forbidden - chris beck

Chapter 11

So, we were about 40 days into our mission. At this point everything was running smoothly. All the work was being done, we had enough time to ourselves, and thankfully we all got along really well.

It was midday here on Ares 3 and everyone was preoccupied in their work.  Beck was analysing some plant research. Johanssen was on flight control. Watney, Vogel and Lewis were out doing an EVA. So that left me with Martinez who was showing me how to update the systems. Lewis thought it would be handy for me to know so that the job could get done quicker with two people working on it.

"Now just enter this code." Martinez pointed at a bunch of numbers on the screen to my left which I typed in to the other computer.

The computer screen read 'System Update Successful.' We had to frequently make sure they were working so we wouldn't have any problems with our communication or navigation.

"I did it!" I smiled proudly as Martinez congratulated me.

"Great. Now let's see if you can do it to that computer without my help." He pointed to the computer over on the far side of the control room.

"Ok, I think I remember how to do it." I said as I quickly ran over the instructions he had told me and tried to recall them. I walked up to the computer  with Martinez close behind, keeping a watchful eye.

After a moment of hesitation, I began typing in the appropriate codes onto the screen carefully, not wanting to make any mistakes.

I immediately stopped typing when I heard  Johanssen cry loudly from the corner of the room. Me and Martinek turned to look at her as she gripped her leg in pain while she screamed out.

I rushed out of my seat and ran over to her. "What's wrong?" I said with a distressed look on my face. I tried to see why she was gripping her leg, as she got out of her chair and sat on the floor.  She wasn't doing anything harmful, she had been sitting on the computer all that time.

"Cramp." She managed to choke out.

"Beck," Martinez spoke through his earpiece. "Get to the control room fast."

"Just try and stretch it out okay?" I suggested as we both tried to move her leg but any slight movement only made her cry out louder.

This was something we were used to. Muscle fatigue was common, but in Johanssen's case, it was pretty extreme.

"Martinez, what's going on in there?" Commander Lewis spoke through the ear pieces. She must have overheard the conversation.

"Johanssen has a muscle cramp in her leg. Beck's on his way." Martinez said.

"Keep me posted." Lewis replied.

"What's wrong?" Beck rushed from around the corner into the control room and over to where I was pressing Johanssen's leg to try and relive the pain. 

"Johanssen has a cramp." I breathed heavily. I hated seeing her in pain. As Beck crouched down to do his thing, I stepped back and stood next to Martinez.

"I'll finish off the computers. Stay with her for a little while, I'll show you the other advancements another day." He sighed before returning to the updates and notifying Lewis through his earpiece that everything was okay.

I nodded in response and went over to where Beck and Johanssen were. I was glad that she'd stopped screaming. Now she just had tears running down her face as she breathed in and out heavily, just like Beck told her.

"Collins, can you hold her leg down flat?" Beck asked. I crouched down on the floor next to him and held down her leg on the floor. As I did, Beck pressed his palms on her leg where the pain was and applied some pressure, causing her to wince slightly.

After about a minute of him stretching out her leg and putting pressure on it Johanssen sighed in relief and relaxed her body.

"Thank you." She breathed out as Beck stood up and gave a sigh also.

"No problem." Beck ran a hand through his hair and let himself cool down.

We all just waited in silence and took a minute to catch our breaths. It's always a horrible experience to see a crew member in pain. We're astronauts. We knew that we had signed up for perhaps one of the most dangerous jobs and so when injuries happened, we took them seriously.

"Want me to bring you some coffee?" I asked Johanssen as she nodded up at me.

"Coffee Beck?" I turned to him.

"Actually, I've gotta go finish up my work."

"I can bring it to you?" I suggested. We all looked like we were in need of a coffee break.

"Yes please." His lips curved up into a small smile as we all got back to normal.

I walked out of the control room and into the kitchen where I made the coffees.

After poring them into cups, I balanced all three in my hands as I walked back to the room. I came back to find Johanssen back in her seat and I handed her the coffee.

"Thank you." She held the cup between her hands and took a sip.

"Well that was quiet a scare. Are you okay now?" I asked, holding the two remaining cups in my hands.

"Yeah, it was my own fault. I haven't been keeping up with my workout routine."

"I need to go more often too. How about tomorrow?" I asked.

"Tomorrow sounds good." She smiled.

"Great." I grinned back. "Let me get this coffee to Beck before it gets cold." I walked toward the observatory where Beck was doing his research and I stepped in the doorway, into the room to where he was working.

He looked up from his microscope as he heard me enter.

"You're the sweetest." He smiled as he saw the coffee in my hand. I handed him the coffee and took a sip of my own.

"Is she okay now?" He took a sip of his coffee and leaned against the counter.

"Yeah, you did pretty good out there."

"Well what kind of doctor would I be if I didn't." He smirked. "Besides, I'm a space doctor. I have higher expectations to live up to."

I laughed at his comment. I couldn't take him seriously when he called himself a 'space doctor'

He grinned widely and stared at me for a while when I laughed.

Feeling a little uncomfortable under his gaze, I shifted slightly and asked "What?" with a smile spread across my lips.

"I like it when you smile." His blue eyes held onto mine.

I quickly looked to the ground with embarrassment. I hated this effect he was having on me recently.

"Um, I should get back to Martinez and check up on Johanssen." I made my way out of the room before he could notice the redness of my cheeks.

Whatever effect he was having on me, it was getting worse.