Contents
Chapter 12
Overview
A flashback shows Sol 6 from the Hermes crew’s perspective: a severe storm, Watney struck by debris and presumed dead, and a perilous MAV launch stabilized by OMS thrusters. Four months later, Mitch Henderson informs the returning crew that Mark is alive and contactable, lifting morale while deepening Lewis’s guilt.
Summary
The chapter opens with the Ares 3 crew on Sol 6, groggy but following Commander Lewis’s plan for EVAs before an approaching storm. Outside, Lewis, Martinez, and Vogel collect soil samples as the storm intensifies faster than predicted. Johanssen upgrades the storm to severe, and Lewis orders an abort toward the MAV.
En route, flying debris slams Mark Watney away from the team. His telemetry goes offline, and a partial packet shows blood pressure and pulse at zero with normal temperature. With visibility near zero, Lewis directs a line search while Martinez readies the MAV. The MAV begins to tilt dangerously past safe limits.
To prevent a tip-over that would doom any launch, Martinez fires the nose OMS thrusters, slowly reducing the tilt while consuming precious fuel and risking damage. Concluding Watney is dead, Lewis orders the team to the MAV. She searches briefly, then returns under worsening conditions and authorizes launch.
The MAV ascends in brutal winds, its open OMS ports causing severe buffeting, but reaches orbit successfully. The crew remains silent, mourning Watney.
Four months later aboard Hermes, during a data dump, Mitch Henderson’s message reveals that Watney is alive, healthy, and in contact, with a rescue plan via a modified Ares 4 MDV. The crew erupts in stunned relief, while Lewis, haunted by the Sol 6 decision, withdraws in guilt.
Who Appears
- Melissa LewisCommander; leads storm abort, searches for Watney, orders launch, later struggles with guilt after learning he’s alive.
- Mark WatneyBotanist; struck by debris during Sol 6 storm, presumed dead by crew, later revealed alive.
- Rick MartinezPilot; preps MAV, uses OMS thrusters to counter tipping, executes hazardous launch to orbit.
- Beth JohanssenSystems operator; tracks storm data, reports Watney’s failed telemetry, later receives Henderson’s message.
- Alex VogelChemist; directs sample collection, assists launch prep, counsels adherence to Lewis’s orders.
- Chris BeckFlight surgeon; assesses Watney’s vitals, protests abandoning search, later rejoices at Watney’s survival.
- Mitch HendersonMission director; sends message revealing Watney’s survival and outlines the rescue plan.