Chapter Text
December 27, 2037 ARRIVAL IN HOUSTON
After 3 days of seemingly endless medical tests and debriefs, the Ares III crew finally were delivered to the Johnson Space Center.
While allowed brief visits at the arrival facility, they were now given 4 uninterrupted hours to spend with their families. After lunch with with loved ones each astronaut was given 2 hours of down time to relax or nap in their own quarters, preparing for their the afternoon and evening schedule.
The ‘work day’ began in the afternoon with a press conference.
Rather than require the crew, and especially Mark Watney, to have to deal with a high intensity press event, Annie Montrose arranged a Web and Video worldwide conference. Only three journalists, selected by draw, were physically in the room with the Ares III crew. The correspondents were a woman from Reuters, a man from the Broadcast Network Cooperative and a woman from LiveScience. After each asked a question of their own, they relayed questions that were being submitted in real time from various media outlets - print, broadcast and web - from around the world. Annie had insisted each question be directed to one crew member in turn, thus preventing Mark Watney or Commander Lewis from being overwhelmed with all the questions. A handful of videographers broadcast/streamed the event around the world.
Two and a half hours later, the crew returned to their quarters to unwind before a private dinner at 7:30 p.m. which would end their official NASA day.
After dinner their ‘unofficial day’ began.
Two welcome home receptions had been planned for the Ares III crew this first week back. Tomorrow’s exclusive ‘Ares III Reception,’ capped at 75 dignitaries and key NASA personnel, would be the smaller reception. On Wednesday they would attend the ‘ARES III Welcome Home Party,’ with attendance expected north of 400 people with full media coverage.
But the crew had been adamant, they wanted the opportunity to personally thank people they thought deserved special attention. And they wanted to do so in a much smaller and intimate setting than the first two scheduled receptions would afford. Thus a last minute series of confidential surprise meetings were scheduled that evening, beginning at 9:30 p.m.
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Arriving in the late afternoon, Vice President Amara Jordan was in Houston to be an honored guest at tomorrow’s ‘Ares III Reception’ but her hope for a quiet evening was spoiled by a call from the President’s Chief of Staff. A last minute addition to her schedule meant the she was to attend a confidential meeting that evening at the Johnson Space Center, 9:30 p.m. sharp.
She was pleasantly surprised when she entered the conference room to find the Ares III crew waiting. She had tirelessly lobbied, twisted arms and cajoled Senators and Representatives to get the funding for the rescue effort. The safe return of the entire crew and meeting them in person gave her a feeling of fulfillment rare in the world of politics. The crew spent more than 15 minutes with the Vice President, thanking her for those efforts.
Once the Vice President left the room, Zhu Tao and Guo Ming, of the China National Space Administration were escorted into the conference room along with a translator. In Houston for tomorrow’s the reception, they, too, had received a directive, this time from the Chinese Ambassador, that they were required to attend this meeting. Being greeted by the Ares III crew was unexpected and they felt honored that the astronauts spent nearly 15 minutes thanking them both.
When it came to social events, Rich Purnell didn’t enjoy them or willingly take part, he reluctantly endured them. So when Venkat Kapoor called his hotel room at 8:30 p.m. and told him he had been summoned to a very important meeting at JSC tonight, he was relieved to have something to keep his mind off tomorrow’s reception. Meetings that required his brain power he could deal with, receptions that required his personality, not so much. Kapoor told him to save his jacket and tie for tomorrow, that was good since these were the ONLY jacket and tie he owned, tonight’s meeting was business casual.
As the CNSA pair exited, Rich Purnell tentatively entered the room. At 55 years old, the 27 year veteran of NASA was totally taken aback. He was immediately surrounded by the entire crew, his hand was repeatedly shaken, he was hugged, his back was patted and Beth Johanssen even kissed his blushing cheek. He had never thought, nor expected, he would receive this sort of appreciation for his work. Alex Vogel, for one, couldn’t wait to discuss in detail the complexities of calculating the Purnell Maneuver and insisted on setting a time when they could get together. Nearly 20 minutes later, walking on cloud nine, an unabashed Rich Purnell left the room and the final guest entered.
Earlier that evening Mindy Park had been searching for a new apartment, now that Mark was back home her current living arrangement of sharing an apartment was out of the question. Three is a crowd! Then came a call from her roommate telling Mindy she was needed that evening at JSC for an urgent meeting. She asked if there was some sort of problem but Annie Montrose replied everything was okay, just that she should stop by Annie’s office no later than 9:30 to be brought up to date.
Without a doubt, Mindy Park received the most effusive and emotional response from the crew, led by Mark Watney. After 30 minutes of the crew sincerely thanking Mindy the meeting was ended. Before leaving the room she slipped Mark a small folded handwritten note and whispered he should read it when he was alone. He quickly hid the note in his pocket for later.
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Finally, at 11 p.m., each crew member was escorted to their private quarters where, at last, they would share a bedroom with spouses or significant others for the first time in about 900 days.
Additional debriefings would not begin until the day after tomorrow, allowing the crew to sleep in and have lunch with their families before the tomorrow’s official Welcome Home reception.
While undressing, Mark remembered the note that Mindy had slipped to him. He unfolded the note which read, “Leave your door unlocked, Go Cubs Go”
After less than 20 minutes in his room, lying in bed in the dark, Mark thought he heard his door open. As he sat up in bed his night vision allowed him to make out that someone had slipped inside the room. Hopefully she was able to walk down the hall unseen because they would like to keep their secret for a little longer.