Legally, he has a claim to Martian Citizenship. Suddenly, all the legal fights are 'relevant'. We weren't planning Permanent Colonization for another ten years, at least. The Rescue meant throwing China and America together. Ares 4 might have a single Chinese crew member, but Ares 5, if we get that far? They'll want a greater presence. Especially if the US Government and the Billionaires are going to be fighting over ownership of a whole empty planet. China won't be left out."

"And with two political superpowers cooperating, the billionaires either have to hurry… or slow us down before we can go back."

"Cancelling the rest of Ares will be a far easier move for them." Teddy agreed. "If we can get the hearings to rule in our favor, then we get to set the rulebook for mars, at least in the short term." He looked at mark. "And the only real way to do that is make sure Ares 4 and 5 go on schedule."

"The Hearings will be stacked with politicians that are bought and paid for by various interested parties." Annie warned. "We were losing this fight from the moment the teams got picked."

Mindy found she was enjoying Mark's hugs entirely too much.

Her friendship with Watney had started a number of rumors, and she was able to take them in stride. She had the trust of the rest of his Crew, which put her in a category all her own. But their first real moment of actual, extended physical contact had nearly given him a panic attack.

Mark's team of specialists had been informed of this, and had given her careful rules about how to proceed. Mark needed a lot of open conversation, with a variety of trusted confidants. This was something Mindy had already been providing to a certain degree. His arrival back on earth had happened to occur within a few weeks of Mindy needing a new place to live, and his mother had asked NASA to give Mindy free accommodation on Campus; in thanks for being the first one to find her son. It was agreed to instantly, given Mama Watney's gravitas with public opinion.

Mindy had been Mark's 'guardian angel' for more than two years, and still felt enormously protective of him. Being his neighbor while the NASA guards kept the press safely away had been an easy assignment for her to accept.

But when they moved him into his new housing, right near hers, Mindy couldn't help but give him a big hug on his first night 'home'. It had been their second embrace, and Mindy couldn't help but notice it had lasted way too long. And yet she hadn't even tried to pull away.

Mindy had seen Mark's 'vulnerable' face. She had sat in on the long, involved meetings about his likely mental state. Mindy knew most of it was hot air from people who didn't know what they were talking about. Mark had come through the trauma with incredible resilience. But she also knew he wasn't unscathed. Mars had left its scars.

And there was still plenty of science to do, and people to be briefed on the experiments performed, and such debriefings were best done early, while the spaceflight was still fresh. As a result, Mindy saw Mark around the office, too.

Two weeks after they'd gotten him moved in, when Mark finished his 'closed door' meeting with Lewis, Annie, Vincent, and Teddy; he was quiet. Mark was never quiet. He was 'mister punchline'. Whatever they had told him, it had him nervous about the hearings again.

So Mindy waited up for him that night. They were neighbors on campus housing. Mindy sat on her front step for a while, until Mark's driver dropped him off at the end of the day. Mindy saw him sleepwalking out of his car, wandering towards his quarters. The driver wished him good night without getting an answer, and suddenly Mindy was the only one in range. "Hey, Mark?" She called from her front door.

He jumped, startled out of his thoughts.

Mindy waved. "Tried your suggestion about melting chocolate on popcorn." She called out lightly. "It's disgusting. You want some?"

Mark smiled, despite himself, and changed course, heading for her door.

They ate junk food and watched a movie, and it was relaxed, and comfortable, and effortless. She very deliberately didn't ask if something was wrong, but when the movie was over, Mark brought up the topic himself, and filled her in on the briefing.

"I thought the Hearings were going to 'go through on the nod'." Mindy wavered. "Wasn't that the whole point of a Tychonaut on Ares 4?"

"International politics aren't the issue." Mark sighed. "Politics is mostly on our side, for once. But there's something far more difficult to beat."

"Money." Mindy sighed. "Well, you've beaten the laws of probability, thermodynamics, gravity, and a dozen other things. We're not gonna let you get beaten by the lawyers now."

Mark chuckled. "It's late." He mumbled. "I'm making a conscious effort to get off Mars time, and I'm not there yet."

"And I won't be for a while. I'm Mars photography again. I need to stay on Martian daylight hours." Mindy admitted, walking him to the door. "Get some sleep." And she gave him a hug. He froze for half a heartbeat, and his arms went around her automatically.

Mindy found she was comparing it to their first embrace on the Space Station. Up there, there had been no gravity, and things like their relative height hadn't mattered. Here on earth, they found a new way to be comfortable against each other. It took them a few moments, but neither of them pulled back, until Mindy was rubbing his back, and he was stroking her hair.

They stood at her front door for a long time. And then they stayed even longer.

"How long have we been going, exactly?" Mark mumbled into her hair, finally.

Mindy didn't pull away. "My grandmother taught me to never be the first one to break a hug, because the other person might need one more than you."

"Well, if it's a family tradition…" Mark drawled, and the hug lasted until Mindy felt her legs start to itch. Long enough that she could feel his heartbeat syncing up with her own as he finally relaxed at the contact. "Okay. I'm pulling away now." He coughed finally. "Not that I'm not enjoying this, but…"

"No, I understand." Mindy said awkwardly. "Um… g'night."

"I don't relax." Mark said seriously to his therapist. "Never could, on Mars. I slept light, listening for alarms. Alarms for the oxygenator, the water reclaimer, my watch alarm… I was using everything in that HAB in a very different way than I was meant to. If I slept through a beeping noise, I'd wake up dead."

"It's only natural that you'd have trouble letting that go." The doctor said gently. Everything she said was in a gentle soothing tone. "You never forget survival training, and you trained yourself, in a lot of ways." Her head tilted. "But there's something else."

Mark confessed. "For a few minutes last night, I was about as relaxed as I can ever remember being."

Mark's sessions with his doctors were bound by the same usual confidentiality as other patients. However, reacclimating Watney to Earth was now considered 'part of the mission', and as a result, his Doctors were cleared to discuss the matter with people they felt were relevant to his recovery. It had been necessary when Beck was his only physician, as Commander Lewis had to be kept fully informed, and Beck had needed to consult with experts back on Earth for the entire flight back. Mark had given permission for them to notify anyone relevant.

Mindy wasn't sure when she got put on that list, but every now and then, one of his therapists would be in touch.

"There's no way to say this without being insulting." Said the doctor. "Don't read anything into those long hugs. They aren't necessarily an invitation. They might be, but it's not anything you can be sure of. Right now, saying Mark is interested because he enjoys having your arms around each other is like saying a lifeguard is flirting when giving the kiss of life."

"Understood." Mindy agreed, blushing brightly. "Um… just out of curiosity…. Which of us is the lifeguard, in this metaphor?"

Annie Montrose's top priority was preparing the Crew for the Hearings. The Gala's were part of that fight. Unlike the parties, Mark and Lewis were the entire focus of the Hearings. It meant there were several closed door meetings with Teddy and Annie, working out their defense.

Mark looked sick. "If everyone on the Committee has their mind made up before we get there, then what's the point?"

"It makes our defense at the Hearing harder, but it makes the Gala's more important." Annie said seriously. "It's a toss up between which is more important to the politicians: us or the billionaires. If we can win over public opinion, and the press; then it'll be enough to keep us in the game. Remember, it's easier to get a Company to drop a politician than it is to get a politician to vote against a donor."

"We don't have to win, we just have to stay relevant." Teddy put in. "Hermes has already made multiple trips from Earth to Mars. Something the Commercial Programs haven't achieved yet. And we've got one major advantage: The only human with a claim to being a Martian Colonist is on our side."

"Your job is to win over the influencers." Annie summed up. "The Social Media stars, the Press, the celebrities. Get them on our side, and the Hearings will look like corrupt old politicians, at best. Bullies, at worst."

"I still want to meet him!" Mindy's mother insisted over the phone. "If you're worried about him spooking in front of a crowd, why would he be on the guest list for a big Congressional Ball?"

"Mom: No." Mindy's mouth became a thin line. Mark had needed time to get used to other people, without the pressure of having to 'perform' for them. It had taken a while to get to this point. The first two Gala's would definitely be a performance. So the time Mark spent in private, and who he spent it with, was jealously protected. "In fact, tattoo that to the inside of your eyelids: 'Mom: No'."

"Explain the problem like I'm not a PhD." Mindy's mother said, and the smothered annoyance was clear, even over the phone. "I know it's not entirely your call, but I also know you see him more than most."

"The way they explained it to me is this: Mark's dealing with a form of 'survivor's guilt'." Mindy said patiently. "A lot of effort and money and time was put into saving him, and given that he had to go for so long in isolation on a planet that was actively trying to murder him every second, it has given him a mild sense of 'not deserving the effort'."

"Okay." Her mother said.

"As a result, Mark is… suggestible. He's a natural showman, but his trauma has left him with a need to 'prove his worth' to those around him. So that they can be sure it was 'worth the cost' to bring him back. He's not unstable at all, he's just… needing something other people don't normally need. At least for a while."

"Well, that was a given, whatever shape he came back in. Sounds like 'battered kid' syndrome." Her mother commented.

"Right, and it wouldn't really be a problem… except the whole world is after a piece of him." Mindy said with gravity. "A few minutes here, a quick question there; about a hundred selfies a day, to say nothing of the hearings that are still coming. But every time he has to say no, he'll feel it a hundred times worse than he should. As a result, we're limiting his contact a bit."

"I get it. I'm not on the 'approved' list." Her mother sighed. "But you are."

It wasn't a question. Mindy didn't offer an answer to it. "I'm one of the nine people he can talk to honestly without a lawyer needing to be present, or a quote going viral." She said with dignity.

"So… things are going well, then?" Her mother pushed a little.

"You didn't hear a word I just said, did you?" Mindy sighed. "Mark is off-limits. Even to me, in some ways. His doctors say that getting him back to normal is a matter of time and patience. It's like getting a broken limb back to normal strength after it's been in a cast for months. They don't want to put too much on him too soon."

"So naturally, he's going to be the guest of honor at a swanky gala."

"He volunteered for that. The whole world is going to pile on eventually. I know, because I was his 'contact' via Pathfinder for a lot of the time he was on Mars." Mindy admitted. "I still filter some of his mail, along with the press office. Since he got that chat room working, he's gotten two thousand death threats, two thousand marriage proposals, three thousand nude photos; and counting."

Her mother sighed. "Look after him, Min." She said seriously. "I've only spoken to him once, but even I can tell, this one is special. And I think, from what I've seen, he might even wait for you."

Mindy's stomach did a flip. "Maybe. But I'm not so sure it'd be a good thing if I encouraged him at all."

"The First of the Gala's will be relatively 'low-key' as these things go." Annie briefed the entire crew. "It's to commemorate the return of the Ares III Crew. No grilling, no questions. At the request of Mark, this one has been expanded to celebrate the whole rescue effort. It was a long list, so rather than a lot of big ceremonies, there will be a meet-and-greet for the guests of honor, and then a few speeches, made to the astronauts, instead of by them. More like a round of toasts being made." Annie checked her clipboard. "There'll be some Senators and Congressmen in attendance, but very few of them will be involved at the Hearings at all."

"Why are they there, if the Senate, Congress, and Executive branch all want to throw their own parties?" Vogel asked.

"The three or four politicians at this shindig are the ones that were helpful to Mark's Rescue, getting the budget cleared, and making our case on the News Circuit. People we trust to get in reach of you." Annie explained. "In fact, most of them have been very vocal supporters of NASA since the Artemis Landings."

"And now we pay them back by getting them re-elected?" Beth guessed.

"Inadvisable." Annie said sharply. "Seven Gala Events, four of them politically hosted. We're making an effort to keep you guys from being exploited by both sides…" She hesitated. "But NASA kind of depends on friendly statesmen."

"So if we happen to be there, caught on camera shaking hands, it's enough?" Beck guessed.

Long silence. One by one, everyone glanced at Mark. They all knew he'd have to step up to the microphone at some point, but the powers that be had decided to make sure his first public statement was the Senate Hearings. For now, the Power Brokers of Washington were willing to let the A-Listers and Celebrities carry the water. Hollywood knew how to put on a show.

"Seven of these." Mark groaned. "Oy."

"The idea is, that having too many world leaders in one place is just not smart." Annie explained. "Celebrities have a long history of endorsements for candidates, and it is an election year. There's a lot of deals being made that will shape how the Hearings go, given the election cycle. A candidate can make their case for an endorsement to me and Teddy, and to a few A-Lister celebrities at the same party. If an Oscar Winner shows up at a rally, it's a bump in the polls. If one of the crew shows up with them, it's a landslide."

Beth raised a hand like she was in class. "I've been looking at the polling data. The six of us are actually the one group of people that are popular with every party and government in the western world."

"The amazing thing about spending so much time in space is that you're neutral on the follies of earth." Mark commented. "In fact, that might be my defense at the Hearings."

"Nobody at the Hearings is going to attack you." Lewis said patiently. "They'll be attacking me, and attacking NASA, and trying to get you to agree with them; but they won't go after you directly."

Almost worse. Mark thought.

Teddy spoke again, pleased. "Now, one bit of good news: Annie pulled off a major coup. There are seven formal celebrations welcoming 'our heroes home'. But the important one is the Congressional, since the Hearing members will be there too. The first of the Hearings, and the Congressional Ball will happen in the same weekend."

"So it's a good chance to tie them to you publicly." Annie added. "Now, I know it's short notice, so we're going to have to prepare for this-"

"Right." Lewis clapped her hands together briskly. "Annie will organize outfits, with at least three days to go, so we can make alterations. Johanssenn will identify the primary influencers to win over, and Beck will provide a cheat sheet on all of them. We'll meet at 0900 the day before for interview prep. Vogel, work up the most likely questions we'll be facing, and so we can identify the strongest answers. Martinez, you'll monitor traffic conditions on the night. No point arriving late. Annie, give us a list of media personnel on-site. Crew will be assembled at T-Minus Thirty Minutes before we leave, to counter any wildcards."

Annie stared at Lewis and the rest of the Ares III crew with jaded awe. It was an expression shared by Vincent, Teddy; and at least half a dozen others.

Lewis cleared her throat. "Anyway. We could do it that way."

"Yeah." Annie quietly put her clipboard away. "Sounds good. Um, you heard the commander, everyone."

The whole room hurried into activity. Martinez gave Lewis a pointed look, and the Commander deflated into herself. She wasn't in charge, and she knew that, but it had happened so suddenly that everyone was in agreement.

"Ohh, that was embarrassing." Lewis said finally, once she was alone with her crew.

"I know what you mean." Mark commented to her. "Any time I leave the Campus, there's a mob formed by the time I make it to the store. I've taken to having my groceries drone-delivered."

"It'll die down a bit once the hearings are over. Right now, they all want to know about your recovery, and your opinion of the hearings."

"We should be doing the debrief now, while it's all fresh in my mind."

"That's why they're not doing the debrief now." Lewis reminded him. "Your doctors are saying that making you relive the extended mission in great technical detail is going to be bad for you, unless you're prepared for it."

"And I doubt more sessions are going to make it easier. If I wait two or three months, I'm still going to have to do it." Mark countered.

"Let's play a game called 'who do we agree with'?" Beck said lightly. "Fourteen NASA doctors and psychological trauma specialists say you need time to heal before we make you tell us everything you went through; in excruciating mathematical detail. You say they're wrong. Now. Who do we agree with?"

Mark sighed. "I got too used to doing things because I thought they were a good idea. I forgot how to take orders."

"I hadn't noticed." Lewis said dryly. "I've seen it before, Mark. With combat troops especially. Your brain is rewired to handle constant fear and threat response. You go back to a place where nobody's going to take a shot at you, and you just can't take the armor off."

"She's right about that." Martinez agreed. "I knew a guy who just couldn't sleep in a bed when his tour was over. Dug a foxhole in his backyard, slept there for the first few months when he got home."

Mark sighed. "I know. I've heard horror stories too. It's not that I don't trust my doctors, it's just… There are too many of them. I don't like my sanity being decided by committee."

"We're all feeling it. You more than us, but it's there." Martinez offered. "Vogel is still on Houston Time, according to his wife. Johanssen and Beck… well, I don't like to pry; but they're definitely clinging to each other a lot more than is rational."

"And then there's me." Lewis said ruefully. "I just laid out a plan for us to attend a Formal Ball and then go invade Normandy again."

They all let out a breath in perfect unison.

"I'm gonna need a hobby." Lewis whined.

It would be another week before Mark realized Martinez hadn't mentioned whatever 're-entry trouble' he was having himself.

Mindy was still on Mars time. Something Mark hadn't realized was that it started long before he was marooned. Mindy's regular job at NASA was orbital recon of Mars. It had to be done when the sun shone on her target areas. It was why she'd been the first to notice Mark was alive. There was nobody else on Mars-Time that night.

But with Ares back at Earth, there was nothing else for it. Her job was returning to normal.

Mindy looked left, then right. There was nobody in Mission Control except her and a janitor, who was bopping along to his headphones.

I have the whole place to myself. Mindy thought ironically. Peace at last.

She tapped at the satellite controls for a while, filtering images. She'd been multitasking for so long it had become second nature to her. It was weird to only have one list of things to do.

So after tapping in a new direction to the Mars Orbiter, and settling in to wait an hour or two for the pictures to change… Mindy found she was looking up the entry exam requirements.

"Astronaut Training Program." Mindy murmured to herself. "Question one…"

"Consider it a rehearsal." Lewis told Mark quietly, straightening his bowtie. "The Congressional Gala is the big one, as far as the hearings are concerned. Two or three of these parties before Washington? Good to 'ease you in'."

"Mm." Mark didn't agree. "They keep staring at me like I'm Jesus or something."

"This particular gala is to celebrate NASA. These are the people who got us to Mars." Lewis offered. "We're heroes to this crowd."

"The one part of being an astronaut that I wasn't ready for." Mark admitted. "They're keeping me wrapped in cotton wool all this time, so I don't exactly pose for photos often. You?"

Lewis sighed. "It's part of the job, Mark. You shouldn't feel self-conscious about- ohmigawd!"

"What?" Mark jumped. "What's wrong?"

"W-what's she doing here?" Lewis stammered, almost hiding behind Mark.

Mark looked over at some arriving guests. "Who?"

"I didn't know the Artemis Astronauts were invited to this thing." Lewis hissed, immediately checking her reflection in one of the nearest shiny surfaces, combing fingers through her hair. "Do I look okay?"

"Oh my gawd, Boss. You're scared." Watney couldn't believe it. "It's 2040. You, of all people, are intimidated to meet your heroes?"

Lewis quickly swallowed her reaction. "Not…" She shook her head. "She came to my school once. After the Artemis missions were done. She came to my school, and told us we could do anything, and I believed her."

"You're stopping by your old school in a few weeks, aren't you?" Mark noted. "Part of the Press Tour?"

Lewis nodded. "Funny how these things work in cycles, huh?"

Mindy was reading the required material for astronaut training, making adjustments to the satellite images in between paragraphs; letting the images enhance and render. NASA was government paid, which meant they didn't have the fastest machines; so she had time to do both.

Her phone rang out with 'Space Oddity' and she smirked as she hit her bluetooth. "Hey."

"Ya'think anyone would notice if I stayed in the bathroom and played Minesweeper for the next three hours?"

"I think they'd be more shocked if you picked Minesweeper." Mindy chuckled. "After the things you've survived, you really can't face it?"

"On Mars I only had to be brave for thirty seconds at a time, and then I had days of boredom in between to recover."

"Mm. Try to enjoy yourself, Mark. Champagne, movie stars, caviar… Doesn't everyone want to go to these parties?"

"I know, but I was kinda hoping you'd be here." Mark mentioned. "The way to survive these parties is to find a group of people who don't bore you to tears and find a room to hang out with them. Lewis and her husband are here; but Vogel and Martinez won't be around until Washington."

"Mark, I'm getting a few suggestive remarks about you already." Mindy objected. "Besides, it's my first night back on the Night Shift in Operations. I can't very well ask for my first shift off to go to a party."

"What do you wanna bet nobody will call you on it if you're with me?" Mark challenged.

"I know they won't, that's why I have to show up." Mindy insisted. "I can't let them think my regular job is optional to me now just because I'm pals with the Ares Three Crew."

Mark sighed. "Yeah, I guess so. Does this mean you've decided not to chase the Astronaut training after all?"

Mindy bit her lip. "I… might be looking at the entrance exam questions as we speak. But the current class is already picked, so even if I go for it, I have another six months to wait. Doesn't hurt with the selection committee to be back on duty."

"I suppose not." He sighed again. "According to Annie, most of the 'high demand' tickets to this thing were bought by movie studios. The place will be crawling with actors." Mark said. "Just between us, there are rumors that the actors who got invites are all on the shortlist to play me when they make the movie."

Mindy laughed. "Any favorites?"

"If one of them can get through the night without doing a Fonz impression, they get my vote." Mark sighed lightly. "The orchestra is playing 70's Disco anthems and TV theme songs. I'm having flashbacks."

"You started it, Blondebeard."

"And I'm regretting it."

Mindy took a deep breath. "Mark… I feel secure enough in our friendship to tell you something." She said seriously. "My mom's a big 'Happy Days' fan. Not nearly as much as Commander Lewis, but I'm quite sure that I am named for the title character in 'Mork and Mindy'."

Dead silence from Mark.

"I just became a lot less attractive to you, didn't I?" Mindy said solemnly.

"I… I'm… no." Mark said awkwardly.

"Do you need a minute?"

"Yes, please."

Mindy remained silent for a while to let him process, when her email chimed. She tapped at her terminal.

'Miss Park. Check these coordinates.' The message said tersely. A string of Martian coordinates followed, and she tapped them into her station automatically.

The image popped up on her screens, and she scanned the area. At first glance, it looked like a regular patch of Martian landscape, but she scanned closer. There were holes in the ground, with deep shadows. Mindy checked the shadows of other craters and rocks, and looked closer at the holes in the ground. "Whoa."

"What is it?" Mark asked in her ear, and she jumped, having almost forgotten him.

"Doctor Wells just sent me an email to check something on Mars." Mindy reported. "I think we've just found lava tubes. The entrance is at least forty feet across, and it goes deep enough that the sun can't see the bottom."

"Really." Mark almost purred in excitement. "Would have loved to have those on Ares III."

Mindy winced. Lava Tubes were underground, safe from the extremely fine Martian Dust, and the static charge of windstorms. If they'd built their HAB in a Lava Tube, they could have waited out any storm. "I'll get back to you, Mark. I just went back to work. I've got to run these images through half a dozen checks, and get back to Doctor Wells."

"Wells was Mission Control on the Artemis missions, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, he was Guidance. Why?"

"Just wondering how many Space Paparazzi are hanging around Mission Control these days."

She grinned. "You can stall as long as you like, but eventually you've gotta get out there and be pretty."

He sighed hard enough that the phone gave her feedback. "Alright, I'm going."

The television in the staff room kitchenette was showing the Gala too, of course. Mindy had studied the pictures of Mars carefully, worked on some enhancements, and told the database to run comparisons to other suspected lava tubes, to see how the new findings matched up. While she waited for the data to compile, Mindy put some ramen in the microwave and watched the show, her gaze flicking back and forth between the timer, and the television.

Mark was working the line of dignitaries, making small talk, when he came to Senator Oppel.

The young blonde on the Senator's arm was staring at Watney, embarrassingly starstruck. Mark gave her his most winning smile as Senator Oppel shook his hand. At Annie's direction, Mark understood the dance. Hold the handshake for a few seconds longer so that the cameras can all get the shot.

"Mark, I don't believe you've met Senator Oppel, from appropriations." Lewis said politely, making introductions. "You should know that when the arguments about the cost of your rescue came up, he was the one that shut the 'against' argument down."

"I'm afraid the accountants have taken over almost everything in the government these days." Oppel waved it off. "It was a genuine pleasure to tell them to shut up for once. I don't believe I could have gotten away with it for anything else."

"Glad I could help." Mark quipped. "Part of Lewis' 'entertainment package' was a season of 'The Six Million Dollar Man'. I figure I cost almost three hundred times that now."

"Worth every penny." Oppel said dutifully. "But I'll save that talk for the hearings."

"Thank you." Mark smiled, just a little tense, turning swiftly to the young woman with the senator. "And this must be…"

"L-L-Lucy." The blonde cleared her throat, a little embarrassed at her reaction to the two astronauts. "I'm Lucy. This is really an honor, to meet both of you."

"Oh, come now. I'm sure you must meet a lot of famous people." Mark demurred, gesturing at the Senator. "This can't be the first big gala your father's brought you to."

The camera flashes intensified so much that Mark knew immediately something had gone wrong.

"Um." Oppel said eloquently.

"Uh…" Lewis added helpfully.

"I'm not his daughter." The blonde said coolly, notably less starstruck. "I'm his wife."

Watching on TV, Mindy burst out laughing so hard the ramen fell out of her mouth. She was still cackling thirty seconds later as the door to the room flew back on its hinges and Annie, shellshocked by the gaffe, staggered in like she'd been gutshot, completely buggy-eyed. "This. Is. Not. Funny!"

Mindy fought to get herself under control and failed completely, breaking into hysterics again. "No! Trust me: This is funny!" She fought to breathe enough to get the words out. "I would never say so in front of Mark, but that was glorious."

"I told them to take me along. I begged them to, in fact." Annie growled. "Oppel is on Appropriations. He's got a vote on our budget!"

"And he's a sixty two year old man married to a twenty two year old blonde who left the Olympic gymnastics team to take up lingerie modeling because the money was better." Mindy cackled. "You can't blame Mark. He hasn't seen a gossip magazine in at least two years!"

"He'll be on the front page of all of them in the morning! And I will blame whoever I damn well please. The list will be long and distinguished." Annie snapped back. Her phone chimed, and she scowled at the screen. "Teddy saw it. Terrific." Annie puffed her cigarette desperately. "Alright, you think this is such a barrel of laughs? You just got elected."

Mindy blinked, cheeks hurting from the laughter. "For what?"

"I hereby give you the job. You're Watney's new babysitter at all official functions."

Mindy's smile dropped so fast it made her head throb. "Wait! You can't do that!"

Annie tapped at her phone. "I just told Teddy." Her phone chimed. "And he agrees. It's a done deal."

Mindy was suddenly left staring after Annie as she swept out of the room. "Well." She said to the empty room. "That happened fast."

There were brief conversations with Teddy and Annie, preparing her for the inevitable questions, and arranging her schedule to align with Mark's invitations. Mark was always invited with a 'plus one'; Annie had just selected who it would be for the foreseeable future.

In the following scramble, she forgot to send Wells her findings. Someone else got to them first, so they were now named the 'Clarke Lava Tubes'.

Mindy kicked herself hard. She'd been (repeatedly) reminded that 'first was forever' in NASA. Geological features like craters and mountains were named (sometimes on a whim) after Astronauts, their wives, their kids, even their favorite authors. It was the only stab at immortality that the desk jockeys at NASA ever got, and Mindy had just cost doctor Wells his biggest achievement to date. If the Lava Tubes proved to be worth human habitation, it would be like naming a city after someone.

So, I've just made an enemy for life. She thought, somewhat clinically. Time to call it a day.

Mindy returned to her home on campus housing. There was no clear idea of when she'd be expected to find her own place. It was a 'gift' from Mrs Watney, who had been given a blank check from the White House, in the wake of Watney's rescue. In response to Mindy's status as the first one to spot the marooned astronaut, plus the fact that she put in so many hours into watching over him that she'd lost her lease, Mindy had housing next to Mark, where he was hiding out until the press lost interest.

Something not likely to happen tonight. Mindy thought as she passed his 'home'. She'd seen his staff car heading out as she came in, so he'd been dropped off. Should I go see him, or would that make it worse?

She went to her own home to drop off her bag, and jumped as she found Mark was there, sitting at her kitchen counter in the dark, snacking on some dry cereal. "You don't have cocoa puffs at your place?"

"You should hide your spare key better." Mark said softly, standing up. "Hope you don't mind, I just needed a place to… hide from Annie."

"This is the first place she'll look." Mindy reminded him lightly, shrugging off her jacket, and coming over to join him. "Nobody's mad at you."

"If they were, they wouldn't say." Mark commented, pushing the bowl between them.

"Mm. I had a bit of a gaffe myself tonight." Mindy admitted softly, picking out a handful of cereal like it was trail mix. She told him about her screwup with the lava tube analysis. As she spoke, she felt him relax. It was a subtle symptom of Mars, but Mark was at his most relaxed when listening to other people talk about something other than him.

"And I never got back to him, because I was in with Annie and Teddy." She explained. "So, I've been declared your permanent Plus One."

"Babysitter." Mark groused.

"Call it what you like, but I'm going to DC with you." Mindy reached out and took another handful of cereal. "So those rumors about us aren't going away any time soon."

"I know I'd be happy if that was the news story that stuck tonight." Mark sighed. "Maybe I do need a babysitter."

"I still screen some of your mail, trust me; if it's not me? You'll have a long list of women, both young enough to be your daughter, and old enough to be your grandmother; all willing to be on your arm next week."

"My arm and who knows what else. I feel like I'm wasting a perfectly good opportunity." Mark sighed. "Can I hide out here a little longer? If you need to sleep, I promise I won't bother you."

"Still on Mars time." She reminded him. "Pick a movie."

The campus housing for NASA wasn't exactly a hotel. There was a couch, and a screen. Mindy's movie collection was her own. Mark had collected more movies than he'd ever watch. As he put it, he was 'an expert on passing time'.

This was their fourth movie night together. Because her quarters wasn't set up with a full lounge suite, she and Mark ended up sitting together on the couch every time they were in front of the TV. The proximity had been awkward the first time, until she realized that under no circumstances could she allow Mark to be awkward around her, and she forcibly acted like they were lifelong friends. The first night had ended with Mark putting his feet up on her living room table.

The second movie night, the film he picked happened to have a scene where one character was caught out in a loud, windy storm; and Mark had turned to stone, clearly somewhere else for a moment. Mindy didn't want to pause the movie and make him feel worse, so she had shifted over to give him a sideways hug. He had leaned into it, and she stayed there until he relaxed. When she shifted back over to her side of the couch, he trembled for a moment. She didn't want to draw more attention to it. Holding his hand would be too… cliché, as a romantic gesture, and she'd already shifted out of hugging range, so she ended up turning sideways on the couch, putting her feet in his lap.

He rested his hands on her ankles like a life preserver, not ready to break contact with her yet, and the movie went on, though neither of them had a real clue what was happening in it. They never spoke of it, but she made sure to invite him back for another movie night before it got awkward.

This was their fourth movie. The clock said it was way too late, but neither of them even considered going back to regular hours. They ate junk food and looked up movie trivia on their phones, talking about nothing.

Then their cozy little bubble burst as Mars caught them off guard again.

Mark's phone buzzed, and so did hers. They'd both set their news apps to ping them when certain keywords came up. Mindy checked her screen, and before she'd even finished the headline, she looked to Mark, who was turning pale beside her. "Ares IV got cancelled?"

"Mark-"

"Because of me." Mark said flatly. He sighed hard. "I gotta call York. Ares IV was going to be her first command, and now it's cancelled-"

"Mark." She caught him before he could get too wound up. "I was in the room when they talked about future missions. The Hermes was meant to fly the full roster of Ares Missions. The only thing that changed was they changed Ares IV to Ares VI. Vincent was pushing for a sixth mission before you got stranded. There'd have to be a refit after the fifth flight anyway, even before they changed the mission for you."

Mark paused. "You promise?"

"Humoring you is a job for all Annie's trained minions." Mindy promised solemnly.

He was silent for a long moment. "Did the Arev IV crew know?"

"That's a meeting I was not present for." Mindy admitted. "But I know for a fact you got messages from everyone in the Astronaut Program. You think any of them wouldn't have taken the deal to get you back?" She reached out and hugged him tightly. "Wouldn't you have done it for them?"

Silence. As with every hug they'd shared, Mark reacted by tensing, and slowly relaxing until his whole body sagged. It was their ninth hug, and as usual, it lasted longer than was reasonable.

Stop counting how many times you've held him. Mindy told herself sternly.

AN: Here we go again. RL matters and original writing projects have kept me away from this one for a while, but I'll do my best to update regularly.

Changing Ares 4 to Ares 6 came from the wiki. According to that, the mission was renamed because of the changes to the program, after Mark took the MAV for the next flight; as well as other things that I'll be exploring in this fic.

Read and Review!