tushanshu | Video/Console:

Oh, hey...this log...

I don't have to do that here, do I? Well, alright, that makes things slightly easier and less formal, but I guess I have to explain things again... (Not like he has been formal or proper in any of his past logs, anyway?) So, the name's Mark Watney and I'm deciding to go with the quick explanation, so if something doesn't make sense - just ask, I don't want to have to try to think of every single thing right now...

Basically, where I'm from...that version of Earth, anyway... we've been going to Mars for a little while, about 2 missions completed and mine and then at least two more after that - if they don't cancel the missions - and basically a series of weird circumstances happened coupled with a set of weird circumstances that somehow lead to me surviving - I got myself stuck on Mars. Yeah, stuck. They thought I was a dead man, but nooooo I have to like a cat with the whole nine lives thing. Or a zombie. Or some other thing... zombie would be pretty sweet, though. But not like the whole romantic comedy type.

(Mark actually tries to chuckle and manages it but he's just going to sit there and wince at the same time. Note to anyone who asks? Body slamming a detached airlock hurts after the third time, same with being thrown around like a rag doll - do not recommend if you can avoid it.) In any case, I was kind of in the middle of a situation before I woke up here and my face plate kind of got f....messed up. Sh...crap, it's not sinking in that I don't have that thing here with me. It's back in the rover. That's going to be really, really bad if I figure out how to get out of here and back to the red dusted hellhole.

(He frowns.) Well, at least it was sealed, I guess and even if I come up with a plan it's not like I'm gonna remember it, anyway, right? (But, what else is he going to do? Sit and twiddle his thumbs all day? Nah, that just sounds lame.)

In any case, you have no idea how glad I am that there are other people here. No idea at all.

(It hasn't been a day at a carnival, that's for sure.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Mars like... the planet Mars?

Yeah, that's the one. There isn't a second one out there somewhere that we don't know about where I'm from, right?

[ It's unheard of and yet... not unimaginable. Elizabeth had known that people had gone to the moon, thanks to the glimpses provided by the Tears. But to Mars? She'd never seen anything that advanced, and it was almost mind-boggling.

His reply makes her laugh a little. ]

I hope not, or all of my history and astronomy books aren't correct anymore!

I understand what it's like, to appreciate having other people around. It was kind of overwhelming for me, at first.

Well, that would be a shame if you think about it. (Books are expensive.) Now I'm just going to hope that the books stay as they are for a long time.

(Mark can't vouch for her world, but even in his world, universe where it was beginning to become some sort of "normalcy" even if it's only three, going on four, missions in - it was pretty hard for anyone who really thought about it and followed such things to believe.)

Overwhelming?

(Mark frowns. He hadn't thought about it being that way, but then again...he's behind a screen right now. His brows slightly raise at the realization. He had been talking at a screen or typing for a long while now - he hasn't yet actually walked or been in any physical

"Oh God."

He looks calm, but deep down...he's feeling some mixed emotions here.)

[ reassuringly: ] I'm sure it's like that for a lot of people, so there's no reason to think otherwise, Mr Watney.

Y-yeah, I suppose it would be.

(He's going to take a breath and try to pull himself together - which works quickly enough, but it's kind of hitting him...he thinks.

He isn't so sure what to make, so he's just going to decide to hold onto "YAY. PEOPLE. TALKING." for as long as he can. Hopefully that's an indefinite thing, which all he knows tells him might not be.

He can almost hear the NASA psychologists right now.)

...Don't call me "Mr." that's my dad. Of course, he might not even like that himself, but who knows. He isn't here. Call me Mark. That's definitely fine with me.

[ She nods, unsure what had caused that flicker, but not pressing it right now. ]

All right, Mark.

[ and then, reflexively: ]

I'm glad, however, that you're here. Perhaps once you're a bit more settled in, we can meet for a cup of tea. We can both enjoy each other talking, that way.

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