The Last Push Page #4

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to do another engine-burn test tomorrow.

Between you and me,

you have got plenty of time...

so let's just put it off

for a day or two.

Go to the beach,

drink a Mai Tai.

Just take a day off, okay?

Bob out.

I got about six more hours

on this repatch...

but we are doing this engine-burn

test tomorrow come hell or high water.

That's all I got.

Life One out.

This is engine-burn

connection test number two.

Arming... in three, two, one.

F***!

This f***ing...

Bob, I'm becoming concerned about the

failure of these engine-burn tests.

I'm worried about the

ramifications.

We've got, uh...

about 2,500 calories...

taken in today and about

11 minutes calisthenics.

There's a sound coming from the

hibernation and reentry capsule.

I don't know what it is.

Could you... take a look

at that for me?

Or give me some ideas

about what that could be?

Thanks.

Life One out.

Michael, this is Bob.

There is no reason that there should

be any sound coming from the capsule.

The capsule is dead.

Now, listen to me.

You are not sleeping.

One friend to another,

you look like hell, bro.

So, get some rest, continue

eating, continue exercising.

You have to exercise not just your body,

Michael, but your mind and get some rest.

That's my advice to you today.

Bob out.

Shut up, Nathan!

Shut up!

Goddamn it!

God...!

This is engine-burn test

number seven, three, two, one.

This is engine-burn test

number eight...

in three, two, one.

Test number 11

in three, two, one.

Number 14... in three, two, one.

Three, two, one.

In three, two, one.

This is engine-burn test

number 25...

in three, two, one.

Oh, baby.

Come on, come on, come on.

God...

No, no, no, no, no!

No, no.

1632, 1634...

no, that's all right.

Goddamn it, come on!

Wasn't a... wasn't

a frayed wire, was it?

S-20, S-26, 27.

Ugh, it's not here.

F***, it's cold.

No, no, no, that's fine.

It's fine.

This isn't it.

This isn't it.

Come on.

Guidance systems, check.

Guidance system, check.

Hey, look, pal...

there's nobody else I'd rather

do this mission with.

I mean that.

Let's do this.

What are you doing?

This ain't the man I know.

Get the f*** up... Michael!

Michael, get up!

Michael,

you... you son of a b*tch.

I... I cannot believe

that you made it.

Uh, I lost a lot of money.

Um, be well, we'll do

the work we need to here...

and, uh, send us a message

when you can.

Bob out.

Yeah, I made it.

I'm alive anyway.

So what's next?

I still have a post-Venus

engine burn ahead...

and have yet to perform

a successful test.

And if I do get all the way

back to Earth...

I have to crawl back

into that capsule...

and hope that whatever

rudimentary interior repair I do...

won't rupture on reentry.

And before that can happen...

I have years of this.

For what?

To say... I survived?

Sometimes I think...

if I could get these

engines fired up at all.

Maybe I shouldn't stop at Earth.

Maybe I should...

ride this thing...

all the way to Europa.

In a lot of ways...

I'm dead already.

Otherwise... yeah...

I made it...

but what's the point?

Astronaut Forrest, I just

want to thank you so much...

for being a tremendous

influence to me and my family.

We're so proud of you.

We wish you the very best...

and please,

have a safe journey home.

You're my hero.

Michael, Bob here.

Listen, buddy,

you are now nearing Venus...

and your ship is sending

back the most...

beautiful pictures

that I've ever seen.

Buddy, Venus is right outside

your ship right now...

and I... I wanted

to implore you...

to... to let me send you

the images.

It's amazing...

Bob out.

This is Michael Forrest

of Life One.

I have just seen Venus.

It's so close,

I feel like I can...

It's so close, I feel like

I can reach out and touch it.

I'm millions of miles

from home.

My only companion is dead.

And I can't help but think...

that I'm the luckiest man alive.

I wish... that you

could see what I see.

This is Life One out.

This is Life One.

Standby for a post-Venus

engine burn.

Arming... in three...

two...

one.

That's the stuff.

Michael? It is official.

The Broncos have won

the Super Bowl.

No, not really.

Uh, you're on

your way home, buddy.

Two more years to go.

Maybe by the time you're home, you'll

be old enough to have a beer with me.

Sleep well,

'cause I am going to bed.

Bob out.

Life One to Mission Control.

You remember that video

that Moffitt made for me?

Think you could track

that down?

I think I'd like

to see it now.

Thanks.

This message is for

Astronaut Michael Forrest.

My name is Avery Grey.

I'm from Omaha, Nebraska.

Good luck, Michael,

in Chinese.

Hi, Michael...

Astronaut Forrest, I just want

to thank you so much...

for being a tremendous influence to me

and my family. We're so proud of you.

We wish you a safe return and you've been

a really big inspiration for all of us.

Please come back safely.

One... one time, in school...

I was watching

one of your videos...

for a long time,

like, we're talking hours.

Um, and then

this teacher came in...

and she said,

"You're missing science class. "

And then I told her,

"I ain't missing nothing.

"I'm watching Astronaut Michael Forrest

going to search for space worlds. "

That sounds like science to me.

You're my hero.

Astronaut Forrest, you

are a great hero to the Japanese people.

You give us hope.

And your great accomplishment will

be edged in the history of mankind.

Sometimes I wonder

if you're scared.

You don't ever look scared...

but you might get stuck

up there...

and I just wanted to tell you,

don't be scared.

'Cause I'm gonna be

just like you.

And, if you get stuck,

I'll come and get you.

All right,

cross checks are complete.

We've run ten pressure-test simulations

and it appears that your patch is solid.

The inflatable aero-shell is 100

percent, was never compromised...

so you've got yourself

a heat shield.

You can start warming up the

capsule for the ride home.

Really, at any time,

all systems are go...

with power generator running

at 99.6 percent.

Truly, a hell of a job, you've

got her purring like a kitten.

So this is it.

Time to say goodbye

to the HAB MOD.

Time to say goodbye

to Life One.

Listen, Michael, um...

I'm proud to have been

here with you.

Thanks, Bob.

I couldn't

have done it without you.

That is so true.

It's been my pleasure.

Okay, standby.

All that's left to do is fire the

engines for the breaking procedure.

We'll see you after splashdown.

Bob out.

Life One to Mission Control.

Life One to Mission Control.

Mission Control, over.

Jeffs, how you doing, buddy?

Listen, I need to speak

to Mr. Moffitt.

Can you find him for me?

Thanks.

This is Life One out.

What can

I do for you, Michael?

How's the countdown going?

Funny you should ask. That's actually

what I wanted to talk to you about.

Shoot.

I've decided to abort

the countdown.

What are you saying?

What do you mean abort?

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