"I want to be able to see Mark and hug him the minute he lands," Grace said emphatically to Dr. Astor before they sat down.
The NASA administrator nodded. "I can certainly understand that."
"I know the doctors are worried about contamination, about his being exposed to illnesses. I know you're all talking about quarantining him. It makes sense, but that means we can't see him until he's out, whenever that may be. I can't wait that long, and I don't want to be stuck talking to him through glass. I haven't seen my son or hugged him in years, actual years."
Tim took his wife's hand, squeezed it, and then turned to the administrator. "We know it's still months until he lands so there's plenty of time to make a plan, and we have a suggestion."
Melody nodded once more. "Okay."
"We'd like to quarantine for two weeks or longer, if necessary, before the crew lands. Then we can go into quarantine with Mark, or bring him home and he can quarantine at home with us," Grace said. "We can have food delivered or just stock up ahead of time. We have a large deep freeze and two refrigerators. We'll quarantine for a month or more if needed."
"That certainly seems to be a reasonable suggestion to me," Melody replied. "Let me talk to the doctors."
"We're willing to quarantine at home before," Tim told the other woman, "or if you have a place here we can do it here wherever Mark will stay when he gets back. I know that's not NASA standard…"
"Nothing about what's happened is NASA standard," Melody replied.
"I know we should probably have taken this to Dr. Kapoor," Grace said.
"No, he'll understand. Have you discussed this with Mindy?"
Tim hesitated and looked at Grace before nodding.
Melody considered. "It was her suggestion, wasn't it? Don't worry. You don't have to defend her. It's a good one."
"It was. Mindy knows how much we want to be able to see Mark, to hold him, to spend time with him without the rest of the world peeking. We know that eventually, he has to do the press tour. He has to travel, though we'll go with him. We know you'll have doctors who have quarantined as well as other employees so that he can be debriefed, unless the debriefing all happens through glass. We just need to be able to touch our son when he lands," Grace entreated passionately.
"I promise you we will figure it out," Dr. Astor replied. "I'll start looking into it right away. After I've spoken with the doctors I'll contact you. I don't want to speculate, but I would think we can work it out that you can stay in your house until Mark and the crew land. Then we'll find room for you to join him somewhere."
"Thank you, Dr. Astor," Tim said.
"Please call me Melody," the director responded. "Please."
"Thank you, Melody," Grace smiled. "We'll get out of your hair now."
"First, is there anything else I can do to help you with the courts and Mark's death status?"
Timothy groaned and Grace frowned. "There is nothing we can do until he's back. Perhaps you can talk to… well, whomever you can talk to and see if they can convince the judge to accept a video call as proof that Mark is alive, after he lands that is," Grace suggested.
"I'll look into it," Melody promised them. "Thank you for coming to me with your suggestions. I'll get back to you as soon as I can."
"Dr. Astor, you wanted to see me?" Irene asked as she entered the office.
"Yes, thank you, Dr. Shields. Please join us," Melody said, gesturing to the table where Mindy, Venkat, and the lead flight surgeons for both Ares III and IV, Doctors Keller and Martin, were seated.
"I wanted to share with you a request from the Watneys and an idea of how we can help them." Melody then went on to explain to the group what Grace and Timothy had asked her.
"We can certainly arrange that," Dr. Keller replied. "I honestly think they can just stay home and have food delivered or stock up ahead of time. Two to three weeks ought to be enough time, then Mark can just move in with them. One of his parents can then drive him here for debriefing."
"Is there not enough room in the astronaut quarters?" Melody asked. "I know the past three crews all quarantined when they returned."
"Actually," Dr. Martin said, "they weren't quarantined. They were quartered here so that we could watch them as they came in contact with people here and treat any illnesses they might develop immediately. The Ares IV crew will do the same. Mark could stay with them. I don't know if there's enough room for his parents, however. I also think we should have someone here make sure that they have no illnesses before we send Mark home to them."
"I know they get their annual flu and COVID vaccines," Mindy commented. "Grace told me they always do it on the first of October, or the second if the first is a Sunday. She keeps a reminder in her phone."
"That's good to know," Dr. Keller said. "Let Dr. Martin and me think about this a bit more and we'll get back to you with a plan."
"I can let the Watneys know that we're working on one, correct?" Melody asked.
"Certainly."
"Dr. Astor," the assistant called through the intercom. "The Ares III crew would like to speak with you."
"The entire crew?"
"Yes, ma'am," came the response.
Melody shook her head and bit back a sigh. "Let them in." She stood behind her desk and waited. For some reason, she felt the need for the security and authority provided by staying behind her large desk.
Melissa Lewis led the way, though once they all entered the office they approached her in a line, shoulder-to-shoulder.
"We want in," Rick announced before they'd reached her desk.
"Martinez," Johanssen scolded and smacked him on the shoulder, while Beck and Vogel scowled at him and Lewis shook her head.
"I apologize for him," Melissa said. "We have something we'd like to discuss with you."
Melody nodded and then gestured for the commander to speak.
"We would like to quarantine with the Watneys or at the same time in our own homes so that we can be with Mark when he lands," Melissa explained.
Melody hesitated a moment. "Your own homes? What about your spouses and children? What about your jobs here, the work you do?"
"Most of the work we're doing can be done virtually. We can do the work on our computers from home. We can attend meetings virtually as well," Melissa replied. "Robert can do the same so we can both stay home."
"Helena is taking the children to visit our family at home in Germany so I'll be home alone," Alex told the administrator.
"He's gonna let me stay at his house in the guest room," Martinez added.
Melody turned to Beck and Johanssen. "And you two?"
"It's just the two of us at our place," Chris replied while Beth ducked her head, cheeks reddening.
"And how long are you planning on staying in quarantine?" Melody asked them. "Not as long as Mark is quarantined, surely."
"Actually," Melissa began, stopping when the administrator held up her hand.
"I have no objection to you quarantining before Mark and the Ares IV crew land so that you can see him at that time. However, I don't know if we have the accommodations for everyone to stay together afterward."
"But you'll look into it," Martinez said hopefully.
Melody nodded. "Yes, but I make no promises."
"That's all we ask," Lewis replied. "If all we can do is see him after landing, after his parents of course, then we accept that."
"Thank you, Dr. Astor," Beck said, quickly echoed by the others.
"They want to stay with him the whole time don't they," Venkat asked after Melody had told him about her meeting with the Ares III crew.
"They do," Mindy answered, "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."
Melody shook her head. "No, I'm sure you know more about this than I do."
Mindy winced. "Yes, sorry."
"Don't apologize. You live at the Watney's. I'd be shocked if you didn't know."
"Well, will one of you fill me in about this then?" Venkat asked.
"It was my suggestion to the Watneys that they could quarantine so they can be with Mark as soon as he lands," Mindy began, "That started this whole thing. They mentioned it to the crew and it kind of spiraled."
"Obviously they can all quarantine before landing, that's not a problem," Venkat commented.
"Yes, it's after that's the issue. We simply don't have room in our quarters here for all of them, and if the III crew is there, the IV crew families will want to be there as well," Melody pointed out.
"I might have a solution," Mindy said hesitantly. "As soon as they all started talking I did some investigating. It turns out NASA interns regularly stay in the guest housing dorm at the University of Houston - Clear Lake. We might be able to work something out with them."
"Thank you, Mindy," Melody replied. "I'll look into that."
"Um, Mindy," Annie said, "why is the conference room filled with people? And who are they? Besides the Ares III crew, that is?"
"The Ares IV crew families," Mindy answered. "I'm surprised you don't know any of them."
"I probably do, but to be honest I didn't look for long. I passed by on my way here and saw all the people."
"But you recognized the III crew?" Mindy raised an eyebrow.
"Is it possible to not recognize Martinez? And once you spot him, it's easy to find the others. They seem to travel in a pack. It's odd," Annie commented. "I mean it's odd now. Once a mission ends the crew usually separates and each goes their own way, but not this group."
"Maybe they will once Mark returns," Mindy suggested.
Annie shook her head. "No, I think this group is just different. According to NASA history, there are one or two other crews over the years that stayed this close, but they're few and far between. Besides, the whole reason I mentioned them was to ask who the other people were and why they were there. You know what the reason is, so spill it."
Mindy laughed. "What makes you think I know?"
"Other than that very artful attempt at dodging the question?" Annie pursed her lips. "Because you somehow know everything happening here, especially if it has to do with the Ares III crew."
"So you naturally assume I know what's happening with the IV crew as well."
The public relations director raised an eyebrow. "You act as if I don't know you well enough to know you know."
"Do you realize you said the words 'you' and 'know' three times each in a single sentence just then? The last time you were struggling for words this much was after your fourth strawberry daiquiri on the beach."
Annie ran a hand over her face and pinched her nose. "A good friend wouldn't bring that up."
"A good friend would stop pestering me for information."
"So you do know."
Mindy nodded her head. "Yes, and Melody will fill you in as soon as she thinks you need to know."
"Which would be now," the woman in question said from the doorway. "Or I suppose at this point, Mindy can fill you in."
"They're all going for it?" Mindy asked the administrator.
"Did you have any doubt?" Melody returned.
"No, of course not. Are we setting a precedent with this?"
"Probably," Melody acknowledged. "We'll have to look into repurposing a building of our own or new construction for the future."
Mindy nodded, "It could be used for housing new astronaut classes to help them get to know one another and allow them time to find housing here. It could also be used for pre-mission quarantines, or team building when crews are assigned."
"All wonderful ideas," the administrator replied.
"Ok," Annie said, impatience ringing in her voice. "Would someone please fill me in?"
"I'll leave you to it. Come see me with any questions you might have," Melody said to Annie before stepping back out of the office.
"Mindy…" Annie threatened.
Mindy laughed and explained the quarantine that the Watneys, Ares III crew, and Ares IV crew families had agreed to.
"You're not wrong," Annie commented. "That really does set a precedent."
"It's honestly a wonder no one has requested it before now. These families are apart for well over a year and then while they can see and talk to their astronaut family member it has to be through glass for at least a week."
"I'm still not sure I understand why the astronauts even have to quarantine. It's not like we're afraid of them bringing back some strange bacteria from Mars that might make people sick," Annie remarked. "We know they won't get sick because they have a year's journey home."
"I think it was more about keeping them here to reacclimate them to Earth bacteria and viruses," Mindy replied, "as well as getting all the debriefing done, and regulating their first interactions with the press."
"Now that I understand," Annie grimaced. "The press after Ares I was crazy. Well, now it looks like I have a new story to share."
"People will love it."
"They will. I'm going to have to talk to the group and see if I can get a photographer in there or have one of them take pictures to share at least on social media. The university is okay with us taking over one of their dorms for over a month?"
Mindy nodded. "Dr. Astor checked with them. It's good publicity for them."
"It is," Annie acknowledged. "I can just see the UHCL website now advertising that you can live in the dorms the astronauts lived in."
"You think they'd do that?"
"If they're smart they will. Well, I should go now and do some work. Thanks."
"You're welcome. By the way, it's a secret for the astronauts so don't release the information until landing, please," Mindy said.
"It's better that way anyway, not only being a really sweet secret, but if the press knows before then they'll try to stake out the campus. I'd like to avoid that. I suppose I should go talk to Melody about security on campus just so I know the plans."
"Sounds good."
"