This piece was inspired from a writing prompt in reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/3cjjf8/wp_on_the_first_manned_mission_to_mars_a_crew_of/
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Yana looked up at the Martian sky and saw no Earth.
It had been a week since they had landed on ground zero and lost contact with mission control. But the mission continued. Base camp was set up. Their living quarters erected at the fringes of their landing site. The buildings looked like ping pong balls, plastic and white. There were portlets at either side, a view to the red wasteland that abounded.
Pietr told the four astronauts that mission control had ceased its signals. Asked as to why, Pietr didn't know.
"Could be maintenance. Relay must've broke down," said Frank.
"If it were, they should've repaired it days ago." Pietr scratched his beard. "We'll keep the console up. If we get anything, I'll let everyone know."
Three days later, still no signal. The astronauts remained on their duties. Yana maintained the crop and their diet. She prepared a salad, cutting lettuce and tomatoes, throwing in some legumes until she saw something out in the surface of Mars.
Yana squinted at the sight. There, at the distance, were two people standing hand-in-hand, waving at her. Yana closed her eyes and shook her head. When she opened them, the two people remained, still waving at her.
