Scene opens in long view of Martian
landscape. There is a pod in view as well as a suited worker outside the pod
working amidst some science equipment.
Cut to inside of pod. A second
worker is attending a heads up display (HUD) control panel and monitoring various
feeds. The primary feed is of the suited worker outside the pod.
Pod Attendant: [Inside
pod looking over a nearly completed request form]Do you have a count on the remaining
supplies? I’d like to make a request to the main colony for additional supplies
before we lose satellite communication.
Suited Worker: [View
from the helmet of the suited worker] Looks like we have about 15 sols of food
and water left and enough sensors for 5 or 6 more dust storm soundings. When we
came out here I thought we’d have plenty of sensors to accomplish our mission
but were almost out.
Pod Attendant:
We had plenty but we keep losing sensors in the dust storms or blasting them so
far that they can’t be retrieved. [Animated recap of sensor loss is displayed
on HUD as Pod Attendant recounts the team’s challenges]
Suited Worker: It
sure would be nice if we could retrieve and reuse some of the sensors. I guess
we’ll need to request some more from the main base. [View from Suited Worker’s
helmet glancing over at pod]
Pod Attendant:
[Inside pod] Hey I’m getting a transmission from headquarters. Looks like the
engineers have come up with a solution so we don’t lose so many sensors. I’ll
send it to your helmet so you can take a look.
Suited Worker:
[Inside helmet, graph appears on helmet HUD] Oh I see what they did here. They did
some test launches and made a graph to help us predict the force we’ll need on
the rocket based on the size of the dust storm we want to sound. It looks
pretty simple to use. We just have to match the distance we need with the force
that will get us there. [an example of how the graph works is animated and seen
on the HUD as the suited worker describes the graph]
Pod Attendant: [Inside
Pod attendant pulls up satellite imagery] Well we’re going to get our chance to
test the engineers graph because satellite imagery indicates that we’ve got a
dust storm bearing down on our location and we’ll need to get some sensors in
the air ASAP.
Suited Worker:
Ok I’ll start loading the rocket. How many sensors should we use this time?
Pod Attendant:
Let’s start with just one. Until we know this graph is going to work we better
not risk losing too many sensors. And you better hurry. The storm is coming in
quick and we’ll need to get you inside before it reaches our location.
Suited Worker:
[inside helmet looking at loaded rocket the graph and other data blinks out
from the HUD] Alright I’ve got the sensor loaded but I lost the graph in my
helmet display. I can’t predict the force we’ll need without that graph.
Pod Attendant: [Inside
pod HUD display breaks up and cuts in and out] Yeah it looks like the storm is interfering
with our communications. My display is breaking up inside the pod too.
Suited Worker:
We’re going to need that graph to make the prediction. Maybe we can get another
engineering team to recreate the graph for us.
Pod Attendant:
I think I know just who to call. I just hope the message will get to them in
time. [Pod Attendant sends a message just as his display blinks out]
Message appears on screen for
audience to read before blinking out – “Engineering Team- we need your help.
Test rocket sensors and record all data. Create a graph to help predict the
force needed to travel through dust storms and MAKE SURE IT WORKS! Hurry- the
storm is coming!
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