STUDY: The Lady Astronaut of Mars

SCENE ONE (1423)

The lady astronaut of Mars is getting a check-up The doctor was a girl who talked to her back on Earth when she was younger. Elma(astronaut) doesn’t remember this conversation. But she’s famous and gracious and pretends she does. Elma was in for a routine check-up. She’s old and won’t get called into space again, but she likes to keep the NASA database updated. Now Dorothy is embarrassed for bringing it up. Elma pretends to remember her. Dorothy has this paper eagle that she gave her. It was a big deal for her. She asks her about her uncle. She mentions that they died during the Orion 27 accident. NOW she remembers. it’s THAT girl. Elma had consoled the girl after the accident. Dorothy is doing her blood pressure now. Elma is comparing this woman to the little girl she remembers. They talk about Elma’s husband. Elma asks Dorothy about when she came. She draws blood. She contemplates Dorothy.

SCENE TWO (868)

Elma goes home. The nurse Genevieve is taking care of her husband, Nathaniel. Sponge bath. Nathaniel is sick. Elma tells him about Dorothy. Reminders of what “used to be” is peppered throughout the scene to drive home the fact that Nathaniel is sick. She tells him about giving her a paper Eagle. She tells her about Orion 27. He’s reminded that even though it wasn’t his fault, he had been asked to do the programming on that assignment, but was busy with Mars. Nathaniel tells her that Sheldon called. Sheldon Spender is director of operations at the Bradbury Space Center on Mars. It’s for Elma. Message on the counter. Elma is confused, but also excited. Could they really be asking her for a trip? The location was a restaurant where tourists go. Public and open, but away from the industry.

SCENE THREE (1303)

She goes into “Yuri’s Spot”. It’s a cheesy/tacky place where tourists go. It’s a diner. She sees pictures of herself when she was younger with Nathaniel. Sheldon shows up and takes her to a corner booth. She notices that nobody recognizes her anymore. There was a time when people did (AGAIN, focus on “what used to be” as leit motif). The conversation is meandering on Nathaniel. He asks outright if they’ve given Sheldon a date. She asks outright if he’s asking about paralyzation, hospice of death. Sheldon’s line of questioning is confusing. Elma says he can still work if that’s what you’re asking. He says, actually, I need to know if you will still work. She’s sixty-three. He brings up the project LS-579. Sheldon describes the project. It’s three years. It will kill you with teh radiation. They need someone the public adores. IT’s an extrasolar planet. In case the project failed, they wanted to keep the project quiet. But if it succeeds, then it’s a huge PR boost. BACKSTORY: Asteroid has slammed into Washington DC and the acting president (minister of Agriculture) says we should go to space, and we all listened. Elma says she can’t do this. She thinks about Nathaniel. She can’t leave him while he’s dying.

SCENE FOUR (728)

She wants to take the job, but she can’t because of Nathaniel. She contemplates on Mars. She gets home. Genevieve is just about to leave. Nathaniel pushes his walker in. Nathaniel tells Elma to sit down and to tell her about the mission. He knows. When she’s done, Nathaniel tells her to take it. Nathaniel already called Dr. Williams to figure out hospice dates. He’s go three months before paralysis settles in. Elma does a fake hopeful thing. Nathaniel says, wtf. Just take the damn mission.

SCENE FIVE (732)

She’s at a New Orleans style cafe called Elmore’s. They had real crawfish. Sheldon Spender has brought along Garette Biggs. He talks and talks. He’s the PR guy. He’s talking about how the mission will leak on purpose and it will be a PR goldmine. She’s been exploited for publicity before. She’s old hat at this. She has mixed feelings, but has grown used to it. Senators want to kill the project. There’s an urgency to it. They talk about Nathaniel again. Biggs is insensitive.

SCENE SIX (649)

It’s the middle of the night . She wakes up. Nathaniel’s bell is ringing. She goes downstairs. he needs help sitting up. He needs to go to the washroom. It’s a huge chore to get up and get out of bed. They’re in the kitchen and he can’t make it. He soils himself. Elma cleans him up. She barely remembers the cleaning, but she can’t help but remember the sobbing.

SCENE SEVEN (1244)

She asks Genevieve to bring adult diapers the next day. She thinks about how it’s different when it’s not for work. She thinks about their decision to not have children. The fact that she would be up in space and away all the time. She regrets it now. There’s no one for Nathaniel if she leaves him now. They’re working in the afternoon later when the phone rings. It’s Sheldon. He’s about to get Elma, but Sheldon wants him instead. It’s a job. Nathaniel is taking notes. Elma gets angry. Why is he taking on a job that he didn’t consult her on? Elma emphasizes again that she’s going to turn them down. They fight about it again. Nathaniel keeps making the decision for Elma and she hates it. This is HER decisions. Why is Nathaniel telling her to leave as if it’s his decision?

SCENE EIGHT (987)

Dorothy shows up. Elma is surprised. Nathaniel had asked him her to come. Nathaniel shows up. He asks her if she brought the eagle. This one had an egg clutched in its talons. FLASHBACK: Dorothy is talking to Elma. What she doesn’t know is that she just had a talk with Nathaniel about not having children. The eagle is looking back, holding an egg. And then Dorothy asked her if she would have kids on Mars. And she put on a regulation smile and said, Every child born on Mars will be because of me. She asks about ones born on Earth. She replies. Those most of all. Nathaniel guessed that Dorothy was the one who had this particular eagle. Nathaniel set up a training session. The program he was working for will be for her mission.

SCENE NINE (86)

Resolution.