Gravity // Chris Beck

06. Sols 36-54

SOL 36

"The problem is water..." Mark trailed.

Teagan nodded. "How are we supposed to find water on a red, sandy planet?"

INT./EXT - ROVER - DAY

Mark and Teagan trudged out to the Mars Descent Vehicle (MDV) -- the lander that brought the seven of them to Mars. He and Teagan delicately began to remove the Hydrazine tank from the undercarriage.

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Mark said into the camera, "Teagan and I've created one-hundred and twenty-six square meters of soil. But each cubic meter needs forty liters of water to be farmable. So, we gotta make a lot of water. Fortunately, I know the recipe. Take hydrogen. Add oxygen. Burn. Unfortunately... burn. We have hundreds of liters of unused Hydrazine from the MDV. If we run the Hydrazine over an iridium catalyst, it'll separate into N2 and H2..."

Teagan shook her head slowly. "I'm a doctor of the mind. Never was good at math. But I'm trying. Chris, I can't wait to tell you what I've learned. If I'll ever be able to."

INT. HAB - DAY

Mark and Teagan duct taped torn trash-bags to create a tent, which they uses to cover their work table.

Mark tore an air hose from one of the space suits, taped it to the tent and hung it from the roof. Now they had a chimney.

He vented pure oxygen from a tank, lights it with a spark from battery wires. There was a whoosh. He pointsd the flame at the wood shavings and had a small torch.

Mark held the torch and started the Hydrazine flow. The Hydrazine sizzled on the iridium and disappeared.

Mark and Teagan looked up to the chimney. Flame bursts started sputtering out from the hose. Mark and Teagan grinned, glad it was working.

Mark checked his instruments. He and Teagan checked the temperature carefully. Mark repeatedthe process.

Mark and Teagan were wearing the protective inner lining of their EVA suits along with goggles. An oxygen mask hung around their necks.

INT. HAB - DAY

Mark spoke directly to the camera while Teagan sat next to him. The two were standing in the middle of what looked like a mad-scientist's chemistry experiment.

Mark said, "Then I just need to direct the hydrogen into a small area and burn it. Luckily, in the history of humanity, nothing bad has ever happened from lighting hydrogen on fire."

Teagan shot him a look. "Don't jinx anything on a planet like this."

Mark returned her look, then turned back to the camera and he and Teagan stared at the camera.

Mark continued. "Believe it or not, the challenge has been finding something that will hold a flame. NASA hates fire. Because of the whole "fire makes everyone die in space" thing. So everything we brought with us is flame retardant. With the notable exception of... Martinez' personal items."
He held up Martinez' pack and removed a small wooden cross. "Sorry, Martinez. If you didn't want me to go through your stuff, you shouldn't have left me and Teagan for dead on a desolate planet." He started shaving the cross down with a knife. "Teagan and I figure God won't mind, considering the situation. Right, Teagan?"

Teagan nodded. "Right. Luckily, from what I've heard, he's pretty forgiving."

INT. HAB - DAY

Mark and Teagan were still working on getting water. They looked exhausted. He went through the procedure once again. He glanced at the atmospheric analyzer.