152nd Entry

April 1^st, 2037

2007

Dear Space Diary

“Come on, hurry up and open the airlock!”

“Sorry 3.0, the computer isn’t responding for some reason. Don’t worry, it’s just a software crash. I’ll do some troubleshooting and should have you inside within –“

“Just hit it a couple of times.”

THUMP

“Ok, that fixed it.”

2015

“I’m in. Shut the airlock.”

Are you alright? 7 hours is a long time to be in space.

“Well. I really have to pee.”

She’s fine.

“Ok good. Get yourself cleaned up and we’ll go over some schematics.”

“It’s ok, I’m happy to start now. It’s like you guys were saying, the sooner the better, right?”

“No no, you should clean up first.”

I agree.

“…Do I smell that bad?”

Why do you think we’re talking to you over the intercom?

“Thanks a bundle.”

2030

3.0’s in the shower, Mary’s tooling away with a wiring kit. Happiest I’ve seen her in a little while.

ZAP

“Ow! That hurt!”

So happy.

To be honest, I’m starting to feel a little useless. 3.0’s taken over the wiring job and Mary knows, well, everything, which doesn’t leave me much to do, especially given my only job description from NASA was ‘sit in a chair and look busy.’

Maybe I’ll ask Mary if there’s anything I can do to help.

2035

Mary threw a pair of wire cutters at me. So I’ve taken that as a no.

“Maybe she just really hated those wire cutters.”

I had to give them back to her afterwards, so again, taking that as a no.

“Yeah, you’re right. She probably just hates you.”

Reassuring as always.

“Anyway, I’m ready to go. Let’s go see if she’s ready.”

Fine, but you’re going through the door first.

2036

“I said there’s nothing, oh it’s you.”

“I’m ready if you are.”

“Close enough. Have a seat. This is a rough mock-up of what the wires for the engine should look like once it’s fixed. You’ll need to memorise this and then use it as a guide while you’re out there, but you’ll still need to think on your feet, it’s possible we’ll have to work around some areas if any are broken. Anything you need me to go over?”

Is the engine actually made from a Styrofoam coffee cup?

“Not you.”

“Actually, I like his question.”

“I said rough. This is important 3.0, once you’re out there, there’s only so much help I can give you over the radio. NASA didn’t install cameras in the spacesuits. Well, they did, but they don’t work. Do you understand?”

“Give me a while to look it over. Got the schematics?”

“Right here.”

“Brilliant. So wires 3-12 go here, section K?”

“Correct.”

“And then I’ll need to make sure they run through to P and R, but skip O?”

“Not quite. You’re forgetting without O the gyroscopes won’t kick in fast enough, we’ll spin out.”

“Right. Ok…”

Anything you need?

“Yes I need something very important.”

What?

White, two sugars.