Andy Weir

How come Aquaman can control whales? They’re mammals! Makes no sense.

“Mark, you sneaky, clever, son of a bitch!”

“But if I wasn’t willing to take risks to save lives, I’d…” He thought for a moment. “Well, I guess I’d be you.”

It’s like falling asleep. You can’t really do it if you concentrate on it too hard.

No?” I ask

“No,” he says in Eridian.

“So, ‘yes’?”

“No, yes.”

“Yes?”

“No. No.”

“Yes, yes?”

“No!” He balls a fist at me, clearly frustrated.

“Computer! Painkillers!”

“Additional dose available in three hours and four minutes.”

I frown. “Computer: What is the current time?”

“Seven-fifteen p.m., Moscow Standard Time.”

“Computer: Set time to eleven p.m. Moscow Standard Time.”

“Clock set complete.”

“Computer: painkillers.”

The arms hand me a package of pills and a bag of water.

“No?” I ask
“No,” he says in Eridian.
“So, ‘yes’?”
“No, yes.”
“Yes?”
“No. No.”
“Yes, yes?”
“No!” He balls a fist at me, clearly frustrated

“Fist-bump!”
“What, question?”

“Be careful,” says Rocky. “You are friend now.”
“Thanks,” I say. “You are friend also.”
“Thank.”

“You’re my friend. Heck, you’re my best friend. And pretty soon we’re going to say goodbye forever.”