No one ever talks about the really hard parts of first contact with intelligent alien life: pronouns.
You’re a smart-ass, Tim,” Venkat said. “Noted.
Venkat pulled out his cell phone. “We lost contact with Pathfinder in 1997. If he can get it online again, we can communicate. It might just need the solar cells cleaned. Even if it’s got a bigger problem, he’s an engineer!” Dialing, he added, “Fixing things is his job!
It just feels nice to be an astronaut again. That’s all it is. Not a reluctant farmer, not an electrical engineer, not a long-haul trucker. An astronaut.
I’ve gone from “sole-surviving space explorer” to “guy with wacky new roommate.
We’ll keep you posted.
Why doesn’t Rosco just go to the Duke farm and arrest them when they’re not in the car?
Still, their well-maintained air shelter and regular fire drills had saved a lot of lives. Factories can be rebuilt. People can’t. It was a win.
Instead, I spent the day taking drugs and playing with radiation.
Watney snorted in their direction. Then he closed his eyes and felt the sun on his face. It was a nice, boring afternoon.
But, you know, other than that edge case, there’s no reason.
Then again, my students all have eyes and they were still amazed when I told them “x-rays,” “microwaves,” “Wi-Fi,” and “purple” were all just wavelengths of light.
What do you know? I’m in command. I wonder if this log will be recovered before the rest of the crew die of old age. I presume they got back to Earth all right. Guys, if you’re reading this: It wasn’t your fault. You did what you had to do. In your position I would have done the same thing. I don’t blame you, and I’m glad you survived.
I do have something flammable: my own hair. It’ll have to do. There’s a sharp knife in the tool kit. I’ll shave some arm hairs off into a little pile.
They were going back to Mars.
It’s a desert so old it’s literally rusting.
Seems odd that a species could invent interstellar travel before inventing the transistor, but hey, Earth invented nuclear power, television, and even did several space launches before the transistor.
The next major storm would cause the Great Martian Potato Migration.
Son las cosas sencillas de la vida las que importan.
I’m a well-honed machine in times of crisis.
I guess I should explain how Mars missions work, for any layman who may be reading this.