EXT. SPACE - MARS
The Red Planet momentarily eclipsed the Sun. Sunlight broke across the edge, warming the surface.
EXT. MARS - DAY - ARES 3 HAB
Lewis said over the radio, "All right, team. Stay in sight of each other. Let's make NASA proud."
Mark Watney was in the middle of an EVA experiment. He chipped at a section of rocks and recorded his observations on his arm computer, saying, "In grid section fourteen twenty-eight, the particles appear predominantly "coarse," but as we move to twenty-nine, the particles are much finer, and should be ideal for chem analysis."
A voice said over the radio, "Hear that, everyone?" Rick Martinez was inspecting the Mars Ascent Vehicle, the MAV, on the launch pad. They spoke over radios. "Mark just discovered "dirt." Alert the media."
"What's your job today, Martinez? Confirming the MAV is still upright?"
"Visual inspection of equipment is imperative to mission success."
Martinez studied the MAV for a moment, then spoke thoughtfully into his arm computer. "The MAV is still upright."
"Watney, you keep leaving your channel open..." another voice said.
Melissa Lewis, across the way, was overseeing a drill experiment. "Which leads to Martinez responding, which leads to us listening, which leads to me being annoyed."
"Martinez, Commander Lewis would like you please shut your smart mouth," Mark said.
"Speaking for the smart people of the world..." another voice began.
INT. HAB - DAY
Dr. Chris Beck studied samples on slides at his station while Darcie read through her notes.
Beck continued. "We would prefer you use a different adjective to describe Martinez' mouth."
"Maybe more on the lines of chatterbox or another antonym to intelligent," Darcie added. "Wrangle up a thesaurus if needed."
EXT. MARS - DAY
"Did Beck and his wife just insult me?" Martinez asked.
"Doctors Beck and Beck," Mark corrected. "And yes."
"Happy to turn their radios off from here, Commander..." another voice said.
INT. HAB - DAY
Beth Johanssen sat inside at her computer, tracking, among other things, the group's communications. "Just say the word."
EXT. MARS - DAY
"Johanssen, constant communication is the hallmark of a-" Mark began.
"Shut 'em off," Lewis ordered.
Click. Mark and Martinez' radios went silent.
As Lewis worked, Mark threw up his arms in the background, like 'Hey! C'mon!'
"I apologize for my countrymen, Vogel," Lewis said.
"Hey; I take offense," Darcie said.
"Don't make me have Johanssen shut off your radio too, Beck."
"Sorry."
Alex Vogel wore the European Union patch on his shoulder. "Accepted. How many samples do we need, Commander?"
"Seven. One hundred grams each. Drill at least thirty centimeters down."
While the two of them used a specimen drill to bore holes in the ground, Mark waved his arms in the background; 'C'mon, turn my radio back on.'
INT. HAB - DAY
Johanssen frowned as she received a mission update from Houston. Her face went pale and she said, "Um... Commander? You should come inside..."
EXT. HAB - DAY
Johanssen said over the radio, "You're gonna want to see this."
Lewis read the tension in Johanssen's voice. "What is it?"
"We got a mission update. Storm warning."
"I saw the warning in the morning briefing. We'll be inside long before it hits."
"They've upgraded their estimate." She paused a beat. "The storm's gonna be worse."
Lewis looked to the skies. In the distance, a storm darkened the horizon.
In front of Mark, the dirt started to blow in the incoming wind.
INT. HAB - DAY
Lewis read the update. Everyone else was inside as well. The mood was grim. ""...twelve-hundred kilometers in diameter, bearing 24.41 degrees...""
"That's tracking right towards us," Johanssen said.
""...based on current escalation, estimate a force of... Eighty-six hundred Newtons.""
"What's the Abort Force?" Mark asked.
"Seventy-five hundred," Beck replied.
"Anything above that and the MAV could tip," Martinez warned.
"We're scrubbed?" Vogel determined.
Lewis continued reading. "Begin abort procedures."
Everyone tried to hide their crushing disappointment. Beck took his wife's hand.
"Maybe it won't be as bad as they say," Martinez guessed.
"They're estimating with a margin of error," Vogel said. "We can wait it out."
Mark nodded. "Let's wait it out."
This news hit Lewis worst of all. She tried to consider all her options.
"Are you okay, Commander?" Mackenzie asked in a gentle tone.
"Commander?" Johanssen called.
"Prep for emergency departure," Lewis decided.
"Commander-" Mark began.
"We're scrubbed."
EXT. HAB - STORM - DAY
The high winds slammed into the astronauts as they exited the airlock. They struggled to stay on their feet as they fought their way through the punishing storm.
"Visibility is almost zero," Lewis informed. "If you get lost, home in on my suit's telemetry. The wind's gonna be rougher away from the Hab, so be ready."
Sand continued to slam them as they took step after agonizing step towards the MAV. It was brutal as they fought for every inch.
"Hey. Maybe we could shore up the MAV," Mark suggested. "Make tipping less likely."
"How?" Lewis asked.
"We could use cables from the solar farm as guy lines." Mark paused to catch his breath and started forward again. "The rovers could be anchors. The trick would be getting around the-"
Darcie noticed something coming towards her at a fast speed and Mark and went to push him out of the way, but wasn't able to do so in time.
A massive section of antenna slammed into Mark and Darcie out of nowhere. They were lifted off their feet and yanked away into the storm.
Beck frowned, feeling the light weight on his hand suddenly gone. "Darce?"
"WATNEY!!! BECK!!!" Johanssen yelled.
Beck turned and frowned. "Darcie?"
"What happened?" Lewis asked.
"Something hit them-" Johanssen said.
"Watney, Beck, report-" She got no reply. "WATNEY, BECK, REPORT!"
"They're offline. I don't know-"
Beck let out a breath before he said, "Commander, before we lost where they are -- telemetry, their decompression alarms went off-"
"Shit!" Lewis cried. "Johanssen where did you last see them?"
"They were right in front of me and then they were gone," Lewis said. "They flew off due west-"
Lewis surveyed the scene. Visibility was near zero. She could barely see the people next to her. She tried to keep her heart from pounding out of her chest.
"Okay... okay... Martinez, get to the MAV and prep for launch," Lewis instructed. "Everyone else, home in on Johanssen."
Johanssen stumbled as she said, "I can't see anything-"
"Doctor Beck!" Vogel called. "How long can a person survive decompression?"
"Less than minute," Beck answered, his heart breaking that the woman he greatly cared for and his friend were gone. He would have to tell Weston, and he had no idea how he would. He was so young and wouldn't understand the gravity of the situation and why his mom wasn't coming home.
"Line up and walk west," Lewis instructed. "Small steps. They're probably prone. We don't want to step over them."
The group fought through the chaos.