Lucy in the Sky

T-minus ten, nine, eight,

seven, six, five... We have engine start.

...two, one.

We have liftoff.

Thirty-two minutes after the hour,

and the shuttle has cleared the tower.

Guidance systems online.

Eleven, Houston, thrusters go.

- All engines are doing good. - Yep, steady there,

from projections at point six-two.

And Houston, here comes the...

Cola.

Lucy.

- Specialist. - Yes, yes. I'm here.

Time to wrap it up. We're going home.

Just a few more minutes.

Just a few more minutes.

Copy, Houston.

- Go for deorbit burn. - Roger.

I have the stick. Beginning entry.

What a light show at the aft.

- Is it really? - Take your mirror.

Do you have a mirror?

Yeah, I do. Let me get that.

Watch your angle on re-entry.

Roger, Houston. Adjusting.

We have you coming in a little...

Hi.

How's, uh... Sorry.

- How was school today? - Mm.

Wanna get some ice cream?

No.

Thanks.

All right.

Well, the azaleas look nice.

Well, I watered them every day.

Or I would have, if I didn't forget.

Those are new. I put 'em in yesterday.

I missed you.

Yeah?

Babe, you went to space.

I am so proud of you.

It was...

I don't know.

- It's hard to put into words. - I bet.

To be up there...

Hey, sleepyhead.

How's rocket lag?

What time is it?

Where's... where's Iris?

8:30. I already put her on the bus.

Hey, can you...

I missed you.

What?

Mission accomplished.

And you're settling back in?

Never settle. My nana taught me that.

How are you feeling physically?

I'm in top shape, sir.

After just a few days in micro-gravity

your bone and muscle mass begins to shrink dramatically.

You were up ten days.

I've seen men carried off the shuttle,

too weak to stand.

Well...

All right.

Top of your class, naval academy.

Valedictorian, high school and college.

Can you stop?

Stop what?

- Working. - I'm taking a few days.

My niece is staying with us. Blue Iris.

Blue Iris?

It was his second choice, actually. My brother.

His wife talked him out of Sanctuary Rose.

Annabelle, she was the practical one.

Change a light bulb. Remember to eat.

She's dead now.

Anyway...

Iris is staying with us,

and we've been doing girl things.

Didn't I see you here on the track yesterday,

and in the gym this morning?

Bone density. Muscle mass.

Throw a Frisbee. Fly a kite.

What?

Nana says Frisbees are for dogs.

Tell me about her.

Three guys chased my dad home from school one day

with axe handles

and she put the first warning shot in the dirt.

- The first? - Lucy: Well, in San Angelo

a leg shot's considered a warning.

Why'd they chase him?

Your dad.

He pissed in their gas tank.

You know Michael Collins?

Yeah, yeah. Of course. Apollo 11.

He flew the command module for Neil and Buzz.

Yeah.

So you know that after he dropped them...

he circled the moon for hours.

It's farther from Earth than any man has ever been.

No light, no radio.

And he wept, consumed by darkness

and then, when he saw the sun again...

he wept some more.

Inside the module he wrote...

"I am now truly alone...

and absolutely alone from any known life.

I am it."

I'm fine.

There are better ways to kill yourself

than smoking with your oxygen machine.

How's that, fucker?

I'm back.

- Ooh. Did you go somewhere? - Well, up, then down.

You show those Ivy League assholes

- how it's done? - Damn straight.

Your father used to play golf.

Said it was good for business.

He was unemployed.

He was an idiot.

You here to make sure I'm still breathing?

Drew said your disposal's out.

Oh.

That it is.

I'm supposed to be on vacation.

I've already color coded three rooms in my house

and signed up for neighborhood watch.

You should get a hobby, like me.

Drinking's not a hobby.

Well, the government says

I'm too old to do it professionally.

Fixed.

They givin' you a medal?

NASA? For what?

All I did was my job.

Good girl. No special treatment.

Sebastian dropped Iris on us again while I was in space.

Can you believe that?

Did you leave her in the car?

She's in school.

He called me from the road, your brother.

Something about power tool races

in San Francisco.

You know what I told him? "Get a job."

Oh, he has a job.

He writes poetry.

When's your next mission?

Polaris goes in a few weeks.

Orion is in 13 months. That's my shot.

Well, you're not getting any younger.

So, you're just gonna have to work harder.

Suit circuit return valve. Reverse O-two umbilicals. Check.

Flush PKG, screen and honeycomb. Check.

Watch it.

Relax. You'll run faster.

Loose, you know?

No hurry. Just let it go.

Keep up the good work!

- Good morning. - Good morning.

Mm. I said good morning.

- Good morning. - There you go.

If you are in this room and you are wearing blue

you are a candidate for the next Orion mission.

Mission parameters are fluid...

but for now...

let's plan on a two-week run.

We'll be installing a starboard truss system

- and a solar array pair. - I saw you on the track today.

Mm-hmm.

You need to keep your head up.

Some of you have taken this ride before.

Congratulations.

Now, the bad news.

If you wanna go again...

Thanks for the tip.

...you're gonna have to earn it.

And that's no joke.

Dismissed.

You were on the Destiny mission, right?

- I was. Tell me your name again? - I'm Erin Eccles.

- I just came over from the SAIL. - Wow.

So, do you have any pointers? Other than keep my chin up.

Oh, that depends. Are you a pilot?

I'm in robotics.

Well, scratch two seats right there.

So, you want that seat on Orion? You take it.

Just make sure to leave one for me. All right?

Copy that.

Still a lot of Christmas up here.

- Copy, Orion. - O-two level's solid.

DFS restart indicated, Houston?

Orion, we confirm. Hard restart.

O-two dropping. Venting fast.

- Eccles? - Give me a second.

We don't have a second, rookie.

Exiting atmosphere.

Prepare for final destination.